John 10 commentary

Here is a parable or similitude, taken from the customs of the East, in the management of sheep. Men, as creatures depending on their Creator, are called the sheep of his pasture. The church of God in the world is as a sheep-fold, exposed to deceivers and persecutors. The great Shepherd of the sheep knows all that are his, guards them by his providence, guides them by his Spirit and word, and goes before them, as the Eastern shepherds went before their sheep, to set them in the way of his steps. Ministers must serve the sheep in their spiritual concerns. The Spirit of Christ will set before them an open door. The sheep of Christ will observe their Shepherd, and be cautious and shy of strangers, who would draw them from faith in him to fancies about him.

Many who hear the word of Christ, do not understand it, because they will not. But we shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit making known the blessed Jesus. Christ is the Door. And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? He is a door open for passage and communication. Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we must come in by Jesus Christ as the Door. By faith in him as the great Mediator between God and man. Also, we have precious promises to those that observe this direction. Christ has all that care of his church, and every believer, which a good shepherd has of his flock; and he expects the church, and every believer, to wait on him, and to keep in his pasture.

Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.

Satan ruins many, by putting them out of conceit with the word and ordinances. Men would not be laughed out of their necessary food, yet suffer themselves thus to be laughed out of what is far more necessary. If our zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, especially in the blessed work of bringing his sheep into his fold, bring upon us evil names, let us not heed it, but remember our Master was thus reproached before us.

All who have any thing to say to Christ, may find him in the temple. Christ would make us to believe; we make ourselves doubt. The Jews understood his meaning, but could not form his words into a full charge against him. He described the gracious disposition and happy state of his sheep; they heard and believed his word, followed him as his faithful disciples, and none of them should perish; for the Son and the Father were one. Thus he was able to defend his sheep against all their enemies, which proves that he claimed Divine power and perfection equally with the Father.

Christ's works of power and mercy proclaim him to be over all, God blessed for evermore, that all may know and believe He is in the Father, and the Father in Him. Whom the Father sends, he sanctifies. The holy God will reward, and therefore will employ, none but such as he makes holy. The Father was in the Son, so that by Divine power he wrought his miracles; the Son was so in the Father, that he knew the whole of His mind. This we cannot by searching find out to perfection, but we may know and believe these declarations of Christ.

No weapon formed against our Lord Jesus shall prosper. He escaped, not because he was afraid to suffer, but because his hour was not come. And He who knew how to deliver himself, knows how to deliver the godly our of their temptations, and to make a way for them to escape. Persecutors may drive Christ and his gospel our of their own city or country, but they cannot drive him or it out of the world. When we know Christ by faith in our hearts, we find all that the Scripture saith of him is true.

1. Verily, verily, I say to you. As Christ had to do with scribes and priests, who were reckoned pastors of the Church, it was necessary that they should be divested of the honor of this title, if he wished his doctrine to be received. The small number of believers might also diminish greatly the authority of his doctrine. He therefore contends that we ought not to reckon, in the number of shepherds or of sheep, all who outwardly claim a place in the Church. But we shall never be able, by means of this mark, to distinguish the lawful shepherds from the reprobate, and the true sheep from the counterfeit, if all have the same object, and beginning, and end.

This warning has been highly useful in all ages, and in the present day it is especially necessary. No plague is more destructive to the Church, than when wolves ravage under the garb of shepherds We know also how grievous an offense it is, when bastard or degenerate Israelites pretend to be the sons of the Church, and, on this pretense, insult believers. But in the present day, there is nothing by which weak and ignorant persons are more alarmed, than when they see the sanctuary of God occupied by the greatest enemies of the Church; for it is not easy to make them understand, that it is the doctrine of Christ which the shepherds of the Church so fiercely resist. Besides, as the greater part of men are led into various errors by false doctrines, while the views and expectations of each person are directed to others, scarcely any person permits himself to be conducted into the right path.

We must therefore, above all things, guard against being deceived by pretended shepherds or counterfeit sheep, if we do not choose, of our own accord, to expose ourselves to wolves and thieves The name of “The Church” is highly honorable, and justly so; but the greater the reverence which it deserves, so much the more careful and attentive ought we to be in marking the distinction between true and false doctrine. Christ here declares openly, that we ought not to reckon as shepherds all who boast of being such, and that we ought not to reckon as sheep all who boast of outward marks. He speaks of the Jewish Church, but what he says applies equally well to our own. We ought also to consider his purpose and design, that weak consciences may not be alarmed or discouraged, when they perceive that they who rule in the Church, instead of pastors or shepherds, are hostile or opposed to the Gospel; and that they may not turn aside from the faith, because they have few fellow-disciples, in listening to Christ, among those who are called Christians.

He who entereth not by the door. It is useless, I think, to scrutinize too closely every part of this parable. Let us rest satisfied with this general view, that, as Christ states a resemblance between the Church and a sheepfold, in which God assembles all his people, so he compares himself to a door, because there is no other entrance into the Church but by himself. Hence it follows that they alone are good shepherds who lead men straight to Christ; and that they are truly gathered into the fold of Christ, so as to belong to his flock, who devote themselves to Christ alone.

But all this relates to doctrine; for, since

all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, (Colossians 2:3,)

he who turns aside from him to go elsewhere neither keeps the road nor enters by the door. Now, whoever shall not despise Christ or his instructor will easily rid himself of that hesitation which keeps so many in a state of perplexity, what is the Church, and who are they to whom we ought to listen as shepherds For if they who are called shepherds attempt to lead us away from Christ, we ought to flee from them, at the command of Christ, as we would flee from wolves or thieves; and we ought not to form or maintain intercourse with any society but that which is agreed in the pure faith of the Gospel. For this reason Christ exhorts his disciples to separate themselves from the unbelieving multitude of the whole nation, not to suffer themselves to be governed by wicked priests, and not to allow themselves to be imposed upon by proud and empty names.

3. To him the porter openeth. If by the word Porter “Si par ce mot de Portier.” any one choose to understand God, I do not object; and Christ even appears expressly to contrast the judgment of God with the false opinion of men in approving of pastors, as if he had said, “There are others, indeed, whom the world generally applauds, and on whom it willingly confers honor; but God, who holds the reins of government, does not acknowledge or approve of any but those who lead the sheep by this road.”

He calleth his own sheep by name. I consider this as referring to the mutual consent of faith; because the disciple and the teacher are united together by the one Spirit of God, so that the teacher goes before, and the disciple follows. Some think that it denotes the intimate knowledge which every shepherd ought to have of each of his flock, but I do not know if this rests on solid grounds.

4. Because they know his voice. Though he speaks here of ministers, yet, instead of wishing that they should be heard, he wishes that God should be heard speaking by them; for we must attend to the distinction which he has laid down, that he alone is a faithful pastor or shepherd The word pastor signifies shepherd, but, for the sake of the reader, who may not be aware of its etymology, it has been found necessary, in some cases, to employ both of the words, especially where the figure holds so prominent a place in the discussion. — Ed. of the Church, who conducts and governs his sheep by the direction of Christ. We must attend to the reason why it is said that the sheep follow; it is, because they know how to distinguish shepherds from wolves by the voice This is the spirit of discernment, by which the elect discriminate between the truth of God and the false inventions of men. So then, in the sheep of Christ a knowledge of the truth goes before, and next follows an earnest desire to obey, so that they not only understand what is true, but receive it with warm affection. And not only does he commend the obedience of the faith, because the sheep assemble submissively at the voice of the shepherd, but also because they do not listen to the voice of strangers, and do not disperse when any one cries to them.

6. This parable. This is the reason why, proudly vaunting of their wisdom, they rejected the light of Christ; for in a matter not very obscure they are exceedingly dull of apprehension.

But they did not understand what things they were which he spoke to them. In this clause the Greek manuscripts differ. Some copies might be literally rendered, they did not understand what he said Another reading, which I have followed, is more full, though it amounts to the same meaning. The third reading is, that they did not know that he who spoke of himself was the Son of God; but this is not much approved.

John 10:7-10

7. And Jesus again said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, that I am the door of the sheep. 8. All who have entered before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. 9. I am the door. If any man enter by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10. The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come, that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

7. I am the door. If this explanation had not been added, the whole discourse would have been allegorical. He now explains more clearly what was the chief part of the parable when he declares that he is the door The amount of what is stated is, that the principal point of all spiritual doctrine, on which souls are fed, consists in Christ. Hence also Paul, one of the shepherds, says:

I reckon nothing to be worth knowing but Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 2:2.)

And this mode of expression conveys the same meaning as if Christ had testified that to him alone we must all be gathered together. Therefore, he invokes and exhorts all who desire salvation to come to him. By these words, he means that in vain do they wander about who leave him to go to God, because there is but one open door, and all approach in any other way is prohibited.

8. All who came before me. The words πάντες ὅσοι may be literally rendered, all as many as came before me They who restrict this expression to Judas the Galilean, and such persons, depart widely, in my opinion, from Christ’s meaning; for he contrasts all false doctrine, in general, with the Gospel, and all false prophets with faithful teachers. Nor would it even be unreasonable to extend this statement to the Gentiles, that all who, from the beginning of the world, have professed to be teachers, and have not labored to gather sheep to Christ, have abused this title for destroying souls. But this does not at all apply to Moses and the Prophets, who had no other object in view than to establish the kingdom of Christ. For it ought to be observed, that a contrast is here made between the words of Christ and those things which are opposed to them. But so far are we from discovering any contradiction between the Law and the doctrine of the Gospel, that the Law is nothing else than a preparation for the Gospel. In short, Christ testifies that all the doctrines, by which the world has been led away from him, are so many deadly plagues; because, apart from him, there is nothing but destruction and horrible confusion. Meanwhile, we see of what importance antiquity is with God, and in what estimation it ought to be held by us, when it enters, as it were, into a contest with Christ. That no man may be moved by the consideration, that there have been teachers, in all ages, who gave themselves no concern whatever about directing men to Christ, Christ expressly states that it is of no consequence how many there have been of this description, or how early they began to appear; for it ought to be considered that there is but one door, and that they who leave it, and make openings or breaches in the walls, are thieves

But the sheep did not hear them. He now confirms more clearly what he had already spoken more obscurely and in the figure of an allegory, that they who were led out of the way by impostors did not belong to the Church of God. This is said, first, that when we see a great multitude of persons going astray, we may not resolve to perish through their example; and, next, that we may not waver, when God permits impostors to deceive many. For it is no light consolation, and no small ground of confidence, when we know that Christ, by his faithful protection, has always guarded his sheep, amidst the various attacks and crafty devices of wolves and robbers, so that there never was one of them that deserted him. “En sorte qu’il n’y en a pas eu une seule qui l’ait laisse.”

But here a question arises, When does a person begin to belong to the flock of the Son of God? “Du troupeau du Fils de Dieu.” For we see many who stray and wander through deserts during the greater part of their life, and are at length brought into the fold of Christ. I reply, the word sheep is here used in two ways. When Christ says afterwards, that he has other sheep besides, he includes all the elect of God, who had at that time no resemblance to sheep At present, he means sheep which bore the shepherd’s mark. By nature, we are at the greatest possible distance from being sheep; but, on the contrary, are born lions, tigers, wolves, and bears, “Lions, tygres, loups, et ours.” until the Spirit of Christ tames us, and from wild and savage beasts forms us to be mild sheep Thus, according to the secret election of God, we are already sheep in his heart, before we are born; but we begin to be sheep in ourselves by the calling, by which he gathers us into his fold. Christ declares that they who are called into the order of believers are so firmly bound together, that they cannot stray or wander, or be carried about by any wind of new doctrine.

It will perhaps be objected, that even those who had been devoted to Christ frequently go astray, and that this is proved by frequent experience, and that it is not without good reason that Ezekiel ascribes it to the good Shepherd, that he gathers the scattered sheep, (Ezekiel 34:12.) I readily acknowledge that it frequently happens, that they who had belonged to the household of faith are, for a time, estranged; but this is not at variance with Christ’s statement, for, so far as they go astray, they cease, in some respects, to be sheep What Christ means is simply this, that all the elect of God, though they were tempted to go astray in innumerable ways, were kept in obedience to the pure faith, so that they were not exposed as a prey to Satan, or to his ministers. But this work of God is not less astonishing, when he again gathers the sheep which had wandered for a little, than if they had all along continued to be shut up in the fold. It is always true, and without a single exception, that

they who go out from us were not of us, but that they who were of us remain with us to the end, (1 John 2:19.)

This passage ought to strike us with the deepest shame; first, because we are so ill accustomed to the voice of our Shepherd, that there are hardly any who do not listen to it with indifference; and, next, because we are so slow and indolent to follow him. I speak of the good, or of those who are at least passable; for the greater part of those who boast that they are Christ’s disciples kick fiercely against him. Lastly, as soon as the voice of any stranger has sounded in our ears, we are hurried to and fro; and this lightness and unsteadiness sufficiently shows how little progress we have hitherto made in the faith. But if the number of believers is smaller than might be desired, and if out of this small number a large proportion be continually dropping off, faithful teachers have this consolation to support them, that the elect of God, who are Christ’s sheep, listen to them. It is our duty, indeed, to labor diligently, and to strive by every possible method, that the whole world may be brought, if possible, into the unity of the faith; but let us, in the meantime, be well satisfied with belonging to the number.

9. If any man enter by me. The highest consolation of believers is, that when they have once embraced Christ, they learn that they are out of danger; for Christ promises to them salvation and happiness. He afterwards divides it into two parts.

He shall go in and out, and find pasture. First, they shall go safely wherever they find necessary; and, next, they shall be fed to the full. By going in and out, Scripture often denotes all the actions of the life, as we say in French, aller et venir, (to go and come,) A phrase in Scottish law, denoting a full right to occupy a house or any property, is, free ish (issue) and entrance, or, in other words, a right to go out and to come in, as the occupant pleases. — Ed. which means, to dwell These words, therefore, present to us a twofold advantage of the Gospel, that our souls shall find pasture in it, which otherwise become faint and famished, and are fed with nothing but wind; and, next, because he will faithfully protect and guard us against the attacks of wolves and robbers.

10. The thief cometh not. By this saying, Christ — if we may use the expression — pulls our ear, that the ministers of Satan may not come upon us by surprise, when we are in a drowsy and careless state; for our excessive indifference exposes us, on every side, to false doctrines. For whence arises credulity so great, that they who ought to have remained fixed in Christ, fly about in a multitude of errors, but because they do not sufficiently dread or guard against so many false teachers? And not only so, but our insatiable curiosity is so delighted with the new and strange inventions of men, that, of our own accord, we rush with mad career to meet thieves and wolves. Not without reason, therefore, does Christ testify that false teachers, whatever may be the mildness and plausibility of their demeanour, always carry about a deadly poison, that we may be more careful to drive them away from us. A similar warning is given by Paul,

See that no man rob you through vain philosophy, (Colossians 2:8.)

I am come. This is a different comparison; for Christ, having hitherto called himself the door, and declared that they who bring sheep to this door are true shepherds, now assumes the character of a shepherd, and indeed affirms that he is the only shepherd Indeed, there is no other to whom this honor and title strictly belongs; for, as to all the faithful shepherds of the Church, it is he who raises them up, endows them with the necessary qualifications, governs them by his Spirit, and works by them; and therefore they do not prevent him from being the only Governor of his Church, or from holding the distinction of being the only Shepherd For, though he employs their ministry, still he does not cease to fulfill and discharge the office of a shepherd by his own power; and they are masters and teachers in such a manner as not to interfere with his authority as a Master. In short, when the term shepherd is applied to men, it is used, as we say, in a subordinate sense; and Christ shares the honor with his ministers in such a manner, that he still continues to be the only shepherd both of themselves and of the whole flock.

That they may have life. When he says that he is come, that the sheep may have life, he means that they only who do not submit to his staff and crook (Psalm 23:4) are exposed to the ravages of wolves and thieves; and — to give them greater confidence — he declares that life is continually increased and strengthened in those who do not revolt from him. And, indeed, the greater progress that any man makes in faith, the more nearly does he approach to fullness of life, because the Spirit, who is life, grows in him.

John 10:11-15

11. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12. But the hireling, and he who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf teareth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by mine. 15. As the Father knoweth me, I also know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.

11. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. From the extraordinary affection which he bears towards the sheep, he shows how truly he acts towards them as a shepherd; for he is so anxious about their salvation, that he does not even spare his own life. Hence it follows, that they who reject the guardianship of so kind and amiable a shepherd are exceedingly ungrateful, and deserve a hundred deaths, and are exposed to every kind of harm. The remark of Augustine is exceedingly just, that this passage informs us what we ought to desire, what we ought to avoid, and what we ought to endure, in the government of the Church. Nothing is more desirable than that the Church should be governed by good and diligent shepherds Christ declares that he is the good shepherd, who keeps his Church safe and sound, first, by himself, and, next, by his agents. Whenever there is good order, and fit men hold the government, then Christ shows that he is actually the shepherd But there are many wolves and thieves who, wearing the garb of shepherds, wickedly scatter the Church. Whatever name such persons may assume, Christ threatens that we must avoid them.

12. But the hireling. By hirelings we are to understand those who retain the pure doctrine, and who proclaim the truth, as Paul says, to serve a purpose rather than from pure zeal. Though such persons do not serve Christ faithfully, yet we ought to hear them; for Christ wished that the Pharisees should be heard, because they sat in Moses’ seat, (Matthew 23:2;) and, in like manner, we ought to give such honor to the Gospel, as not to shrink from its ministers, though they be not good men. And as even the slightest offenses render the Gospel distasteful to us, that we may not be hindered by such false delicacy, let us always remember what I have formerly suggested, that if the Spirit of Christ does not operate so powerfully in ministers, as to make it plainly evident that he is their shepherd, we suffer the punishment of our sins, and yet our obedience is proved.

And he who is not the shepherd. Though Christ claims for himself alone the name of a shepherd, yet he indirectly states that, in some respects, he holds it in common with the agents by whom he acts. For we know that there have been many, since the time of Christ, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the salvation of the Church; and even the prophets, before his coming, did not spare their own life. But in his own person he holds out a perfect example, so as to lay down a rule for his ministers. For how base and shameful is our indolence, if our life is more dear to us than the salvation of the Church, which Christ preferred to his own life!

What is here said about laying down life for the sheep, may be viewed as an undoubted and principal mark of paternal affection. Christ intended, first, to demonstrate what a remarkable proof he gave of his love toward us, and, next, to excite all his ministers to imitate his example. Yet we must attend to the difference between them and him. He laid down his life as the price of satisfaction, shed his blood to cleanse our souls, offered his body as a propitiatory sacrifice, to reconcile the Father to us. Nothing of all this can exist in the ministers of the Gospel, all of whom need to be cleansed, and receive atonement and reconciliation to God by that single sacrifice. But Christ does not argue here about the efficacy or benefit of his death, so as to compare himself to others, but to prove with what zeal and affection “De quel zele et affection.” he is moved towards us, and, next, to invite others to follow his example. In short, as it belongs exclusively to Christ to procure life for us by his death, and to fulfill all that is contained in the Gospel, so it is the universal duty of all pastors or shepherds, to defend the doctrine which they proclaim, even at the expense of their life, and to seal the doctrine of the Gospel with their blood, and to show that it is not in vain that they teach that Christ has procured salvation for themselves and for others.

But here a question may be put. Ought we to reckon that man a hireling, who, for any reason whatever, shrinks from encountering the wolves? This was anciently debated as a practical question, when tyrants raged cruelly against the Church. Tertullian, and others of the same class, were, in my opinion, too rigid on this point. I prefer greatly the moderation of Augustine, who allows pastors to flee on the condition that, by their flight, they contribute more to the public safety than they would do by betraying the flock committed to their charge. And he shows that this is done, when the Church is not deprived of well-qualified ministers, and when the life of the pastor in particular is so eagerly sought, that his absence mitigates the rage of enemies. But it the flock — as well as the pastor — be in danger, “Que s’il y a danger aussi bien pour les brebis que pour la personne du pasteur.” and if there be reason to believe that the pastor flees, not so much from a desire to promote the public advantage as from a dread of dying, Augustine contends that this is not at all lawful, because the example of his flight will do more injury than his life can do good in future. The reader may consult the Epistle to Bishop Honoratus, (Ep. 108) On this ground it was lawful for Cyprian to flee, who was so far from shuddering at death, that he nobly refused to accept the offer of saving his life by a treacherous denial of his Master. Only it must be held that a pastor ought to prefer his flock, or even a single sheep, to his own life.

Whose own the sheep are not. Christ appears here to make all shepherds besides himself to be, without exception, hirelings; for, since he alone is shepherd, none of us have a right to say that the sheep which he feeds are his own But let us remember that they who are guided by the Spirit of God reckon that to be their own which belongs to their Head; and that not in order to claim power for themselves, but to keep faithfully what has been committed to their charge. For he who is truly united to Christ will never cease to take an interest in that which He valued so highly. This is what he afterwards says:

13. The hireling fleeth. The reason is, because he careth not for the sheep, which means, that his heart is not moved by the scattering of the flock, because he thinks that it does not at all belong to him. For he who looks to the hire, and not to the flock, though he may deceive others, when the Church is in a state of tranquillity, yet when he comes into the contest, will give proof of his treachery.

14. And I know my sheep, and am known by mine. In the former clause, he again holds out his love towards us; for knowledge proceeds from love, and is accompanied by care. But it means also that he utterly disregards all who do not obey the Gospel, as he repeats in the second clause, and confirms what he had formerly said, that — on the other hand — he is known by the sheep

15. As the Father knoweth me. It is unnecessary, and is not even expedient, that we should enter into those thorny questions, How is it that the Father knows his Wisdom? For Christ simply declares that, so far as he is the bond of our union with God, he is placed between Him and us; as if he had said, that it is no more possible for him to forget us, than that he should be rejected or disregarded by the Father. At the same time, he demands the duty which we mutually owe to him, because, as he employs all the power which he has received from the Father for our protection, so he wishes that we should be obedient and devoted to him, as he is wholly devoted to his Father, and refers everything to him.

John 10:16-18

16. And I have other sheep, 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. 17. On this account the Father loveth me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my Father.

16. And I have other sheep. Though some refer this indiscriminately to all, both Jews and Gentiles, who were not yet disciples of Christ, yet I have no doubt that he had in his eye the calling of the Gentiles. For he gives the appellation fold to the assemblage of the ancient people, by which they were separated from the other nations of the world, and united into one body as the heritage of God. The Jews had been adopted by God in such a manner, that he surrounded them with certain enclosures, which consisted of rites and ceremonies, that they might not be confounded with unbelievers, though the door of the fold was the gracious covenant of eternal life confirmed in Christ. For this reason he calls those sheep which had not the same mark, but belonged to a different class, other sheep In short, the meaning is, that the pastoral office of Christ is not confined within the limits of Judea, but is far more extensive.

Augustine’s observation on this passage is undoubtedly true, that, as there are many wolves within the Church, so there are many sheep without But this is not applicable, in every respect, to the present passage, which relates to the outward aspect of the Church, because the Gentiles, who had been strangers for a time, were afterwards invited into the kingdom of God, along with the Jews. Yet I acknowledge that Augustine’s statement applies in this respect, that Christ gives the name of sheep to unbelievers, who in themselves were the farthest possible from being entitled to be called sheep And not only does he point out, by this term, what they will be, but rather refers this to the secret election of God, because we are already God’s sheep, before we are aware that He is our shepherd. In like manner, it is elsewhere said that we were enemies, when he loved us, (Romans 5:10;) and for this reason Paul also says that we were known by God, before we knew him, (Galatians 4:9.)

Them also I must bring. He means that the election of God will be secure, so that nothing of all that he wishes to be saved shall perish. “Rien de tout ce qu’il veut estre sauve.” For the secret purpose of God, by which men were ordained to life, is at length manifested in his own time by the calling, — the effectual calling, when he regenerates by his Spirit, to be his sons, those who formerly were begotten of flesh and blood.

But it may be asked, How were the Gentiles brought to be associated with the Jews? For the Jews were not under the necessity of rejecting the covenant which God made with their fathers, in order to become Christ’s disciples; and the Gentiles, on the other hand, were not under the necessity of submitting to the yoke of the Law, that, being ingrafted in Christ, they might be associated with the Jews. Here we must attend to the distinction between the substance of the covenant and the outward appendages. For the Gentiles could not assent to the faith of Christ in any other way than by embracing that everlasting covenant on which the salvation of the world was founded. In this manner were fulfilled the predictions,

Strangers shall speak the language of Canaan, (Isaiah 19:18.)

Again,

Ten men of the Gentiles shall take hold of the cloak of one Jew, and say, We will go with you, (Zechariah 8:23.)

Again,

Many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:2.)

Abraham was also called

a father of many nations, (Genesis 17:5; Romans 4:17,) because they shall come from the East and from the West, who shall sit down with him in the kingdom of God, (Matthew 8:11.)

As to ceremonies, they are the middle wall of partition, which, Paul informs us, hath been thrown down, (Ephesians 2:14.) Thus, we have been associated with the Jews in the unity of the faith, as to the substance; and the ceremonies were abolished, that there might be nothing to prevent the Jews from stretching out their hand to us.

And there shall be one fold So it runs in the French version, “Et il y aura une bergerie et un Pasteur.” But in the Latin original, our Author, either through choice or inadvertency, has altered the translation, by substituting grex (flock) for ovile, (fold.) “Et fiet unus grex;” — “and there shall be one flock.” — Ed. and one shepherd That is, that all the children of God may be gathered and united “Assemblez et unis.” into one body; as we acknowledge that there is one holy universal Church, “Une saincte Eglise universelle.” and there must be one body with one head.

There is one God, says Paul, one faith, one baptism. Therefore we ought to be one, as we are called into one hope, (Ephesians 4:4, 5.)

Now though this flock appears to be divided into different folds, yet they are kept within enclosures which are common to all believers who are scattered throughout the whole world; because the same word is preached to all, they use the same sacraments, they have the same order of prayer, and every thing that belongs to the profession of faith.

And they shall hear my voice. We must observe the way in which the flock of God is gathered. It is, when all have one shepherd, and when his voice alone “Sa voix seule.” is heard These words mean that, when the Church submits to Christ alone, and obeys his commands, and hears his voice and his doctrine, “Sa voix et sa doctrine.” then only is it in a state of good order. If Papists can show us that there is any thing of this sort among them, let them enjoy the title of The Church, of which they vaunt so much. But if Christ is silent there, if his majesty is trodden under foot, if his sacred ordinances are held up to scorn, what else is their unity but a diabolical conspiracy, which is worse and far more to be abhorred than any dispersion? Let us therefore remember that we ought always to begin with the Head. Hence also the Prophets, when they describe the restoration of the Church, always join David the king with God; as if they said, that there is no Church where Christ does not reign, and that there is no kingdom of God, but where the honor of shepherd is granted to Christ.

17. On this account the Father loveth me. There is, indeed, another and a higher reason why the Father loveth the Son; for it was not in vain that a voice was heard from heaven,

This is my beloved Son, in whom the good-pleasure of God dwells, (Matthew 3:17; 17:5.)

But as he was made man on our account, and as the Father delighted in him, in order that he might reconcile us to himself, we need not wonder if he declares it to be the reason why the Father loveth him, that our salvation is dearer to him than his own life. This is a wonderful commendation of the goodness of God to us, and ought justly to arouse our whole souls into rapturous admiration, that not only does God extend to us the love which is due to the only-begotten Son, but he refers it to us as the final cause. And indeed there was no necessity that Christ should take upon him our flesh, in which he was beloved, but that it might be the pledge of the mercy of his Father in redeeming us.

That I may take it again. As the disciples might be deeply grieved on account of what they had heard about the death of Christ, and as their faith might even be greatly shaken, he comforts them by the hope of his resurrection, which would speedily take place; as if he said, that he would not die on the condition of being swallowed up by death, but in order that he might soon rise again as a conqueror. And even at the present day, we ought to contemplate the death of Christ, so as to remember, at the same time, the glory of his resurrection. Thus, we know that he is life, because, in his contest with death, he obtained a splendid victory, and achieved a noble triumph.

18. No man taketh it from me. This is another consolation, by which the disciples may take courage as to the death of Christ, that he does not die by constraint, but offers himself willingly for the salvation of his flock. Not only does he affirm that men have no power to put him to death, except so far as he permits them, but he declares that he is free from every violence of necessity. It is otherwise with us, for we are laid under a necessity of dying on account of our sins. True, Christ himself was born a mortal man; but this was a voluntary submission, and not a bondage laid upon him by another. Christ intended, therefore, to fortify his disciples, that, when they saw him shortly afterwards dragged to death, they might not be dismayed, as if he had been oppressed by enemies, but might acknowledge that it was done by the wonderful Providence of God, that he should die for the redemption of his flock. And this doctrine is of perpetual advantage, that the death of Christ is an expiation for our sins, because it was a voluntary sacrifice, according to the saying of Paul,

By the obedience of one many were made righteous, (Romans 5:19.)

But I lay it down of myself. These words may be explained in two ways; either that Christ divests himself of life, but still remains what he was, just as a person would lay aside a garment from his body, or, that he dies by his own choice.

This commandment have I received from my Father. He recalls our attention to the eternal purpose of the Father, in order to inform us that He had such care about our salvation, that he dedicated to us his only-begotten Son great and excellent as he is; “Aussi grand et excellent qu’il peut estre.” and Christ himself, who came into the world to be in all respects obedient to the Father, confirms the statement, that he has no other object in view than to promote our benefit.

John 10:19-30

19. A division therefore arose again among the Jews on account of those sayings. 20. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad: why do you hear him? 21. Others said, These are not the words of a demoniac. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22. And it was the feast of Dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24. The Jews then surrounded him, and said to him, How long dost thou keep our soul in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25. Jesus answered them, I have told you, but you do not believe. The works which I do in my Father’s name testify of me. 26. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, nor shall any one wrest them out of my hand. 29. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and none can wrest them out of my Father’s hand. 30. I and my Father are one.

19. A division therefore arose again. The advantage gained by Christ’s discourse was, that it procured him some disciples; but as his doctrine has also many adversaries, hence arises a division, so that they are split into parties, who formerly appeared to be one body of the Church. for all, with one consent, professed that they worshipped the God of Abraham and complied with the Law of Moses; but now, when Christ comes forward, they begin to differ on his account. If that profession had been sincere, Christ, who is the strongest bond of charity, and whose office it is to gather those things which are scattered, would not break up their agreement. But Christ, by the light of his Gospel, exposes the hypocrisy of many who, while they had nothing but a false and hypocritical pretense, boasted that they were the people of God.

Thus, the wickedness of many is still the reason why the Church is troubled by divisions, and why contentions are kindled. Yet those who disturb the peace, throw the blame on us, and call us Schismatics; for the principal charge which the Papists bring against us is, that our doctrine has shaken the tranquillity of the Church. Yet the truth is, that, if they would yield submissively to Christ, and give their support to the truth, all the commotions would immediately be allayed. But when they utter murmurs and complaints against Christ, and will not allow us to be at rest on any other condition than that the truth of God shall be extinguished, and that Christ shall be banished from his kingdom, they have no right to accuse us of the crime of schism; for it is on themselves, as every person sees, that this crime ought to be charged. We ought to be deeply grieved that the Church is torn by divisions arising among those who profess the same religion; but it is better that there are some who separate themselves from the wicked, to be united to Christ their Head, than that all should be of one mind in despising God. Consequently, when schisms arise, we ought to inquire who they are that revolt from God and from his pure doctrine.

20. He hath a devil. They employ the most offensive reproach which they can devise, in slandering Christ, that all may shudder at the thought of hearing him. For wicked men, that they may not be forced to yield to God, in a furious manner, and with closed eyes, break out into proud contempt of him, and excite others to the same rage, so that not a single word of Christ is heard in silence. But the doctrine of Christ has sufficient power in itself to defend it against slanders. And this is what believers mean by their reply,

21. These are not the words of a demoniac. It is as if they demanded that men should judge from the fact itself; for the truth, as we have said, is strong enough to maintain itself. And this is the only protection of our faith, that wicked men will never be able to hinder the power and wisdom of God, and his goodness also, “Et aussi sa boute.” from shining in the Gospel.

22. And it was the feast of Dedication. The Greek word (ἐγκαίνια) which we have translated dedication, “Le mot Grec pour lequel nous avons mis Dedicace.” properly signifies renovations; because the temple, which had been polluted, was again consecrated by the command of Judas Maccabaeus; and at that time it was enacted that the day of the new dedication or consecration should be celebrated every year as a festival, that the people might recall to remembrance the grace of God, which had put an end to the tyranny of Antiochus. Christ appeared in the temple at that time, according to custom, that his preaching might yield more abundant fruit amidst a large assembly of men.

23. And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. The Evangelist gives to Solomon’s porch the designation of the temple; not that it was the sanctuary, but only an appendage to the temple Nor does he mean the ancient porch which was built by Solomon, which had been altogether destroyed by the Chaldeans, but that which the Jews — perhaps immediately after their return from the Babylonish captivity — built after the pattern of the ancient porch, and gave it the same name, that it might be more highly honored; and Herod afterwards built a new temple.

24. The Jews therefore surrounded him. This was undoubtedly a cunning attack on Christ, at least on the part of those with whom the scheme originated. For the common people might, without any fraud, desire that Christ would openly declare that God had sent him to be a deliverer; but a few persons, by trick and stratagem, wished to draw this word from him amidst the crowd, that he might be killed by a mob, or that the Romans might lay hands on him.

How long dost thou keep our soul in suspense? By complaining of being kept in suspense, they pretend that they are so ardently desirous of the promised redemption, that their minds are eagerly and incessantly occupied by the expectation of Christ. And this is the true feeling of piety, to find nowhere else than in Christ alone, what will satisfy our minds, or give them true composure; as he himself says,

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you, and your souls shall find rest, (Matthew 11:28, 29.)

Therefore, those who come to Christ ought to be prepared in the same manner as those men pretend to be. But they are wrong in accusing Christ, as if he had not hitherto confirmed their faith; for it was entirely their own fault that they had not a full and perfect knowledge of him. But this is always the case with unbelievers, that they choose rather to remain in doubt than to be founded on the certainty of the word of God. Thus, in our own day, we see many who voluntarily shut their eyes, and spread the clouds of their doubt, in order to darken the clear light of the Gospel. We see also many light spirits, who fly about in idle speculations, and never find, throughout their whole life, a permanent abode.

Tell us plainly. When they demand that Christ shall declare himself freely, or openly and boldly, their meaning is, that he may no longer convey his meaning indirectly, and in a circuitous manner. Thus they charge his doctrine with obscurity, which, on the contrary, was abundantly plain and distinct, if the men who heard it had not been deaf. Now this history warns us, that we cannot avoid the artifices and slanders of wicked men, if we are called to preach the Gospel. Wherefore, we ought to be on the watch, and not to be surprised at it as a new thing, when the same thing happens to us as to our Master.

25. I have told you. Our Lord Jesus “Nostre Seigneur Jesus.” does not conceal that he is the Christ, and yet he does not teach them as if they were willing to learn, but rather reproaches them with obstinate malice, because, though they had been taught by the word and works of God, they had not yet made any progress. Accordingly, that they do not know him, he imputes to their own fault, as if he said: “My doctrine is easily enough understood, but the blame lies with you, because you maliciously resist God.”

The works which I do. He speaks of his works, in order to convict them of being doubly obstinate; for, besides the doctrine, they had a striking testimony in his miracles, if they had not been ungrateful to God. He twice repeats the words, You do not believe, in order to prove that, of their own accord, they were deaf to doctrine, and blind to works; which is a proof of extreme and desperate malice. He says that he did the works in the name of his Father; because his design was, to testify the power of God in them, by which it might be openly declared that he came from God.

26. Because you are not of my sheep. He assigns a higher reason why they do not believe either in his miracles or in his doctrine. It is, because they are reprobate. We must observe Christ’s design; for, since they boasted of being the Church of God, that their unbelief may detract nothing from the authority of the Gospel, he affirms that the gift of believing is a special gift. And, indeed, before that men know God, they must first be known by him, as Paul says, (Galatians 4:9.) On the other hand, those to whom God does not look must always continue to look away from him. If any one murmur at this, arguing that the cause of unbelief dwells in God, because he alone has power to make sheep; I reply, He is free from all blame, for it is only by their voluntary malice that men reject his grace. God does all that is necessary to induce them to believe, but who shall tame wild beasts? “Mais qui apprivoisera des bestes sauvages?” This will never be done, till the Spirit of God change them into sheep They who are wild will in vain attempt to throw on God the blame of their wildness, for it belongs to their own nature. In short, Christ means that it is not wonderful, if there are few who obey his Gospel, because all whom the Spirit of God does not subdue to the obedience of faith are wild and fierce beasts. So much the more unreasonable and absurd is it, that the authority of the Gospel should depend on the belief of men; but believers ought rather to consider, that they are the more strongly bound to God, because, while others remain in a state of blindness, they are drawn to Christ by the illumination of the Spirit. Here, too, the ministers of the Gospel have ground of consolation, if their labor be not profitable to all.

27. My sheep hear my voice. He proves by an argument drawn from contraries, that they are not sheep, because they do not obey the Gospel. For God effectually calls all whom he has elected, so that the sheep of Christ are proved by their faith. And, indeed, the reason why the name of sheep is applied to believers is, that they surrender themselves to God, to be governed by the hand of the Chief Shepherd, and, laying aside the fierceness of their nature, become mild and teachable. It is no small consolation to faithful teachers, that, though the greater part of the world do not listen to Christ, yet he has his sheep whom he knows, and by whom he is also known Let them do their utmost to bring the whole world into the fold of Christ; but when they do not succeed according to their wish, let them be satisfied with this single consideration, that they who are sheep will be gathered by their agency. The rest has been already explained.

28. And they shall never perish. It is an inestimable fruit of faith, that Christ bids us be convinced of our security when we are brought by faith into his fold. But we must also observe on what foundation this certainty rests. It is because he will be a faithful guardian of our salvation, for he testifies that our salvation is in his hand And if this were not enough, he says that they will be safely guarded by the power of his Father This is a remarkable passage, by which we are taught that the salvation of all the elect is not less certain than the power of God is invincible. Besides, Christ did not intend to throw this word foolishly into the air, but to give a promise which should remain deeply axed in their minds; and, therefore, we infer that the statement of Christ is intended to show that the elect are absolutely certain of their salvation. We are surrounded, indeed, by powerful adversaries, and so great is our weakness, that we are every moment in imminent danger of death; but as He who keeps what we have committed to him (2 Timothy 1:12) is greater or more powerful than all, we have no reason to tremble as if our life were in danger.

Hence, too, we infer how mad is the confidence of the Papists, which relies on free-will, on their own virtue, and on the merits of their works. Widely different is the manner in which Christ instructs his followers, to remember that, in this world, they may be said to be in the midst of a forest, surrounded by innumerable robbers, and are not only unarmed and exposed as a prey, but are aware that the cause of death is contained in themselves, so that, relying on the guardianship of God alone, they may walk without alarm. In short, our salvation is certain, because it is in the hand of God; for our faith is weak, and we are too prone to waver. But God, who has taken us under his protection, is sufficiently powerful to scatter, with his breath alone, all the forces of our adversaries. It is of great importance for us to turn our eye to this, that the fear of temptations may not dismay us; for Christ even intended to point out the way in which sheep are made to live at ease in the midst of wolves.

And none can wrest them out of my Father’s hand. The word and, in this passage, means therefore For, since the power of God is invincible, Christ infers that the salvation of believers is not exposed to the ungovernable passions of their enemies, because, ere they perish, God must be overcome, who has taken them under the protection of his hand.

30. I and my Father are one. He intended to meet the jeers of the wicked; for they might allege that the power of God did not at all belong to him, so that he could promise to his disciples that it would assuredly protect them. He therefore testifies that his affairs are so closely united to those of the Father, that the Father’s assistance will never be withheld from himself and his sheep The ancients made a wrong use of this passage to prove that Christ is (ὁμοούσιος) of the same essence with the Father. For Christ does not argue about the unity of substance, but about the agreement which he has with the Father, so that whatever is done by Christ will be confirmed by the power of his Father.

John 10:31-36

31. Then the Jews again took up stones to stone him. 32. Jesus answered them, Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me? 33. The Jews answered him, We stone thee not for the sake of a good work, but for blasphemy, and, because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods? 35. If it called them gods, to whom the word of God was addressed, and Scripture cannot, be broken, 36. Do you say that I, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?

31. Then the Jews again took up stones. As true religion, in maintaining the glory of God, burns with its own zeal which the Spirit of God directs, so unbelief is the mother of rage, and the devil hurries on the wicked in such a manner, that they breathe nothing but slaughter. This result shows with what intention they put the question to Christ; for the open confession, of which they pretended to be desirous, instantly drives them to madness. And yet, though they are hurried along, with such violence, to oppress Christ, there can be no doubt that they assigned some plausible reason for their judgment, as if they were acting according to the injunction of the Law, by which God commands that false prophets shall be stoned, (Deuteronomy 13:5.)

32. Many good works I have shown you. Here Christ not only says that they have no reason for their cruelty, but accuses them of ingratitude, in making so unjust a requital for God’s favors. Nor does he only state that he has done them a service by one or two works, but that in many ways he has been kind to them. Next, he upbraids them with being ungrateful, not only to himself, but rather to God, when he says that he is the minister of the Father, who openly manifested his power, that it might be known and attested to them. For when he says that the good works were from the Father, he means that God was the Author of them. The meaning may be thus summed up, “God intended to make known to you, by me, distinguished benefits; he has conferred them upon you by my hand. Banish me as much as you please, I have done nothing that does not deserve praise and good-will. In persecuting me, therefore, you must show your rage against the gifts of God.” But the question has greater force to pierce their consciences than if he had made a direct assertion.

33. We stone thee not for a good work. Though wicked men carry on open war with God, yet they never wish to sin without some plausible pretense. The consequence is, that when they rage against the Son of God, they are not content with this cruelty, but bring an unprovoked accusation against him, and constitute themselves advocates and defenders of the glory of God. A good conscience must therefore be to us a wall of brass, by which we boldly repel the reproaches and calumnies with which we are assailed. For whatever plausibility may adorn their malice, and whatever reproach they may bring on us for a time, if we fight for the cause of God, he will not refuse to uphold his truth. But as the wicked never want pretences for oppressing the servants of God, and as they have also hardened impudence, so that, even when vanquished, they do not cease to slander, we have need of patience and meekness, to support us to the end.

But for blasphemy. The word blasphemy, which among profane authors denotes generally every kind of reproach, Scripture refers to God, when his majesty is offended and insulted.

Because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. There are two kinds of blasphemy, either when God is deprived of the honor which belongs to him, or when anything unsuitable to his nature, or contrary to his nature, is ascribed to him. They argue therefore that Christ is a blasphemer and a sacrilegious person, because, being a mortal man, he lays claim to Divine honor. And this would be a just definition of blasphemy, if Christ were nothing more than a man. They only err in this, that they do not design to contemplate his Divinity, which was conspicuous in his miracles.

34. Is it not written in your Law? He clears himself of the crime charged against him, not by denying that he is the Son of God, but by maintaining that he had justly said so. Yet he adapts his reply to the persons, instead of giving a full explanation of the fact; for he reckoned it enough for the present to expose their malice. In what sense he called himself the Son of God he does not explain fully, but states indirectly. The argument which he employs is not drawn from equals, but from the less to the greater.

I said, You are gods. Scripture gives the name of gods to those on whom God has conferred an honorable office. He whom God has separated, to be distinguished above all others, is far more worthy of this honorable title. Hence it follows, that they are malicious and false expounders of Scripture, who admit the first, but take offense at the second. The passage which Christ quotes is in Psalm 82:6,

I have said, You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High;

where God expostulates with the kings and judges of the earth, who tyrannically abuse their authority and power for their own sinful passions, for oppressing the poor, and for every evil action. He reproaches them that, unmindful of Him from whom they received so great dignity, they profane the name of God. Christ applies this to the case in hand, that they receive the name of gods, because they are God’s ministers for governing the world. For the same reason Scripture calls the angels gods, because by them the glory of God beams forth on the world. We must attend to the mode of expression:

35. To whom the word of God was addressed. For Christ means that they were authorized by an undoubted command of God. Hence we infer that empires did not spring up at random, nor by the mistakes of men, but that they were appointed by the will of God, because he wishes that political order should exist among men, and that we should be governed by usages and laws. For this reason Paul says, that all who

resist the power are rebels against God, because there is no power but what is ordained by God, (Romans 13:1, 2.)

It will, perhaps, be objected, that other callings also are from God, and are approved by him, and yet that we do not, on that account, call farmers, or cowherds, or cobblers, gods I reply, this is not a general declaration, that all who have been called by God to any particular way of living are called gods; but Christ speaks of kings, whom God has raised to a more elevated station, that they may rule and govern. In short, let us know that magistrates are called gods, because God has given them authority. Under the term Law, Christ includes the whole doctrine by which God governed his ancient Church; for since the prophets were only expounders of the Law, the Psalms are justly regarded as an appendage to the Law. That the Scripture cannot be broken means, that the doctrine of Scripture is inviolable.

36. Whom the Father hath sanctified. There is a sanctification that is common to all believers. But here Christ claims for himself something far more excellent, namely, that he alone was separated from all others, that the power of the Spirit and the majesty of God might be displayed in him; as he formerly said, that him hath God the Father sealed, (John 6:27.) But this refers strictly to the person of Christ, so far as he is manifested in the flesh. Accordingly, these two things are joined, that he has been sanctified and sent into the world. But we must also understand for what reason and on what condition he was sent It was to bring salvation from God, and to prove and exhibit himself, in every possible way, to be the Son of God.

Do you say that I blaspheme? The Arians anciently tortured this passage to prove that Christ is not God by nature, but that he possesses a kind of borrowed Divinity. But this error is easily refuted, for Christ does not now argue what he is in himself, but what we ought to acknowledge him to be, from his miracles in human flesh. For we can never comprehend his eternal Divinity, unless we embrace him as a Redeemer, so far as the Father hath exhibited him to us. Besides, we ought to remember what I have formerly suggested, that Christ does not, in this passage, explain fully and distinctly what he is, as he would have done among his disciples; but that he rather dwells on refuting the slander of his enemies.

John 10:37-42

37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38. But if I do, “Et si je les fay;” — “and if I do them.” though you believe not me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39. Therefore they sought again to seize him, but he escaped “Mais il eschappa.” out of their hands. 40. And again he went away beyond Jordan, to the place where John first baptized, and abode there. 41. And many came to him, and said, John indeed did no miracle; but all that John spoke about this man was true. 42. And many believed on him there.

37. If I do not the works Lest the Jews might reply that it was in vain for him to boast of sanctification, and of all that depended on it, he again draws their attention to his miracles, in which there was a sufficiently evident proof of his Divinity. This is in the shape of a concession, as if he had said, “I do not wish you to be bound to give me credit on any other condition than that you see the fact plainly before your eyes. “Sinon que vous voyez le faict evident devant vos yeux.” You may safely reject me, if God has not openly given testimony to me.”

The works of my Father. He gives them this name, because those works were truly Divine, and because so great power shone in them, that they could not be ascribed to a man.

38. But if I do. He shows that they are held plainly convicted of unbelieving and sacrilegious contempt, because they render no reverence or honor “Aucune reverence ni honneur.” to what are undoubtedly the works of God. This is a second concession, when he says, “Though I allow you to doubt of my doctrine, you cannot deny, at least, that the miracles which I have performed are from God. You therefore openly reject God, and not a man.”

That you may know and believe. Though he places knowledge before faith, as if faith were inferior to it, he does so, because he has to do with unbelieving and obstinate men, who never yield to God, until they are vanquished and constrained by experience; for rebels wish to know before they believe And yet our gracious God indulges us so far, that he prepares us for faith by a knowledge of his works. But the knowledge of God and of his secret wisdom comes after faith, because the obedience of faith opens to us the door of the kingdom of heaven.

That the Father is in me, and I in him. He repeats the same thing which he had said before in other words, I and my Father are one All tends to this point, that in his ministry there is nothing contrary to his Father. “The Father, he says, is in me; that is, Divine power is manifested in me.”

And I am in my Father; that is, “I do nothing but by the command of God, so that there is a mutual connection between me and my Father.” For this discourse does not relate to the unity of essence, but to the manifestation of Divine power in the person of Christ, from which it was evident that he was sent by God.

39. Therefore they sought again to seize him. This was undoubtedly that they might drive him out of the temple, and immediately stone him; for their rage was not at all abated by the words of Christ. As to what the Evangelist says, that he escaped out of their hands, this could not be accomplished in any other way than by a wonderful exertion of Divine power. This reminds us that we are not exposed to the lawless passions of wicked men, which God restrains by his bridle, whenever he thinks fit.

40. He went away beyond Jordan. Christ passed beyond Jordan, that he might not have to fight continually without any advantage. He has therefore taught us, by his example, that we ought to avail ourselves of opportunities, when they occur. As to the place of his retreat, the reader may consult the observations which I have made at Chapter 1, verse 28. See page 62 of this volume.

41. And many came to him. This large assembly shows that Christ did not seek solitude, in order to cease from the discharge of his duty, but to erect a sanctuary of God in the wilderness, when Jerusalem, which was his own abode and dwelling-place, “Qui estoit le propre siege et habitation de celuy.” had obstinately driven him out. And indeed this was a dreadful vengeance of God, that, while the temple chosen by God was a den of robbers, (Jeremiah 7:11; Matthew 21:13,) the Church of God was collected in a despised place.

John indeed did no miracle. They infer that Christ is more excellent than John, because he has distinguished himself by so many miracles, while John did not perform a single miracle Not that we ought always to judge from miracles, but that miracles, when united with doctrine, have no small weight, as has already been repeatedly mentioned. Their argument is defective; for they compare Christ with John, but they express only one part of the comparison. Besides, they take for granted, that John was an eminent prophet of God, and that he was endued with extraordinary grace of the Holy Spirit. They justly argue, therefore, that Christ ought to be preferred to John, because it was only by the fixed Providence of God that it was brought about that John, though in other respects a very great prophet, yet was not honored by performing any miracle. Hence they conclude, that this was done on Christ’s account, that he might be more highly esteemed.

But all that John said. It appears that this was not spoken by themselves, but was added by the Evangelist, in order to show that there were two reasons which induced them to believe in Christ. On the one hand, “D’un coste.” they saw that the testimony which John had given to him was true; and, on the other hand, “D’autrepart.” the miracles of Christ procured for him greater authority.

CHAPTER 11

John 11:1-10

l. Now one named Lazarus, of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. 2. And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3. The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, Lord, lo, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4. And Jesus, having heard this, said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it. 5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6. Having therefore heard that he was sick, he then remained two days in the place where he was. 7. And after this he saith to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. 8. The disciples say to him, The Jews but lately sought to stone thee, and dost thou go thither again? 9. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk by day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10. But if any man walk by night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

CHAPTER 10

Joh 10:1-21. The Good Shepherd.

This discourse seems plainly to be a continuation of the closing verses of the ninth chapter. The figure was familiar to the Jewish ear (from Jr 23:1-40; Eze 34:1-31; Zec 11:1-17, &c.). "This simple creature [the sheep] has this special note among all animals, that it quickly hears the voice of the shepherd, follows no one else, depends entirely on him, and seeks help from him alone--cannot help itself, but is shut up to another's aid" [Luther in Stier].

1-2. He that entereth not by the door--the legitimate way (without saying what that was, as yet).

into the sheepfold--the sacred enclosure of God's true people.

climbeth up some other way--not referring to the assumption of ecclesiastical office without an external call, for those Jewish rulers, specially aimed at, had this (Mt 23:2), but to the want of a true spiritual commission, the seal of heaven going along with the outward authority; it is the assumption of the spiritual guidance of the people without this that is meant.

3. To him the porter openeth--that is, right of free access is given, by order of Him to whom the sheep belong; for it is better not to give the allusion a more specific interpretation [Calvin, Meyer, Luthardt].

and the sheep hear his voice--This and all that follows, though it admits of important application to every faithful shepherd of God's flock, is in its direct and highest sense true only of "the great Shepherd of the sheep," who in the first five verses seems plainly, under the simple character of a true shepherd, to be drawing His own portrait [Lampe, Stier, &c.].

7-14. I am the door of the sheep--that is, the way in to the fold, with all blessed privileges, both for shepherds and sheep (compare Joh 14:6; Ep 2:18).

15-18. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father--What claim to absolute equality with the Father could exceed this? (See on Mt 11:27).

and I lay down my life for the sheep--How sublime this, immediately following the lofty claim of the preceding clause! It is the riches and the poverty of "the Word made flesh"--one glorious Person reaching at once up to the Throne and down even to the dust of death, "that we might live through Him." A candid interpretation of the words, "for the sheep," ought to go far to establish the special relation of the vicarious death of Christ to the Church.

19-21. There was a division ... again among the Jews for these sayings--the light and the darkness revealing themselves with increasing clearness in the separation of the teachable from the obstinately prejudiced. The one saw in Him only "a devil and a madman"; the other revolted at the thought that such words could come from one possessed, and sight be given to the blind by a demoniac; showing clearly that a deeper impression had been made upon them than their words expressed.

Joh 10:22-42. Discourse at the Feast of Dedication--From the Fury of His Enemies Jesus Escapes beyond Jordan, Where Many Believe on Him.

22-23. it was ... the feast of the dedication--celebrated rather more than two months after the feast of tabernacles, during which intermediate period our Lord seems to have remained in the neighborhood of Jerusalem. It was instituted by Jude Maccabeus, to commemorate the purification of the temple from the profanations to which it had been subjected by Antiochus Epiphanes 165 B.C., and kept for eight days, from the twenty-fifth Chisleu (December), the day on which Judas began the first joyous celebration of it (1 Maccabees 4:52,56,59; and Josephus, Antiquities, 7.7.7).

it was winter--implying some inclemency. Therefore,

24. Then came the Jews--the rulers. (See on Joh 1:19).

How long dost thou make us to doubt?--"hold us in suspense" (Margin).

If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly--But when the plainest evidence of it was resisted, what weight could a mere assertion of it have?

25-26. Jesus answered them, I told you--that is, in substance, what I am (for example Joh 7:37, 38; 8:12, 35, 36, 58).

27-30. My sheep hear my voice, &c.--(See on Joh 10:8).

31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him--and for precisely the same thing as before (Joh 8:58, 59).

32. Many good works have I showed you--that is, works of pure benevolence (as in Ac 10:38, "Who went about doing good," &c.; see Mr 7:37).

from my Father--not so much by His power, but as directly commissioned by Him to do them. This He says to meet the imputation of unwarrantable assumption of the divine prerogatives [Luthardt].

for which of those works do ye stone me?--"are ye stoning (that is, going to stone) me?"

33. for a blasphemy--whose legal punishment was stoning (Le 24:11-16).

thou, being a man--that is, a man only.

makest thyself God--Twice before they understood Him to advance the same claim, and both times they prepared themselves to avenge what they took to be the insulted honor of God, as here, in the way directed by their law (Joh 5:18; 8:59).

34-36. Is it not written in your law--in Psa 82:6, respecting judges or magistrates.

Ye are gods--being the official representatives and commissioned agents of God.

37-39. though ye believe not me, believe the works--There was in Christ's words, independently of any miracles, a self-evidencing truth, majesty and grace, which those who had any spiritual susceptibility were unable to resist (Joh 7:46; 8:30). But, for those who wanted this, "the works" were a mighty help. When these failed, the case was desperate indeed.

that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him--thus reiterating His claim to essential oneness with the Father, which He had only seemed to soften down, that He might calm their rage and get their ear again for a moment.

40-42. went away again beyond Jordan ... the place where John at first baptized--(See on Joh 1:28).

Verily, verily, etc. - From Joh 10:6, we learn that this is a parable, i.e. a representation of heavenly things through the medium of earthly things. Some think our Lord delivered this discourse immediately after that mentioned in the preceding chapter; others think it was spoken not less than three months after. The former, says Bishop Pearce, was spoken at the feast of tabernacles, see chap. 7, or about the end of September, and this at the feast of dedication, or in December. See Joh 10:22.

Christ, says Calmet, having declared himself to be the light of the world, which should blind some while it illuminated others, Joh 9:41, continues his discourse, and, under the similitude of a shepherd and his flock, shows that he was about to form his Church of Jews and Gentiles, and that into it he would admit none but those who heard his voice. The unbelieving and presumptuous Jews, who despised his doctrine, are the sheep which hear not the voice of the shepherd: the proud and self-sufficient Pharisees are those who imagine they see clearly while they are blind. The blind who become illuminated are the Gentiles and Jews who turn from their sins and believe in Jesus.

The light of the world, the good shepherd, and the door which leads into the sheepfold, are all to be understood as meaning Jesus Christ; the hireling shepherds, the willfully blind; the murderers and robbers are the false Christs, false prophets, scribes, Pharisees, wicked hireling priests, and ungodly ministers of all sorts, whether among primitive Jews or modern Christians.

Our Lord introduces this discourse in a most solemn manner, Verily, verily! - Amen, amen! - it is true, it is true! - a Hebraism for, This is a most important and interesting truth; a truth of the utmost concern to mankind.

At all times our Lord speaks what is infallibly true; but when he delivers any truths with this particular asseveration, it is either,

1. Because they are of greater importance; or,

2. because the mind of man is more averse from them; or,

3. because the small number of those who will practice them may render them incredible. Quesnel.

He that entereth not by the door - Christ assures us, Joh 10:7, that he is the door; whoever, therefore, enters not by Jesus Christ into the pastoral office, is no other than a thief and a robber in the sheepfold. And he enters not by Jesus Christ who enters with a prospect of any other interest besides that of Christ and his people. Ambition, avarice, love of ease, a desire to enjoy the conveniences of life, to be distinguished from the crowd, to promote the interests of one's family, and even the sole design of providing against want - these are all ways by which thieves and robbers enter into the Church. And whoever enters by any of these ways, or by simony, craft, solicitation, etc. deserves no better name. Acting through motives of self-interest, and with the desire of providing for himself and his family, are innocent, yea, laudable, in a secular business; but to enter into the ministerial office through motives of this kind is highly criminal before God.

He that entereth in by the door - Observe here the marks, qualities, and duties of a good pastor; The first mark is, that he has a lawful entrance into the ministry by the internal call of Christ, namely, by an impulse proceeding from his Spirit, upon considerations which respect only his glory, and upon motives which aim at nothing but the good of his Church, the salvation of souls, the doing the will of God, and the sacrificing himself entirely to his service, and to that of the meanest of his flock.

To him the porter openeth - Sir Isaac Newton observes that our Lord being near the temple, where sheep were kept in folds to be sold for sacrifices, spoke many things parabolically of sheep, of their shepherds, and of the door to the sheepfold; and discovers that he alluded to the sheepfolds which were to be hired in the market place, by speaking of such folds as a thief could not enter by the door, nor the shepherd himself open, but a porter opened to the shepherd. In the porter opening the door to the true shepherd, we may discover the second mark of a true minister - his labor is crowned with success. The Holy Spirit opens his way into the hearts of his hearers, and he becomes the instrument of their salvation. See Col 4:3; 2Cor 2:12; 1Cor 16:9; Rev 3:8.

The sheep hear his voice - A third mark of a good shepherd is that he speaks so as to instruct the people - the sheep hear His voice; he does not take the fat and the fleece, and leave another hireling on less pay to do the work of the pastoral office. No: himself preaches Christ Jesus the Lord, and in that simplicity too, that is best calculated to instruct the common people. A man who preaches in such a language as the people cannot comprehend may do for a stage-player or a mountebank, but not for a minister of Christ.

He calleth his own sheep by name - A fourth mark of a good pastor is that he is well acquainted with his flock; he knows them by name - he takes care to acquaint himself with the spiritual states of all those that are entrusted to him. He speaks to them concerning their souls, and thus getting a thorough knowledge of their state he is the better qualified to profit them by his public ministrations. He who has not a proper acquaintance with the Church of Christ, can never by his preaching build it up in its most holy faith.

And leadeth them out - A fifth mark of a good shepherd is, he leads the flock, does not lord it over God's heritage; nor attempts by any rigorous discipline not founded on the Gospel of Christ, to drive men into the way of life; nor drive them out of it, which many do, by a severity which is a disgrace to the mild Gospel of the God of peace and love.

He leads them out of themselves to Christ, out of the follies, diversions, and amusements of the world, into the path of Christian holiness: in a word, he leads them, by those gentle yet powerful persuasions that flow from a heart full of the word and love of Christ, into the kingdom and glory of his God.

He goeth before them - A sixth mark of a true pastor is, he gives them a good example: he not only preaches, but he lives, the truth of the Gospel; he enters into the depths of the salvation of God; and, having thus explored the path, he knows how to lead those who are entrusted to his care into the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of peace. He who does not endeavor to realize in his own soul the truths which he preaches to others will soon be as salt without its savor; his preaching cannot be accompanied with that unction which alone can make it acceptable and profitable to those whose hearts are right with God. The minister who is in this state of salvation the sheep, genuine Christians, will follow, for they know his voice. It was the custom in the eastern countries for the shepherd to go at the head of his sheep, and they followed him from pasture to pasture. I have seen many hundreds of sheep thus following their shepherd on the extensive downs in the western parts of England.

And a stranger will they not follow - That is, a man who, pretending to be a shepherd of the flock of God, is a stranger to that salvation which he professes to preach. His mode of preaching soon proves, to those whose hearts are acquainted with the truths of God, that he is a stranger to them; and therefore, knowing him to have got into the fold in an improper way, they consider him a thief, a robber, and a murderer; and who can blame them if they wholly desert his ministry? There are preachers of this kind among all classes.

I am the door of the sheep - It is through me only that a man can have a lawful entrance into the ministry; and it is through me alone that mankind can be saved. Instead of, I am the door, the Sahidic version reads, I am the shepherd; but this reading is found in no other version, nor in any MS. It is evidently a mistake of the scribe.

All that ever came before me - Or, as some translate, all that came instead of me, προ εμου, i.e. all that came as the Christ, or Messiah, such as Theudas, and Judas the Gaulonite, who are mentioned, Act 5:36, Act 5:37; and who were indeed no other than thieves, plundering the country wherever they came; and murderers, not only slaying the simple people who resisted them, but leading the multitudes of their followers to the slaughter.

But our Lord probably refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who pretended to show the way of salvation to the people - who in fact stole into the fold, and clothed themselves with the fleece, and devoured the sheep.

The words, προ εμου, before me, are wanting in EGMS, Mt. BKV, seventy others; Syriac, Persic, Syriac Hieros., Gothic, Saxon, Vulgate, eleven copies of the Itala; Basil, Cyril, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius, Augustin, and some others. Griesbach has left them in the text with a note of doubtfulness. The reason thy these words are wanting in so many respectable MSS., versions, and fathers, is probably that given by Theophylact, who says that the Manicheans inferred from these words that all the Jewish prophets were impostors. But our Lord has borne sufficient testimony to their inspiration in a variety of places. Κλεπτης, and λῃστης, the thief and the robber, should be properly distinguished; one takes by cunning and stealth; the other openly and by violence. It would not be difficult to find bad ministers who answer to both these characters. Tithes have been often enforced and collected in a most exceptionable manner, and in a most disgraceful spirit.

The reflection of pious Quesnel on this verse is well worth attention. A pastor ought to remember that whoever boasts of being the way of salvation, and the gate of heaven, shows himself to be a thief and an impostor; and though few are arrived at this degree of folly, yet there are many who rely too much upon their own talents, eloquence, and labors, as if the salvation of the sheep depended necessarily thereon: in which respect they are always robbers, since they rob the grace of Christ of the glory of saving the sheep. God often puts such pastors to shame, by not opening the hearts of the people to receive their word: while he blesses those who are humble, in causing them to be heard with attention, and accompanying their preaching with an unction which converts and saves souls. Let every man know that in this respect his sufficiency and success are of the Lord.

I am the door: by me if any man enter, etc. - Those who come for salvation to God, through Christ, shall obtain it: he shall be saved - he shall have his sins blotted out, his soul purified, and himself preserved unto eternal life. This the scribes and Pharisees could neither promise nor impart.

Go in and out - This phrase, in the style of the Hebrews, points out all the actions of a man's life, and the liberty he has of acting, or not acting. A good shepherd conducts his flock to the fields where good pasturage is to be found; watches over them while there, and brings them back again and secures them in the fold. So he that is taught and called of God feeds the flock of Christ with those truths of his word of grace which nourish them unto eternal life; and God blesses together both the shepherd and the sheep, so that going out and coming in they find pasture: every occurrence is made useful to them; and all things work together for their good.

But for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy - Those who enter into the priesthood that they may enjoy the revenues of the Church, are the basest and vilest of thieves and murderers. Their ungodly conduct is a snare to the simple, and the occasion of much scandal to the cause of Christ. Their doctrine is deadly; they are not commissioned by Christ, and therefore they cannot profit the people. Their character is well pointed out by the Prophet Ezekiel, Eze 34:2, etc. Wo be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves! Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock, etc, How can worldly-minded, hireling, fox-hunting, and card-playing priests read these words of the Lord, without trembling to the center of their souls! Wo to those parents who bring up their children merely for Church honors and emoluments! Suppose a person have all the Church's revenues, if he have God's wo, how miserable is his portion! Let none apply this censure to any one class of preachers, exclusively.

That they might have life - My doctrine tends to life, because it is the true doctrine - that of the false and bad shepherds tends to death, because it neither comes from nor can lead to that God who is the fountain of life.

Might have it more abundantly - That they might have an abundance, meaning either of life, or of all necessary good things; greater felicity than ever was enjoyed under any period of the Mosaic dispensation; and it is certain that Christians have enjoyed greater blessings and privileges than were ever possessed by the Jews, even in the promised land. If περισσον be considered the accusative fem. Attic, agreeing with ζωην, (see Parkhurst), then it signifies more abundant life; that is, eternal life; or spiritual blessings much greater than had ever yet been communicated to man, preparing for a glorious immortality. Jesus is come that men may have abundance; abundance of grace, peace, love, life, and salvation. Blessed be Jesus.

I am the good shepherd - Whose character is the very reverse of that which has already been described. In Joh 10:7, Joh 10:9, our Lord had called himself the door of the sheep, as being the sole way to glory, and entrance into eternal life; here he changes the thought, and calls himself the shepherd, because of what he was to do for them that believe in him, in order to prepare them for eternal glory.

Giveth his life for the sheep - That is, gives up his soul as a sacrifice to save them from eternal death.

Some will have the phrase here only to mean hazarding his life in order to protect others; but the 15th, 17th, and 18th verses, as well as the whole tenor of the new covenant, sufficiently prove that the first sense is that in which our Lord's words should be understood.

But he that is a hireling - Or, as my old MS. Bible reads it, the marchaunt, he who makes merchandise of men's souls; bartering them, and his own too, for filthy lucre. Let not the reader apply this, or any of the preceding censures, to any particular class or order of men: every religious party may have a hireling priest, or minister; and where the provision is the greatest there the danger is most.

Whose own the sheep are not - A hireling priest, who has never been the instrument of bringing souls to God, will not abide with them in the time of danger or persecution. They are not the produce of his labor, faith, and prayers: he has no other interest in their welfare than that which comes from the fleece and the fat. The hireling counts the sheep his own, no longer than they are profitable to him; the good shepherd looks upon them as his, so long as he can be profitable to them.

Among the ancient Jews some kept their own flocks, others hired shepherds to keep them for them. And every owner must naturally have felt more interest in the preservation of his flock than the hireling could possibly feel.

I - know my sheep - I know, τα εμα, them that are mine: I know their hearts, their wishes, their purposes, their circumstances; and I approve of them; for in this sense the word to know is often taken in the Scriptures. Homer represents the goatherds as being so well acquainted with their own, though mixed with others, as easily to distinguish them. Τους δ', ὡς' αιπολια πλατε' αιγων αιπολοι ανδρες Ῥεια διακρινεωσιν, επει κε νομῳ μιγεωσιν.

Iliad. 2. 474. "As goat-herds separate their numerous flocks

With ease, though fed promiscuous."

And are known of mine - They know me as their father, protector, and Savior; they acknowledge me and my truth before the world; and they approve of me, my word, my ordinances, and my people, and manifest this by their attachment to me, and their zeal for my glory. The first clause of the 15th verse should be joined to the fourteenth.

Other sheep I have - The Gentiles and Samaritans. As if our Lord had said, Do not imagine that I shall lay down my life for the Jews, exclusively of all other people; no: I shall die also for the Gentiles; for by the grace, the merciful design and loving purpose of God, I am to taste death for every man, Heb 2:9; and, though they are not of this fold now, those among them that believe shall be united with the believing Jews, and made one fold under one shepherd, Eph 2:13-17.

The original word, αυλη, which is here translated fold, dignifies properly a court. It is probable that our blessed Lord was now standing in what was termed the inner court, or court of the people, in the temple, see Joh 10:23; and that he referred to the outer court, or court of the Gentiles, because the Gentiles who were proselytes of the gate were permitted to worship in that place; but only those who were circumcised were permitted to come into the inner court, over the entrance of which were written, in large characters of gold, these words, Let no uncircumcised person enter here! Our Lord therefore might at this time have pointed out to the worshippers in that court, when he spoke these words, and the people would at once perceive that he meant the Gentiles.

Therefore doth my Father love me - As I shall be shortly crucified by you, do not imagine that I am abandoned by my heavenly Father, and therefore fall thus into your hands. The Father loveth me particularly on this account, because I am going to lay down my life for the life of the world. Again, do not suppose that I shall be put to death by your rulers, because I have not strength to resist them. I Lay Down my life voluntarily and cheerfully; no one can take it away from me, see Joh 10:18; and I shall give you the fullest proof of my supreme power by raising, in three days, that very crucified, wounded body from the grave.

I have power - Or, authority, εξουσιαν. Our Lord speaks of himself here as man, or the Messiah, as being God's messenger, and sent upon earth to fulfill the Divine will, in dying and rising again for the salvation of men.

This commandment have I received - That is, I act according to the Divine commandment in executing these things, and giving you this information.

There was a division - Σχισμα, a schism, a rent. They were divided in their opinions; one part received the light, and the other resisted it.

Again - There was a dissension of this kind before among the same people; see Joh 9:16.

He hath a devil, and is mad - So, then, a demoniac and a madman were not exactly the same in the apprehension of the Jews; no more than the effect is the same with the cause which produces it. Some will have it that, when the Jews told our Lord that he had a demon, they meant no more than that he was deranged; but here these matters are evidently distinguished. They believed him to be possessed by a demon, who deranged his faculties, and that he must have been a wicked man, and a deceiver, thus to be put under the power of such a spirit.

These are not the words of him that hath a devil - If he were deranged by an unclean spirit, his words would bear a similitude to the spirit that produced them; but these are words of deep sense, soberness, and piety: besides, could a demoniac open the eyes of blind men? This is not the work of a demon. Now we have seen that this man has restored a man who was born blind. Therefore it is demonstrably evident that he is neither a madman nor a demoniac.

Behold the usage which the blessed Lord received from his creatures! And behold with what meekness and gentleness he conducts himself! - not a word of impatience proceeds from his lips; nor a look of contempt or indignation is seen in his face. And what was he doing to merit all this? Why, he was instructing the ignorant, and telling the wretched that he was just going to die to save their souls! Amazing love of God, and ingratitude and obduracy of men! Let not the disciple suppose that, in this respect, he shall be above his master. When a minister of Christ has done his utmost to do good to his fellow creatures, let him not be surprised if he meet with nothing from many but reproaches and persecutions for his pains. The grand point is to take Jesus for an example of suffering, and to be armed with the same mind. It appears that the words spoken by the friendly Jews prevailed; and that the others were obliged to abandon the field.

The feast of the dedication - This was a feast instituted by Judas Maccabeus, in commemoration of his purifying the temple after it had been defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes. This feast began on the twenty-fifth of the month Cisleu, (which answers to the eighteenth of our December), and continued for eight days. When Antiochus had heard that the Jews had made great rejoicings, on account of a report that had been spread of his death, he hastened out of Egypt to Jerusalem, took the city by storm, and slew of the inhabitants in three days forty thousand persons; and forty thousand more he sold for slaves to the neighboring nations. Not contented with this, he sacrificed a great sow on the altar of burnt offerings; and, broth being made by his command of some of the flesh, he sprinkled it all over the temple, that he might defile it to the uttermost. See Prideaux's Connection, vol. iii. p. 236, edit. 1725. After this, the whole of the temple service seems to have been suspended for three years, great dilapidations having taken place also in various parts of the buildings: see 1 Maccabees 4:36, etc. As Judas Maccabaeus not only restored the temple service, and cleansed it from pollution, etc., but also repaired the ruins of it, the feast was called τα εγκαινια, the renovation.

It was winter - Χειμων ην, or, it was stormy or rainy weather. And this is the reason, probably, why our Lord is represented as walking in Solomon's porch, or portico, Joh 10:23. Though it certainly was in winter when this feast was held, yet it does not appear that the word above refers so much to the time of the year as to the state of the weather. Indeed, there was no occasion to add it was winter, when the feast of the dedication was mentioned, because every body knew that, as that feast was held on the twenty-fifth of the month Cisleu, it was in the winter season.

John has here omitted all that Jesus did from the time when he left Jerusalem, after the feast of tabernacles in September was ended, until the feast of the dedication in the December following: and he did it probably because he found that the other evangelists had given an account of what our Lord did in the interval. St. Luke relates what our Lord did on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem, to this feast, Luke 17:11-37; Luk 18:1-14. Observe, likewise, that this time here mentioned was the fourth time (according to John's account) that Jesus went up to the feasts at Jerusalem in about a year: for, first, he went up to the feast of the passover, Joh 2:13; next to the feast of pentecost, as it seems to have been, Joh 5:1; then to the feast of tabernacles, Joh 7:2, Joh 7:10; and, lastly, to the feast of the passover in which he was crucified. John seems purposely to have pointed out his presence in Jerusalem at these four feasts, because all the other evangelists have omitted the mention of every one of them. See Bishop Pearce; and see the note on Joh 5:1.

Solomon's porch - By what we find in Josephus, Ant. b. xx. c. 8, s. 7, a portico built by Solomon, on the east side of the outer court of the temple, was left standing by Herod, when he rebuilt the temple. This portico was four hundred cubits long, and was left standing, probably, because of its grandeur and beauty. But when Agrippa came to Jerusalem, a few years before the destruction of the city by the Romans, and about eighty years after Herod had begun his building, (till which time what Herod had begun was not completed), the Jews solicited Agrippa to repair this portico at his own expense, using for argument, not only that the building was growing ruinous, but that otherwise eighteen thousand workmen, who had all of them, until then, been employed in carrying on the works of the temple, would be all at once deprived of a livelihood.

How long dost than make us to doubt? - Or, How long dost thou kill us with suspense? Ἑως ποτε την ψυχην ἡμων αιρεις, literally, How long wilt thou take away our life? Mr. Markland would read αιωρεις for αιρεις, which amounts nearly to the same sense with the above. The Jews asked this question through extreme perfidiousness: they wished to get him to declare himself king of the Jews, that they might accuse him to the Roman governor; and by it they insolently insinuated that all the proofs he had hitherto given them of his Divine mission were good for nothing.

I told you, etc. - That is, I told you before what I tell you now again, that the works which I do, bear testimony to me. I have told you that I am the light of the world: the Son of God: the good shepherd: that I am come to save - to give life - to give liberty - to redeem you: that, in order to this, I must die, and rise again; and that I am absolute master of my life, and of my death. Have you not noticed my omniscience, in searching and discovering the very secrets of your hearts? Have you not seen my omnipotence in the miracles which I have wrought? Have not all these been sufficient to convince you? - and yet ye will not believe! - See the works which bore testimony to him, as the Messiah, enumerated, Mat 11:5 (note).

Ye are not of my sheep - Ye have not the disposition of those who come unto me to be instructed and saved: see what follows.

My sheep hear my voice - But ye will not hear: - my sheep follow me; but ye will neither follow nor acknowledge me. Any person who reads without prejudice may easily see, that our Lord does not at all insinuate that these persons could not believe, because God had made it impossible to them; but simply because they did not hear and follow Christ, which the whole of our blessed Lord's discourse proves that they might have done. The sheep of Christ are not those who are included in any eternal decree, to the exclusion of others from the yearnings of the bowels of eternal mercy; but they are those who hear, believe in, follow, and obey the Savior of the world.

They shall never perish - Why? Because they hear my voice, and follow me; therefore I know, I approve of and love them, and give them eternal life. They who continue to hear Christ's voice, and to follow him, shall never perish. They give themselves up to God - believe so on Jesus that he lives in their hearts: God hath given unto them eternal life, and this life is in his Son; and he that hath the Son hath life, 1Jn 5:11, 1Jn 5:12. Now it is evident that only those who have Christ living in and governing their souls, so that they possess the mind that was in him, are his sheep - are those that shall never perish, because they have this eternal life abiding in them: therefore to talk of a man's being one of the elect - one that shall never perish - one who shall have eternal life - who shall never be plucked out of the hand of God, etc., while he lives in sin, has no Christ in his heart, has either never received or fallen away from the grace of God, is as contrary to common sense as it is to the nature and testimonies of the Most High. Final perseverance implies final faithfulness - he that endures to the end shall be saved - he that is faithful unto death shall have a crown of life. And will any man attempt to say that he who does not endure to the end, and is unfaithful, shall ever enter into life?

My Father - is greater than all - More powerful than all the united energies of men and demons. He who loves God must be happy; and he who fears him need fear nothing on this side eternity.

I and my Father are one - If Jesus Christ were not God, could he have said these words without being guilty of blasphemy? It is worthy of remark that Christ does not say, I and My Father, which my our translation very improperly supplies, and which in this place would have conveyed a widely different meaning: for then it would imply that the human nature of Christ, of which alone, I conceive, God is ever said to be the Father in Scripture, was equal to the Most High: but he says, speaking then as God over all, I and The Father, εγω και ὁ πατηρ ἑν εσμεν - the Creator of all things, the Judge of all men, the Father of the spirits of all flesh - are One, One in nature, One in all the attributes of Godhead, and One in all the operations of those attributes: and so it is evident the Jews understood him. See Joh 17:11, Joh 17:22.

The Jews took up stones - To stone him as a blasphemer, Lev 24:14-16, because he said he was one with God. The evangelist adds the word again, because they had attempted to do this before, see Joh 8:59; but it seems they were prevented from doing this now by the following discourse.

Many good works have I showed you - I have healed your sick, delivered those of you who were possessed from the power of demons; I have fed multitudes of your poor, and I have taught you in all places, at all times, without expense, with patience; and is this my reward?

To show good works or good things is a Hebraism, which signifies to do them really, to give good things liberally. The phrase is similar to the following: Who will Show us any good? Psa 4:6; i.e. who shall give us good things. Show us thy mercy, Psa 85:7; i.e. give us to feel the effects of thy mercy. Thou hast Showed thy people hard things, Psa 60:3; i.e. thou hast treated them with rigor. Thou hast Showed me great and sore troubles, Psa 71:20; i.e. thou hast exposed me to terrible hardships.

But for blasphemy - I have elsewhere shown that the original word, βλασφημειν, when applied to men, signifies to speak injuriously of their persons, character, connections, etc.; but when applied to God it signifies to speak impiously, i.e. contrary to his nature, perfections, the wisdom of his providence, or goodness of his works.

Thou, being a man - That is, only a man - makest thyself God. When Christ said before, Joh 10:30, I and the Father are one, had the Jews understood him (as many called Christians profess to do) as only saying he had a unity of sentiments with the Father, they would not have attempted to treat him for this as a blasphemer; because in this sense Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, and all the prophets, were one with God. But what irritated them so much was that they understood him as speaking of a unity of nature. Therefore they say here, thou makest thyself God; which word they understood, not in a figurative, metaphorical, or improper sense, but in the most literal meaning of the term.

Is it not written in your law - The words which our Lord quotes are taken from Psa 82:6, which shows that, under the word law, our Lord comprised the Jewish sacred writings in general. See also Joh 12:34; Joh 15:25.

Ye are gods? - That is, judges, who are called אלהים elohim. That judges are here meant appears from Psa 82:2, etc., and also from what follows here. And this is probably the only place where the word אלהים is applied to any but the true God. See Parkhurst under the root אלה.

Unto whom the word of God came - Bishop Pearce thinks that "the word λογος, here, is put for λογος κρισεως, the word or matter of judgment, as in 2Chr 19:6, where Jehoshaphat, setting up judges in the land of Judah, says: Take heed what ye do: judge not for men, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgment - λογοι της κρισεως, in the words or matters of judgment, - Sept., which is nearly according to the Hebrew to בדבר משפט bedebar mishpat, in the word or matter of judgment. In Deu 1:17, when a charge is given to the judges that they should not be afraid of the face of man, this reason is given: for the judgment is God's. Hence it appears probable that λογος is here used for λογος κρισεως: and it is called λογος Θεου, because it is the judgment that properly belongs to God, and which they who give it on earth give only as acting in the stead of God. A way of speaking very like to this is found in Heb 4:13, where the writer says, προς ὁν ἡμιν ὁ λογος, with whom we have to do, i.e. by whom we are to be judged." But the words λογος Θεου may be here understood for the order, commission, or command of God; and so it properly signifies, Luk 3:2; and in this sense it is found often employed in the Old Testament. When it is there said that the word of the Lord came, etc., it means, God gave an order, commission, etc., to such a person, to declare or do such and such things.

And the scripture cannot be broken - Λυθηναι, dissolved, rendered of none effect, i.e. it cannot be gainsayed or set aside; every man must believe this, because it is the declaration of God. If those were termed gods who were only earthly magistrates, fallible mortals, and had no particular influence of the Divine Spirit; and that they are termed gods is evident from that scripture which cannot be gainsayed; what greater reason then have I to say, I am the Son of God, and one with God, when, as Messiah, I have been consecrated, sent into the world, to instruct and save men; and when, as God, I have wrought miracles which could be performed by no power less than that of omnipotence?

If I do not the works, etc. - I desire you to believe only on the evidence of my works: if I do not do such works as God only can perform, then believe me not.

Believe the works - Though ye do not now credit what I have said to you, yet consider my works, and then ye will see that these works prove that I am in the Father and the Father in me; and, consequently, that I and the Father are one. This seems to be the force of our Lord's argument; and every man must see and feel that it is conclusive. There was no possibility of weakening the force of this reasoning but by asserting that these miracles were not wrought by the power of God; and then they must have proved that not only a man, but a bad man, such as they said Jesus was, could work these miracles. As this was impossible, then the argument of Christ had a complete triumph.

They sought again to take him - They could not reply to his arguments but by stones. The evidence of the truth could not be resisted; and they endeavored to destroy the person who spoke it. Truth may confound the obstinately wicked, but it does not convert them; and it is a just judgment of God, to leave those to perish in their gainsayings who obstinately continue to gainsay and disbelieve.

But he escaped - In such a way as we know not, for the evangelist has not specified the manner of it.

Beyond Jordan - Rather, to the side of Jordan, not beyond it. See the note on Joh 6:22, and Mat 19:1.

Where John at first baptized - That is, at Bethabara: see Joh 1:28. Afterwards, John baptized at Aenon: Joh 3:23.

Many believed on him there - The people believed on him:

1. because of the testimony of John the Baptist whom they knew to be a good and a wise man, and a prophet of the Lord; and they knew he could neither deceive nor be deceived in this mater; and,

2. they believed because of the miracles which they saw Jesus work. These fully proved that all that John had said of him was true. The scribes and Pharisees with all their science could not draw a conclusion so just. Truth and common sense are often on the side of the common people, whom the insolently wise, the unsanctifiedly learned, and the tyrannically powerful sometimes disingenuously brand with the epithets of mob and swinish multitude.

1. This and the preceding chapter contain two remarkable discomfitures of the Jewish doctors. In the former they were confounded by the testimony of a plain uneducated man, simply appealing to the various circumstances of a matter of fact, at which they cavilled, and which they endeavored to decry. In this chapter the wise are taken in their own craftiness: the Pharisees are confounded by that wisdom which is from above, speaking of and manifesting the deep things of God. Sometimes God himself stops the mouths of gainsayers; at other times he makes the simplest of his followers too mighty for the most learned among the doctors. Ancient and modern martyrologies of the people of God abound with proofs of both these facts. And the persecutions of the Protestants by the Papists in the reign of Queen Mary afford a very large proportion of proofs. In these the mighty power of God, and the prevalence of truth, were gloriously apparent. Both the word of God and the Protestant cause were nobly illustrated by those transactions. May that abomination that maketh desolate never more sit in the holy place!

2. It must be remarked, by every serious reader, that our Lord did frequently speak of himself to the Jews, as being not only sent of God as their Messiah, but as being one with him. And it is as evident that in this sense the priests and Pharisees understood him; and it was because they would not credit this that they accused him of blasphemy. Now, if our Lord was not the person they understood him to state himself to be, he had the fairest opportunity, from their strong remonstrances, to correct their misapprehension of his words, if they really had mistaken his meaning - but this he never attempts. He rather strengthens his assertions in his consequent discourses with them; which, had not his positions been true, he could not have done, even as an honest man. He not only asserted himself to be equal with God, but wished them to believe it to be true; and he amply confirmed this heavenly doctrine by the miracles he wrought.

He that entereth not by the door - By Christ. He is the only lawful entrance. Into the sheepfold - The Church. He is a thief and a robber - In God's account. Such were all those teachers, to whom our Lord had just been speaking.

To him the door keeper openeth - Christ is considered as the shepherd, John 10:11. As the door in the first and following verses. And as it is not unworthy of Christ to be styled the door, by which both the sheep and the true pastor enter, so neither is it unworthy of God the Father to be styled the door keeper. See Acts 14:27; Col 4:3; Rev 3:8; Acts 16:14. And the sheep hear his voice - The circumstances that follow, exactly agree with the customs of the ancient eastern shepherds. They called their sheep by name, went before them and the sheep followed them. So real Christians hear, listen to, understand, and obey the voice of the shepherd whom Christ hath sent. And he counteth them his own, dearer than any friend or brother: calleth, advises, directs each by name, and leadeth them out, in the paths of righteousness, beside the waters of comfort.

He goeth before them - In all the ways of God, teaching them in every point, by example as well as by precept; and the sheep follow him - They tread in his steps: for they know his voice - Having the witness in themselves that his words are the wisdom and the power of God. Reader, art thou a shepherd of souls? Then answer to God. Is it thus with thee and thy flock?

They will not follow a stranger - One whom Christ hath not sent, who doth not answer the preceding description. Him they will not follow - And who can constrain them to it? But will flee from him - As from the plague. For they know not the voice of strangers - They cannot relish it; it is harsh and grating to them. They find nothing of God therein.

They - The Pharisees, to whom our Lord more immediately spake, as appears from the close of the foregoing chapter.

I am the door - Christ is both the Door and the Shepherd, and all things.

Whosoever are come - Independently of me, assuming any part of my character, pretending, like your elders and rabbis, to a power over the consciences of men, attempting to make laws in the Church, and to teach their own traditions as the way of salvation: all those prophets and expounders of God's word, that enter not by the door of the sheepfold, but run before I have sent them by my Spirit. Our Lord seems in particular to speak of those that had undertaken this office since he began his ministry, are thieves - Stealing temporal profit to themselves, and robbers - Plundering and murdering the sheep.

If any one - As a sheep, enter in by me - Through faith, he shall be safe - From the wolf, and from those murdering shepherds. And shall go in and out - Shall continually attend on the shepherds whom I have sent; and shall find pasture - Food for his soul in all circumstances.

The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy - That is, nothing else can be the consequence of a shepherd's coming, who does not enter in by me.

But the hireling - It is not the bare receiving hire, which denominates a man a hireling: (for the labourer is worthy of his hire; Jesus Christ himself being the Judge: yea, and the Lord hath ordained, that they who preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel:) but the loving hire: the loving the hire more than the work: the working for the sake of the hire. He is a hireling, who would not work, were it not for the hire; to whom this is the great (if not only) motive of working. O God! If a man who works only for hire is such a wretch, a mere thief and a robber, what is he who continually takes the hire, and yet does not work at all? The wolf - signifies any enemy who, by force or fraud, attacks the Christian's faith, liberty, or life. So the wolf seizeth and scattereth the flock - He seizeth some, and scattereth the rest; the two ways of hurting the flock of Christ.

The hireling fleeth because he is a hireling - Because he loves the hire, not the sheep.

I know my sheep - With a tender regard and special care: and am known of mine - With a holy confidence and affection.

As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father - With such a knowledge as implies an inexpressible union: and I lay down my life - Speaking of the present time. For his whole life was only a going unto death.

I have also other sheep - Which he foreknew; which are not of this fold - Not of the Jewish Church or nation, but Gentiles. I must bring them likewise - Into my Church, the general assembly of those whose names are written in heaven. And there shall be one flock - (Not one fold, a plain false print) no corrupt or divided flocks remaining. And one shepherd - Who laid down his life for the sheep, and will leave no hireling among them. The unity both of the flock and the shepherd shall he completed in its season. The shepherd shall bring all into one flock: and the whole flock shall hear the one shepherd.

I lay down my life that I may take it again - I cheerfully die to expiate the sins of men, to the end I may rise again for their justification.

I lay it down of myself - By my own free act and deed. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again - I have an original power and right of myself, both to lay it down as a ransom, and to take it again, after full satisfaction is made, for the sins of the whole world. This commission have I received of my Father - Which I readily execute. He chiefly spoke of the Father, before his suffering: of his own glory, after it. Our Lord's receiving this commission as mediator is not to be considered as the ground of his power to lay down and resume his life. For this he had in him self, as having an original right to dispose thereof, antecedent to the Father's commission. But this commission was the reason why he thus used his power in laying down his life. He did it in obedience to his Father.

These are not the words - The word in the original takes in actions too.

It was the feast of the dedication - Instituted by Judas Maccabeus, 1 Macc. iv, 59, when he purged and dedicated the altar and temple after they had been polluted. So our Lord observed festivals even of human appointment. Is it not, at least, innocent for us to do the same?

In Solomon's portico - Josephus informs us, that when Solomon built the temple, he filled up a part of the adjacent valley, and built a portico over it toward the east. This was a noble structure, supported by a wall four hundred cubits high: and continued even to the time of Albinus and Agrippa, which was several years after the death of Christ.

Ye do not believe, because ye are not of my sheep - Because ye do not, will not follow me: because ye are proud, unholy, lovers of praise, lovers of the world, lovers of pleasure, not of God.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, &c. - Our Lord still alludes to the discourse he had before this festival. As if he had said, My sheep are they who, Hear my voice by faith; Are known (that is, approved) by me, as loving me; and Follow me, keep my commandments, with a believing, loving heart. And to those who, Truly believe (observe three promises annexed to three conditions) I give eternal life. He does not say, I will, but I give. For he that believeth hath everlasting life. Those whom, I know truly to love me, shall never perish, provided they abide in my love. Those who follow me, neither men nor devils can pluck out of my hand. My Father who hath, by an unchangeable decree, given me all that believe, love, and obey, is greater than all in heaven or earth, and none is able to pluck them out of his hand.

I and the Father are one - Not by consent of will only, but by unity of power, and consequently of nature. Are - This word confutes Sabellius, proving the plurality of persons: one - This word confutes Arius, proving the unity of nature in God. Never did any prophet before, from the beginning of the world, use any one expression of himself, which could possibly be so interpreted as this and other expressions were, by all that heard our Lord speak. Therefore if he was not God he must have been the vilest of men.

Psa 82:6.

If he (God) called them gods unto whom the word of God came, (that is, to whom God was then speaking,) and the Scripture cannot be broken - That is, nothing which is written therein can be censured or rejected.

Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world - This sanctification (whereby he is essentially the Holy One of God) is mentioned as prior to his mission, and together with it implies, Christ was God in the highest sense, infinitely superior to that wherein those judges were so called.

That ye may know and believe - In some a more exact knowledge precedes, in others it follows faith. I am in the Father and the Father in me. I and the Father are one - These two sentences illustrate each other.

To the desert place where John baptized, and gave so honourable a testimony of him.

John did no miracle - An honour reserved for him, whose forerunner he was.

VErily, verily, I say unto you, He that entreth not by the door, into the Sheepfold , but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber .

It should seem, that the Sheepfolds in those Countries were Houses which had doors by which the Entry was into them; there is no doubt, but by the Sheepfold is meant here, The Church of God, in which the People of God are gathered together in one. By the Door, he apparently meaneth himself, as he himself speaketh, ver. 1. Or rather, more generally that way which God hath appointed for any that are to take charge of [illegible: 1 letter]is Church to enter. He is both the Shepherd, (the true shepherd) and the Door; the Shepherd as the care, conduct, and Government of the Church belongeth to him, and is upon his shoulders. The door, as he is he whom the Father hath Ordained to be the Chief Shepherd, from whom all who pretend to any right to Teach, or Govern in the Church, must derive both their Authority and Abilities.

Now saith our Saviour, Whosoever they be, that thrust themselves into the care, conduct, and government of the Church, without any Call or Warrant from my Father or Me, who am the true Door through which whosoever entreth into the Church must enter; and the chief Shepherd from whom he must derive, or be a Thief and a R[illegible: 1 letter]bber, His very entrance makes it appear, that his end is not to feed the Flock, but to feed himself; and that he drives onely private designe of advantage to himself.

In this famous Parable which reacheth to ver. 31. Our Saviour seemeth to drive two great designs. 1. To prove himself the true Shepherd. 2. To prove the Pharisees and Teachers of those times, Thieves, and Robbers.

2 But he that entreth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep .

As it is amongst men, the true Shepherd goes into the Sheep-fold by the Door; so it is in the Church of God. He that taketh not the honour of governing the Church to himself, but being called of God, as Aaron was; he is the Shepherd of the sheep This very argument the Apostle useth to prove Christ to be the true High-Priest, Heb. 5.4, 5. Because he glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest, but was made one by him who said unto him, Psal. 110. ver. 4. (quoted there also, ver. 6.) Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck. God (whose the Church is) call'd his heritage, his peculiar people, &c. was the Door, by which Christ, the chief Shepherd, entred into the Flock; he made him the Head of the Church, Ephes. 5.23. For this he is said to be sent, and by often making himself known to us, under the Notion of him whom the Father hath sent. And the under-Shepherds must also derive from Christ, as the Fathers will in sending. Christ was his Door; So the will of Christ in sending others, is their door; that is, their onely true way of entring upon the charge of the Flock of Christ; Ioh. 20.21. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. There is a double sending, the one is Extraordinary, of which mission Christ speaketh to his Apostles in that place; thus the Apostles and first Ministers of the Gospel were sent; Christ breathed upon them, and said, Receive you the holy Ghost, Chap. 20.22. And there was yet a fuller sending of these first Shepherds, in the days of Pentecost, Acts 2.17. And there is a more ordinary sending, as to which God revealed his Will, 2 Tim. 2.2. The things that thou hast heard of me amongst many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others. Thus the Apostles, Acts 14.23. did themselves ordain Elders in every Church. And Paul for this purpose left Titus in Creet, to set in order the things that are wanting, and to ordain Elders in every City. Whosoever entreth into any place in the Church, for the feeding and governing of it, that way which God hath directed in his Word, he entreth in by the Door, he is the true Shepherd. Concerning Christs Title, and his way of Entrance, and the first Preachers of the Gospel, immediately sent by Christ, and declared to be sent by the Effusion of the Spirit in the days of Pentecost; there can be no question made by any who believeth the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. This Text declares, That whosoever cometh into the Church with right, and as a true Shepherd to it, must come in at the Door, by a Call from God, (as Christ was sent) or from Christ, e[illegible: 1 letter]ther by an extraordinary mission, or in such a method an[illegible: 1 letter] order as Christ hath in his Word directed; either from his own mouth, or by the mouths of his Apostles, whom he ascending up into Heaven, left in the first charge of his Church. This is that which every one ought in the first place to look after. We shall observe in God's whole course with his Church, That in the Corruption of the State of the Church, when it was eminently deviated from the Rule he had set, he sent some by an extraordinary mission: such were the Prophets, whose Writings make up a part of Scripture. Such were the Apostles, and first Ministers of the Gospel. Such we say were our first Reformers in Germany, and other parts; nor is it any prejudice to it, that they were able to work no Miracles; (we read of no Miracles wrought by the Prophets of old, (unless by Two or Three of them.) Their faithful declaring the Will of God, and calling men back to the plain Law of God, in a time when the generality were obviously departed from it, together with their Spirit of courage and boldness in their Work was evident enough, that God had sent them. But this Text onely declareth this general Truth, That every true Shepherd coming into the Church, must come in the right way, by the Door. So the great Shepherd of the Sheep did, being sent by his Father, (whose the Church i[illegible: 1 letter],) to take care of it; so much all Inferior Shepherds do, by him, whom God the Father hath made the Door; according to whose directions all the Affairs of the Church must be ordered.

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

By the Porter is understood God; or more particularly, (to shew the order of the Holy Trinity in working) the holy Spirit, who openeth the Hearts of men to receive and imbrace Jesus Christ, who is the chief Shepherd;

and the Sheep are able to distinguish his Voice from the Voice of Thieves and Robbers. Probably they had in those Countries particular Words and Phrases, which their S[illegible: 1 letter]epherds having used their Sheep to, understood, and moved according to the direction of them. Some think they had also Names for their Sheep, (as we have for our Dogs and Horses) which they understood; otherwise, it onely signifieth, that particular knowledge which Christ hath of all those that are truly his: as the former P[illegible: 1 letter]rase signified, That judgment of discerning of Spirits, and Doctrines, which was in an eminent degree in the first Ministers of the Gospel▪ and is yet in a measure in Believers; by which tho they cannot perfectly and infallibly judge concerning Truth, and the Will of God, in all things; yet they can in a great measure do it, and are not ordinarily led aside into pernicious and damnable Errours▪ to the ruine of their Souls.

And saith our Saviour, the true Shepherd leadeth the sheep out; that is, into their Pastures and true feeding-places. This is eminently true concerning Christ the chief Shepherd; when he came into the World, God opened to him the Door of his Church; so as tho he was rejected by many, (the Builders and Rulers of the Iewish Church in particular:) yet he was by many received, multitudes followed him; many truly believed on him, and truly heard his Voice, he had a particular knowledge of them, who truly were his Sheep: he knew Nathaniel while he was yet under the Fig-tree. He led them out into their true Pastures, Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome to them, and shewing them the way of Life and Salvation. It is in its measure true of every inferior Shepherd, that truly deriveth from Christ; God giveth unto such, favour in the eyes of his People. The true Sheep of Christ, hear them, receive, and imbrace the Truth delivered by them. They take a particular charge of them, and they lead them to Christ, and to the imbracing of his Gospel; as by the holy and true Doctrine which they Preach to them, so by their holy Lives and Conversations before them.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 letter]heep follow him , for they know his voice▪

In our Countrey at [illegible: 1 span], Shepherds generally follow their Sheep, which go before them. In other Countries, as France, &c. it is otherwise at this day, the Shepherds go before their Flocks, and their Flocks follow them, upon some sounds they make. In Palestina, (which was the Iews Country) it should seem, that the Shepherds sometimes went before their Sheep, and sometimes followed them. David followed his Fathers Sheep, 2 Sam. 7.8. Psal. 78.71. On the other side, God is spoken of, Psal 80 1. under the Notion of the Shepherd of Israel, who leadest Ioseph like a flock. And the Psalmist, Psal 23.1. speaking of God as his Shepherd, saith, ver. 2. Thou leadest me beside the still waters. Christ here speaketh of himself under the Notion of a Shepherd that went before his Sheep, and whom the Sheep followed; and thereby lets us know the duty of all faithful Pastors in the Church, so to live, that their Flocks may follow them with safety; which cannot be, unless they follow Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1.

For saith our Saviour, Those that are my true Sheep, they know my voice; thereby signifying, that power of discerning betwixt Tru[illegible: 1 letter]h and damnable Errors, which the Lord gives unto all tr[illegible: 2 letters] Believers, 1 Ioh. 2.27.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but [illegible: 1 word] flee from him: for they know not the voice [illegible: 1 word] strangers .

This he further enlargeth upon, telling them, That his Sheep would not follow those that did not lead them into his Truth, and in his ways, for they understood not such Voices. Here ariseth a Question; Whether the Elect of God, or such as being truly called, and believe in Christ, are the Sheep of Christ in the most strict and proper sense, may not be seduced into Errors, and led away by Strangers? Answ. We must distinguish first, betwixt single persons, and the generality of Believers: As in a Flock, the generality keep together, following the Voice of the true Shepherd; tho some particular Sheep may wander: So the generality of Believers will be found keeping close to the Truth and Doctrine of Christ, tho amongst them some particular persons may be seduced, and led a way by Seducers. Secondly, we must distinguish betwixt Errors, and damnable Errors, a pertinacious adherence to which, will divide the Soul from Christ, and end in the ruine of Souls. Christs Sheep may follow strangers, dissembling the Spiritual Voice of the true Shepherd a little way, but they will not follow them into such Errors as will plunge their Souls in Eternal Ruine and Destruction. Thirdly, They may hear even this Voice of but Strangers speaking to them perverse and damnable things: but it will be but for a short time, God will reduce, and bring them back again, ver. 28. They shall never perish.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them .

Our Saviour was wont to instruct them in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God by Parables; that is, Similitudes taken from reasonable actions of men, which might be, and were proper to express Spiritual things by: wherefore he used this Method in Teaching, we are told, Matth 13, 10, 11, 12, 13. They well enough understood the words in which those Parables were delivered; but the Inward Sense, the Spiritual Mysteries shadowed out in those Similitudes: these they understood not, neither the common sort of his Disciples understood them, nor did the better sort of his Disciples understand them, without a further explication of them. Our Lord therefore in the following verses, comes to give them a large explication of the Parable.

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

Our Saviour had before been speaking of the Door in another Notion; there he spake of the door of the Shepherd, here of the door of the Sheep; there of the Door (that is) the true and regular way of Entrance into the Care, Conduct, and Government of the Church: here, of the true way of Entrance, not into the Church Militant onely, but into the Church Triumphant. It may be also understood of the Door, or way of Entrance and admission into the Church Visible here upon the Earth. Circumcision, Baptism, External Profession, are the Doors into the Visible Church; but none unless by Christ, that is, by a true and lively Faith wrought by the Spirit of Christ in the Soul, can be a true Member of Christs Invisible Church here upon the Earth, much less a Member of his Glorious Church in Heaven.

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

This must not be understood of the Prophets, but of such onely as came before Christ, not being sent by him; all those that taught people another way of Life and Salvation, than by believing in the Messiah, who was to be Revealed for the Salvation of the World: all such did but seek themselves, not the good of peoples Souls, and destroyed Souls instead of profiting, or doing them any good. But those that were mine by an External Election, or by my special Grace bestowed upon them, did not imbrace them.

9 I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved , and shall go in and out, and find pasture .

Our Saviour here lets us know, that he meant by the Door in, the former ver. the Door of Salvation; the way by which every man must enter into Life, that findeth Life; not the door onely by which every true Pastor must enter into the Church, but by which every Soul that shall be saved, must enter into Heaven; which is the Doctrine which he before taught, Iohn 3.16, 18, 36.

And he, who so believeth in me, shall be so guided, and govern'd, and taught, that he shall be secure, and want nothing for the managery of his whole conversation in the World. Under the Notion of Pasture here, are signified all good things that the Soul can stand in need of: It is much the same promise with that chap. 6.35. He that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst. And with that Psal. 84.11. as also with the 23 Psalm; to which Psalm our Saviour is thought in this Parable to have a special reference.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]hap. 14.6.

10 The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy : I am come that they might have life r, and that they might have it more abundantly s.

Look as it is with the true Shepherd, that owneth the Sheep, and whose the Flock is; he cometh regularly into the care and conduct of it; he cometh into the Sheepfold, to take care of the Life, and welfare of his Sheep; but a Thief, and a Robber, that climbeth into the Window, and so gets into the Sheepfold, he comes not there out of any good-will to the Sheep, but meerly by destroying the Sheep, to provide for himself: So it is with them that without any Call, or derivation of Authority from me, thrust themselves into the care and conduct of the Church of God, they do it with no good Design to the Souls of people, not out of any care or respect unto their good; but meerly that they may serve themselves in the ruine of my peoples Souls.

But that is not my end, in coming into the World: I am not come to Destroy them, but to save them; I am come, that they might have a Spiritual Life, and at last, Eternal Life; that they might live the Life of Grace here, and not fail of the Life of Glory hereafter; and not onely that they may barely live, but that their life may abound, through the upholdings, strengthnings, quicknings, and comfortings of my holy and gracious Spirit. That my Beloved may not onely drink, but drink abundantly; not onely live, but live abundantly furnished with all the affluences and accomodations of a Spiritual Life.

11 I am the good Shepherd: The good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep .

That good Shepherd, Prophecied of, Isa. 40.11. I cannot agree with those who think, that Christ here speaketh not of himself as the good Shepherd, with reference to his Office, as he was the Messiah; but onely in opposition to the Hirelings after mentioned. I can allow, that he thus calleth himself, both in the one respect, and the other; but I cannot allow the latter sense exclusively to the former; for what followeth, is peculiar to the Messiah, of whom it was Prophecied, Dan. 9.26. That he should be cut off, but not for himself: and though it be true, That the true shepherd will hazard his Life for his Sheep, as David did, when he encountred the Lion, and the Bear, 1 Sam. 17, 34, 35. yet it cannot be said to be the duty of the best Shepherd, to lay down his Life for the Sheep; for the life of a Man is much more valuable than the Life of any Beast. Our Saviour therefore doubtless in this place sheweth wherein he was the most excellent Shepherd, far excelling the best Shepherds in the World, because he was come, not onely to expose, hazard, and adventure his Life; but actually, willingly, and freely to lay it down.

Marginal references: Ezek. 34.23▪ & 37.24. Heb. 13.[illegible: 2 letters]. 1 Pet. 5.[illegible: 1 letter].

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: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Those that deal in Sheep, either keep them themselves, or by their near Relations, as Iacobs Sons, and David, and Labans Daughters did; or else they hired persons to keep them for them. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the care of an owner, and the care of an hired Servant in any thing; The owner taketh a more Natural diligent care, because the whole profit of the Sheep, thriving, and doing well, returneth unto himself. The hired Servant may be careful in his measure, and degree; but no such Servant will take the care that an Owner will take; nor run the hazards that he will run, because he knoweth, that let the Flock thrive never so well, he shall have no more than the Wages he is hired for: therefore, what our Saviour saith, is true, concerning the generality of such hired Servants, they will take some care of the Flocks of Sheep in their trust, so long as there appeareth no danger; but if any danger appeareth, they leave the Sheep, and flee, and the Wolf cometh, and scattereth the Sheep.

Marginal references: Zech 11.16 17.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the Sheep .

The reason why, he that is a meer hired Servant, and hath no property in the Sheep, fleeth, is, because he is an Hireling, and doth what lie doth meerly for his Wages; and when a danger ariseth, which [illegible: 1 letter]is Wages will not ballance, he will never encounter it, he hath no property in the Sheep, nor any love to them, nor care of them.

14 I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine .

I am no Hireling, the sheep are mine own, I have a true love and affection for them, which obligeth me to a just and true care of them; I know them by Name, (as was said before) by a particular distinct knowledge; or I love them, and have tender bowels for them; and as I know them, so I am mutually known, and owned, and acknowledged by them; they have heard my voice, and discerned betwixt my voice, and the voice of such as are strangers, refusing to follow them; but following me, going before them. Thus our Saviour in the same Parable giveth us both notes to know a true, and good Shepherd, and particularly to know that himself was the true, good, and most excellent Shepherd: and also Notes, by which we might know who they are that are the true Sheep of Christ.

Marginal references: 2 Tim. 2.19.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know my Father , and I lay down my life for the sheep z.

By these words our Saviour openeth, How he knew his sheep, and should be again known of them, even as the Father knoweth him, and he knows his Father: this mutual knowledge between the Father and Christ, was joyned with perfect love and delight. Thus our Saviour knoweth those that are his sheep, not onely fully and distinctly, so as to call them all by their Names; but so as to love them, delight in them, so as to be ready to lay down his Life for their good, and Eternal Salvation. Christ, to shew not onely the sincerity, but the Degrees of his love to his people, doth often compare it to the love wherewith his father loved him, Ioh. 15.9 and Chap. 17.23, 26. So that if we can believe, That God the Father loved Christ his onely begotten So[illegible: 1 letter], we may also believe, That both the Fath[illegible: 1 letter]r and Christ love those that are truly the sheep of Chris[illegible: 1 letter]. The love that Christ hath to his People is as true, and as certain as the Fathers love to Christ, or Christs love to his Father; and this could be shewed by no higher act, tha[illegible: 1 letter] that of laying down his Life, Iohn 15.13. Now, saith he, I lay down; that is, I am ready to lay down, or I shall shortly lay down my life for the sheep; whether Sheep can signifie all, and every person born into the World, is their concern more strictly to enquire, who are so [illegible: 1 letter]enacious of that point, That Christ died equally for All, and Every man; As also, whether upon that Principle that absurdity must not follow, That Christ loved those who shall yet perish Eternally, with such a love as the Father loved him, and he loved the Father.

Marginal references: Matth. 11.27.

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 .

Our Saviour meaneth the Gentiles, who belonged not to the Iewish State and Church, so were not under the same Laws and Government; for 1 Ioh. 2.2. he was not onely a Propitiation for the Sins of the Iews, but for the Sins of the whole World; he calleth those sheep, because the Lord knew who were his from Eternity; and they were sheep in the councils of God, and they were suddenly to be made his sheep by Calling, the Gospel being soon to be Preached to all Nations.

Them also, (saith he) I must bring in. It is so written in God's Book, the Promises, and Prophecies to that purpose must be fulfilled. They shall not onely hear the Voice and Sound of my Gospel, though going out of Sion, yet not terminated in Sion; but they shall imbrace, receive, and believe that joyful sound.

And there shall be but one Church; as I am one Shepherd, so there shall be but one Flock of sheep; one Body, one Spirit, one hope of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith; one Baptism, as there is one God and Father of All, as the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 4.4, 5, 7.

Marginal references: Ezek. 37.22.

17 Therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again :

Christ here asserteth Two things. 1. That he was about to lay down his life, and should now very shortly lay it down; but yet so, as he should take it again. i. e. rise again from the Dead, Death should not have Dominion over him; by which he comforteth his Disciples concerning his Death, declaring, 1. That he was a Freewill-Offering, as he further openeth it in the next Verse. 2. That he should not perish in the Grave, but rise again from the Dead. 2. That therefore the Father loved him; for by this means he declared himself with power to be the Son of God, and the Father could not but love his Son. And 2. By this means also he humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death; even the Death upon the Cross, Phil. 2.8. So as that the Father had many reasons to love the Son, so amongst others this obedience of his to Death, even the accursed Death upon the Cross, to fulfill his Fathers Will, for the Redemption and Salvation of the Sons of Men, was not the least: and by this also he commendeth his Fathers love to those that are his sheep, in that his Father loveth him with the more exceeding love, for laying down his Life, to purchase their Redemption, and Salvation.

Marginal references: Isa. 53.7, 8, 12.

18 No man taketh it from m[illegible: 1 letter], but I lay it down of my self: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again . This commandment have I received of my Father .

No man taketh it from me by force, without my willing it, and consenting to it; the Iews and Pilate will take it from me, but not without my free and voluntary surrender of it; and this is that which we read, Act. 4.27, 28. For of a truth, against thy holy child Iesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilat, and the Gentiles, with the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done, &c. By which he asserteth his Divine power, and so comforteth his Disciples against the disturbances they were like to have from the sight of his Passion, at this time not many Months of. And this (saith he)

is the Will of my Father, that which my Father hath given me Commission to do, and for which he hath sent me into the World: And thus he declareth his Death to be a fulfilling of his Fathers purpose, and an act of Obedience to his Fathers Will; and indeed, in his Obedience in the thing, lay much of the vertue of his Death.

Marginal references: Chap. 2.19. Act. 2.24.; Chap. 2.19. Act. 2.24.

19 There was a division therefore again amongst the Jews for these sayings .

Christ by his Words often caused a Division amongst the Iews, so as they could not agree in their sentiments, and censures about him; which was either caused through the mixture amongst them, of such as truly Believed, with those which Believed not. Or else from the mixture of a more considering part amongst them, with others which were more Brutish, Irrational, and full of Passion. We met with much the same, Chap. 7.43. and again, Chap. 9.16. It is one Method of God's Providence for the deliverance of his Servants from unreasonable men, to cause divisions among them; so as they cannot agree among themselves.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad, why hear ye him ?

Some of the People said, He had a Devil, and was mad. For (as was said before) this was the Opinion of the Iews, concerning all that were Mad, and Destracted, That it was by the Influence of the Devil, and they were infested with an Evil Spirit.

Marginal references: Chap. 7.20 & 8.48, 52.

21 Others said, these are not the words of him that hath a devil , Can a Devil open the eyes of the blind?

But others that were less Passionate and Brutish in their Expressions, and more thinking, and considerate in passing their judgments, said, These are not the words (so we translate it; the word in the Greek [non-Latin text not transcribed], which signifies things, and matters, as well as Words; and by what follows, one would think that were the more proper Translation of it here) they instance in no words, but in a matter of Fact. Asking, if a Devil could open the Eyes of the Blind? that is, of one that was born Blind: for they certainly speak with reference to that Miracle which he had so lately wrought upon such a person.

Marginal references: Exod. 4.11. Psal. 146.8.; Chap. 9.6, 7.

22 And it was at Hierusalem, the feast of the dedication, and it was winter .

This Verse affords Two Questions, which have not a little troubled Interpreters. 1. What feast of Dedication this was. 2. Whether Dedications of places to the Worship of God be warrantable, or no, in that manner as they are Dedicated amongst the Papists at this day. As to the first of these, That which we have about it in Scripture is this, Exod. 40. from the First to the Fifteenth Verse, we have Gods Command and Direction for the Hallowing, or Dedication of the Sanctuary, or the Tabernacle, which was the first House we read of in Scripture, set apart for the Publick Worship of God. We have a particular accompt of Moses, his punctual Obedience to that Command, Levit. 8. When the Temple was Builded by Solomon, we read of Solomons Dedication of it; but nothing of Ceremony used at it, onely a Multitude of Sacrifices Offered, (which was God's ordinary Worship in the Iewish Church,) and a Feast kept Fourteen days: We read of no Law that he made for the Annual keeping of it: no Obligation upon all the Males in Israel, to be present at it: As concerning the other Solemn Feasts which God appointed, Levit. 33. and Solomons Feast of Dedication in this differed from them, that it held double the time, for Seven, or Eight days was the longest time that any of those Feasts were kept. This Temple was Destroy'd by the Caldeans, and Babylonians; and Rebuilded by Zorobabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, as we read in the Books known by that Name. In Analogy to the practice of Solomon, when they had finished the Building of the Temple, there was another Feast of Dedication kept; of which we read, Ezra 6.16, 17, 18. but we read of nothing done in that Dedication, but the offering of 100 Bullocks, 200 Rams, 400 Lambs, and 12 He-Goats; and setting the Priests and Levites in order for the service of God. This Temple was defaced by Antiochus, but not wholly ruin'd; and was Repaired and Purifyed by Iudas Maccabeus, of which we read, 2 Maccab. 2.23. Chap. 10 6, 7, 8. 1 Maccab. 4.52, 58. which Books of Maccabes, though they be no Canonical Scripture, yet are as good a piece of Ecclesiastical History as any; and Iosephus also giveth us an account of it, Antiq. l. 12. cap. 11. We do not read of any thing they did, saving Offering Sacrifices, and setting things in order, according to the Law of Moses, and Feasting; Iosephus tells us, They used all Lawful Pleasures. We do not read, that either God appointed an Annual Feast of Dedication for the Sanctuary, nor Solomon, nor Ezra, for either of the Temples: but we read twice in the Book of Machabes and Iosephus (Writing the Iewish History tells us,) That Iudas Machabeus made it a Law, That the Feast should be kept Yearly for Eight Days, in Memory of that Mercy which God had shewed them. This was without doubt the Feast of Dedication here mentioned: for this Feast began upon the Twenty fifth day of the Moneth Chisleu, which answereth our Moneths of November and December, and took in part of each; so it agreeth with the Text which saith, That it was in Winter: whereas Solomons Dedication was in Autumn, Ezra's in the Spring. Some make a Question, Whether Iudas Machabeus did well in appointing this Annual Feast; neither Solomon, nor Ezra having, that we read of before, done any such thing: and that our Saviour was not at this Feast in any honour to the Feast, but onely to take advantage of the Multitude of People that met to Preach the Gospel. For my own part, as I will not defend, so I durst not condemn him: I see no more that he did in this, than was done Esth. 9.27, 28. as to the days of Purim. Magistrates certainly have a power to appoint Publick days, yea Annual days of Thanksgivings, for Mercies never to be forgotten. Indeed they cannot make a day holy, so as it shall be a sin against God to labour in it, or to use any pleasures (as in the case of the Sabbath) but they may command the publick Worship of God to be performed on particular days, and men ought to attend it when with conveniency they can: Onely they ought to take care that such days be not spent in Luxury and Profaneness, and that they be for signal Providences, and not so multiplyed, and frequently renewing, as that the service of them degenerate into meer matter of form. Whether Christ went up in order to the Feast, or because of the great concourse of people he knew would be there at that time, cannot be determined. For the second Question, It is not so much a question, whether it be lawful in a solemn and decent manner, to consecrate an house to the publick Worship of God, by such Acts of Worship as God hath appointed under the Gospel; such as Prayer and Praise, Reading, Preaching and hearing the Word: As whether it may be done by such Rites and Ceremonies as the Papists do it with, for the which there is no institution; for the former, though it may be some will not agree it necessary; yet certainly, no sober person can deny, but if a place be made for people ordinarily to meet in to Worship God, there, they may as well meet at the first to Praise God for his mercy, and to beg his presence, when they shall there meet together to Worship God, and to hear his Word, as they may meet there afterwards for Prayer, Praise, Preaching; or Hearing; but this satisfieth not the Papists. They first do it by many Superstitious Ceremonies. Secondly, They plead for the Holiness of the place when so Consecrated. As the Ceremonies of their Consecrations, or Dedications. Bellarmine reckoneth up eight. 1. The Painting twelve Crosses in the several parts of the house to be Consecrated, and lighting up twelve Lamps, one at every Cross; To signifie the twelve Apostles who carried the Banner of the Cross throughout the world. 2. The Bishop's knocking at the door with a Pastoral staff, commanding the Devil to give place, and invoking of God, the Angels and Saints, to grant their presence in that place, which they make to signifie the opening of peoples hearts by the Preaching of the Gospel. 3. The scattering of ashes upon the flore of the places, upon which the Bishop writes the letters of the Latine and Greek [illegible: 1 word], in the figure of a Cross. 4. The sprinkling the place with Holy-water, and lighting up wax Candles. 5. The [illegible: 1 word] of the Crosses before mentioned, and painted on the walls. 6. The sprinkling of the place, with a mixture of Water, Wine, Salt, and Ashes. 7. The anointing of the Temple, and the Altar. 8. The keeping of a Festival upon it: And for all these they have devised several significancies too vain and fanciful to repeat. For none of which we know not the least warrant in holy writ: Nor can we conceive, how any Consecration can imprint any character of holiness upon a place, or make prayers offered up in or toward it more acceptable: though we know it did so as to the Temple, both because it was an eminent Type of Christ, and also because of the particular promises made to it, 1 Kings 9. which were not applicable to the Synagogues, which were the Iews ordinary meeting-places for publick Worship, but onely to the Temple upon the account before mentioned. Tho we say that all places for that use, ought to be used with all imaginable decency; and we ought during the publick Worship of God, to carry our selves in them with all reverence, because of the Angels, and because of the special presence of God, promised to the assemblies of his people in his name, and for his publick Worship.

23 And Jesus walked in the Temple in Solomons porch .

Of this Solomons porch we read, 1 Kings 6.3. that Solomon built the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad. This was the place where they walked in winter, though this was destroyed when Ierusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians; yet it seemeth that there was one builded that was like it, and kept that name. It should seem that it was a place better defended from the weather, then those other parts of the Temple where in Summer-time they used to walk

Marginal references: Acts 3.11. and 5.12.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long doest thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us plainly .

Our Saviour was at this time within three months of his Crucifying; he had often before told them that he was the light of the world, the true Shepherd, he had Preached Doctrine to them, from whence they might easily have concluded what he was; he had wrought works among them which none could do but by a Divine Power; but he had been very wary of telling them in plain terms that he was the Messiah, the Christ; when at any time he had so declared himself to his Disciples, or they had owned him as such, he s[illegible: 1 letter]ill laid a charge upon them, to tell no man of it, Matth. 16.20, &c. They therefore come to him, demanding a plain resolution in the case; some of their minds were in some suspence about it. It was but a captious question, for had he denied it, besides that, it had been the denial of a truth which he came to bear a testimony unto; they had had a great advantage to have lessened his reputation amongst those who had believed on him as such. Had he affirmed it, he had brought himself in danger of the Roman Governor, for the Iews indeed expected a Messiah, a Christ, but to be a [illegible: 3 letters] poral Prince, to deliver them from their Enemies; and [illegible: 1 letter]or him to have declared himself such a Christ, as they expected, had been fatal to them. He therefore answers with his usual prudence and wariness to this question.

Marginal references: Or hold us is su[illegible: 1 letter]pence.

25 Jesus answered them. I told you, and ye believed not : Name , they bear witness of me.

I have in effect told it you more than once; I have told you, that I am sent of the Father, &c. I have said enough for you to conclude it; but you will not understand, you will not receive it, you will not believe what I say.

What need you any further witness of it, than those works which I do by Divine Power? by vertue of my oneness with my Father, and of that Power and Authority which he hath committed to me, that by them I might confirm the Doctrine which I have taught you.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.36. Ver. 38.

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

Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to life, believed. Here our Saviour giveth this as one reason of the Iews unbelief, that they were not of his sheep; were they not Israelites? yes, but all are not Israel, that are descended of Israel. It seems a very hard interpretation that some would put upon these words; ye believe not, because you are not teachable, and fit to be made my sheep, the words are [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Nor can such interpretation be paralelled from any other Scripture. That by sheep, here, cannot be meant members of the Church, is [illegible: 1 word]; for they were of the Church of Israel, whom the Lord led as a stock, (as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 80.1.) That Believers, and such as are truly called and sanctified, are not meant, is as plain; for then the sense would be, you believe not, because you believe not; besides, our Saviour had be[illegible: 4 letters] said, He had other sheep that were not of that fold, (by which he meant the Gentiles) such, for whom he prayed, Chap. 17.20. being such as should believe on him By sheep therefore he meaneth, certainly, such as were ordained to life, as Acts 13. 48. Nor will it therefore follow, that Gods not ordination of them to life, was the near and immediate [illegible: 1 word] of their not believing; but their own stubborn, and perverse wills in not repenting, that they might believe. As our Saviour tells them, Matth. 21.32. that is, not turning from their gross and sinful ways, which they might have done by vertue of that common grace of God, which was afforded them in the Gospel, by the Preaching of Iohn the Baptist, and of Christ himself.

Marginal references: Chap. 8.47.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me .

This is the same which he said verse 4. (see the notes there).

28 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish , neither shall any pluck them out of my hand .

I do give them, and I will give them eternal life; as soon as they shall come to hear, and believe my voice, and to follow me, they shall have a sure right and title to it; and when my Father by his Providence shall remove them out of the world, and in the great day, they shall be taken up into the actual possession of it.

For they shall never perish, but though they may fall, they shall▪ rise again by repentance.

They are in my hand, and my hand shall preserve them, none shall ever pluck them out of it; they shall be preserved through faith, by the Power of God to eternal life and Salvation.

Marginal references: Chap. [illegible: 1 span] 21. and 18.[illegible: 1 letter].

29 My Father which gave them me, is greater than all : and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand.

All that are my sheep, became so by my Fathers donation and gift; so as my Father is equally with my self concerned in the preservation of them to that happy end, to which he hath ordained and designed them. Those that would pluck them out of my hand, and deprive them of that eternal life which I will give them, must be too strong, not for me alone, but for my Father also, which none is, for who can be too strong for Omnipotence?

Marginal references: Chap. 14:2[illegible: 1 letter].

30 I and my Father are one .

My Father and I are one, not only in Counsel and Will, (as Iohn 17.11, 12. And believers are said to be of one heart, Acts 4.32.) but in Nature, Power, and Essence; for it is plain, that our Saviour here ascribeth the preservation of his sheep, not to the Will, but to the Power of his Father. None is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. And it is plain by what followes, that the Iews thus understood our Saviour: Some eminent Protestant Interpreters expound this of an oneness in Consent and Will, doing the same things, and driving the same design; both agreeing to preserve the Sheep unto Eternal Life; but (with all respect unto them) I think the context implieth more, though this be not excluded.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him .

Tumultuously, as we read they did once before, Chap. 8.59. From whence we may learn with what design they came to Christ, ver. 24. plainly to tell them whether he were the Christ. By the Law of God the false Prophet was to be stoned; but he was first to be judicially tryed, and Judged: This was but a Tumultuous action of an inraged Multitude.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father: for which of those works do you stone me ?

The word Translated good, is of a very large signification; signifying, Excellent, Useful, Profitable, Beauteous, &c. Whatsoever in common speech cometh under the Notion of Good: I (saith our Saviour) never did harm to any of you, but I have been the Instrument of a great deal of good to you. I have given sight to the Blind, hearing to the Deaf, healed many that were Sick of grievous diseases, cast out many Devils out of those which were infested with, or possessed by them. Do any of these deserve any such usage at your hands? What maketh you in such a rage against me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that thou being a man, makest thy self God .

These are not the things we are incensed against thee for; we grant that thou hast done many good Works amongst us; these we gratefully acknowledg.

But this is that which we are not able to bear, That whereas thou art but a meer man, by thy discourses thou makest thy self equal with God, and so art guilty of Blasphemy, which is committed as well by arrogating to our selves what is proper to God, as by imputing to God the Natural or Moral imperfections of the Creature; and the Blasphemer deserveth to be stoned, according to the Law of God. By this it is manifest, that the Iews understood our Saviour, affirming that He and his Father were One; as asserting himself One in Essenee with his Father, not in Will onely.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.18.

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

This was written, Psal. 82.6. The whole Scripture of the Old Testament, being wrote by holy Men, inspired of God, and ditective of mens Conversation before men, and towards God, is sometimes call'd The Law, Psal. 19.7. It was spoken concerning Magistrates, and the Governors of Gods People, who being Gods Deputies, and Vicegerents, intrusted to execute the Judgments and Vengeance of God, and Dignified with the name of gods.

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came , and the scripture cannot be broken :

If God Dignified those Men, (and many of them were also vile and Sinful Men) with the Title of gods, because they had a Commission to Govern People according to the Law of God

and none must contradict what God hath said in his word; there can be no falshood in the Revelation of any part of the Divine will.

36 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 ?

Suppose I were no more then a meer man, yet being Sanctified, that is, set apart of God for the special work of Mans Redemption; and sent of God into the World, with Commission both to reveal and to do his Will; yet dare you say, that I blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God.

In the place, viz Psal. 82.6. Where God said of Magistrates, ye are gods; He also added, all of you are Children of the most High; you have therefore no reason to rage at me, though I did say I was the Son of God; being one whom the Father hath in his Eternal Counsels set apart for this great and special Work; and actually by his Providence sent into the World for the finishing and dispatching of it. But we must take heed, that we do not understand our Saviour here, as if he in another sense assumed to him the Title of the Son of God; it was enough for him at present to assert, that the Title well enough belonged to him, if he indeed had been no more than the Son of Man, as they said.

Marginal references: Chap. 6.27.; Chap. 5.17, 18.; Luke 1.35.

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not .

Our Saviour doth often appeal to his Works to testifie concerning his Divine Mission and Power: These works, he here calleth the works of his Father; by which he doth not onely mean works that are pleasing and acceptable to God, as acts of Obedience to the Will of God, performed by Men, may be called, and are, Chap. 6.28, 29. nor (as I conceive) onely those works which he did by Commission and Authority from his Father; which Chap. 17.4. He calleth the work which his Father had given him to do. But those works which none but God could do; such were the multiplication of the loaves, Chap. 6.11, &c. The curing of him who was born blind, Chap. 9.41, &c. If (saith our Saviour) I do not do those works which no meer Man ever did, give me no credit; but if I do those works, which can be done by no humane Art or Power, you have reason to believe me.

Marginal references: Chap. 1[illegible: 1 letter].2[illegible: 1 letter].

38 But If I do, though ye believe not me , believe the works i: that ye may know and believe , that the Father is in me, and I in him .

If I do such works as can be done by no less than a Divine Power, being beyond the Power and ability of all Creatures; then, though you will not give credit to any bare affirmations of my self, because I say I am the Son of God; yet believe the things for the testimony that my works give unto it. Proper effects give Testimony to the proper cause; He who doth those things which none but God can do, must needs be God, or Impowred by God to do them.

This is the way for you to know, be perswaded, and to believe, That the Father is in me by his mighty Divine working Power, Chap. 14.10. The Father that dwelleth in me, [illegible: 1 letter]e doth the works; and I work in, and together with him. This phrase, The Father is in me, and I in him; teacheth us three things concerning Christ. 1. His Oneness in Nature and Essence with the Father. 2. His Personal distinction from his Father; here are two mentioned, the Father and Me. None can properly be said to be in himsef. 3. The most perfect, and intimate▪ indwelling of one of the persons in the Holy Trinity, in the other.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.3[illegible: 1 letter].; Chap. 14, 11. and 17, 2[illegible: 1 letter].

39 Therefore they sought again to take him : but he escaped out of their hand .

Because he said, that the Father was in Him, and [illegible: 1 word] the Father; by which they well enough understood, that he asserted an union with the Father; they did not again go about to stone him, as they did before; he had sufficiently stopped their mouths, as to their imputation of Blasphemy; but they seek to apprehend him, with a design (no doubt) to carry him before the Sanhedrim, (their great Court, which had Cognisance of those things)

But as he had once and again before, so he now again escapeth out of their hands: whether by darkning the Air before their Eyes, or (as some would have it) making his Body invisible, by his Divine Power; or what other way, the Scripture tells us not, and it is great rashness to determine.

Marginal references: Chap. 7.3.44. and [illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]3.

40 And went away again beyond Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized : and there he abode .

Christs time was not yet come when he should be betrayed, and Crucified; it was yet three months and more to it; He saw the Iews at Ierusalem were in such a rage and fury, that there was no staying in that place: He goes beyond Iordan to Bethabara, where he found Iohn at first Baptizing, Iohn 1.28. before he Baptized in Enon near Salim: Chap. 3.23. See the Notes on Iohn 1.28. Possibly he chose that place, as being a place where Iohn had been preparing a way for him, by turning mens hearts in some measure for receiving the Gospel, and pointing out Christ to his Disciples, as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World.

How long he abode there, we cannot tell; probably, till he took his last journey from Galilee to Ierusalem, of which the other Evange[illegible: 1 letter]ists speak, Matth. 20.17. Mark 10.32. Luke 18.31. What he did in Galile[illegible: 1 letter] during these three months, Iohn reports not, onely saith,

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle : but all things that John spake of this man were true .

God so ordered it in the Wisdom of his Providence, that though Elijah and Elisha under the Law wrought miracles, by which they confirmed their Divine Mission; yet Iohn coming immediately before Christ, as his Messenger and Forerunner, wrought none▪ that so the glory of Christ in working miracles when he came, might be more clear and evident. This made the People, that came to Christ while he was in Galilee, say thus amongst themselves, We paid a great Veneration to Iohn the Baptist, yet he never did those things which Christ hath done.

And whatsoever Iohn told us of this Person, hath proved true; He hath done, and doth greater things than ever Iohn did: and is in the judgment of sense to be preferred before him: shou[illegible: 1 letter]d we not now believe in him: Iohn told us he was the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the World: and told us much more concerning him, which our Eyes see is true.

42 And many believed on him there .

Some believed on him, as such whom Iohn Baptist had spoken him to be: others possibly believed on him in the sense mentioned, Chap. 2.23. Not to the saving of their Souls, but as one sent of God, a great Prophet, no ordinary Man. The rage of men shall not hinder the progress of the Gospel.

The Good Shepherd.

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. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

It is not certain whether this discourse was at the feast of dedication in the winter (spoken of v. 22), which may be taken as the date, not only of what follows, but of what goes before (that which countenances this is, that Christ, in his discourse there, carries on the metaphor of the sheep, v. 26, 27, whence it seems that that discourse and this were at the same time); or whether this was a continuation of his parley with the Pharisees, in the close of the foregoing chapter. The Pharisees supported themselves in their opposition to Christ with this principle, that they were the pastors of the church, and that Jesus, having no commission from them, was an intruder and an impostor, and therefore the people were bound in duty to stick to then, against him. In opposition to this, Christ here describes who were the false shepherds, and who the true, leaving them to infer what they were.

I. Here is the parable or similitude proposed (v. 1-5); it is borrowed from the custom of that country, in the management of their sheep. Similitudes, used for the illustration of divine truths, should be taken from those things that are most familiar and common, that the things of God be not clouded by that which should clear them. The preface to this discourse is solemn: Verily, verily, I say unto you,—Amen, amen. This vehement asseveration intimates the certainty and weight of what he said; we find amen doubled in the church's praises and prayers, Ps. xli. 13; lxxii. 19; lxxxix. 52. If we would have our amens accepted in heaven, let Christ's amens be prevailing on earth; his repeated amens.

1. In the parable we have, (1.) The evidence of a thief and robber, that comes to do mischief to the flock, and damage to the owner, v. 1. He enters not by the door, as having no lawful cause of entry, but climbs up some other way, at a window, or some breach in the wall. How industrious are wicked people to do mischief! What plots will they lay, what pains will they take, what hazards will they run, in their wicked pursuits! This should shame us out of our slothfulness and cowardice in the service of God. (2.) The character that distinguishes the rightful owner, who has a property in the sheep, and a care for them: He enters in by the door, as one having authority (v. 2), and he comes to do them some good office or other, to bind up that which is broken, and strengthen that which is sick, Ezek. xxxiv. 16. Sheep need man's care, and, in return for it, are serviceable to man (1 Cor. ix. 7); they clothe and feed those by whom they are coted and fed. (3.) The ready entrance that the shepherd finds: To him the porter openeth, v. 3. Anciently they had their sheepfolds within the outer gates of their houses, for the greater safety of their flocks, so that none could come to them the right way, but such as the porter opened to or the master of the house gave the keys to. (4.) The care he takes and the provision he makes for his sheep. The sheep hear his voice, when he speaks familiarly to them, when they come into the fold, as men now do to their dogs and horses; and, which is more, he calls his own sheep by name, so exact is the notice he takes of them, the account he keeps of them; and he leads them our from the fold to the green pastures; and (v. 4, 5) when he turns them out to graze he does not drive them, but (such was the custom in those times) he goes before them, to prevent any mischief or danger that might meet them, and they, being used to it, follow him, and are safe. (5.) The strange attendance of the sheep upon the shepherd: They know his voice, so as to discern his mind by it, and to distinguish it from that of a stranger (for the ox knows his owner, Isa. i. 3), and a stranger will they not follow, but, as suspecting some ill design, will flee from him, not knowing his voice, but that it is not the voice of their own shepherd. This is the parable; we have the key to it, Ezek. xxxiv. 31: You my flock are men, and I am your God.

2. Let us observe from this parable, (1.) That good men are fitly compared to sheep. Men, as creatures depending on their Creator, are called the sheep of his pasture. Good men, as new creatures, have the good qualities of sheep, harmless and inoffensive as sheep; meek and quiet, without noise; patient as sheep under the hand both of the shearer and of the butcher; useful and profitable, tame and tractable, to the shepherd, and sociable one with another, and much used in sacrifices. (2.) The church of God in the world is a sheepfold, into which the children of God that were scattered abroad are gathered together (ch. xi. 52), and in which they are united and incorporated; it is a good fold, Ezek. xxxiv. 14. See Mic. ii. 12. This fold is well fortified, for God himself is as a wall of fire about it, Zech. ii. 5. (3.) This sheepfold lies much exposed to thieves and robbers; crafty seducers that debauch and deceive, and cruel persecutors that destroy and devour; grievous wolves (Acts xx. 29); thieves that would steal Christ's sheep from him, to sacrifice them to devils, or steal their food from them, that they might perish for lack of it; wolves in sheep's clothing, Matt. vii. 15. (4.) The great Shepherd of the sheep takes wonderful care of the flock and of all that belong to it. God is the great Shepherd, Ps. xxiii. 1. He knows those that are his calls them by name, marks them for himself, leads them out to fat pastures, makes them both feed and rest there, speaks comfortably to them, guards them by his providence, guides them by his Spirit and word, and goes before them, to set them in the way of his steps. (5.) The under-shepherds, who are entrusted to feed the flock of God, ought to be careful and faithful in the discharge of that trust; magistrates must defend them, and protect and advance all their secular interests; ministers must serve them in their spiritual interests, must feed their souls with the word of God faithfully opened and applied, and with gospel ordinances duly administered, taking the oversight of them. They must enter by the door of a regular ordination, and to such the porter will open; the Spirit of Christ will set before them an open door, give them authority in the church, and assurance in their own bosoms. They must know the members of their flocks by name, and watch over them; must lead them into the pastures of public ordinances, preside among them, be their mouth to God and God's to them; and in their conversation must be examples to the believers. (6.) Those who are truly the sheep of Christ will be very observant of their Shepherd, and very cautious and shy of strangers. [1.] They follow their Shepherd, for they know his voice, having both a discerning ear, and an obedient heart. [2.] They flee from a stranger, and dread following him, because they know not his voice. It is dangerous following those in whom we discern not the voice of Christ, and who would draw us from faith in him to fancies concerning him. And those who have experienced the power and efficacy of divine truths upon their souls, and have the savour and relish of them, have a wonderful sagacity to discover Satan's wiles, and to discern between good and evil.

II. The Jew's ignorance of the drift and meaning of this discourse (v. 6): Jesus spoke this parable to them, this figurative, but wise, elegant, and instructive discourse, but they understood not what the things were which he spoke unto them, were not aware whom he meant by the thieves and robbers and whom by the good Shepherd. It is the sin and shame of many who hear the word of Christ that they do not understand it, and they do not because they will not, and because they will mis-understand it. They have no acquaintance with, nor taste of, the things themselves, and therefore do not understand the parables and comparisons with which they are illustrated. The Pharisees had a great conceit of their own knowledge, and could not bear that it should be questioned, and yet they had not sense enough to understand the things that Jesus spoke of; they were above their capacity. Frequently the greatest pretenders to knowledge are most ignorant in the things of God.

III. Christ's explication of this parable, opening the particulars of it fully. Whatever difficulties there may be in the sayings of the Lord Jesus, we shall find him ready to explain himself, if we be but willing to understand him. We shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit interpreter to the blessed Jesus. Christ, in the parable, had distinguished the shepherd from the robber by this, that he enters in by the door. Now, in the explication of the parable, he makes himself to be both the door by which the shepherd enters and the shepherd that enters in by the door. Though it may be a solecism in rhetoric to make the same person to be both the door and the shepherd, it is no solecism in divinity to make Christ to have his authority from himself, as he has life in himself; and himself to enter by his own blood, as the door, into the holy place.

1. Christ is the door. This he saith to those who pretended to seek for righteousness, but, like the Sodomites, wearied themselves to find the door, where it was not to be found. He saith it to the Jews, who would be thought God's only sheep, and to the Pharisees, who would be thought their only shepherds: I am the door of the sheepfold; the door of the church.

(1.) In general, [1.] He is as a door shut, to keep out thieves and robbers, and such as are not fit to be admitted. The shutting of the door is the securing of the house; and what greater security has the church of God than the interposal of the Lord Jesus, and his wisdom, power, and goodness, betwixt it and all its enemies? [2.] He is as a door open for passage and communication. First, By Christ, as the door, we have our first admission into the flock of God, ch. xiv. 6. Secondly, We go in and out in a religious conversation, assisted by him, accepted in him; walking up and down in his name, Zech. x. 12. Thirdly, By him God comes to his church, visits it, and communicates himself to it. Fourthly, By him, as the door, the sheep are at last admitted into the heavenly kingdom, Matt. xxv. 34.

(2.) More particularly,

[1.] Christ is the door of the shepherds, so that none who come not in by him are to be accounted pastors, but (according to the rule laid down, v. 1) thieves and robbers (though they pretended to be shepherds); but the sheep did not hear them. This refers to all those that had the character of shepherds in Israel, whether magistrates or ministers, that exercised their office without any regard to the Messiah, or any other expectations of him than what were suggested by their own carnal interest. Observe, First, The character given of them: they are thieves and robbers (v. 8); all that went before him, not in time, many of them were faithful shepherds, but all that anticipated his commission, and went before he sent them (Jer. xxiii. 21), that assumed a precedency and superiority above him, as the antichrist is said to exalt himself, 2 Thess. ii. 4. "The scribes, and Pharisees, and chief priests, all, even as many as have come before me, that have endeavoured to forestal my interest, and to prevent my gaining any room in the minds of people, by prepossessing them with prejudices against me, they are thieves and robbers, and steal those hearts which they have no title to, defrauding the right owner of his property." They condemned our Saviour as a thief and a robber, because he did not come in by them as the door, nor take out a license from them; but he shows that they ought to have received their commission from him, to have been admitted by him, and to have come after him, and because they did not, but stepped before him, they were thieves and robbers. They would not come in as his disciples, and therefore were condemned as usurpers, and their pretended commissions vacated and superseded. Note, Rivals with Christ are robbers of his church, however they pretend to be shepherds, nay, shepherds of shepherds. Secondly, The care taken to preserve the sheep from them: But the sheep did not hear them. Those that had a true savour of piety, that were spiritual and heavenly, and sincerely devoted to God and godliness, could by no means approve of the traditions of the elders, nor relish their formalities. Christ's disciples, without any particular instructions from their Master, made no conscience of eating with unwashen hands, or plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day; for nothing is more opposite to true Christianity than Pharisaism is, nor any thing more disrelishing to a soul truly devout than their hypocritical devotions.

[2.] Christ is the door of the sheep (v. 9): By me (di emou—through me as the door) if any man enter into the sheepfold, as one of the flock, he shall be saved; shall not only by safe from thieves and robbers, but he shall be happy, he shall go in and out. Here are, First, Plain directions how to come into the fold: we must come in by Jesus Christ as the door. By faith in him, as the great Mediator between God and man, we come into covenant and communion with God. There is no entering into God's church but by coming into Christ's church; nor are any looked upon as members of the kingdom of God among men but those that are willing to submit to the grace and government of the Redeemer. We must now enter by the door of faith (Acts xiv. 27), since the door of innocency is shut against us, and that pass become unpassable, Gen. iii. 24. Secondly, Precious promises to those who observe this direction. 1. They shall be saved hereafter; this is the privilege of their home. These sheep shall be saved from being distrained and impounded by divine justice for trespass done, satisfaction being made for the damage by their great Shepherd, saved from being a prey to the roaring lion; they shall be for ever happy. 2. In the mean time they shall go in and out and find pasture; this is the privilege of their way. They shall have their conversation in the world by the grace of Christ, shall be in his fold as a man at his own house, where he has free ingress, egress, and regress. True believers are at home in Christ; when they go out, they are not shut out as strangers, but have liberty to come in again; when they come in, they are not shut in as trespassers, but have liberty to go out. They go out to the field in the morning, they come into the fold at night; and in both the Shepherd leads and keeps them, and they find pasture in both: grass in the field, fodder in the fold. In public, in private, they have the word of God to converse with, by which their spiritual life is supported and nourished, and out of which their gracious desires are satisfied; they are replenished with the goodness of God's house.

2. Christ is the shepherd, v. 11, &c. He was prophesied of under the Old Testament as a shepherd, Isa. xl. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 23; xxxvii. 24; Zech. xiii. 7. In the New Testament he is spoken of as the great Shepherd (Heb. xiii. 20), the chief Shepherd (1 Pet. v. 4), the Shepherd and bishop of our souls, 1 Pet. ii. 25. God, our great owner, the sheep of whose pasture we are by creation, has constituted his Son Jesus to be our shepherd; and here again and again he owns the relation. He has all that care of his church, and every believer, that a good shepherd has of his flock; and expects all that attendance and observance from the church, and every believer, which the shepherds in those countries had from their flocks.

(1.) Christ is a shepherd, and not as the thief, not as those that came not in by the door. Observe,

[1.] The mischievous design of the thief (v. 10): The thief cometh not with any good intent, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. First, Those whom they steal, whose hearts and affections they steal from Christ and his pastures, they kill and destroy spiritually; for the heresies they privily bring in are damnable. Deceivers of souls are murderers of souls. Those that steal away the scripture by keeping it in an unknown tongue, that steal away the sacraments by maiming them and altering the property of them, that steal away Christ's ordinances to put their own inventions in the room of them, they kill and destroy; ignorance and idolatry are destructive things. Secondly, Those whom they cannot steal, whom they can neither lead, drive, nor carry away, from the flock of Christ, they aim by persecutions and massacres to kill and destroy corporally. He that will not suffer himself to be robbed is in danger of being slain.

[2.] The gracious design of the shepherd; he is come,

First, To give life to the sheep. In opposition to the design of the thief, which is to kill and destroy (which was the design of the scribes and Pharisees) Christ saith, I am come among men, 1. That they might have life. He came to put life into the flock, the church in general, which had seemed rather like a valley full of dry bones than like a pasture covered over with flocks. Christ came to vindicate divine truths, to purify divine ordinances, to redress grievances, and to revive dying zeal, to seek those of his flock that were lost, to bind up that which was broken (Ezek. xxxiv. 16), and this to his church is as life from the dead. He came to give life to particular believers. Life is inclusive of all good, and stands in opposition to the death threatened (Gen. ii. 17); that we might have life, as a criminal has when he is pardoned, as a sick man when he is cured, a dead man when he is raised; that we might be justified, sanctified, and at last glorified. 2. That they might have it more abundantly, kai perisson echosin. As we read it, it is comparative, that they might have a life more abundant than that which was lost and forfeited by sin, more abundant than that which was promised by the law of Moses, length of days in Canaan, more abundant than could have been expected or than we are able to ask or think. But it may be construed without a note of comparison, that they might have abundance, or might have it abundantly. Christ came to give life and perisson ti—something more, something better, life with advantage; that in Christ we might not only live, but live comfortably, live plentifully, live and rejoice. Life in abundance is eternal life, life without death or fear of death, life and much more.

Secondly, To give his life for the sheep, and this that he might give life to them (v. 11): The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 1. It is the property of every good shepherd to hazard and expose his life for the sheep. Jacob did so, when he would go through such a fatigue to attend them, Gen. xxxi. 40. So did David, when he slew the lion and the bear. Such a shepherd of souls was St. Paul, who would gladly spend, and be spent, for their service, and counted not his life dear to him, in comparison with their salvation. But, 2. It was the prerogative of the great Shepherd to give his life to purchase his flock (Acts xx. 28), to satisfy for their trespass, and to shed his blood to wash and cleanse them.

(2.) Christ is a good shepherd, and not as a hireling. There were many that were not thieves, aiming to kill and destroy the sheep, but passed for shepherds, yet were very careless in the discharge of their duty, and through their neglect the flock was greatly damaged; foolish shepherds, idle shepherds, Zech. xi. 15, 17. In opposition to these,

[1.] Christ here calls himself the good shepherd (v. 11), and again (v. 14) ho poimen ho kalos—that shepherd, that good Shepherd, whom God had promised. Note, Jesus Christ is the best of shepherds, the best in the world to take the over-sight of souls, none so skilful, so faithful, so tender, as he, no such feeder and leader, no such protector and healer of souls as he.

[2.] He proves himself so, in opposition to all hirelings, v. 12-14. Where observe,

First, The carelessness of the unfaithful shepherd described (v. 12, 13); he that is a hireling, that is employed as a servant and is paid for his pains, whose own the sheep are not, who has neither profit nor loss by them, sees the wolf coming, or some other danger threatening, and leaves the sheep to the wolf, for in truth he careth not for them. Here is plain reference to that of the idol-shepherd, Zech. xi. 17. Evil shepherds, magistrates and ministers, are here described both by their bad principles and their bad practices.

a. Their bad principles, the root of their bad practices. What makes those that have the charge of souls in trying times to betray their trust, and in quiet times not to mind it? What makes them false, and trifling, and self-seeking? It is because they are hirelings, and care not for the sheep. That is, (a.) The wealth of the world is the chief of their good; it is because they are hirelings. They undertook the shepherds' office, as a trade to live and grow rich by, not as an opportunity of serving Christ and doing good. It is the love of money, and of their own bellies, that carries them on in it. Not that those are hirelings who, while they serve at the altar, live, and live comfortably, upon the altar. The labourer is worthy of his meat; and a scandalous maintenance will soon make a scandalous ministry. But those are hirelings that love the wages more than the work, and set their hearts upon that, as the hireling is said to do, Deut. xxiv. 15. See 1 Sam. ii. 29; Isa. lvi. 11; Mic. iii. 5, 11. (b.) The work of their place is the least of their care. They value not the sheep, are unconcerned in the souls of others; their business is to be their brothers' lords, not their brothers' keepers or helpers; they seek their own things, and do not, like Timothy, naturally care for the state of souls. What can be expected but that they will flee when the wolf comes. He careth not for the sheep, for he is one whose own the sheep are not. In one respect we may say of the best of the under-shepherds that the sheep are not their own, they have not dominion over them not property in them (feed my sheep and my lambs, saith Christ); but in respect of dearness and affection they should be their own. Paul looked upon those as his own whom he called his dearly beloved and longed for. Those who do not cordially espouse the church's interests, and make them their own, will not long be faithful to them.

b. Their bad practices, the effect of these bad principles, v. 12. See here, (a.) How basely the hireling deserts his post; when he sees the wolf coming, though then there is most need of him, he leaves the sheep and flees. Note, Those who mind their safety more than their duty are an easy prey to Satan's temptations. (b.) How fatal the consequences are! the hireling fancies the sheep may look to themselves, but it does not prove so: the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep, and woeful havoc is made of the flock, which will all be charged upon the treacherous shepherd. The blood of perishing souls is required at the hand of the careless watchmen.

Secondly, See here the grace and tenderness of the good Shepherd set over against the former, as it was in the prophecy (Ezek. xxxiv. 21, 22, &c.): I am the good Shepherd. It is matter of comfort to the church, and all her friends, that, however she may be damaged and endangered by the treachery and mismanagement of her under-officers, the Lord Jesus is, and will be, as he ever has been, the good Shepherd. Here are two great instances of the shepherd's goodness.

a. His acquainting himself with his flock, with all that belong or in any wise appertain to his flock, which are of two sorts, both known to him:—

(a.) He is acquainted with all that are now of his flock (v. 14, 15), as the good Shepherd (v. 3, 4): I know my sheep and am known of mine. Note, There is a mutual acquaintance between Christ and true believers; they know one another very well, and knowledge notes affection.

[a.] Christ knows his sheep. He knows with a distinguishing eye who are his sheep, and who are not; he knows the sheep under their many infirmities, and the goats under their most plausible disguises. He knows with a favourable eye those that in truth are his own sheep; he takes cognizance of their state, concerns himself for them, has a tender and affectionate regard to them, and is continually mindful of them in the intercession he ever lives to make within the veil; he visits them graciously by his Spirit, and has communion with them; he knows them, that is, he approves and accepts of them, as Ps. i. 6; xxxvii. 18; Exod. xxxiii. 17.

[b.] He is known of them. He observes them with an eye of favour, and they observe him with an eye of faith. Christ's knowing his sheep is put before their knowing him, for he knew and loved us first (1 John iv. 19), and it is not so much our knowing him as our being known of him that is our happiness, Gal. iv. 9. Yet it is the character of Christ's sheep that they know him; know him from all pretenders and intruders; they know his mind, know his voice, know by experience the power of his death. Christ speaks here as if he gloried in being known by his sheep, and thought their respect an honour to him. Upon this occasion Christ mentions (v. 15) the mutual acquaintance between his Father and himself: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father. Now this may be considered, either, First, As the ground of that intimate acquaintance and relation which subsist between Christ and believers. The covenant of grace, which is the bond of this relation, is founded in the covenant of redemption between the Father and the Son, which, we may be sure, stands firm; for the Father and the Son understood one another perfectly well in that matter, and there could be no mistake, which might leave the matter at any uncertainty, or bring it into any hazard. The Lord Jesus knows whom he hath chosen, and is sure of them (ch. xiii. 18), and they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of him (2 Tim. i. 12), and the ground of both is the perfect knowledge which the Father and the Son had of one another's mind, when the counsel of peace was between them both. Or, Secondly, As an apt similitude, illustrating the intimacy that is between Christ and believers. It may be connected with the foregoing words, thus: I know my sheep, and am known of mine, even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father; compare ch. xvii. 21. 1. As the Father knew the Son, and loved him, and owned him in his sufferings, when he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, so Christ knows his sheep, and has a watchful tender eye upon them, will be with them when they are left alone, as his Father was with him. 2. As the Son knew the Father, loved and obeyed him, and always did those things that pleased him, confiding in him as his God even when he seemed to forsake him, so believers know Christ with an obediential fiducial regard.

(b.) He is acquainted with those that are hereafter to be of this flock (v. 16): Other sheep I have, have a right to and an interest in, which are not of this fold, of the Jewish church; them also I must bring. Observe,

[a.] The eye that Christ had to the poor Gentiles. He had sometimes intimated his special concern for the lost sheep of the house of Israel; to them indeed his personal ministry was confined; but, saith he, I have other sheep. Those who in process of time should believe in Christ, and be brought into obedience to him from among the Gentiles, are here called sheep, and he is said to have them, though as yet they were uncalled, and many of them unborn, because they were chosen of God, and given to Christ in the counsels of divine love from eternity. Christ has a right, by virtue of the Father's donation and his own purchase, to many a soul of which he has not yet the possession; thus he had much people in Corinth, when as yet it lay in wickedness, Acts xviii. 10. "Those other sheep I have," saith Christ, "I have them on my heart, have them in my eye, am as sure to have them as if I had them already." Now Christ speaks of those other sheep, First, To take off the contempt that was put upon him, as having few followers, as having but a little flock, and therefore, if a good shepherd, yet a poor shepherd: "But," saith he, "I have more sheep than you see." Secondly, To take down the pride and vain-glory of the Jews, who thought the Messiah must gather all his sheep from among them. "No," saith Christ, "I have others whom I will set with the lambs of my flock, though you disdain to set them with the dogs of your flock."

[b.] The purposes and resolves of his grace concerning them: "Them also I must bring, bring home to God, bring into the church, and, in order to this, bring off from their vain conversation, bring them back from their wanderings, as that lost sheep," Luke xv. 5. But why must he bring them? What was the necessity? First, The necessity of their case required it: "I must bring, or they must be left to wander endlessly, for, like sheep, they will never come back of themselves, and no other can or will bring them." Secondly, The necessity of his own engagements required it; he must bring them, or he would not be faithful to his trust, and true to his undertaking. "They are my own, bought and paid for, and therefore I must not neglect them nor leave them to perish." He must in honour bring those with whom he was entrusted.

[c.] The happy effect and consequence of this, in two things:—First, "They shall hear my voice. Not only my voice shall be heard among them (whereas they have not heard, and therefore could not believe, now the sound of the gospel shall go to the ends of the earth), but it shall be heard by them; I will speak, and give to them to hear." Faith comes by hearing, and our diligent observance of the voice of Christ is both a means and an evidence of our being brought to Christ, and to God by him. Secondly, There shall be one fold and one shepherd. As there is one shepherd, so there shall be one fold. Both Jews and Gentiles, upon their turning to the faith of Christ, shall be incorporated in one church, be joint and equal sharers in the privileges of it, without distinction. Being united to Christ, they shall unite in him; two sticks shall become one in the hand of the Lord. Note, One shepherd makes one fold; one Christ makes one church. As the church is one in its constitution, subject to one head, animated by one Spirit, and guided by one rule, so the members of it ought to be one in love and affection, Eph. iv. 3-6.

b. Christ's offering up himself for his sheep is another proof of his being a good shepherd, and in this he yet more commended his love, v. 15, 17, 18.

(a.) He declares his purpose of dying for his flock (v. 15): I lay down my life for the sheep. He not only ventured his life for them (in such a case, the hope of saving it might balance the fear of losing it), but he actually deposited it, and submitted to a necessity of dying for our redemption; tithemi—I put it as a pawn or pledge; as purchase-money paid down. Sheep appointed for the slaughter, ready to be sacrificed, were ransomed with the blood of the shepherd. He laid down his life, hyper ton probaton, not only for the good of the sheep, but in their stead. Thousands of sheep had been offered in sacrifice for their shepherds, as sin-offerings, but here, by a surprising reverse, the shepherd is sacrificed for the sheep. When David, the shepherd of Israel, was himself guilty, and the destroying angel drew his sword against the flock for his sake, with good reason did he plead, These sheep, what evil have they done? Let thy hand be against me, 2 Sam. xxiv. 17. But the Son of David was sinless and spotless; and his sheep, what evil have they not done? Yet he saith, Let thine hand be against me. Christ here seems to refer to that prophecy, Zech. xiii. 7, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd; and, though the smiting of the shepherd be for the present the scattering of the flock, it is in order to the gathering of them in.

(b.) He takes off the offence of the cross, which to many is a stone of stumbling, by four considerations:—

[a.] That his laying down his life for the sheep was the condition, the performance of which entitled him to the honours and powers of his exalted state (v. 17): "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life. Upon these terms I am, as Mediator, to expect my Father's acceptance and approbation, and the glory designed me—that I become a sacrifice for the chosen remnant." Not but that, as the Son of God, he was beloved of his Father from eternity, but as God-man, as Immanuel, he was therefore beloved of the Father because he undertook to die for the sheep; therefore God's soul delighted in him as his elect because herein he was his faithful servant (Isa. xlii. 1); therefore he said, This is my beloved Son. What an instance is this of God's love to man, that he loved his Son the more for loving us! See what a value Christ puts upon his Father's love, that, to recommend himself to that, he would lay down his life for the sheep. Did he think God's love recompence sufficient for all his services and sufferings, and shall we think it too little for ours, and court the smiles of the world to make it up? Therefore doth my Father love me, that is, me, and all that by faith become one with me; me, and the mystical body, because I lay down my life.

[b.] That his laying down his life was in order to his resuming it: I lay down my life, that I may receive it again. First, This was the effect of his Father's love, and the first step of his exaltation, the fruit of that love. Because he was God's holy one, he must not see corruption, Ps. xvi. 10. God loved him too well to leave him in the grave. Secondly, This he had in his eye, in laying down his life, that he might have an opportunity of declaring himself to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection, Rom. i. 4. By a divine stratagem (like that before Ai, Josh. viii. 15) he yielded to death, as if he were smitten before it, that he might the more gloriously conquer death, and triumph over the grave. He laid down a vilified body, that he might assume a glorified one, fit to ascend to the world of spirits; laid down a life adapted to this world, but assumed one adapted to the other, like a corn of wheat, ch. xii. 24.

[c.] That he was perfectly voluntary in his sufferings and death (v. 18): "No one doth or can force my life from me against my will, but I freely lay it down of myself, I deliver it as my own act and deed, for I have (which no man has) power to lay it down, and to take it again."

1st, See here the power of Christ, as the Lord of life, particularly of his own life, which he had in himself. 1. He had power to keep his life against all the world, so that it could not be wrested from him without his own consent. Though Christ's life seemed to be taken by storm, yet really it was surrendered, otherwise it had been impregnable, and never taken. The Lord Jesus did not fall into the hands of his persecutors because he could not avoid it, but threw himself into their hands because his hour was come. No man taketh my life from me. This was such a challenge as was never given by the most daring hero. 2. He had power to lay down his life. (1.) He had ability to do it. He could, when he pleased, slip the knot of union between soul and body, and, without any act of violence done to himself, could disengage them from each other: having voluntarily taken up a body, he could voluntarily lay it down again, which appeared when he cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. (2.) He had authority to do it, exousian. Though we could find instruments of cruelty, wherewith to make an end of our own lives, yet Id possumus quod jure possumus—we can do that, and that only, which we can do lawfully. We are not at liberty to do it; but Christ had a sovereign authority to dispose of his own life as he pleased. He was no debtor (as we are) either to life or death, but perfectly sui juris. 3. He had power to take it again; we have not. Our life, once laid down, is as water spilt upon the ground; but Christ, when he laid down his life, still had it within reach, within call, and could resume it. Parting with it by a voluntary conveyance, he might limit the surrender at pleasure, and he did it with a power of revocation, which was necessary to preserve the intentions of the surrender.

2ndly, See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him by law, or extort it by force, he laid it down of himself, for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour: Lo, I come; and then, the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself to be a sacrifice: Here am I, let these go their way; by which will we are sanctified, Heb. x. 10. He was both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself.

Sentiments Concerning Christ.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

We have here an account of the people's different sentiments concerning Christ, on occasion of the foregoing discourse; there was a division, a schism, among them; they differed in their opinions, which threw them into heats and parties. Such a ferment as this they had been in before (ch. vii. 43; ix. 16); and where there has once been a division again. Rents are sooner made than made up or mended. This division was occasioned by the sayings of Christ, which, one would think, should rather have united them all in him as their centre; but they set them at variance, as Christ foresaw, Luke xii. 51. But it is better that men should be divided about the doctrine of Christ than united in the service of sin, Luke xi. 21. See what the debate was in particular.

I. Some upon this occasion spoke ill of Christ and of his sayings, either openly in the face of the assembly, for his enemies were very impudent, or privately among themselves. They said, He has a devil, and is mad, why do you hear him? 1. They reproach him as a demoniac. The worst of characters is put upon the best of men. He is a distracted man, he raves and is delirious, and no more to be heard than the rambles of a man in bedlam. Thus still, if a man preaches seriously and pressingly of another world, he shall be said to talk like an enthusiast; and his conduct shall be imputed to fancy, a heated brain, and a crazed imagination. 2. They ridicule his hearers: "Why hear you him? Why do you so far encourage him as to take notice of what he says?" Note, Satan ruins many by putting them out of conceit with the word and ordinances, and representing it as a weak and silly thing to attend upon them. Men would not thus be laughed out of their necessary food, and yet suffer themselves to be laughed out of what is more necessary. Those that hear Christ, and mix faith with what they hear, will soon be able to give a good account why they hear him.

II. Others stood up in defence of him and his discourse, and, though the stream ran strong, dared to swim against it; and, though perhaps they did not believe on him as the Messiah, they could not bear to hear him thus abused. If they could say no more of him, this they would maintain, that he was a man in his wits, that he had not a devil, that he was neither senseless nor graceless. The absurd and most unreasonable reproaches, that have sometimes been cast upon Christ and his gospel, have excited those to appear for him and it who otherwise had no great affection to either. Two things they plead:—1. The excellency of his doctrine: "These are not the words of him that hath a devil; they are not idle words; distracted men are not used to talk at this rate. These are not the words of one that is either violently possessed with a devil or voluntarily in league with the devil." Christianity, if it be not the true religion, is certainly the greatest cheat that ever was put upon the world; and, if so, it must be of the devil, who is the father of all lies: but it is certain that the doctrine of Christ is no doctrine of devils, for it is levelled directly against the devil's kingdom, and Satan is too subtle to be divided against himself. So much of holiness there is in the words of Christ that we may conclude they are not the words of one that has a devil, and therefore are the words of one that was sent of God; are not from hell, and therefore must be from heaven. 2. The power of his miracles: Can a devil, that is, a man that has a devil, open the eyes of the blind? Neither mad men nor bad men can work miracles. Devils are not such lords of the power of nature as to be able to work such miracles; nor are they such friends to mankind as to be willing to work them if they were able. The devil will sooner put out men's eyes than open them. Therefore Jesus had not a devil.

Christ's Conference with the Jews.

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 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? 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

We have here another rencounter between Christ and the Jews in the temple, in which it is hard to say which is more strange, the gracious words that came out of his mouth or the spiteful ones that came out of theirs.

I. We have here the time when this conference was: It was at the feast of dedication, and it was winter, a feast that was annually observed by consent, in remembrance of the dedication of a new altar and the purging of the temple, by Judas Maccabæus, after the temple had been profaned and the altar defiled; we have the story of it at large in the history of the Maccabees (lib. 1, cap. 4); we have the prophecy of it, Dan. viii. 13, 14. See more of the feast, 2 Mac. i. 18. The return of their liberty was to them as life from the dead, and, in remembrance of it, they kept an annual feast on the twenty-fifth day of the month Cisleu, about the beginning of December, and seven days after. The celebrating of it was not confined to Jerusalem, as that of the divine feasts was, but every one observed it in his own place, not as a holy time (it is only a divine institution that can sanctify a day), but as a good time, as the days of Purim, Esth. ix. 19. Christ forecasted to be now at Jerusalem, not in honour of the feast, which did not require his attendance there, but that he might improve those eight days of vacation for good purposes.

II. The place where it was (v. 23): Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch; so called (Acts iii. 11), not because built by Solomon, but because built in the same place with that which had borne his name in the first temple, and the name was kept up for the greater reputation of it. Here Christ walked, to observe the proceedings of the great sanhedrim that sat here (Ps. lxxxii. 1); he walked, ready to give audience to any that should apply to him, and to offer them his services. He walked, as it should seem, for some time alone, as one neglected; walked pensive, in the foresight of the ruin of the temple. Those that have any thing to say to Christ may find him in the temple and walk with him there.

III. The conference itself, in which observe,

1. A weighty question put to him by the Jews, v. 24. They came round about him, to tease him; he was waiting for an opportunity to do them a kindness, and they took the opportunity to do him a mischief. Ill-will for good-will is no rare and uncommon return. He could not enjoy himself, no, not in the temple, his Father's house, without disturbance. They came about him, as it were, to lay siege to him: encompassed him about like bees. They came about him as if they had a joint and unanimous desire to be satisfied; came as one man, pretending an impartial and importunate enquiry after truth, but intending a general assault upon our Lord Jesus; and they seemed to speak the sense of their nation, as if they were the mouth of all the Jews: How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us.

(1.) They quarrel with him, as if he had unfairly held them in suspense hitherto. Ten psychen hemon aireis—How long dost thou steal away our hearts? Or, take away our souls? So some read it; basely intimating that what share he had of the people's love and respect he did not obtain fairly, but by indirect methods, as Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel; and as seducers deceive the hearts of the simple, and so draw away disciples after them, Rom. xvi. 18; Acts xx. 30. But most interpreters understand it as we do: "How long dost thou keep us in suspense? How long are we kept debating whether thou be the Christ or no, and not able to determine the question?" Now, [1.] It was the effect of their infidelity, and powerful prejudices, that after our Lord Jesus had so fully proved himself to be the Christ they were still in doubt concerning it; this they willingly hesitated about, when they might easily have been satisfied. The struggle was between their convictions, which told them he was Christ, and their corruptions, which said, No, because he was not such a Christ as they expected. Those who choose to be sceptics may, if they please, hold the balance so that the most cogent arguments may not weigh down the most trifling objections, but scales may still hang even. [2.] It was an instance of their impudence and presumption that they laid the blame of their doubting upon Christ himself, as if he made them to doubt by inconsistency with himself, whereas in truth they made themselves doubt by indulging their prejudices. If Wisdom's sayings appear doubtful, the fault is not in the object, but in the eye; they are all plain to him that understands. Christ would make us to believe; we make ourselves to doubt.

(2.) They challenge him to give a direct and categorical answer whether he was the Messiah or no: "If thou be the Christ, as many believe thou art, tell us plainly, not by parables, as, I am the light of the world, and the good Shepherd, and the like, but totidem verbis—in so many words, either that thou art the Christ, or, as John Baptist, that thou art not," ch. i. 20. Now this pressing query of theirs was seemingly good; they pretended to be desirous to know the truth, as if they were ready to embrace it; but it was really bad, and put with an ill design; for, if he should tell them plainly that he was the Christ, there needed no more to make him obnoxious to the jealousy and severity of the Roman government. Every one knew the Messiah was to be a king, and therefore whoever pretended to be the Messiah would be prosecuted as a traitor, which was the thing they would have been at; for, let him tell them ever so plainly that he was the Christ, they would have this to say presently, Thou bearest witness of thyself, as they had said, ch. viii. 13.

2. Christ's answer to this question, in which,

(1.) He justifies himself as not at all accessary to their infidelity and skepticism, referring them, [1.] To what he had said: I have told you. He had told them that he was the Son of God, the Son of man, that he had life in himself, that he had authority to execute judgment, &c. And is not this the Christ then? These things he had told them, and they believed not; why then should they be told them again, merely to gratify their curiosity? You believed not. They pretended that they only doubted, but Christ tells them that they did not believe. Skepticism in religion is no better than downright infidelity. It is now for us to teach God how he should teach us, nor prescribe to him how plainly he should tell us his mind, but to be thankful for divine revelation as we have it. If we do not believe this, neither should we be persuaded if it were ever so much adapted to our humour. [2.] He refers them to his works, to the example of his life, which was not only perfectly pure, but highly beneficent, and of a piece with his doctrine; and especially to his miracles, which he wrought for the confirmation of his doctrine. It was certain that no man could do those miracles except God were with him, and God would not be with him to attest a forgery.

(2.) He condemns them for their obstinate unbelief, notwithstanding all the most plain and powerful arguments used to convince them: "You believed not; and again, You believed not. You still are what you always were, obstinate in your unbelief." But the reason he gives is very surprising: "You believed not, because you are not of my sheep: you believe not in me, because you belong not to me." [1.] "You are not disposed to be my followers, are not of a tractable teachable temper, have no inclination to receive the doctrine and law of the Messiah; you will not herd yourselves with my sheep, will not come and see, come and hear my voice." Rooted antipathies to the gospel of Christ are the bonds of iniquity and infidelity. [2.] "You are not designed to be my followers; you are not of those that were given me by my Father, to be brought to grace and glory. You are not of the number of the elect; and your unbelief, if you persist in it, will be a certain evidence that you are not." Note, Those to whom God never gives the grace of faith were never designed for heaven and happiness. What Solomon saith of immorality is true of infidelity, It is a deep ditch, and he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein, Prov. xxii. 14. Non esse electum, non est causa incredulitatis propriè dicta, sed causa per accidens. Fides autem est donum Dei et effectus prædestinationis—The not being included among the elect is not the proper cause of infidelity, but merely the accidental cause. But faith is the gift of God, and the effect of predestination. So Jansenius distinguishes well here.

(3.) He takes this occasion to describe both the gracious disposition and the happy state of those that are his sheep; for such there are, though they be not.

[1.] To convince them that they were not his sheep, he tells them what were the characters of his sheep. First, They hear his voice (v. 27), for they know it to be his (v. 4), and he has undertaken that they shall hear it, v. 16. They discern it, It is the voice of my beloved, Cant. ii. 8. They delight in it, are in their element when they are sitting at his feet to hear his word. They do according to it, and make his word their rule. Christ will not account those his sheep that are deaf to his calls, deaf to his charms, Ps. lviii. 5. Secondly, They follow him; they submit to his guidance by a willing obedience to all his commands, and a cheerful conformity to his spirit and pattern. The word of command has always been, Follow me. We must eye him as our leader and captain, and tread in his steps, and walk as he walked—follow the prescriptions of his word, the intimations of his providence, and the directions of his Spirit—follow the Lamb (the dux gregis—the leader of the flock) whithersoever he goes. In vain do we hear his voice if we do not follow him.

[2.] To convince them that it was their great unhappiness and misery not to be of Christ's sheep, he here describes the blessed state and case of those that are, which would likewise serve for the support and comfort of his poor despised followers, and keep them from envying the power and grandeur of those that were not of his sheep.

First, Our Lord Jesus takes cognizance of his sheep: They hear my voice, and I know them. He distinguishes them from others (2 Tim. ii. 19), has a particular regard to every individual (Ps. xxxiv. 6); he knows their wants and desires, knows their souls in adversity, where to find them, and what to do for them. He knows others afar off, but knows them near at hand.

Secondly, He has provided a happiness for them, suited to them: I give unto them eternal life, v. 28. 1. The estate settled upon them is rich and valuable; it is life, eternal life. Man has a living soul; therefore the happiness provided is life, suited to his nature. Man has an immortal soul: therefore the happiness provided is eternal life, running parallel with his duration. Life eternal is the felicity and chief good of a soul immortal. 2. The manner of conveyance is free: I give it to them; it is not bargained and sold upon a valuable consideration, but given by the free grace of Jesus Christ. The donor has power to give it. He who is the fountain of life, and Father of eternity, has authorized Christ to give eternal life, ch. xvii. 2. Not I will give it, but I do give it; it is a present gift. He gives the assurance of it, the pledge and earnest of it, the first-fruits and foretastes of it, that spiritual life which is eternal life begun, heaven in the seed, in the bud, in the embryo.

Thirdly, He has undertaken for their security and preservation to this happiness.

a. They shall be saved from everlasting perdition. They shall by no means perish for ever; so the words are. As there is an eternal life, so there is an eternal destruction; the soul not annihilated, but ruined; its being continued, but its comfort and happiness irrecoverably lost. All believers are saved from this; whatever cross they may come under, they shall not come into condemnation. A man is never undone till he is in hell, and they shall not go down to that. Shepherds that have large flocks often lose some of the sheep and suffer them to perish; but Christ has engaged that none of his sheep shall perish, not one.

b. They cannot be kept from their everlasting happiness; it is in reserve, but he that gives it to them will preserve them to it. (a.) His own power is engaged for them: Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. A mighty contest is here supposed about these sheep. The Shepherd is so careful of their welfare that he has them not only within his fold, and under his eye, but in his hand, interested in his special love and taken under his special protection (all his saints are in thy hand, Deut. xxxiii. 3); yet their enemies are so daring that they attempt to pluck them out of his hand—his whose own they are, whose care they are; but they cannot, they shall not, do it. Note, Those are safe who are in the hands of the Lord Jesus. The saints are preserved in Christ Jesus: and their salvation is not in their own keeping, but in the keeping of a Mediator. The Pharisees and rulers did all they could to frighten the disciples of Christ from following him, reproving and threatening them, but Christ saith that they shall not prevail. (b.) His Father's power is likewise engaged for their preservation, v. 29. He now appeared in weakness, and, lest his security should therefore be thought insufficient, he brings in his Father as a further security. Observe, [a.] The power of the Father: My Father is greater than all; greater than all the other friends of the church, all the other shepherds, magistrates or ministers, and able to do that for them which they cannot do. Those shepherds slumber and sleep, and it will be easy to pluck the sheep out of their hands; but he keeps his flock day and night. He is greater than all the enemies of the church, all the opposition given to her interests, and able to secure his own against all their insults; he is greater than all the combined force of hell and earth. He is greater in wisdom than the old serpent, though noted for subtlety; greater in strength than the great red dragon, though his name be legion, and his title principalities and powers. The devil and his angels have had many a push, many a pluck for the mastery, but have never yet prevailed, Rev. xii. 7, 8. The Lord on high is mightier. [b.] The interest of the Father in the sheep, for the sake of which this power is engaged for them: "It is my Father that gave them to me, and he is concerned in honour to uphold his gift." They were given to the Son as a trust to be managed by him, and therefore God will still look after them. All the divine power is engaged for the accomplishment of all the divine counsels. [c.] The safety of the saints inferred from these two. If this be so, then none (neither man nor devil) is able to pluck them out of the Father's hand, not able to deprive them of the grace they have, nor to hinder them from the glory that is designed them; not able to put them out of God's protection, nor get them into their own power. Christ had himself experienced the power of his Father upholding and strengthening him, and therefore puts all his followers into his hand too. He that secured the glory of the Redeemer will secure the glory of the redeemed. Further to corroborate the security, that the sheep of Christ may have strong consolation, he asserts the union of these two undertakers: "I and my Father are one, and have jointly and severally undertaken for the protection of the saints and their perfection." This denotes more than the harmony, and consent, and good understanding, that were between the Father and the Son in the work of man's redemption. Every good man is so far one with God as to concur with him; therefore it must be meant of the oneness of the nature of Father and Son, that they are the same in substance, and equal in power and glory. The fathers urged this both against the Sabellians, to prove the distinction and plurality of the persons, that the Father and the Son are two, and against the Arians, to prove the unity of the nature, that these two are one. If we should altogether hold our peace concerning this sense of the words, even the stones which the Jews took up to cast at him would speak it out, for the Jews understood him as hereby making himself God (v. 33) and he did not deny it. He proves that none could pluck them out of his hand because they could not pluck them out of the Father's hand, which had not been a conclusive argument if the Son had not had the same almighty power with the Father, and consequently been one with him in essence and operation.

IV. The rage, the outrage, of the Jews against him for this discourse: The Jews took up stones again, v. 31. It is not the word that is used before (ch. viii. 59), but ebastasan lithous—they carried stones—great stones, stones that were a load, such as they used in stoning malefactors. They brought them from some place at a distance, as it were preparing things for his execution without any judicial process; as if he were convicted of blasphemy upon the notorious evidence of the fact, which needed no further trial. The absurdity of this insult which the Jews offered to Christ will appear if we consider, 1. That they had imperiously, not to say impudently, challenged him to tell them plainly whether he was the Christ or no; and yet now that he not only said he was the Christ, but proved himself so, they condemned him as a malefactor. If the preachers of the truth propose it modestly, they are branded as cowards; if boldly, as insolent; but Wisdom is justified of her children. 2. That when they had before made a similar attempt it was in vain; he escaped through the midst of them (ch. viii. 59); yet they repeat their baffled attempt. Daring sinners will throw stones at heaven, though they return upon their own heads; and will strengthen themselves against the Almighty, though none ever hardened themselves against him and prospered.

V. Christ's tender expostulation with them upon occasion of this outrage (v. 32): Jesus answered what they did, for we do not find that they said any thing, unless perhaps they stirred up the crown that they had gathered about him to join with them, crying, Stone him, stone him, as afterwards, Crucify him, crucify him. When he could have answered them with fire from heaven, he mildly replied, Many good works have I shown you from my Father: for which of those works do you stone me? Words so very tender that one would think they should have melted a heart of stone. In dealing with his enemies he still argued from his works (men evidence what they are by what they do), his good works—kala erga excellent, eminent works. Opera eximia vel præclara; the expression signifies both great works and good works.

1. The divine power of his works convicted them of the most obstinate infidelity. They were works from his Father, so far above the reach and course of nature as to prove him who did them sent of God, and acting by commission from him. These works he showed them; he did them openly before the people, and not in a corner. His works would bear the test, and refer themselves to the testimony of the most inquisitive and impartial spectators. He did not show his works by candle-light, as those that are concerned only for show, but he showed them at noon-day before the world, ch. xviii. 20. See Ps. cxi. 6. His works so undeniably demonstrated that they were an incontestable demonstration of the validity of his commission.

2. The divine grace of his works convicted them of the most base ingratitude. The works he did among them were not only miracles, but mercies; not only works of wonder to amaze them, but works of love and kindness to do them good, and so make them good, and endear himself to them. He healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, cast out devils, which were favours, not only to the persons concerned, but to the public; these he had repeated, and multiplied: "Now for which of these do you stone me? You cannot say that I have done you any harm, or given you any just provocation; if therefore you will pick a quarrel with me, it must be for some good work, some good turn done you; tell me for which." Note, (1.) The horrid ingratitude that there is in our sins against God and Jesus Christ is a great aggravation of them, and makes them appear exceedingly sinful. See how God argues to this purpose, Deut. xxxii. 6; Jer. ii. 5; Mic. vi. 3. (2.) We must not think it strange if we meet with those who not only hate us without cause, but are our adversaries for our love, Ps. xxxv. 12; xli. 9. When he asks, For which of these do you stone me? as he intimates the abundant satisfaction he had in his own innocency, which gives a man courage in a suffering day, so he puts his persecutors upon considering what was the true reason of their enmity, and asking, as all those should do that create trouble to their neighbour, Why persecute we him? As Job advises his friends to do, Job xix. 28.

VI. Their vindication of the attempt they made upon Christ, and the cause upon which they grounded their prosecution, v. 33. What sin will want fig-leaves with which to cover itself, when even the bloody persecutors of the Son of God could find something to say for themselves?

1. They would not be thought such enemies to their country as to persecute him for a good work: For a good work we stone thee not. For indeed they would scarcely allow any of his works to be so. His curing the impotent man (ch. v.) and the blind man (ch. ix.) were so far from being acknowledged good services to the town, and meritorious, that they were put upon the score of his crimes, because done on the sabbath day. But, if he had done any good works, they would not own that they stoned him for them, though these were really the things that did most exasperate them, ch. xi. 47. Thus, though most absurd, they could not be brought to own their absurdities.

2. They would be thought such friends to God and his glory as to prosecute him for blasphemy: Because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Here is,

(1.) A pretended zeal for the law. They seem mightily concerned for the honour of the divine majesty, and to be seized with a religious horror at that which they imagined to be a reproach to it. A blasphemer was to be stoned, Lev. xxiv. 16. This law, they thought, did not only justify, but sanctify, what they attempted, as Acts xxvi. 9. Note, The vilest practices are often varnished with plausible pretences. As nothing is more courageous than a well-informed conscience, so nothing is more outrageous than a mistaken one. See Isa. lxvi. 5; ch. xvi. 2.

(2.) A real enmity to the gospel, on which they could not put a greater affront than by representing Christ as a blasphemer. It is no new thing for the worst of characters to be put upon the best of men, by those that resolve to give them the worst of treatment. [1.] The crime laid to his charge is blasphemy, speaking reproachfully and despitefully of God. God himself is out of the sinner's reach, and not capable of receiving any real injury; and therefore enmity to God spits its venom at his name, and so shows its ill-will. [2.] The proof of the crime: Thou, being a man, makest thyself God. As it is God's glory that he is God, which we rob him of when we make him altogether such a one as ourselves, so it is his glory that besides him there is no other, which we rob him of when we make ourselves, or any creature, altogether like him. Now, First, Thus far they were in the right, that what Christ said of himself amounted to this—that he was God, for he had said that he was one with the Father and that he would give eternal life; and Christ does not deny it, which he would have done if it had been a mistaken inference from his words. But, secondly, They were much mistaken when they looked upon him as a mere man, and that the Godhead he claimed was a usurpation, and of his own making. They thought it absurd and impious that such a one as he, who appeared in the fashion of a poor, mean, despicable man, should profess himself the Messiah, and entitle himself to the honours confessedly due to the Son of God. Note, 1. Those who say that Jesus is a mere man, and only a made God, as the Socinians say, do in effect charge him with blasphemy, but do effectually prove it upon themselves. 2. He who, being a man, a sinful man, makes himself a god as the Pope does, who claims divine powers and prerogatives, is unquestionably a blasphemer, and that antichrist.

VII. Christ's reply to their accusation of him (for such their vindication of themselves was), and his making good those claims which they imputed to him as blasphemous (v. 34, &c.), where he proves himself to be no blasphemer, by two arguments:—

1. By an argument taken from God's word. He appeals to what was written in their law, that is, in the Old Testament; whoever opposes Christ, he is sure to have the scripture on his side. It is written (Ps. lxxxii. 6), I have said, You are gods. It is an argument a minore ad majus—from the less to the greater. If they were gods, much more am I. Observe,

(1.) How he explains the text (v. 35): He called them gods to whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken. The word of God's commission came to them, appointing them to their offices, as judges, and therefore they are called gods, Exod. xxii. 28. To some the word of God came immediately, as to Moses; to others in the way of an instituted ordinance. Magistracy is a divine institution; and magistrates are God's delegates, and therefore the scripture calleth them gods; and we are sure that the scripture cannot be broken, or broken in upon, or found fault with. Every word of God is right; the very style and language of scripture are unexceptionable, and not to be corrected, Matt. v. 18.

(2.) How he applies it. Thus much in general is easily inferred, that those were very rash and unreasonable who condemned Christ as a blasphemer, only for calling himself the Son of God, when yet they themselves called their rulers so, and therein the scripture warranted them. But the argument goes further (v. 36): If magistrates were called Gods, because they were commissioned to administer justice in the nation, say you of him whom the Father hath sanctified, Thou blasphemest? We have here two things concerning the Lord Jesus:—[1.] The honour done him by the Father, which he justly glories in: He sanctified him, and sent him into the world. Magistrates were called the sons of God, though the word of God only came to them, and the spirit of government came upon them by measure, as upon Saul; but our Lord Jesus was himself the Word, and had the Spirit without measure. They were constituted for a particular country, city, or nation; but he was sent into the world, vested with a universal authority, as Lord of all. They were sent to, as persons at a distance; he was sent forth, as having been from eternity with God. The Father sanctified him, that is, designed him and set him apart to the office of Mediator, and qualified and fitted him for that office. Sanctifying him is the same with sealing him, ch. vi. 27. Note, Whom the Father sends he sanctifies; whom he designs for holy purposes he prepares with holy principles and dispositions. The holy God will reward, and therefore will employ, none but such as he finds or makes holy. The Father's sanctifying and sending him is here vouched as a sufficient warrant for his calling himself the Son of God; for because he was a holy thing he was called the Son of God, Luke i. 35. See Rom. i. 4. [2.] The dishonour done him by the Jews, which he justly complains of—that they impiously said of him, whom the Father had thus dignified, that he was a blasphemer, because he called himself the Son of God: "Say you of him so and so? Dare you say so? Dare you thus set your mouths against the heavens? Have you brow and brass enough to tell the God of truth that he lies, or to condemn him that is most just? Look me in the face, and say it if you can. What! say you of the Son of God that he is a blasphemer?" If devils, whom he came to condemn, had said so of him, it had not been so strange; but that men, whom he came to teach and save, should say so of him, be astonished, O heavens! at this. See what is the language of an obstinate unbelief; it does, in effect, call the holy Jesus a blasphemer. It is hard to say which is more to be wondered at, that men who breathe in God's air should yet speak such things, or that men who have spoken such things should still be suffered to breathe in God's air. The wickedness of man, and the patience of God, as it were, contend which shall be most wonderful.

2. By an argument taken from his own works, v. 37, 38. In the former he only answered the charge of blasphemy by an argument ad hominem—turning a man's own argument against himself; but he here makes out his own claims, and proves that he and the Father are one (v. 37, 38): If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. Though he might justly have abandoned such blasphemous wretches as incurable, yet he vouchsafes to reason with them. Observe,

(1.) From what he argues—from his works, which he had often vouched as his credentials, and the proofs of his mission. As he proved himself sent of God by the divinity of his works, so we must prove ourselves allied to Christ by the Christianity of ours. [1.] The argument is very cogent; for the works he did were the works of his Father, which the Father only could do, and which could not be done in the ordinary course of nature, but only by the sovereign over-ruling power of the God of nature. Opera Deo propria—works peculiar to God, and Opera Deo Digna—works worthy of God—the works of a divine power. He that can dispense with the laws of nature, repeal, altar, and overrule them at his pleasure, by his own power, is certainly the sovereign prince who first instituted and enacted those laws. The miracles which the apostles wrought in his name, by his power, and for the confirmation of his doctrine, corroborated this argument, and continued the evidence of it when he was gone. [2.] It is proposed as fairly as can be desired, and put to a short issue. First, If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. He does not demand a blind and implicit faith, nor an assent to his divine mission further than he gave proof of it. He did not wind himself into the affections of the people, nor wheedle them by sly insinuations, nor impose upon their credulity by bold assertions, but with the greatest fairness imaginable quitted all demands of their faith, further than he produced warrants for these demands. Christ is no hard master, who expects to reap in assents where he has not sown in arguments. None shall perish for the disbelief of that which was not proposed to them with sufficient motives of credibility, Infinite Wisdom itself being judge. Secondly, "But if I do the works of my Father, if I work undeniable miracles for the confirmation of a holy doctrine, though you believe not me, though you are so scrupulous as not to take my word, yet believe the works: believe your own eyes, your own reason; the thing speaks itself plainly enough." As the invisible things of the Creator are clearly seen by his works of creation and common providence (Rom. i. 20), so the invisible things of the Redeemer were seen by his miracles, and by all his works both of power and mercy; so that those who were not convinced by these works were without excuse.

(2.) For what he argues—that you may know and believe, may believe it intelligently, and with an entire satisfaction, that the Father is in me and I in him; which is the same with what he had said (v. 30): I and my Father are one. The Father was so in the Son as that in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead, and it was by a divine power that he wrought his miracles; the Son was so in the Father as that he was perfectly acquainted with the whole of his mind, not by communication, but by consciousness, having lain in his bosom. This we must know; not know and explain (for we cannot by searching find it out to perfection), but know and believe it; acknowledging and adoring the depth, when we cannot find the bottom.

Christ Retires beyond Jordan.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there.

We have here the issue of the conference with the Jews. One would have thought it would have convinced and melted them, but their hearts were hardened. Here we are told,

I. How they attacked him by force. Therefore they sought again to take him, v. 39. Therefore, 1. Because he had fully answered their charge of blasphemy, and wiped off that imputation, so that they could not for shame go on with their attempts to stone him, therefore they contrived to seize him, and prosecute him as an offender against the state. When they were constrained to drop their attempt by a popular tumult, they would try what they could do under colour of a legal process. See Rev. xii. 13. Or, 2. Because he persevered in the same testimony concerning himself, they persisted in their malice against him. What he had said before he did in effect say again, for the faithful witness never departs from what he has once said; and therefore, having the same provocation, they express the same resentment, and justify their attempt to stone him by another attempt to take him. Such is the temper of a persecuting spirit, and such its policy, malè facta malè factis tegere ne perpluant—to cover one set of bad deeds with another, lest the former should fall through.

II. How he avoided them by flight; not an inglorious retreat, in which there was any thing of human infirmity, but a glorious retirement, in which there was much of a divine power. He escaped out of their hands, not by the interposal of any friend that helped him, but by his own wisdom he got clear of them; he drew a veil over himself, or cast a mist before their eyes, or tied the hands of those whose hearts he did not turn. Note, No weapon formed against our Lord Jesus shall prosper, Ps. ii. 4. He escaped, not because he was afraid to suffer, but because his hour was not come. And he who knew how to deliver himself no doubt knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to make a way for them to escape.

III. How he disposed of himself in his retirement: He went away again beyond Jordan, v. 40. The bishop of our souls came not to be fixed in one see, but to go about from place to place, doing good. This great benefactor was never out of his way, for wherever he came there was work to be done. Though Jerusalem was the royal city, yet he made many a kind visit to the country, not only to his own country Galilee, but to other parts, even those that lay most remote beyond Jordan. Now observe,

1. What shelter he found there. He went into a private part of the country, and there he abode; there he found some rest and quietness, when in Jerusalem he could find none. Note, Though persecutors may drive Christ and his gospel out of their own city or country, they cannot drive him or it out of the world. Though Jerusalem was not gathered, nor would be, yet Christ was glorious, and would be. Christ's going now beyond Jordan was a figure of the taking of the kingdom of God from the Jews, and bringing it to the Gentiles. Christ and his gospel have often found better entertainment among the plain country-people than among the wise, the mighty, the noble, 1 Cor. i. 26, 27.

2. What success he found there. He did not go thither merely for his own security, but to do good there; and he chose to go thither, where John at first baptized (ch. i. 28), because there could not but remain some impressions of John's ministry and baptism thereabouts, which would dispose them to receive Christ and his doctrine; for it was not three years since John was baptizing, and Christ was himself baptized here at Bethabara. Christ came hither now to see what fruit there was of all the pains John Baptist had taken among them, and what they retained of the things they then heard and received. The event in some measure answered expectation; for we are told,

(1.) That they flocked after him (v. 41): Many resorted to him. The return of the means of grace to a place, after they have been for some time intermitted, commonly occasions a great stirring of affections. Some think Christ chose to abide at Bethabara, the house of passage, where the ferry-boats lay by which they crossed the river Jordan, that the confluence of people thither might give an opportunity of teaching many who would come to hear him when it lay in their way, but who would scarcely go a step out of the road for an opportunity of attending on his word.

(2.) That they reasoned in his favour, and sought arguments to induce them to close with him as much as those at Jerusalem sought objections against him. They said very judiciously, John did no miracle, but all things that John spoke of this man were true. Two things they considered, upon recollecting what they had seen and heard from John, and comparing it with Christ's ministry. [1.] That Christ far exceeded John Baptist's power, for John did no miracle, but Jesus does many; whence it is easy to infer that Jesus is greater than John. And, if John was so great a prophet, how great then is this Jesus! Christ is best known and acknowledged by such a comparison with others as sets him superlatively above others. Though John came in the spirit and power of Elias, yet he did not work miracles, as Elias did, lest the minds of people should be made to hesitate between him and Jesus; therefore the honour of working miracles was reserved for Jesus as a flower of his crown, that there might be a sensible demonstration, and undeniable one, that though he came after John, yet he was preferred far before him. [2.] That Christ exactly answered John Baptist's testimony. John not only did no miracle to divert people from Christ, but he said a great deal to direct them to Christ, and to turn them over as apprentices to him, and this came to their minds now: all things that John said of this man were true, that he should be the Lamb of God, should baptize with Holy Ghost and with fire. Great things John had said of him, which raised their expectations; so that though they had not zeal enough to carry them into his country to enquire after him, yet, when he came into theirs, and brought his gospel to their doors, they acknowledged him as great as John had said he would be. When we get acquainted with Christ, and come to know him experimentally, we find all things that the scripture saith of him to be true; nay, and that the reality exceeds the report, 1 Kings x. 6, 7. John Baptist was now dead and gone, and yet his hearers profited by what they had heard formerly, and, by comparing what they heard then with what they saw now, they gained a double advantage; for, First, They were confirmed in their belief that John was a prophet, who foretold such things, and spoke of the eminency to which this Jesus would arrive, though his beginning was so small. Secondly, They were prepared to believe that Jesus was the Christ, in whom they saw those things accomplished which John foretold. By this we see that the success and efficacy of the word preached are not confined to the life of the preacher, nor do they expire with his breath, but that which seemed as water spilt upon the ground may afterwards be gathered up again. See Zech. i. 5, 6.

(3.) That many believed on him there. Believing that he who wrought such miracles, and in whom John's predictions were fulfilled, was what he declared himself to be, the Son of God, they gave up themselves to him as his disciples, v. 42. An emphasis is here to be laid, [1.] Upon the persons that believed on him; they were many. While those that received and embraced his doctrine at Jerusalem were but as the grape-gleanings of the vintage, those that believed on him in the country, beyond the Jordan, were a full harvest gathered in to him. [2.] Upon the place where this was; it was where John had been preaching and baptizing and had had great success; there many believed on the Lord Jesus. Where the preaching of the doctrine of repentance has had success, as desired, there the preaching of the doctrine of reconciliation and gospel grace is most likely to be prosperous. Where John has been acceptable, Jesus will not be unacceptable. The jubilee-trumpet sounds sweetest in the ears of those who in the day of atonement have afflicted their souls for sin.

CHAP. X

A Men is in holy Scripture either prefixed to a diſcourſe, and then it is a particle of certain and earneſt aſſeveration, when it is doubled eſpecially, as here: Or elſe affixed; and then it is either of aſſent, or aſſurance, or both, as in the end of the Lords prayer.

Verſe 2. But he that entreth in by the door] That is, called by Chriſt to the office of his under-ſhepherd. In phyſicis aer nonfacit ſeipſum ignem, Aquin ad Heb. 15. ſed fit a ſuperiori, ſaith Aquinas.

Is the ſhepherd of the ſheep] To the which is required, that he be both learned and loving. [non-Latin text not transcribed] quaſi [non-Latin text not transcribed], of [non-Latin text not transcribed] a ſheep: and [non-Latin text not transcribed] to deſire eatneſtly. This note ariſeth out of the notation of the word here uſed.

Verſe 3. To him the porter openeth] That is, God approveth ſuch, and uſually ſeales to their miniſtery. Jer. 23.22. giving them a teſtimoniall, 2. Cor. 3.2.

Verſe 4. He goeth before them] According to the cuſtome of ſhepherds in that countrey, not to drive their ſheep, but to lead them, as David ſhews in his divine Bucolicon, Pſal. 23.2.

Verſe 5. A stranger will they not follow] For they have ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil; Heb. 5 14. yea they have a ſpirit of diſcerning, 1 Cor. 12.10. the minde of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.16. and though ſimple to evil, yet are wiſe in that which is good. They are ſheep, but rationall: their ſervice, a reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. their obedience the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. they try before they truſt, they look before they leap, and ſo grow to ſuch a certainty in that truth they hold, ſuch a plerophory of knowledge, Coloſſ. 2.3. that it is impoſſible for them to be fully or finally deceived, Mat. 24.24. Falſe and heterodox doctrines they hate, Pſal. 119 104, and all ſuch impoſtours as ſeek to buzze doubts into their heads, Rom. 16.17.

Verſe 6. But they understood not] So thick-braind and uncapable we are, till that vail be rent, Iſa. 25.7. Luſcoſi, ſi quando oculorum aciem intendunt, minus videns. Vives in Aug. de civ. Zei. l. 22. c. 6. Thoſe that have a blemiſh in their eye, the more wiſhly they look into any thing, the leſſe they ſee of it, as Vives hath it. So it is here.

Verſe 8. All that ever came before me, &c.] Manes (that mad heretick) made an argument from this text againſt Moſes and the Prophets, as going before Chriſt. But Auſtin anſwereth: Moſes and the Prophets came not before Chriſt, but with Chriſt. Intruders, whether before or ſince our Saviours daies, are theſe theeves and robbers. Ah whoreſon-theeves, rob God of his glory! ſaid Doct. Taylor Martyr, in a dream, of the Scribes and Phariſees of his time.

Verſe 9. And ſhall go in and our, &c.] That is, ſhall live ſecurely, and be fed daily and daintily, as David ſhews, Pſal. 23. where he ſweetly ſtrikes upon the whole ſtring thorow the whole hymne.

Verſe 10. The thief commeth not but for to ſteal] How ſlily ſoever hereticks ſeek to inſinuate, with their Pithanology and feigned humility, whereby they circumvent and beguil the ſimple, it is deadly dealing with them. Shun their ſociety as a ſerpent in your way, as poiſon in your meat. Perniciofiſſimum Hildebrandine doctrinae veuenum lectoribus ebibendum, quaſi aliud ageas propinat. D[illegible: 1 letter]g. Wnear. Bill. Obſerv. ſacr. l. 1. c. 26. Scultet Annal. 279. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ephel. 4 14. Spondanus (the ſame that Epitomized Baronius) gives his Reader Popiſh poiſen to drinke ſo ſlily, ſaith one, as if he were doing ſomewhat elſe, and meant no ſuch matter. And learned Billius obſerves the like of Socrates the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtorian, a cunning Novation. Swenkfeldius, who held many dangerous hereſies, did yet deceive many by his preſſing men to an holy life, praying frequently and fervently, &c. by his ſtately expreſſions, ever in his mouth, as of Illumination, Revelation, Deification, the inward and ſpirituall man, &c. Some are ſo cunning in their cogging the die, as S. Paul phraſeth it, Epheſ. 4. in the conveyance of their colluſion, that like ſerpents, they can ſting without hiſſing; like curre-dogs, ſuck your blood only with licking; and in the end kill you and cut your throats without biting. Muzzle them therefore, ſaith S. Paul, and give them no audience. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Tit. 1.11. Tit. 3.10. Sezo[illegible: 1 letter]nen. lib. 7. cap. 7. Placilla the Empreſſe, when Theodoſius Senior deſired to conferre with Eunomius the heretick, diſſwaded her husband very earneſtly; leſt, being perverted by his ſpeeches, he might fall into hereſie. Anaſtaſius the ſecond, Biſhop of Rome, in the year 497, Jac. Rev. de vitis Pontiſ pag. 42. whiles he ſought to reduce Acacius the heretick, was ſeduced by him. A little leaven ſoon ſowreth the whole lump. One ſpoonfull of vineger will quickly tart a great deal of ſweet milk: but a great deal of milk, L Brooks. will not ſo ſoon ſweeten one ſpoonfull of vineger. Errour (ſaith a Noble Writer) is like the Jeruſalem-Artichoak: plant it where you will, it over-runs the ground and choaks the heart.

Verſe 11. I am the good ſhepherd] So he is by an excellency: for he left his glory, to ſeek out to himſelf a flock in the wilderneſle: He feeds them among the lilies, Cant. 2.16. gives them golden fleeces, and ſhepherds, to keep them, after his own heart; watcheth over them night and day in his Migdal-Eder, Gen. 35.21. or tower of the flock: ſeeks them up, when loſt, bears them in his boſom, and gently leads thoſe that are with young, Iſa. 40.11. pulls them out of the power of the Lion and the Bear: puniſheth ſuch as either puſh with the horne, or foul with the feet, Ezek 34.19. Waſheth them in his own blood, and ſo maketh them Kings and Prieſts to God, Rev. 1 5, &c. ſo that they need not fear the ſpirituall Aſſyrian, Micah 5.5.

Verſe 12. The wolfe ſcattereth] To Non-reſidents and other unconſcionable Miniſters, Chriſt will ſay as once Eliab did to David; With whom hast thou left thoſe poor few ſheep in the wilderneſſe? Vare, reddi legiones, ſaid Auguſtus, fighting. The like will this good ſhepherd ſay, judging: Pan curet oves, ovium que magistros, ſay many of our Pluraliſts, and idol-ſhepherds. About Hildebrands time, ſo great was the negligence and wickedneſſe of the Clergy, that ſome ſet forth letters, as dated from the devils of hell to them; Mach. Paris. Hiſt. Anno Don 1072. wherein they give them many thanks for the ſouls they had ſent to hell, in ſuch abundance as never was known before.

Verſe 13. The hireling fleeth] Yet is not every one that fleeth to be judged an hireling preſently. There is a lawfull flight, as when the quarrell is perſonall, &c. Chriſt fled oft, when perſecuted: ſo may we. God hath made us not as butts to be perpetually ſhot at: but as the marks of rovers, moveable, as the winde and Sun may beſt ſerve. Melib. Adam in vit Bremij. Fuge, fuge, Brenti, citò, citiùs, citiſſimè: So friendly did a Senatour of Hala adviſe Brentius. He embraced the advice, and ſaved his life by it.

Verſe 14. And know my ſheep] With a knowledge of approbation and delight. Verba notitiae apud Hebraeos ſecum trahunt affectum. Pſal 1.6.

Verſe 15. Aeſop. Fab. I lay down my life] Yet as man he was [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Quis vitam non vult? ſaith Auguſtin: And, Quis enim vult mori? prorſus nemo, ſaith another. And, Skin after skin, Job 2.4. or skin upon skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, ſaid that old deceiver, truly. Yet our Saviour held not his life dear for his ſheeps ſafety. Becauſe he ſaw we ſhould fall ſore (ſaid that Angel John Bradford) therefore he would ſuffer ſore: Yea, if his once ſuffering had not been enough, he would yet once more come again, Bradf. Serm. of Repent. 63. God the Father, I am ſure, ſaith he, if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not ſerve, would himſelf and the Holy Ghoſt alſo become incarnate, and die for us.

Verſe 16. And other ſheep I have,] viz. The elect Gentiles, whoſe converſion to Chriſt was, among other types, not obſcurely fore-ſhadowed, Levit. 19.23, 24, 25. as ſome Divines think. The firſt three-years in Canaan, the Iſraelites were to caſt away the fruits of the trees, as uncircumciſed: So our Saviour planted the Goſpel in that land for the firſt three years of his publike miniſtery: But the uncircumciſions are caſt away; that is, to the uncircumciled Gentiles, the doctrine of Chriſt is not declared by generall and publike preaching. The fruit of the fourth year was conſcerated to God: That is, Chriſt in the fourth year from his baptiſme, laid down his life for his ſheep, roſe again, aſcended, and ſent his holy Spirit: whereby his Apoſtles and others were conſecrated as the firſt-fruits of the promiſed land. But in the fifth year, the fruit of the Goſpel planted by Chriſt began to be common, when the ſame doctrine was not ſhut up in the ſtrait bounds of Judaea, or walls of the Temple, Rom. 16.26. but was made known (and ſhall be more and more) to all Nations, for the obedience of faith.

There ſhall be one ſild] Of Jews and Gentiles. The full and finall reſtauration of the Jews will fall out in the year 1650. as ſome have calculaetd out of Dan. 12.11. I wait and wiſh it.

Verſe 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe] This becauſe, is nota conſecutionis, non cauſae, ſaith Beza.

I lay down my life] I do it even now: for he ſuffered many a little death all his life ſong, and at length the curſed death of the croſſe.

That I might take it again] For Chriſt being life eſſentiall, ſwallowed up death in victory, as the fire ſwallows up the fuell, as Moſes his ſerpent ſwallowed up the ſorcerers ſerpents, &c.

Verſe 18. I lay it down of ſelfe] A neceſſity there was of our Saviours death, but it was a neceſſity of immutability (becauſe God had decreed it, Acts 2 23.) not of coaction; He did willingly. Therefore, when he gave up the ghoſt, he cried with a loud voice; which ſhews that his life was not then ſpent; he might have retained it longer if he would: and thereupon the Centution concludes him to be the Sonne of God.

Verſe 19. There was a diviſion therefore, &c.] This our Saviour fore-ſaw, and yet forbears not. Gods truth muſt be ſpoken, however it be taken. Men be they pleaſed or diſpleaſed, God muſt be obeyed, and his whole will declared. If men refuſe to receive it, we muſt turn them over to God with a Non convertentur, and then let him alone with them.

Verſe 20. He hath a devil, and is mad] It was wonder if the Heaven did not ſweat, the earth melt, and hell gape at the hearing of theſe horrid blaſphemies. Tigers rage at the fragrancy of ſweet ſpices: ſo did theſe monſters at our Saviours ſweet Sermons.

Verſe 21. Theſe are not the words, &c.] Wiſedom is ever juſtified of her children. They fitly argue from his oracles and miracles, both which this Evangeliſt doth more largely relate; purpoſely to prove our Saviours Divinity, and is therefore ſtiled John the Divine.

Verſe 23. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Inittalia, five Renovatra. The feast of the dedication] viz. Of the Temple newly purged from the pollutions of Antiochus, that little Anti-chirſt. So when the Chriſtian Temple, the Church, was purged from the popiſh abominations (called the tramplings of the Gentiles, Rev. 11.2) by thoſe two witneſſes, that is, by Luther and other Heroicall Reformers, there was great joy among Gods people. And in the year 1617. as the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for the peace of Italy and Auſtria, Jacob. Renius de vit. Pontiſ, pag 306. &c. ſo the Reformed Churches in Germany did the ſame, for Gods mercy in reſtoring to them the Goſp I, a juſt hundred years before: for in the year 1517. Luther began to decry the Popes indulgences. In like ſort, at ſame time, when the Greeks were buſie in their Olympick games, Burbol. Chron. pag. 541. the Prophet Iſaiah ſaw that glorious viſion of God in his Majeſty, Iſa. 6.1, 2. (as the Divine Chronologer obſerves it,) ſinging, With Seraphims, that ſweeteſt Triſagion, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hoſts. The new Jeruſalem, which ſignifies the ſtate of the Church in this world (ſaith a Reverend Divine) when it ſhall be refined to the utmoſt, is all of fine gold and precious ſtones, D. Siblcs on Cant. 5. p. 380. &c. to ſhew the excellency of Reformation: which golden times are yet to come, and will prove very feſtivall.

Verſe 23. And Jeſus walked in the Temple] Taking the opportunity of that publike meeting to do good; as the Bee is abroad ſo ſoon as the Sun ariſeth. The Greeks were great walkers, as the Stoicks in their porch, Biddulph, l 3. c. 5. &c. But the Turkes wonder to ſee a man walke too and fro: and uſually aske him, whether he be out of his way, or out of his wits? Pliny ſaid to his Nephew, when he ſaw him walke out ſome houres, without ſtudying, Poteras has horas non perdere.

In Solomons porch] So the Jews called that porch (for honours ſake) which they built again after the captivity; and which, Partim ambitione ductus, partim Iud[illegible: 1 letter]orumberetolentiamcaptans, &c. Beza Annot. in Joh. 2.20. together with the whole Temple, was beautified by Herod the Great, to curry favour with the people; which yet would not be, for they hated him extremely.

Verſe 24. How long dost thou make us to doubt?] They lay the blame upon him, as if (Heraclitus-like) he were a darke Doctour: when themſelves were blinde and did ſhut the windows, leſt the light ſhould come in unto them. Gods Miniſters muſt look for the like meaſure. Howbeit God darkens their doctrine ſometimes (as he dealt by Ezekiel) for the ſins of the people.

Verſe 26. Ye beleeve not, becauſe ye are not. &c.] Reprobates cannot beleeve, yea, they cannot but reſiſt the externall offers of Gods grace. The Word, Sacraments and all Gods common temporall favours are, in reſpect of externall participation, communicated to them by way of concomitancy only, becauſe they are intermixed with the elect.

Verſe 27. My ſheep hear my voice] Buxtorf in his Teberias noteth, that the ſeventh verſe of the one and twentieth of Jeremy, Conſtat ex 42 vocibus, literis 160. conſiſteth of two and fourty words, and of an hundred and ſixty letters. I am not at leiſure to count the words and letters of this and the following verſes: But it is eaſie to obſerve in them thoſe five linkes of that golden chain of Gods grace in our ſalvation, My ſheep, there's Election; hear my voice, there's Vocation; And I know them, there's Juſtification; And they follow me, there's Sanctification: and I give unto them eternall life, there's Glorification. Paſtor over ſpon let ſe abſo. lutè ſervatu rum, nunquid libcrabitſidem? &c. D. Pridiaux de Perſev. ſancto.

Verſe 28. They ſhall never periſh] This is the good ſhepherds promiſe: Is he now as good as his word, if he ſuffer his ſheep to wander and periſh, whom by promiſe he was tyed ſo to keep, as that they ſhould not wander, as they are naturally apt to do, to their deſtruction?

Verſe 29. No man is able to pluck them] Impoſtours ſeek to thrust us from God, Deut. 13.5. and to drag diſciples after them, With ſuch violence as if they would pluck them lim-meal (as the word ſignifies, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Acts 20.30.) ſo to deceive, if it were poſſible, the very elect, Mat. 24.24. A thing is ſaid to be poſſible, vel reſpectu Dei, vel reſpectu Rei. True grace, in it ſelfe conſidered, is eaſily ſeparable from him that hath it, who, left to himſelf alſo, would ſoon loſe it. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. [illegible: 3 letters] l. 5. But with reſpect to God, by whoſe power the Saints are kept (as in a ſtrong guard or gariſon) through faith unto ſalvation, it is impoſſible that any of his ſhould finally miſcarry.

Verſe 30. I and my father are one] Both for nature or effence, and for one conſent, both in willing and working. Out of the harbour of Goodwins ſands the Pilot cannot make forth, they ſay, without ſinking in thoſe ſands, unleſſe he ſo ſteer his ſhip, that he bring two ſteeples, which ſtand off, ſo even in his ſight, that they may ſeem to be but one. So is it here.

Verſe 31. Then the Jews took up ſtones] This is the worlds wages to faithfull Miniſters. Many conceit diſcharge of their duty without perſecution: they would pull a roſe without pricks. Non decet, ut ſub capite spinis coronato, vivant membra in delicys. Zarch.

Verſe 32. From my Father] i.e. Ejus authoritate fretus. Bez. All our works muſt be done in God, and for God: then they are of the right ſtamp, and carry Heaven in them, Heb. 6.9. Beſides that, they are unanſwerable ſyllogiſmes, invincible demonſtrations, to confute and convert even Pagans, ſaith Chryſoſtom.

Verſe 33. Chriſtianu [illegible: 1 letter] ſon, uirem D js victi ram eſſe [illegible: 1 letter]ra eſſiman, Ier[illegible: 1 letter]ul. But for blaſphemy] Theſe were holy perſecutours, in pretence at leaſt. So Maximinian thought the blood of Chriſtians would be an acceptable ſacrifice to his gods. So Francis the ſecond of France, and Philip the ſecond of Spain, held the ſame opinion of the Lutherans in their dominions. Zeal without knowledge is like mettle in a blind horſe.

Verſe. 34. In your law] So he calls it, to ſhew that there was no neceſſity on his part to prove what he delivered by any Scripture, ſith he was to be beleeved on his bare word; but for their ſakes only he did it. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 35. Ʋnto whom the word of God came] That have their authority from God, whoſe ſubſtitutes and vicegerents Princes are, and of whom they have their Patent. With what face then can the Schoolmen defend Thomas in that Paradox, Dominium & Pralatio introducta ſunt ex jure humano? Aquin. 2.2. q. 10. ar 10.

Verſe 36. Hath ſanctified and ſent] Sanctified, that is, Anointed, and that in both his natures, as whole Chriſt. For his anointing imported; 1. His conſecration or ordination to the office of a Mediatour; and ſo the God-head alſo was anointed. 2. Qualification or effuſion of fullneſſe of graces: as the holy oyl was compounded of divers ſpices, ſo the man-hood, and that without meaſure, as far as a finite nature was capable of.

Verſe 37. If I do not the works of my father, beleeve me not] Thus ſaid Chriſt, but ſo ſaith not Chriſts Vicar, as the Pope will needleſly be called. His Placite muſt be obeyed, not examined: and though by his evil example he draw thouſands to hell, none muſt mute, or ſay ſo much, as what doeſt thou?

Verſe 38. But if I do, though ye, &c.] q. d. Stumble not at the meanneſſe of my perſon, condition, followers, &c. When it was ſometime diſputed among the Romanes in the Councell, uſing to deifie great men, whether Chriſt, having done many wounderfull works, ſhould be received into the number of the Gods? it was at length concluded (ſaith the Hiſtorian) quod non deberet recipi inter Deos, pro eo quod non haberet cultores, propter hoc quod paupertatem praedicaret & eligeret, quam mundus contemnit.

Verſe 39. Therefore they ſought again to take him] They could not anſwer his arguments; they turn them therefore to a courſe of violence, wherein they doubted not but to be too hard for him. Thus they dealt with Ridley and Latimer at Oxford: thus with other Martyrs, who yet overcame them by the blood of the Lamb, yea, were more then conquerours, Rom. 8. A fagot will make you recant, ſaith the Biſhop to Mr Hawkes Martyr. No, Act. and Mon. no, ſaid he; a point for your fagot; you ſhall do no more, and your Maſter to help you, then God permits you. In the year 1166. the Synod at Oxford burned in the foreheads, Alſted. Chronol. pag. 357. and afterwards baniſhed out of the realme thirty Dutch doctours, that taught here the right uſe of Wedlock, and the Sacraments.

Verſe 40. And went again beyond Jordan] The further from Jeruſalem the ſafer. Jeruſalem was then, as Rome is now, the Saints ſlaughter-houſe. Roma radix omnium malorum.

Into the place where John firſt baptized] As well for his own comfort (for there he had heard at firſt from Heaven, This is my beloved Sonne, &c.) as for the peoples converſion and confirmation, who there called to minde Johns teſtimony of Jeſus, and beleeved.

Verſe 41. John did no miracle] Leſt he ſhould be miſtaken for the Meſſias. But how got he then ſo much credit? by his mortified converſation eſpecially. Holy and reverend is Gods Name, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: therefore reverend, becauſe holy. Holineſſe hath honour in the conſciences of the very worſt.

But all things that John spake] The word works not ſometimes, till many years after it hath been preached, as here: and as they ſay of the Elephant, that ſhe goes with young thirteen years, after ſhe hath conceived.

Verſe 42. And many beleeved on him there] Place is no prejudice to the powerfull operation of the word, when by the Spirit it is made prolificall and generative.

Verily, verily. Jn 3:3.

I say unto you. Some have supposed that what follows here was delivered on some other occasion than the one mentioned in the last chapter; but the expression verily, verily, is one which is not used at the commencement of a discourse, and the discourse itself seems to be a continuation of what was said before. The Pharisees professed to be the guides or shepherds of the people. Jesus, in the close of the last chapter, had charged them with being blind, and of course of being unqualified to lead the people. He proceeds here to state the character of a true shepherd, to show what was a hireling, and to declare that he was the true shepherd and guide of his people. This is called (Jn 10:6) a parable, and it is an eminently beautiful illustration of the office of the Messiah, drawn from an employment well known in Judea. The Messiah was predicted under the image of a shepherd, Eze 34:23, 37:24, Zech 13:7. Hence at the close of the discourse they asked him whether he were the Messiah, Jn 10:24.

Into the sheepfold. The sheepfold was an inclosure made in fields where the sheep were collected by night to defend them from robbers, wolves, &c. It was not commonly covered, as the seasons in Judea were mild. By the figure here we are to understand the Jewish people, or the church of God, which is often likened to a flock, Eze 34:1-19 Jer 23:1-4, Zech 13:1. By the door, here, is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, Jn 10:7,9. He is"the way, the truth, and the life," Jn 14:6. And, as the only proper way of entering the fold was by the door, so the only way of entering the church of God is by believing on him and obeying his commandments. The particular application of this place, however, is to religious teachers, who cannot enter properly on the duties of teaching and guarding the flock except by the Lord Jesus--that is, in the way which he has appointed. The Pharisees claimed to be pastors, but not under his appointment. They entered some other way. The true pastors of the church are those who enter by the influences of the Spirit of Jesus, and in the manner which he has appointed.

Some other way. Either at a window or over the wall.

A thief. One who silently and secretly takes away the property of another.

A robber. One who does it by violence or bloodshed. Jesus here designates those pastors or ministers of religion who are influenced not by love to him, but who seek the office from ambition, or the love of power, or wealth, or ease; who come, not to promote the welfare of the church, but to promote their own interests. Alas! in all churches there have been many--many who for no better ends have sought the pastoral office. To all such Jesus gives the names of thieves and robbers.

(a) "He that entereth not" Rom 10:15, Heb 5:4

He that entereth by the door. This was the way in which a shepherd had access to his flock. In Jn 10:7 Jesus says he is the door. In this place he refers to those who by him--that is, in accordance with his spirit and law--become ministers of religion.

Is the shepherd of the sheep. Christ does not here refer to himself, for he is the way or door by which others enter; but he refers to all the ministers of the gospel who have access to the church by him. In the original, the article "the" is wanting before the word shepherd--"is a shepherd." By his entering in this manner he shows that he is a shepherd-- one who cares for his flock, and does not come to kill and destroy.

(b) "the door is the shepherd" Jn 10:7,9

To him the porter openeth. The porter is the doorkeeper. It seems that the more wealthy Jews who owned flocks employed some person to take charge of the flock. At first all shepherds attended their flocks personally by day and by night, and this continued to be commonly the practice, but not always.

The sheep hear his voice. The voice of the shepherd. A flock will readily discern the well-known voice of one who is accustomed to attend them. The meaning is, that the people of God will be found disposed to listen to the instructions of those who are appointed by Christ, who preach his pure doctrines, and who show a real love for the church of God. There is scarcely any better test of fidelity in the pastoral office than the approbation of the humble and obscure people of God, when they discern in the preacher the very manner and spirit of the doctrines of the Bible.

He calleth his own sheep by name. It was customary, and is still, we are told by travellers, for shepherds to give particular names to their sheep, by which they soon learned to regard the voice of the shepherd. By this our Saviour indicates, doubtless, that it is the duty of a minister of religion to seek an intimate and personal acquaintance with the people of his charge; to feel an interest in them as individuals, and not merely to address them together; to learn their private wants; to meet them in their individual trials, and to administer to them personally the consolations of the gospel.

Leadeth them out. He leads them from the fold to pasture or to water. Perhaps there is here intended the care of a faithful pastor to provide suitable instruction for the people of his charge, and to feed them with the bread of life. See a beautiful and touching description of the care of the Great Shepherd in Ps 23:1-6.

(c) "To him" Rev 3:20 (d) "calleth his own sheep" Eze 34:11, Rom 8:30 (e) "leadeth them out" Eze 34:11, Rom 8:30

He putteth forth. Or leads them out of the fold.

He goeth before them. He leads them, and guides them, and does not leave them. A shepherd spent his time with his flocks. He went before them to seek the best pastures and watering- places, and to defend them from danger. In this is beautifully represented the tender care of him who watches for souls as one that must give account.

(f) "they know his voice" Song 2:8, 5:2

A stranger, &c. This was literally true of a flock. Accustomed to the voice and presence of a kind shepherd, they would not regard the command of a stranger. It is also true spiritually. Jesus by this indicates that the true people of God will not follow false teachers-- those who are proud, haughty, and self-seeking, as were the Pharisees. Many may follow such, but humble and devoted Christians seek those who have the mild and self-denying spirit of their Master and Great Shepherd. It is also true in reference to those who are pastors in the churches. They have an influence which no stranger or wandering minister can have. A church learns to put confidence in a pastor; he knows the wants of his people, sees their danger, and can adapt his instructions to them. A stranger, however eloquent, pious, or learned, can have few of these commit the churches to the care of wandering strangers, of those who have no permanent relation to the church, than it would be for a flock to be committed to a foreigner who knew nothing of it, and who had no particular interest in it. The pastoral office is one of the wisest institutions of heaven. The following extract from The Land and the Book (Thomson) will show how strikingly this whole passage accords with what actually occurs at this day in Palestine: "This is true to the letter. They are so tame and so trained that they follow their keeper with the utmost docility. He leads them forth from the fold, or from their houses in the villages, just where he pleases. As there are many flocks in such a place as this, each one takes a different path, and it is his business to find pasture for them. It is necessary, therefore, that they should be taught to follow, and not to stray away into the unfenced fields of corn which lie so temptingly on either side. Any one that thus wanders is sure to get into trouble. The shepherd calls sharply from time to time to remind them of his presence. They know his voice and follow on; but if a stranger call, they stop short, lift up their heads in alarm, and, if it is repeated, they turn and flee, because they know not the voice of a stranger. This is not the fanciful costume of a parable; it is simple fact. I have made the experiment repeatedly. The shepherd goes before, not merely to point out the way, but to see that it is practicable and safe. He is armed in order to defend his charge, and in this he is very courageous. Many adventures with wild beasts occur not unlike that recounted by David, and in these very mountains; for, though there are now no lions here, there are wolves in abundance; and leopards and panthers, exceedingly fierce, prowl about these wild wadies. They not unfrequently attack the flock in the very presence of the shepherd, and he must be ready to do battle at a moment's warning. I have listened with intense interest to their graphic descriptions of downright and desperate fights with these savage beasts. And when the thief and the robber come (and come they do), the faithful shepherd has often to put his life in his hand to defend his flock. I have known more than one case in which he had literally to lay it down in the contest. A poor faithful fellow last spring, between Tiberias and Tabor, instead of fleeing, actually fought three Bedouin robbers until he was hacked to pieces with their khanjars, and died among the sheep he was defending."

(g) "but will flee from him" 2Ti 3:5, Rev 2:2

This parable. Mt 13:3.

They understood not, &c. They did not understand the meaning or design of the illustration.

I am the door. I am the way by which ministers and people enter the true church. It is by his merits, his intercession, his aid, and his appointment that they enter.

Of the sheep. Of the church.

(h) "I am the door of the sheep" Eph 2:18

All that ever came before me. This does not refer to the prophets, but to those who came pretending to be the pastors or guides of the people. Some have supposed that he referred to those who pretended to be the Messiah before him; but there is not evidence that any such person appeared before the coming of Jesus. It is probable that he rather refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who claimed to be instructors of the people, who claimed the right to regulate the affairs of religion, and whose only aim was to aggrandize themselves and to oppress the people. Jn 1:18. When the Saviour says that "all" were thieves, he speaks in a popular sense, using the word "all" as it is often used in the New Testament, to denote the great mass or the majority.

Thieves and robbers. See Jn 10:1, Jer 23:1: "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture;" Eze 24:2,3: "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock." This had been the general character of the Pharisees and scribes. They sought wealth, office, ease at the expense of the people, and thus deserved the character of thieves and robbers. They insinuated themselves slyly as a thief, and they oppressed and spared not, like a robber.

The sheep. The people of God--the pious and humble portion of the Jewish nation. Though the great mass of the people were corrupted, yet there were always some who were the humble and devoted people of God. Comp. Rom 11:3,4. So it will be always. Though the great mass of teachers may be corrupt, yet the true friends of God will mourn in secret places, and refuse to "listen to the instruction that causeth to err."

By me. By my instruction and merits.

Shall be saved. See Jn 5:24.

Shall go in and out, &c. This is language applied commonly to flocks. It meant that he shall be well supplied, and defended, and led "beside the still waters of salvation."

The thief cometh not, &c. The thief has no other design in coming but to plunder. So false teachers have no other end in view but to enrich or aggrandize themselves.

I am come that they might have life. Jn 5:24.

Might have it more abundantly. Literally, that they may have abundance, or that which abounds. The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. They shall not merely have life--simple, bare existence-- but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy. It would be vast mercy to keep men merely from annihilation or hell; but Jesus will give them eternal joy, peace, the society of the blessed, and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for them in the world of glory.

The good shepherd. The faithful and true shepherd, willing to do all that is necessary to defend and save the flock.

Giveth his life. A shepherd that regarded his flock would hazard his own life to defend them. When the wolf comes, he would still remain to protect them. To give his life, here, means the same as not to fly, or to forsake his flock; to be willing to expose his life, if necessary, to defend them. Comp. Jud 12:3 "I put my life in my hands and passed over," &c.; 1Sam 19:5, 28:21. See Jn 10:15. The Messiah was often predicted under the character of a shepherd.

(i) "I am the good shepherd" Heb 13:20, 1Pet 2:25

A hireling. A man employed to take care of the sheep, to whom wages is paid. As he does not own the sheep, and guards them merely for pay, rather than risk his life he would leave the flock to the ravages of wild beasts. The word translated hireling is often employed in a good sense; but here it denotes one who is unfaithful to his trust; and especially those ministers who preach only for support, and who are unwilling to encounter any danger or to practise any self-denial for the welfare of the church of God. They are those who have no boldness in the cause of their Master, but who, rather than lose their reputation or place, would see the church corrupted and wasted by its spiritual foes.

Whose own the sheep are not. Who does not own the sheep.

(k) "leaveth the sheep" Eze 34:2-6, Zech 11:17

Because he is a hireling. Because he regards only his wages. He feels no special interest in the flock.

Know my sheep. Know my people, or my church. The word know here is used in the sense of affectionate regard or love. It implies such a knowledge of their wants, their dangers, and their characters, as to result in a deep interest in their welfare. Thus the word "knoweth," in Jn 10:15, is in Jn 10:17 explained by the word "loveth." Jesus knows the hearts, the dangers, and the wants of his people, and his kindness as their shepherd prompts him to defend and aid them.

Am known of mine. That is, he is known and loved as their Saviour and Friend. They have seen their sins, and dangers, and wants; they have felt their need of a Saviour; they have come to him, and they have found him and his doctrines to be such as they need, and they have loved him. And as a flock follows and obeys its kind shepherd, so they follow and obey him who leads them beside the still waters, and makes them to lie down in green pastures.

(l) "know my sheep" 2Ti 2:19 (m) "and am known of mine" 1Jn 5:20

As the Father knoweth me, &c. Mt 11:27 Lk 10:22.

I lay down my life for the sheep. That is, I give my life as an atoning sacrifice for their sins. I die in their place, to redeem them from sin, and danger, and death. See Jn 10:17,18.

(n) "As the Father" Mt 11:27 (o) "I lay down" Jn 15:13, Isa 53:4,5

Other sheep. There are others who shall be members of my redeemed church.

I have. This does not imply that they were then his friends, but that they would be. There were others whom it was his purpose and intention to call to the blessings of the gospel and salvation. The purpose was so sure, and the fact that they would believe on him so certain, that he could use the present tense as if they were already his own. This purpose was in accordance with the promise (Isa 53:11), "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." An instance of a parallel expression occurs in Acts 18:10 "I have much people in this city" (Corinth). That is, it was the purpose of God to bless the preaching of Paul, and give him many souls as the seals of his ministry. It was so certain that they would believe in the Saviour, that it could be spoken of as if it were already done. This certainty could have existed only in consequence of the intention of God that it should be so. It did not consist in any disposition to embrace the gospel which was foreseen, for they were the most corrupt and licentious people of antiquity, and it must have been because God meant that it should be so. Declarations like these are full proof that God has a plan in regard to the salvation of men, and that the number is known and determined by him. Learn--

1. That it is not a question of chance or uncertainty whether men shall be saved.

2. That there is encouragement for preaching the gospel. There are those whom God means to save, and if he intends to do it it will be done.

Not of this fold. Not Jews. This is a distinct intimation that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles--a doctrine extremely offensive to the Jews. This prediction of the Saviour has been strikingly confirmed in the conversion of millions of the Gentiles to the gospel.

Them also I must bring. Bring into the church and kingdom of heaven. This was to be done, not by his personal ministry, but by the labour of his apostles and other ministers.

One fold. One church; there shall be no distinction, no peculiar national privileges. The partition between the Jews and the Gentiles shall be broken down, and there shall be no pre-eminence of rank or honour, Eph 2:14: "Christ hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" Rom 10:12: "There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek."

One shepherd. That is, the Lord Jesus--the common Saviour, deliverer, and friend of all true believers, in whatever land they were born and whatever tongue they may speak. This shows that Christians of all denominations and countries should feel that they are one--redeemed by the same blood, and going to the same eternal home. Comp. 1Cor 12:13, Gal 3:28, Col 3:11, Acts 17:26.

(p) "And other" Isa 49:6, 56:8 (q) "And there shall be one fold" Eze 37:22, Eph 2:14

I lay down my life. I give myself to die for my people, in Jewish and pagan lands. I offer myself a sacrifice to show the willingness of my Father to save them; to provide an atonement, and thus to open the way for their salvation. This proves that the salvation of man was an object dear to God, and that it was a source of peculiar gratification to him that his Son was willing to lay down his life to accomplish his great purposes of benevolence.

That I might take it again. Be raised up from the dead, and glorified, and still carry on the work of redemption. See this same sentiment sublimely expressed in Php 2:5-11.

(r) "because I lay down" Isa 53:7-12, He 2:9

No man taketh it from me. That is, no one could take it by force, or unless I was willing to yield myself into his hands. He had power to preserve his life, as he showed by so often escaping from the Pharisees; he voluntarily went up to Jerusalem, knowing that he would die; he knew the approach of Judas to betray him; and he expressly told Pilate at his bar that he could have no power at all against him except it were given him by his Father, Jn 19:11. Jesus had a right to lay down his life for the good of men. The patriot dies for his country on the field of battle; the merchant exposes his life for gain; and the Son of God had a right to put himself in the way of danger and of death, when a dying world needed such an atoning sacrifice. This shows the peculiar love of Jesus. His death was voluntary. His coming was voluntary-the fruit of love. His death was the fruit of love. He was permitted to choose the time and mode of his death. He did. He chose the most painful, lingering, ignominious manner of death then known to man, and THUS showed his love.

I have power. This word often means authority. It includes all necessary power in the case, and the commission or authority of his Father to do it.

Power to take it again. This shows that he was divine. A dead man has no power to raise himself from the grave. And as Jesus had this power after he was deceased, it proves that there was some other nature than that which had expired, to which the term "I" might be still applied. None but God can raise the dead; and as Jesus had this power over his own body it proves that he was divine.

This commandment. My Father has appointed this, and commissioned me to do it.

(s) "I lay it down" Php 2:6-8 (t) "I have power" Jn 2:19 (u) "This commandment" Jn 6:38

He hath a devil. Jn 7:20.

Is mad. Is deranged, or a maniac. His words are incoherent and unintelligible.

(v) "He hath a devil" Jn 7:20

Not the words, &c. His words are sober, grave, pious, full of wisdom. The preaching of Jesus always produced effect. It made bitter enemies or decided friends. So will all faithful preaching. It is not the fault of the gospel that there are divisions, but of the unbelief and mad passions of men.

(w) "open the eyes of the blind" Jn 9:6

The feast of the dedication. Literally, the feast of the renewing, or of the renovation. This feast was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus, in the year 164 B.C. The temple and city were taken by Antiochus Epiphanes in the year 167 B.C. He slew forty thousand inhabitants, and sold forty thousand more as slaves. In addition to this, he sacrificed a sow on the altar of burnt-offerings, and a broth being made of this, he sprinkled it all over the temple. The city and temple were recovered three years afterward by Judas Maccabaeus, and the temple was purified with great pomp and solemnity. The ceremony of purification continued through eight days, during which Judas presented magnificent victims, and celebrated the praise of God with hymns and psalms (Josephus, Ant., b. xii. ch. 11). "They decked, also, the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold and with shields, and the gates and chambers they renewed and hanged doors upon them," 1 Mac. iv. 52-59. On this account it was called the feast of renovation or dedication. Josephus calls it the feast of lights, because the city was illuminated, as expressive of joy. The feast began on the twenty-fifth day of Chisleu, answering to the fifteenth day of December. The festival continued for eight days, with continued demonstrations of joy.

It was winter. The feast was celebrated in the winter. The word here implies that it was cold and inclement, and it is given as a reason why he walked in Solomon's porch.

Solomon's porch. The porch or covered way on the east of the temple. Mt 21:12.

Tell us plainly. The Messiah was predicted as a shepherd. Jesus had applied that prediction to himself. They supposed that that was an evidence that he claimed to be the Messiah. He also wrought miracles, which they considered as evidence that he was the Christ, Jn 7:31. Yet the rulers made a difficulty. They alleged that he was from Galilee, and that the Messiah could not come from thence, Jn 7:52. He was poor and despised. He came contrary to the common expectation. A splendid prince and conqueror had been expected. In this perplexity they came to him for a plain and positive declaration that he was the Messiah.

(1) "make us to doubt", or, "hold us in suspense"

I told you. It is not recorded that Jesus had told them in so many words that he was the Christ, but he had used expressions designed to convey the same truth, and which many of them understood as claiming to be the Messiah. See Jn 5:19, 8:36,56, 10:1. The expression "the Son of God" they understood to be equivalent to the Messiah. This he had often used of himself in a sense not to be mistaken.

The works. The miracles, such as restoring the blind, curing the sick, &c.

In my Father's name. By the power and command of God. Jesus was either the Messiah or an impostor. The Pharisees charged him with being the latter (Mt 26:60,61, 27:63, Jn 4:36); but God would not give such power to an impostor. The power of working miracles is an attestation of God to what is taught. Mt 4:24.

(y) "the works that I do" Jn 5:36

Are not of my sheep. Are not my people, my followers. You do not possess the spirit of meek and humble disciples. Were it not for pride, and prejudice, and vainglory--for your false notions of the Messiah, and from a determination not to believe, you would have learned from my declarations and works that I am the Christ.

As I said unto you. Comp. Jn 8:47.

(z) "ye believe not" Jn 8:47, 1Jn 4:6

My sheep. My church, my people, those who have the true spirit of my followers. The name is given to his people because it was an illustration which would be well understood in a country abounding in flocks. There is also a striking resemblance, which he proceeds to state, between them.

Hear my voice. See Jn 10:3,4. Applied to Christians, it means that they hear and obey his commandments.

I know them. See Jn 10:14.

They follow me. A flock follows its shepherd to pastures and streams, Jn 10:3. Christians not only obey Christ, but they imitate him; they go where his Spirit and providence lead them; they yield themselves to his guidance, and seek to be led by him. When Jesus was upon earth many of his disciples followed or attended him from place to place. Hence Christians are called his followers, and in Rev 14:4 they are described as "they that follow the Lamb."

(a) "My sheep hear my voice" Jn 10:4

I give unto them eternal life. See Jn 5:24.

Shall never perish. To perish here means to be destroyed, or to be punished in hell. Mt 10:28: "Which is able to destroy (the same word) both soul and body in hell."

Mt 18:14: "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Jn 3:15: "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish." Rom 2:12: "They who have sinned without law shall also perish without law." Jn 17:12, 1Cor 1:18. In all these places the word refers to future punishment, and the declaration of the Saviour is that his followers, his true disciples, shall never be cast away. The original is expressed with remarkable strength: "They shall not be destroyed for ever." Syriac: "They shall not perish to eternity." This is spoken of all Christians--that is, of all who ever possess the character of true followers of Christ, and who can be called his flock.

Shall any. The word any refers to any power that might attempt it. It will apply either to men or to devils. It is an affirmation that no man, however eloquent in error, or persuasive in infidelity, or cunning in argument, or mighty in rank; and that no devil with all his malice, power, cunning, or allurements, shall be able to pluck them from his hand.

Pluck them. In the original to rob; to seize and bear away as a robber does his prey. Jesus holds them so secure and so certainly that no foe can surprise him as a robber does, or overcome him by force.

My hand. The hand is that by which we hold or secure an object. It means that Jesus has them safely in his own care and keeping. Comp. Rom 8:38,39.

(b) "they shall never perish" Jn 17:12

Which gave them me. See Jn 6:37.

Is greater. Is more powerful.

Than all. Than all others--men, angels, devils. The word includes everything--everything that could attempt to pluck them away from God; in other words, it means that God is supreme. It implies, farther, that God will keep them, and will so control all other beings and things that they shall be safe.

None is able. None has power to do it. In these two verses we are taught the following important truths:

1st. That Christians are given by God the Father to Christ.

2nd. That Jesus gives to them eternal life, or procures by his death and intercession, and imparts to them by his Spirit, that religion which shall result in eternal life.

3rd. That both the Father and the Son are pledged to keep them so that they shall never fall away and perish. It would be impossible for any language to teach more explicitly that the saints will persevere.

4th. That there is no power in man or devils to defeat the purpose of the Redeemer to save his people. We also see our safety, if we truly, humbly, cordially, and daily commit ourselves to God the Saviour. In no other way can we have evidence that we are his people than by such a persevering resignation of ourselves to him, to obey his law, and to follow him through evil report or good report. If we do that we are safe. If we do not that we have no evidence of piety, and are not, cannot be safe.

(d) "gave them me" Jn 17:2

I and my Father are one. The word translated "one" is not in the masculine, but in the neuter gender. It expresses union, but not the precise nature of the union. It may express any union, and the particular kind intended is to be inferred from the connection. In the previous verse he had said that he and his Father were united in the same object--that is, in redeeming and preserving his people. It was this that gave occasion for this remark. Many interpreters have understood this as referring to union of design and of plan. The words may bear this construction. In this way they were understood by Erasmus, Calvin, Bucer, and others. Most of the Christian fathers understood them, however, as referring to the oneness or unity of nature between the Father and the Son; and that this was the design of Christ appears probable from the following considerations:

1st. The question in debate was not about his being united with the Father in plan and counsel, but in power. He affirmed that he was able to rescue and keep his people from all enemies, or that he had power superior to men and devils--that is, that he had supreme power over all creation. He affirmed the same of his Father. In this, therefore, they were united. But this was an attribute only of God, and they thus understood him as claiming equality to God in regard to omnipotence.

2nd. The Jews understood him as affirming his equality with God, for they took up stones to punish him for blasphemy (Jn 10:31,33), and they said to him that they understood him as affirming that he was God, Jn 10:33.

3rd. Jesus did not deny that it was his intention to be so understood. Jn 10:34, also on Mt 10:35-37.

4th. He immediately made another declaration implying the same thing, leaving the same impression, and which they attempted to punish in the same manner, Jn 10:37-39. If Jesus had not intended so to be understood, it cannot be easily reconciled with moral honesty that he did not distinctly disavow that such was his intention. The Jews were well acquainted with their own language. They understood him in this manner, and he left this impression on their minds.

(e) "I and my father" Jn 17:11,22

The Jews took up stones. Stoning was the punishment of a blasphemer, Lev 24:14-16. They considered him guilty of blasphemy because he made himself equal with God, Jn 10:33.

Again. They had before plotted against his life (Jn 5:16,18) and once at least they had taken up stones to destroy him, Jn 8:59.

(f) "The Jews" Jn 8:59

Many good works. Many miracles of benevolence--healing the sick, &c. His miracles were good works, as they tended to promote the happiness of men, and were proofs of his benevolence. He had performed no other works than those of benevolence; he knew that they could charge him with no other, and he confidently appealed to them as witnesses of that. Happy would it be if all, when they are opposed and persecuted, could appeal even to their persecutors in proof of their own innocence.

For blasphemy. Mt 9:3.

Makest thyself God. Jn 5:18. This shows how they understood what he had said.

Makest thyself. Dost claim to be God, or thy language implies this.

(g) "and because" Jn 5:16, 10:30, Ps 82:6, Rom 13:1

Jesus answered them. The answer of Jesus consists of two parts. The first (Jn 10:34-36) shows that they ought not to object to his use of the word God, even if he were no more than a man. The second (Jn 10:37,38) repeats substantially what he had before said, left the same impression, and in proof of it he appealed to his works.

In your law. Ps 82:6. The word law here, is used to include the Old Testament.

I said. The Psalmist said, or God said by the Psalmist.

Ye are gods. This was said of magistrates on account of the dignity and honour of their office, and it shows that the word translated "god" in that place might be applied to man. Such a use of the word is, however, rare. See instances in Ex 7:1, 4:16.

Unto whom the word of God came. That is, who were his servants, or who received their dignity and honour only because the law of God was intrusted to them. The word of God here means the command of God; his commission to them to do justice.

The scripture cannot be broken. See Mt 5:19. The authority of the Scripture is final; it cannot be set aside. The meaning is, "If, therefore, the Scripture uses the word god as applied to magistrates, it settles the question that it is right to apply the term to those in office and authority. If applied to them, it may be to others in similar offices. It can not, therefore, be blasphemy to use this word as applicable to a personage so much more exalted than mere magistrates as the Messiah."

Whom the Father hath sanctified. The word sanctify with us means to make holy; but this is not its meaning here, for the Son of God was always holy. The original word means to set apart from a common to a sacred use; to devote to a sacred purpose, and to designate or consecrate to a holy office. This is the meaning here. God has consecrated or appointed his Son to be his Messenger or Messiah to mankind. See Ex 28:41, Lev 8:30.

And sent into the world. As the Messiah, an office far more exalted than that of magistrates. I am the Son of God. This the Jews evidently understood as the same as saying that he was equal with God. This expression he had often applied to himself. The meaning of this place may be thus expressed: "You charge me with blasphemy. The foundation of that charge is the use of the name God, or the Son of God, applied to myself; yet that same term is applied in the Scriptures to magistrates. The use of it there shows that it is right to apply it to those who sustain important offices. And especially you, Jews, ought not to attempt to found a charge of blasphemy on the application of a word to the Messiah which in your own Scriptures is applied to all magistrates."

And we may remark here,

1st. That Jesus did not deny that he meant to apply the term to himself.

2nd. He did not deny that it was properly applied to him.

3rd. He did not deny that it implied that he was God. He affirmed only that they were inconsistent, and were not authorized to bring a charge of blasphemy for the application of the name to himself.

(h) "hath sanctified" Isa 11:2,3, 49:1,3, Jn 6:27

The works of my Father. The very works that my Father does. See Jn 5:17: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." Jn 5:17. The works of his Father are those which God only can do. As Jesus did them, it shows that the name "Son of God," implying equality with God, was properly applied to him. This shows conclusively that he meant to be understood as claiming to be equal with God. So the Jews naturally understood him Jn 10:39 and they were left with this impression on their minds.

(k) "If I do not the works" Jn 14:10,11, 15:24

Believe the works. Though you do not credit me, yet consider my works, for they prove that I came from God. No one could do them unless he was sent of God.

Father is in me, &c. Most intimately connected. See Jn 5:36. This expression denotes most intimate union--such as can exist in no other case. See Mt 11:27. Jn 17:21.

Sought again to take him. They evidently understood him as still claiming equality with God, and under this impression Jesus left them. Nor can it be doubted that he intended to leave them with this impression; and if so, then he is divine.

He escaped. See Jn 8:59.

Where John at first baptized. At Bethabara, or Bethany, Jn 1:28.

(l) "the place where John at first baptized" Jn 1:28

No miracle. He did not confirm his mission by working miracles, but he showed that he was a prophet by foretelling the character and success of Jesus. Either miracle or prophecy is conclusive proof of a divine mission, for no man can foretell a future event, or work a miracle, except by the special aid of God. It may be remarked that the people of that place were properly prepared by the ministry of John for the preaching of Jesus. The persecution of the Jews was the occasion of his going there, and thus the wrath of man was made to praise him. It has commonly happened that the opposition of the wicked has resulted in the increased success of the cause which they have persecuted. God takes the wise in their own craftiness, and brings glory to himself and salvation to sinners out of the pride, and passions, and rage of wicked men.

(m) "all things that John" Jn 3:30-36

[By the door into the sheepfold, &c.] The sheepfold amongst the Talmudists is some enclosure or pen: wherein,

I. The sheep were all gathered together in the night, lest they should stray; and where they might be safe from thieves or wild beasts.

II. In the day time they were milked: as,

The Trojans, as the rich man's numerous flocks,

Stand milked in the field.

III. There the lambs were tithed.

"How is it that they tithe the lambs? They gather the flock into the sheepfold; and making a little door at which two cannot go out together, they number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and the tenth that goes out they mark with red, saying, 'This is the tithe.' The ewes are without and the lambs within; and at the bleating of the ewes the lambs get out."

So that there was in the sheepfold one larger door, which gave ingress and egress to the flock and shepherds; and a lesser, by which the lambs passed out for tithing.

[Is a thief and a robber.] In Talmudic language: "Who is a thief? He that takes away another man's goods when the owner is not privy to it: as when a man puts his hand into another man's pocket, and takes away his money, the man not seeing him; but if he takes it away openly, publicly, and by force. This is not a thief, but a robber."

[The porter.] I am mistaken if the servants that attend about the flock under the shepherd are not called by the owner of them, Ecclesiastes 12:11, those that fold the sheep: at least if the sheepfold itself be not so called. And I would render the words by way of paraphrase thus: "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by those that gather the flock into the fold: goads, to drive away the thief or the wild beast; and nails, to preserve the sheepfold whole and in good repair: which goads and nails are furnished by the chief shepherd, the master of the flock, for these uses." Now one of these servants that attended about the flock was called the porter. Not that he always sat at the door; but the key was committed to his charge, that he might look to it that no sheep should stray out of the fold, nor any thing hurtful should get or be let in.

[I am the door.] Pure Israelitism among the Jews was the fold, and the door, and all things. For if any one was of the seed of Israel, and the stock of Abraham, it was enough (themselves being the judges) for such a one to be made a sheep, admitted into the flock, and be fed and nourished to eternal life. But in Christ's flock the sheep had another original, introduction, and mark.

[All that ever came before me are thieves.] Our Saviour speaks agreeably with the Scripture; where, when there is any mention of the coming of this great Shepherd to undertake the charge of the flock, the evil shepherds that do not feed but destroy the flock are accused, Jeremiah 23:1, &c. Ezekiel 34:2, &c. Zechariah 11:16. And our Saviour strikes at those three shepherds before mentioned, that hated him, and were hated by him, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and Essenes, under whose conduct the nation had been so erroneously led for some ages.

I should have believed that those words, All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, might be understood of those who, having arrogated to themselves the name of the Messiah, obtruded themselves upon the people; but that we shall hardly, or not at all, find an instance of any that ever did so before the true Messiah came. After his coming (it is true) there were very many that assumed the name and title; but before it hardly one. Judas the Galilean did not arrive to that impudence, as you have his story in Josephus. Nor yet Theudas, by any thing that may be gathered from the words of Gamaliel, Acts 5.

An argument of no mean force, which we may use against the Jews, that the time when our Jesus did appear was the very time wherein the nation looked for the coming of Messiah. For why did no one arrogate that name to himself before the coming of our Jesus? Because they knew the fore-appointed and the expected time of the Messiah was not yet come. And why, after Jesus had come, did so many give themselves out for Messiah, according to what our Saviour foretold, Matthew 24? Because the agreeableness of the time, and the expectation of the people, might serve and assist their pretences.

[Find pasture.] How far is the beasts' pasture? Sixteen miles. The Gloss is, "The measure of the space that the beasts go when they go forth to pasture." A spacious pasture indeed!

[The hireling fleeth.] The Rabbins suppose that some such thing may be done by the hireling, when they allot a mulct, if a sheep should happen to perish through the neglect of its keeper.

"How far is the keeper for hire bound to watch his flock? Till he can say truly, 'In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night.'"

"But if, whilst he is going to the city or any ways absent, the wolf or the lion should come and tear the flock, what then?....He ought to have met them with shepherds and clubs," and not to have fled.

[I lay down my life, &c.] I deliver, or I give, my life for the flock. Judah gave up his life for Benjamin. Hur gave his life for the holy blessed God. For they have a tradition, that Hur underwent martyrdom, because he opposed the golden calf.

[It was the feast of the Dedication.] I. The rise and original of this feast must be fetched from the story, 1 Maccabees 4:52, &c., of which we have noted something already. The Jewish masters have these passages about it:

"They were seized with such infinite pleasure in the restoration of their sacred rites, being, after so long a time, so unexpectedly possessed of their religion again, that they bound it by a law to posterity, that they should celebrate the restitution of their sacred rites by a feast of eight days' continuance. And from that time to this do we still celebrate this feast, calling it by the name of 'Lights': giving that name to this feast, as I suppose, because we obtained such a liberty so much beyond all hope."

One would believe that the name only of lights, or candles, was given to this feast: I say a name only; for we have no mention here of the 'lighting of candles.' One would believe also that the eight days decreed for the celebration of this feast was done after the pattern of the eight days' feast of Tabernacles: but you will find in the Talmudic authors that it is far otherwise, and they have a cunning way of talking concerning it.

"The Rabbins have a tradition: From the five-and-twentieth day of the month Chisleu there are eight days of the Encaenia [or feast of Dedication], in which time it is not lawful either to weep or fast. For when the Greeks entered into the Temple, they defiled all the oil that was there. But when the kingdom of the Asmoneans had conquered them, they sought and could not find but one single vial of oil that had been laid up under the seal of the chief priest; nor was there enough in it but to light for one day. There was a great miracle: for they lighted up the lamps from that oil for eight days together: so that, the year after, they instituted the space of eight days for the solemnizing that feast."

Maimonides relates the same things, and adds more: "Upon this occasion the wise men of that generation appointed, that eight days from the 25th of the month Chisleu should be set apart for days of rejoicing and the Hallel: and that they should light up candles at the doors of every house each evening of those days, to keep up the memory of that miracle. Those days are called Dedication; and it is forbidden upon all those days either to weep or fast, as in the days of Purim," &c.

Again: "How many candles do they light? It is commanded that every house should set up at least one, let the inhabitants there be more or one only. But he that does honour to the command sets up his candles according to the number of the persons that are in the house. And he again that does more honour to it still sets up one candle for every person in the house the first night, and doubles it the second night. For example, if there be ten persons in the house, the first night there are ten candles lighted; the second night, twenty; the third night, thirty; so that on the eighth night it comes to fourscore."

It would be too tedious to transcribe what he relates about singing the Hallel upon that feast: the place where the candle is fixed, which ordinarily is without doors, but in time of danger or persecution it is within, &c. Let what I have already quoted suffice, with the addition of this one instance more:

"The wife of Tarchinus (whose bones may they be crushed!) brought forth a son the evening of the ninth day of the month Ab, and then all Israel mourned. The child died upon the feast of Dedication. Then said the Israelites, 'Shall we light up candles, or not?' They said, 'We will light them, come what will come.' So they lighted them. Upon which, there were some that went and accused them before the wife of Tarchin, saying, 'The Jews mourned when thou broughtest forth a son; and when that son died they set up candles.'" Who this Tarquinus or Tarquinius was, whether they meant the emperor Trajan or some other, we will not make any inquiry, nor is it tanti. However, the story goes on and tells us, that the woman, calling her husband, accused the Jews, stirring him up to revenge, which he executed accordingly by a slaughter amongst them.

[The feast of the Dedication.] In the title of the thirtieth Psalm, the Greek interpreters translate Dedication: by which the Jewish masters seem to understand the dedication of the Temple: whereas really it was no other than the lustration and cleansing of David's house after Absalom had polluted it by his wickedness and filthiness: which indeed we may not unfitly compare with the purging again of the Temple after that the Gentiles had polluted it.

[At Jerusalem.] It was at Jerusalem the feast of the Dedication. Not as the Passover, Pentecost, and feast of Tabernacles, were wont to be at Jerusalem, because those feasts might not be celebrated in any other place: but the Encaenia was kept everywhere throughout the whole land.

They once proclaimed a fast within the feast of Dedication at Lydda.

The feast of Dedication at Lydda? this was not uncustomary, for that feast was celebrated in any place: but the fast in the time of that feast, this was uncustomary.

"One upon his journey, upon whose account they set up a candle at his own house, hath no need to light it for himself in the place where he sojourneth": for in what country soever he sojourns, there the feast of Dedication and lighting up of candles is observed; and if those of his own household would be doing that office for him, he is bound to make provision accordingly, and take care that they may do it.

Maimonides goes on; "The precept about the lights in the feast of Dedication is very commendable; and it is necessary that every one should rub up his memory in this matter, that he may make known the great miracle, and contribute towards the praises of God, and the acknowledgment of those wonders he doth amongst us. If any one hath not wherewithal to eat, unless of mere alms, let him beg, or sell his garments to buy oil and lights for this feast. If he have only one single farthing, and should be in suspense whether he should spend it in consecrating the day, or setting up lights, let him rather spend it in oil for the candles than in wine for consecration of the day. For when as they are both the prescription of the scribes, it were better to give the lights of the Encaenia the preference, because you therein keep up the remembrance of the miracle."

Now what was this miracle? It was the multiplication of the oil. The feast was instituted in commemoration of their Temple and religion being restored to them: the continuance of the feast for eight days was instituted in commemoration of that miracle: both by the direction of the scribes, when there was not so much as one prophet throughout the whole land.

"There were eighty-five elders, above thirty of which were prophets too, that made their exceptions against the feast of Purim, ordained by Esther and Mordecai, as some kind of innovation against the law." And yet that feast was but to be of two days' continuance. It is a wonder then how this feast of Dedication, the solemnity of which was to be kept up for eight days together, that had no other foundation of authority but that of the scribes, should be so easily swallowed by them.

Josephus, as also the Book of Maccabees, tells us, that this was done about the hundred and forty-eighth year of the Seleucidae: and at that time, nay, a great while before, the doctrine of traditions and authority of the traditional scribes had got a mighty sway in that nation. So that every decree of the Sanhedrim was received as oracular, nor was there any the least grudge or complaint against it. So that, though the traditional masters could not vindicate the institution of such a feast from any tradition exhibited to Moses upon mount Sinai, yet might they invent something as traditional to prove the lawfulness of such an institution.

Who had the presidency in the Sanhedrim at this time cannot be certainly determined. That which is told of Joshua Ben Perachiah, how he fled from Janneus the king, carries some probability along with it, that Joses Ben Joezer of Zeredai, and Joses Ben Jochanan of Jerusalem, to whom Joshua Ben Perachiah and Nittai the Arbelite succeeded in their chairs, sat president and vice-president at that time in the Sanhedrim. But this is not of much weight, that we should tire ourselves in such an inquiry.

The masters tell us (but upon what authority it is obscure), that the work of the tabernacle was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chisleu (that is, the very day of the month of which we are now speaking); "but it was folded up till the first day of the month Nisan, and then set up."

[And it was winter.] The eight days begun from the 25th of the month Chisleu fell in with the winter solstice. Whence, meeting with that in the Targumist upon 1 Chronicles 11:22, I question whether I should render it the shortest day, or a short day (i.e. one of the short winter days), viz. the tenth of the month Tebeth: if he did not calculate rather according to our than the Jewish calendar.

The Rabbins (as we have already observed upon chapter 5:35) distinguish their winter months into winter and mid-winter: intimating, as it should seem, the more remiss and more intense cold. Half Chisleu, all Tebeth, and half Shebat was the winter. Ten days therefore of the winter had passed when on the 25th of the month Chisleu the feast of the Dedication came in.

It was winter, and Jesus walked in the porch. He walked there because it was winter, that he might get and keep himself warm: and perhaps he chose Solomon's porch to walk in, either that he might have something to do with the fathers of the Sanhedrim who sat there; or else that he might correct and chastise the buyers and sellers who had their shops in that place.

[How long dost thou make us to doubt?] It is not ill rendered, How long dost thou suspend our mind? although not an exact translation according to the letter. But what kind of doubt and suspension of mind was this? Was it that they hoped this Jesus was the Messiah? or that they rather feared he was so? It seems, they rather feared than hoped it. For whereas they looked for a Messias that should prove a mighty conqueror, should deliver the people from the heathen yoke, and should crown himself with all earthly glory; and saw Jesus infinite degrees below such pomp; yet by his miracles giving such fair specimens of the Messias; they could not but hang in great suspense, whether such a Messiah were to be wished for or no.

[Then the Jews took up stones again.] The blasphemer by judicial process of the Sanhedrim was to be stoned; which process they would imitate here without judgment.

"These are the criminals that must be stoned; he that lieth with his own mother, or with the wife of his father. He that blasphemes or commits idolatry." Now, however, the Rabbins differed in the definition of blasphemy or a blasphemer, yet this all of them agreed in, as unquestionable blasphemy, that which denies the foundation. This they firmly believed Jesus did, and none could persuade them to the contrary, when he affirmed, "I and my Father are one." A miserable besotted nation, who, above all persons or things, wished and looked for the Messiah, and yet was perfectly ignorant what kind of a Messiah he should be!

[If he called them gods, &c.] The Jews interpret those words of the Psalmist, "I have said, Ye are gods," to a most ridiculous sense.

"Unless our fathers had sinned, we had never come into the world; as it is written, I have said, 'Ye are gods, and the children of the Most High: but ye have corrupted your doings; therefore ye shall die like men.'" And a little after; "Israel had not received the law, only that the angel of death might not rule over them; as it is said, 'I have said, Ye are gods: but ye have corrupted your doings; therefore ye shall die like men.'"

The sense is, If those who stood before mount Sinai had not sinned in the matter of the golden calf, they had not begot children, nor had been subject to death, but had been like the angels. So the Gloss: "If our fathers had not sinned by the golden calf, we had never come into the world; for they would have been like the angels, and had never begot ten children."

The Psalmist indeed speaks of the magistracy, to whom the word of God hath arrived, ordaining and deputing them to the government by an express dispensation and diploma, as the whole web and contexture of the psalm doth abundantly shew. But if we apply the words as if they were spoken by our Saviour according to the common interpretation received amongst them, they fitly argue thus: "If he said they were angels or gods, to whom the law and word of God came on mount Sinai, as you conceive; is it any blasphemy in me then, whom God in a peculiar manner hath sanctified and sent into the world that I might declare his word and will, if I say that I am the Son of God?"

[Where John at first baptized.] That is, Bethabara: for the evangelist speaks according to his own history: which to the judicious reader needs no proof.

Our blessed Saviour having in the end of the foregoing chapter upbraided the Pharisees for their blindness and ignorance in the mysteries of religion, notwithstanding the high conceit which they had of their own knowledge, he proceeds in this chapter farther to convince them, that they were blind leaders of the blind, though they thought and looked upon themselves as the only guides and teachers of the people. And in order thereunto, he propounds a parable of the true and false shepherd, which represents a good and bad pastor and teacher, and gives us a fourfold mark and character of a good shepherd.

Observe, 1. The good shepherd enters in by the door, that is, he has his vocation and mission from Christ: he comes into the church regularly, in a right and approved way and manner; not by any clandestine methods, or indirect means. To him the porter openeth; that is, the Holy Spirit, who openeth the hearts of men to receive Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the gospel, which the faithful shepherds deliver in his name, and by authority received from him.

Learn hence, That all faithful pastors have a lawful call to the work of the ministry: they enter by a right door, and execute their trust in a right manner; but such as, without a call from God unwarrantably thrust themselves into the ministry, are no better, nor no other, than thieves and robbers, in God's account.

Observe, 2. Another property of a good shepherd is this, That he calleth his sheep by their names.

This importeth three things:

1. A special love that he bears to them. 2. A special care that he has over them. 3. A particular acquaintance with them,

that he may know how to apply himself suitably to them; which though it be eminently verified in Christ, yet it is the duty of every faithful pastor and under shepherd, in his measure, to labour after.

Observe, 3. The good shepherd leadeth out his sheep into good pastures; that is, he feedeth them with sound doctrine, nourishes them with the word of life.

Whereas the hireling or false shepherd, whatever he may do for his own sake, he has no regard to Jesus Christ, to the honour of this person, to the edification of his church, or the salvation of souls; but his design is to raise and enrich himself, and so he may compass that, he cares not how many souls perish through his neglect.

Observe, 4. The last property of the good shepherd, here mentioned, is this, That he goeth before his sheep, as the shepherd doth before his flock; namely, by a holy life and unblamable conversation: he treads out those steps before the people, which they take in their way towards heaven: And the sheep follow him, and are guided by him: He leadeth out his sheep, and goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice.

Observe here, 1. The character which Christ gives of himself, I am the door of the sheep; that is, the only way and means by which sinners have access to God, and can obtain salvation: the only door by which sinners are entered into the kingdom of grace, and admitted into the kingdom of glory.

Learn hence, That there is no possible way of access to God for fallen man, but by Jesus Christ. As there is no way of entering the house but by the door, and those that so enter are safe: in like manner, such as come unto God through Jesus Christ, in the way of faith and holy obedience, shall be put into a secure condition, and at last obtain eternal salvation.

Observe, 2. The end and design of Christ in coming into the world, asserted and declared by himself; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

But had not his people spiritual life before he came into the world?

Yes, he gave life to his people before his coming, in a measure sufficient to supply their necessity; but since his coming, he gives it in such a super-abounding measure, as may testify his divine bounty: they shall not barely live, but live abundantly, that is, their spiritual life shall abound through the upholding, strengthening, quickening, and comforting presence of his holy spirit; for having conveyed spiritual life unto his people, in their regeneration and conversion, he will cause it to increase more and more in their sanctification, until it arrives to a complete perfection in their glorification.

Observe lastly, The character which our Saviour gives of the scribes and pharisees in general, and those false Christs and false prophets, which went before him, in particular; he stiles them thieves and robbers; All that ever come before me, were thieves and robbers.

Observe, He doth not say, All that were sent before me, but all that came before me, were thieves and robbers. So that Christ doth not speak this of the true prophets, who were sent by God before him, but of the false Christ, and false prophets, that came of themselves without an commission from God.

The meaning is, all persons that came before me, pretending to be what I am, the true Messias, as did Theudas and Judas of Galilee, &c. they were thieves and robbers: that is, they only sought their own advantage, while they deceived and ruined you.

Learn hence, That whoever took upon them the office and person of the Messias before Christ, or whosoever have since usurped a lawful calling in his church, without his commission, they are in Christ's account no better than murderers, thieves and robbers, and they ought to be so in the people's esteem. The sheep did not hear them.

In these verses our Saviour evidently proves himself to be the true Shepherd of his church, by the marks and signs, by the properties and characters, of a good shepherd; which were eminently found with him; namely, to know all his flock, to take care of them, and to lay down his life for them.

1. Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of his church, hath an exact and distinct knowledge of all his flock: I know my sheep, with a three-fold knowledge, with a knowledge of intelligence and observation: he knows them so as to observe and take notice of them, with a knowledge of care and protection; he knows them so as to defend and keep them. Thus Christ knows his sheep, and is also known of them; that is, he is believed on, beloved, and obeyed by them.

2. He lays down his life for his flock. And for this doth he eminently deserve the title of the good shepherd. (As for his power, he is stiled the great shepherd.) A good shepherd indeed, who not only gives life to his sheep, but gives his own life by way of ransom for his sheep! This example of Christ, the great and good shepherd, in laying down his life for his sheep, teacheth all subordinate and inferior shepherds, to prefer the good of their flock, even before their own lives.

Here Christ proves himself to be the true shepherd of his church from another property of a good shepherd, which is to take care for increasing and enlarging of his fold, by bringing in the Gentiles to it; and by breaking down the partition wall, to make one church both of Jews and Gentiles. Christ calls the Gentiles his other sheep, by way of anticipation, because shortly they were to be so, and united together with the believing Jews, into one sheepfold: and whereas he says, he must bring these sheep in, we are to understand it not of a necessity of co-action, but of a necessity of compact; it being a federal agreement betwixt the Father and himself, that both Jew and Gentile should be one flock, inclosed in one fold, and presented to his Father as a glorious church.

Hence learn, How endearing our obligations are to the dearest Jesus, that he should account us Gentiles, who were afar off, his sheep (we being so in respect of his eternal purpose) and make it his care, and esteem it his charge, to call us home, and bring us into his fold, the church, that we might be saved amongst the remnant of the true Israelites. Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring.

Hence note, 1. That Jesus Christ certainly foreknew his own death and resurrection.

2. That Christ was a volunteer in dying, He laid down his life, none could have taken it from him. 'Tis true, his death was a violent death, but a voluntary sacrifice; he died violently, but yet voluntarily: the hand of his enemies could never hurt him without his own consent.

3. That as Christ died voluntarily with respect to himself, so in a way of subjection to his Father's command. This commandment have I received from my Father.

4. That this voluntary submission of Christ to die for us, was the ground of his Father's love to him. Therefore doth my Father love me: because I lay down my life. Although the Father had many reasons to love the Son, yet none was stronger than this obedience of his to death, even the cursed death of the cross, for the redemption and salvation of lost sinners; therefore did the Father love him with a more exceeding love, because he laid down his life for his sheep.

Here the evangelist shews what different effects this sermon of our Saviour had upon the Jews; many of them calumniate and slander him, as one possessed and mad, and therefore not to be heard and minded; others of calmer thoughts said, That the doctrine be taught, and the late miracle which he had wrought in curing the blind man, were abundantly sufficient to confute such a groundless slander.

Learn hence, That the doctrine of Christ meeting with diversity of dispositions, it is no wonder that it occasions different effects, to the softening of some, and hardening of others: even as the same sun that melteth the wax, hardeneth the clay; yet is not this to be imputed to the doctrine of our Saviour, but to men's corruptions which oppose the truth, and the maintainers of it. There was a division again amongst them.

This feast was not of divine, but human institution; it was appointed by Judas Maccabeus, and continued eight days, as an anniversary commemoration for the repairing of the temple. Now our Saviour was so far from reproving the Jews for observing this feast, which was of human institution, that he graced the solemnity with his own presence.

Hence observe, That our Saviour held communion with the Jewish church, and did, without scruple, conform himself to the observation of their rites and customs, although they were not originally of divine institution.

Learn, 2. That such a christian as doth peaceably comply with the practice of the church, in whose communion he lives, in the observation of those different rites and customs which are used by her, acts most agreeably to our Saviour's practice and example.

Who can with any shew of reason censure Christians for observing the feast of dedication?

Certainly no person of sober principles ever questioned, but that ecclesiastical rulers and civil magistrates have a power to appoint public days of thanksgiving yearly; for the commemoration of mercies, which ought never to be forgotten.

From our Saviour's presence at this feast, Grotius well notes, That festival days, in memorial of public blessings, may piously be instituted by person in authority, without a divine command.

In these verses we have recorded a new and fresh debate betwixt our Saviour and the Jews, and therein we have observable, 1. The time of this debate, Joh 10:22.

It was at the feast of dedication, in the winter, our Saviour taking that opportunity to publish his doctrine, when a concourse of people were gathered together at that solemnity.

Observe, 2. That place of this debate, in Solomon's porch.

Although the temple and porch built by Solomon were destroyed by the Babylonians: yet when the temple was rebuilt, there was a porch like it, which retained the ancient name.

Observe, 3. The debate itself; If thou be the Christ tell us plainly. Not that they affected the knowledge of the truth, but only designed to ensnare him: for it he had affirmed himself to be the Messias, he had brought himself in danger of the Roman governor; because the Jews expected the Messias to be a temporal prince, that should deliver them from the Roman power.

Now if Christ had declared himself such a Messias as the Jews expected, it might have cost him his life. Therefore his hour being not yet come, he answers with his usual prudence and weariness to their ensnaring question.

Learn hence, That Christ's enemies are full of subtile policies, and can turn themselves into all shapes, that, if possible, they may entrap and ensnare him; and accordingly, they pretend here great earnestness of desire to be satisfied, whether he was indeed the true and promised Messias; when in truth they had another design.

Observe, 4. The wisdom and caution of our Saviour's answer; he refers them to his miracles, The works that I do in my father's name, they bear witness of me. Our Saviour's miraculous work were sufficient for the Jews to have grounded and bottomed their faith upon, and to have confirmed them in the belief, that he was the promised and expected Messias, had not prejudice, obstinacy, and malice, blinded their eyes, that they could neither see nor consider.

Observe, lastly, How Christ points out to these Jews the true cause of their infidelity: which was not the obscurity of his doctrine, but their not being his sheep; that is, not as yet converted, they not having the properties of his sheep, which he sites down in the following verses.

Learn hence, That men's final unbelief under the means of faith, is a clear evidence of their being in a lost and perishing condition.

Infidelity is the sin that doth consign a man over to damnation; and to such as sit under the gospel, doth not only procure damnation, but no damnation like it.

Here observe, 1. That all sincere and faithful Christians are Christ's sheep, and he is their great and good shepherd. This relation implies tender affection, powerful protection, and plentiful provision. The tenderness of Christ's affection, towards his sheep, appears by pitying their infirmities, by having a fellow felling with them in their suffering, by suiting their temptations to the degrees of their graces. His care in providing for them appears in affording to them the holy scriptures, the ministry of the word the administration of the sacraments, and the operation of his Holy Spirit, to make all efficacious and effectual to them. His protection of them discovers itself, by preparing them for trials by supporting them under them, and by delivering them out of them, and by sanctifying all to them, causing them to work together in subserviency to his own glory, and his people's good.

Observe, 2. That Christ's sheep hear Christ's voice, and answer the call of their great Shepherd. They hear the voice of Christ speaking to them in the scriptures, in the ministry of the word, in their own conscience, in providences; and they hear Christ's voice speaking to them, in and by his Holy Spirit; and as they hear Christ's voice, so do they answer his call; now the right answer to the call of Christ in the gospel, is a present answer, a willing answer and an abiding answer.

Observe, 3. That all Christ's sheep do follow him their shepherd. They follow him,

1. In his doctrine; and

2. In his example, in his contempt of the heavenly-mindedness of his conversation, in his meekness and patience, in charity and universal goodness, and as he was a mighty pattern of prayer.

Observe, 4. That Christ, the great and good Shepherd, knows all his sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I know them. He knows them so as to distinguish them, so as to observe and take notice of them, so as to own and approve them, so as to take care of them, and provide for them.

And as the Lord knoweth who are his, so he knoweth who are not his too; as he knows his sheep, so he knows the goats also, and their place will be at his left hand. My sheep hear my voice and I know them.

Observe here, 1. The promise made by Christ unto his sheep, namely, the promise of eternal life, and perseverance in grace, till they come to the full fruition of it in glory, I give unto them eternal life, and none shall pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Observe, 2. The confirmation he gives of this from his own and his Father's power, which is employed, engaged, and concerned, for them, and for their perseverance and preservation, notwithstanding all oppostiion to the contrary. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Learn, 1. That eternal life is the portion of Christ's sheep.

2. That eternal life is the gift of Christ.

3. That eternal life is, now given to Christ's sheep: they have it now in the purchase, in the promise, and in the first fruits.

4. That all Christ's sheep are put by God the Father into Christ's hand for security: My Father hath given them me.

5. The Father doth so intrust Christ with his sheep, as yet to take care of them himself; they are in the Father's hand, as well as in the son's, and their being in the hands of both, doth assure them of the certainty of their perseverance. None shal pluck them out of my hand; none shall be able to pluck them out of my Father's hand: implying, that there are many that would pluck them out of their hands, sin, Satan, the world, &c. but they shall be kept by the almighty power of God, through faith unto salvation; for who can be too strong for omnipotent power.

That is, one in essence and nature, one in authority and power, and not barely one in will and affection, one in concord or consent. That this is the genuine signification of the words, appears by a three-fold argument.

1. From the original words: it is not said, I and my Father are one person in the masculine gender, but in the neuter I and my Father are one thing. Now if that thing be not the divine Being, they cannot be one; for since the Father is confessed to be God, the Son cannot be one thing with the Father, if he be not God too.

2. It appears from the context; our Saviour, in the preceding versed, ascribed the preservation of his sheep to the power of his Father; None can pluck them out of my Father's hand; and he ascribes it also to his own power; None shall pluck them out of my hand; plainly intimating, that his sheep were equally safe in his own hand, as well as in his Father's; for, says he, I and my Father are one; that is, one in power: and, if they be one in power, they must be one in nature; unless we make an almighty creature, which is a contradiction.

3. It appears evidently by what follows in the next verse, that the Jews understood our Saviour in this sense; why else did they take up stones to stone him? We stone thee, say they, for blasphemy, because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

The Jews took our Saviour's meaning aright, and were satisfied, that when he said, I and my Father are one, he asserted himself to be God, and deserved to die; and well he had deserved it, if he had not been God. The adversaries of our Saviour's divinity, to elude the force of these words, which make so much agaainst them, interpret the words thus, I and my Father are one; that is, say they, we are Mia bdlhsiv one in will and affection, one in concord and consent: this is a truth, but not the great truth contained in these words; for thus believers are one with God, and one with one another; namely, by a harmony of wills and desires: so far as they are regenerated, God's will and theirs are unisons, they will and desire the same thing, and are of one heart and of one mind.

But God and Christ are one, in a much higher sense than Christ and believers are one; namely, one in essence and nature, one in authority and power, Christ being con-substantial with God.

Learn hence, That the Lord Jesus Christ is for nature co-essential, for dignity co-equal, and for duration co-eternal with the Father.

2. That although Christ be one in essence with the Father, yet are they distinct persons one from antoher. I and my Father, we are one.

3. Learn hence, That the Son being one in essence, one in power, one in consent and will, with the Father, they are both equally concerned for the perseverance of the saints, for preserving them in grace, and for bringing them to glory. None shall pluck them out of mine or my Father's hand: for I and my Father are one. If the power be the same, the essence must be the same.

Observe here, 1. How the Jews understood our Saviour affirming, that he and the Father are one; that is, one in essence and nature, and himself a person equal with God. This they looked upon as blasphemy in him, to arrogate to himself what is proper to God only.

Observe, 2. That the Jews looked upon it as a piece of justice in them to stone Christ for this apprehended blasphemy; Then the Jews took up stones to stone him. According to the law of God, the blasphemer was to be stoned to death, but then he was first to be judicially tried and judged; but such was the furious and fiery zeal of these Jews, that in a tumultuous manner they attempt to stone him to death. Lord! how far doth the fury of men, in opposing truth, outstrip the true zeal of they faithful servants in defending truth!

Observe, 3. With what meekness our Lord receives this horrid indignity of stoning (for it is probable, that some stones were cast at him, he saying, For which of these works do ye stone me?) he clears his own innocence, and expostulates with them for rewarding him evil for good: Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; that is, by my Father's authority and commission; I have been sight to the blind, feet to the lame, a tongue to the dumb, and hearing to the deaf; do any of these works deserve such usage as stoning at your hands?

Learn hence, That such was the perfect and spotless innocence of Christ in all his actions, that he durst and did appeal to the consciences of his most inveterate adversaries; For which of these works do ye stone me?

Here our Saviour by a two-fold argument vindicates himself from the imputation of blasphemy, in assertion himself to be God.

1. Because the Old Testament gave to magistrates and judges the title of gods, I have said ye are gods Ps 82:6. Now Christ argues strongly from the less to the greater, thus: "If judges and magistrates may be called gods, because they are commissioned by him, and derive their authority from him, how much more is that title due to me, who was sanctified, separated, and ordained for a Mediator, and appointed to the work of redemption, before I came into the world, and consequently was God from all eternity?"

This place the Socinians (whose professed adversaries of our Saviour's godhead) produce to prove, that Christ was not God by nature, but only in respect of his sanctification and mission. It is a certain truth, that he was not therefore the Son of God, because sanctified and sent. His sanctification was not the ground of his sonship; but his sonship was the cause of his sanctification. Christ was not therefore God's Son, because he was sanctified and sent; but he was therefore sanctified and sent, because he was his Son. He was a Son before he was sent, even from eternity, otherwise, it must have been said, that God sent him to be his Son, and not that God sent his Son. This supposes him before he was sent out have been actually his Son, as certainly he was, from before the foundation of the world. Prov 8:25 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the world was.

Here we have a second argument, by which our Saviour proves, that it was no blasphemy to call himself God; but that he was God in very deed; namely, an argument taken from his works: If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; and the argument runs thus; If (says Christ) I do those miraculous works, which no power less than a divine power can effect, then you ought by these works to be led to believe and acknowledge, that I am truly and really God: but the works which I do are the effect and product of an omnipotent power, therefore you ought to believe, that I am one in essence with the Father, there being a mutual in-existence of one person in the other, so that he Father is in me, and I in him; and thus I and the Father are one.

Learn hence, That Christ never required of his disciples and followers an implicit faith, or a blind obedience; but as he submitted his doctrine to the trial of reason, so he submitted his miracles to the examination and judgment of sense: therefore he says, If I do not the works of my Father, that is, divine works, believe me not to be a divine person.

Observe here, 1. The violence and fury of these unbelieving Jews, against the holy and innocent Jesus! They sought again to take him.

Observe, 2. The prudential care of Christ for his own preservation; his time being not yet come, he withdraws from Jerusalem, the nest of his enemies, and goes beyond Jordan; when Christ was persecuted in one city, he fled to another; he has sanctified a state of persecution to his ministers and members, by his own being in it. 'Tis no disgrace for any of them to fly, when their Captain did it, and bids them do it, saying, When they persecute you in one city, flee unto another.

Observe, 3. The success of Christ's ministry beyond Jordan; Many resorted to him, and believed on him. This place about Jordan was the place where John had exercised a great part of his ministry, and now, many years after John's death, the fruit of his ministry appears: for many believed on him there: that is, about Jordan, where John had preached and baptized.

Learn hence, That the labours of faithful ministers may seem to be lost, and lie long like seed under the ground, and yet at last, by some new watering, may spring up, and the fruit appear in abundance. Here John's ministry about Jordan hath fresh fruit upon Christ's coming, long after John was dead.

Observe, 4. The dignity of Christ above John, John did no miracle: but Christ did all. The wisdom of God so ordered it, that through the Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Elisha, wrought many miracles for the confirmation of their divine mission, yet John the Baptist coming immediately before Christ, as his messenger and forerunner, wrought none, for these three reasons probably:

1. That so the glory of Christ in working miracles, when he came upon the state of his ministry, might be the more clear and evident.

2. That the evidence of Christ being the Messias might be the more clear by the miracles which he wrought.

3. That the minds of the people might not be divided and distracted between John and Christ, and that there might be not pretence or competition between them: Therefore John did no miracle; but all things that John spake of Christ were true.