Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 7:30

30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Matthew hath not this Addition to our Saviours Commendation of Iohn, but it is of great use to introduce our Saviours following Discourse. The Evangelist here divideth the hearers into two sorts. The first were the Common People, and the Publicanes, the former were despised by the Jewish Doctors, and Rabbies, as a Rude Illiterate sort of People, the latter as a Notoriously wicked sort. The second sort were the Pharisees and the Lawyers; of the former, he saith, that they being Baptized with the Baptisme of John, Iustified God, that is, they owned, and Publickly declared, and Predicated the Goodness, and Justice ofGod, they approved of what God had done, and Blessed his Name for sending amongst them such a Prophet as Iohn was, they owned and received him, and were Baptized by him. Whoso believeth the message which God sendeth, and obeyeth it, he [illegible: 2 letters]stifyeth God, he that doth not, Accuseth and Condemneth God, see Iohn 3.33. 1 Iohn 5.10. But the Pharisees and the Lawyers, that is▪ the Scribes, not the Scribes of the People, (they were▪ but Actuaries, or Publick Notaries,) but the Scribes of the Law, whose Office it was to Interpret, and give the Sense of the Law. These rejected, the Word sometimes signifies to despise, Ch. 10.16. 1 Thess. 4.8. Heb. 10.28. sometimes to disan[illegible: 1 letter]l, as Gal. 3.15. sometimes to reject, as Mar. 7.9. Ch. 6.26. It is here Interpreted by those Words. Not being Baptized of him. We must understand the Sense of [non-Latin text not transcribed] by considering what is here meant by [non-Latin text not transcribed] the Counsel of God, which some will understand concerning the Purpose of God within himself. Others concerning his Revealed Will ▪ his Counsel as revealed to us. The matter seemeth to me, but a s[illegible: 1 letter]r[illegible: 1 letter]fe about a Word, which is sometimes taken in one Sense, sometimes in another. The Will of God is but one, only as every one of us keep some part of our mind to our selves, and reveal other parts of it to our Servants, and Children▪ So God who hath Determined and Willed all Events, concealeth some part of it from his Creatures, and Revealeth another part of it to them. It is the Will of God, that this, and that, and the other Person should Believe, and be saved. He Revealeth as to this, thus much of [illegible: 1 letter]is Will, that whoso Believeth, shall be Saved, but for that other part of his Will, that this, and that, or the other Man shall Believe, this he concealeth, till he gives them a Power to Believe, and to receive the Gospel, and then his Will in this particular is Revealed. Supposing then we here understand by [non-Latin text not transcribed], Gods secret purpose to be understood, how is it proved that it must be understood, of his secret purposefor their Salvation? why should it not be understood of the secret Purpose and Counsel of God, to give them the means of Life and Salvation? God from all Eternity purposed to give the Jews the Ministry of Iohn the Baptist and Christ, as means for their Salvation, not which should be certainly effective of it, but that should have such a Tendency towards it, as without their own refusing, and opposing them it should have been effective, and was in their own Nature a proper mean in order to it: they reject, and refuse it; by this they rejected the Counsel of God, the effect of his Counsel, and so judged themselves unworthy of Eternal Life, by neglecting, despising, and rejecting the use of that means, which was the Product of an Eternal Purpose to send them such means. This Counsel of God is said to be rejected towards, or against themselves; take it as Gods Act, it was towards themselves, that is, for their Good; if we refer it to their Act of Rejection, or refusal it was against themselves, a judging of themselves unworthy of Eternal Life. We cannot in this place Translate it Disanul, or Frustrate, as Galath. 3.15. understanding it as to the Divine Act, for who can Frustrate or Disanul the Will or Purpose of Man, as to an Act of his own, within his Power to purpose[illegible: 1 letter] tho indeed as to the Event it may be Disanulled as to any good effect as to another, if it be made to depend upon the Action of another. Besides, what need any further Explication of this Phrase, of Rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves, than what followeth, Being not Baptized of him, that is, not receiving Iohns Doctrine of Repentance, for the Remison of Sins, and bringing forth Fruits worthy of amendment of Life, nor submitting to Baptisme as a Testimony of such Repentance; for the Baptisme of Iohn in Scripture signifyeth his whole Administration, the Doctrine he Preached, as well as the Ordinance of Baptisme by him Administred, and so must be Interpreted, where our Saviour ask'd the Pharisees whether Iohns Baptisme was from Earth or from Heaven, and they durst not say from Heaven, lest Christ should have ask't them, Why then they Believed him not? They were not Baptized of him, is the same thing with, They would be none of his Disciples.

Marginal references: Or, frustrated.; Acts 20.27.; Or, within themselves.