and were astonished, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gifts of the Holy Ghost: "Can any one forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ?" And when some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, thought it needful that the converted Gentiles should be circumcised, and keep the law of Moses, Peter "rose up and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God made choice amongst us, that the Gentiles," viz. Cornelius, and those here con cannot save himself. The chief priests mention here the two titles then in use whereby the Jews commonly designed the Messiah, viz. "Son of God, and king of Israel." That of Son of God, was so familiar a compellation of the Messiah, who was then so much expected and talked of, that the Romans it seems, who lived amongst them, had learned it; as appears from Matt. xxvii. "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, truly this was the Son of God;" this was that extraor-verted with him, "by my mouth should hear the dinary person that was looked for. gospel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the 38. Acts ix. St. Paul exercising the commis- hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy sion to preach the gospel, which he had received Ghost, even as he did unto us, and put no differin a miraculous way, "straightway preached ence between us and them, purifying their hearts Christ in the synagogue, that he is the Son of by faith." So that both Jews and Gentiles, who God;" i. e. that Jesus was the Messiah: for believed Jesus to be the Messiah, received thereChrist in this place is evidently a proper name. upon the seal of baptism; whereby they are ownAnd that this was it which Paul preached, ap-ed to be his, and distinguished from unbelievers. pears from verse 22: "Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the very Christ;" i. e. the Messiah. 39. Peter, when he came to Cornelius at Cesarea; who by a vision was ordered to send for him, as Peter, on the other side, was by a vision commanded to go to him; what does he teach him? His whole discourse, Acts x., tends to show what he says God commanded the apostles "to preach unto the people, and to testify; that it is he (Jesus) which was ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead." And that it was "to him that all the prophets give witness, that through his name whosoever believed in him shall have remission of sins." This is the word which God sent to the children of Israel; that word which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. And these are the words which had been promised to Cornelius, "Whereby he and all his house should be saved:" which words amount only to thus much, that Jesus was the Messiah, the Saviour that was promised. Upon their receiving of this (for this was all was taught them) the Holy Ghost fell on them, and they were baptized. It is observable here, that the Holy Ghost fell on them before they were baptized; which in other places converts received not till after baptism. The reason whereof seems to be this; that God, by bestowing on them the Holy Ghost, did thus declare from heaven, that the Gentiles, upon believing Jesus to be the Messiah, ought to be admitted into the church by baptism as well as the Jews. Whoever reads St. Peter's defence, when he was accused by those of the circumcision, that he had not kept that distance which he ought with the uncircumcised, will be of this opinion; and see by what he says, that this was the ground, and an irresistible authority to him for doing so strange a thing, as it appeared to the Jews, (who alone yet were members of the Christian church,) to admit Gentiles into their communion, upon their believing. And therefore St. Peter, in the foregoing chapter, Acts x., before he would baptize them, proposes this question to those of the circumcision, which came with him, From what is above said, we may observe, that this preaching Jesus to be the Messiah, is called the Word, and the Word of God; and believing it, receiving the Word of God. And the Word of the gospel. And so likewise in the history of the gospel, what Mark iv. 14, 15, calls simply the Word, St. Luke calls the Word of God, Luke, viii. 11. And St. Matthew, xiii. 19, the Word of the Kingdom; which were, it seems, in the gospel writers synonymous terms, and are so to be understood by us. 40. But to go on: Acts xiii. Paul preaches in the synagogue at Antioch, where he makes it his business to convince the Jews, that "God, according to his promise, had of the seed of David raised to Israel a Saviour, Jesus." That he was he of whom the prophets wrote, i. e. the Messiah: and that as a demonstration of his being so, God had raised him from the dead. From whence he argues thus: "We evangelize to you," or bring you this gospel, "how that the promise which was made to our fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us, in that he hath raised up Jesus again ;" as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." And having gone on to prove him to be the Messiah, by his resurrection from the dead, he makes this conclusion: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins; and by him all who believe, are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." This is in this chapter called "the word of God" over and over again. Compare verse 42 with 44, 46, 48, 49; and chapter xii. verse 24. 66 41. At "Thessalonica, Paul, as his manner was, went into the synagogue, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures; opening and alleging, that the Messiah must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is the Messiah. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas: but the Jews which believed not, set the city in an uproar."‡ Can there be any thing plainer, than that the assenting to this proposition, that Jesus was the * Vide Acts x. 36, 37; xi. 1, 19, 20. + Acts xv. 7. + Acts xvii. Messiah, was that which distinguished the believers from the unbelievers? For this was that alone which, three Sabbaths, Paul endeavored to convince them of, as the text tells us in direct words. From thence he went to Berea, and preached the same thing; and the Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures, whether those things, i. e. which he had said, concerning Jesus's being the Messiah, were true or no. 42. The same doctrine we find him preaching at Corinth: "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks."*"And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews, that Jesus was the Messiah. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Greeks." 43. Upon the like occasion he tells the Jews at Antioch, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it off from you, we turn to the Gentiles." It is plain here, St. Paul's charging their blood on their own heads, is for opposing this single truth-that Jesus was the Messiah; that salvation or perdition depends upon believing or rejecting this one proposition. I mean, this is all is required to be believed by those who acknowledge but one eternal and invisible God, the Maker of heaven and earth, as the Jews did. For that there is something more required to salvation, besides believing, we shall see hereafter. In the meantime, it is fit here on this occasion to take notice, that though the apostles, in their preaching to the Jews, and the devout, (as we translate the word Ebouevo, who were proselytes of the gate, and the worshippers of one eternal invisible God,) said nothing of the believing in this one true God, the Maker of heaven and earth; because it was needless to press this to those who believed and professed it already: (for to such, it is plain, were most of their discourses hitherto ;) yet when they had to do with idolatrous heathens, who were not yet come to the knowledge of the one only true God; they began with that, as necessary to be believed; it being the foundation on which the other was built, and without which it could signify nothing. you; God, who made the world, and all things therein: seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art, and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent; because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." So that we see, where any thing more was necessary to be proposed to be believed, as there was to the heathen idolators, there the apostles were careful not to omit it.* 46. Paul at Corinth, reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath-day, and testified to the Jews, that Jesus was the Messiah.+ "And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God amongst them;" that is, the good news, that Jesus was the Messiah; as we have already shown is meant by the word of God. Apollos, another preacher of the gospel, when he was instructed in the way of God more perfectly, what did he teach but this same doctrine? As we may see in this account of him, "that when he was come into Achaia, he helped the brethren much who had believed through grace; for he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly; showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah." 47. St. Paul, in the account he gives of himself before Festus and Agrippa, professes this alone to be the doctrine he taught after his conversion :for, says he, "Having obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that the Messiah should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles." Which was no more than to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. This is that, which, as we have above observed, is called the "word of God," Acts xi. 1, compared with the foregoing chapter, from verse 34 to the end; and xiii. 42, * How an author who writes in this reverential and pious strain, could ever have been accused of 44. Thus Paul, speaking to the idolatrous Lys- the Rev. John Edwards, the unworthy antagonist of Atheism, it is extremely difficult to conceive. Yet trians, who would have sacrificed to him and Bar-Locke, accuses him of Socinianism, in which he nabas, says: "We preach unto you, that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; who, in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 45. Thus also he proceeded with the idolatrous Athenians, Acts xvii., telling them, upon occasion of the altar dedicated to the unknown God,"Whom ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto finds a tang of atheism." (Thoughts concerning the Causes of Atheism, &c. p. 64.) Not to think as he thought on the doctrine of the Trinity seems, in his eyes, to have been akin to the worst impiety;though from that Letter of Constantine to Alexan der and Arius, of which Hosius, bishop of Corduba was the bearer, and probably the author, the whole dispute appears to have been considered by the primitive church as "a certain vain piece of a question, ill begun and more unadvisedly published; a question which no law or ecclesiastical canon defineth; a fruitless contention, the product of idle brains; a matter so nice, so obscure, so intricate, that it was neither to be explicated by the clergy, nor understood by the people."-Liberty of Prophesying.-ED. ↑ Acts xviii. compared with 44, 46, 48, 49; and xvii. 13, compared with verse 11, 3. It is also called "the word of the gospel," Acts xv. 7. And this is that "word of God," and that gospel, which, wherever their discourses are set down, we find the apostles preached; and was that faith which made both Jews and Gentiles believers and members of the church of Christ; purifying their hearts, and carrying with it remission of sins. So that all that was to be believed for justification, was no more but this single proposition-that "Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ," or the Messiah. All, I say, that was to be believed for justification: for that it was not all that was required to be done for justification, we shall see hereafter. 48. Though we have seen above from what our Saviour has pronounced himself, "that he that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him ;" and are taught from John iv. 39, compared with verse 42, "that believing on him, is believing that he is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world;" and the confession made by St. Peter, Matt. xvi. 16,"that he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God," being the rock on which our Saviour has promised to build his church; though this, I say, and what else we have already taken notice of, be enough to convince us what it is we are in the gospel required to believe to eternal life, without adding what we have observed from the preaching of the apostles; yet it may not be amiss, for the further clearing this matter, to observe what the evangelists deliver concerning the same thing, though in different words; which therefore, perhaps, are not so generally taken notice of to this purpose. 6 of her faith, in these words: "I believe that thou art the Messiah, the Son of God, who should come into the world ;" and that passage of St. John,— "That ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name;" and then tell me, whether he can doubt that Messiah and Sonf God were synonymous terms at that time amongst the Jews. 50. The prophecy of Daniel where he is called "Messiah the Prince;"* and the mention of his government and kingdom, and the deliverance by him in Isaiah, Daniel, and other prophecies understood of the Messiah, were so well known to the Jews, and had so raised their hopes of him about this time, which, by their account, was to be the time of his coming to restore the kingdom to Israel; that Herod no sooner heard of the magi's inquiry after him that was born king of the Jews: but he forthwith demanded of the chief priests and Scribes, where the Messiah should be born; not doubting, but if there were any king born to the Jews, it was the Messiah, whose coming was now the general expectation, as appears Luke iii. 15:-" The people being in expectation, and all men musing in their hearts of John, whether he were the Messiah or not." And when the priests and Levites sent to ask him who he was, he, understanding their meaning, answers, John i. 20, that he was not the Messiah; but he bears witness that Jesus is the Son of God; i. e. the Messiah. 51. This looking for the Messiah at this time we see also in Simeon, who is said to be waiting for the consolation of Israel: and having the child Jesus in his arms, he says he had "seen the salvation of the Lord." And "Anna coming at the 49. We have above observed, from the words same instant into the temple, she gave thanks also of Andrew and Philip compared, that the Messiah unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that and him of whom Moses in the law and the pro- looked for redemption in Israel." And of Joseph of phets did write, signify the same thing. We shall Arimathea it is said, that "he also expected the now consider that place, John i., a little further. kingdom of God;" by all which was meant the Andrew says to Simon, We have found the Mes- coming of the Messiah. And Luke xix. it is said, siah." Philip, on the same occasion, says to Na-"They thought that the kingdom of God should thanael, "We have found him of whom Moses in immediately appear.' the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael, who disbelieved this, when upon Christ's speaking to him he was convinced of it, declares his assent to it in these words: “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel:" from which it is evident, that to believe him to be him of whom Moses and the prophets did write, or to be the "Son of God," or to be the "King of Israel," was in effect the same as to believe him to be the Messiah: and an assent to that was what our Saviour received for believing: for upon Nathanael's making a confession in these words, "Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel; Jesus answered and said to him, because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, dost thou believe? Thou shalt see greater things than these." I desire any one to read the latter part of the first of John, from verse 25, with attention; and tell me, whether it be not plain, that this phrase, "the Son of God," is an expression used for the Messiah. To which let him add Martha's declaration + Acts x. 43. ⚫ Acts xv. 9. 52. This being premised, let us see what it was that John the Baptist preached, when he first entered upon his ministry. That St. Matthew tells us, "In those days came John the Baptist,preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This was a declaration of the coming of the Messiah; the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God being the same, as is clear out of several places of the evangelists; and both signifying the kingdom of the Messiah. The profession which John the Baptist made, when sent to the Jews, John i. 19, was, "that he was not the Messiah, but that Jesus was.' "This will appear to any one who will compare verse 26, 34, with John iii. 27, 30. The Jews being very inquisitive to know whether John were the Messiah, he positively denies it, but tells them, he was only his forerunner; and that there stood one amongst them, who would follow him, whose shoe-latchet he was not worthy to untie.The next day, seeing Jesus, he says, he was the man; and that his own baptizing in water was * Chapter ix. only that Jesus might be manifested to the world; and that he knew him not, till he saw the Holy Ghost descend upon him. He that sent him to baptize having told him, that he on whom he should see the Spirit descend, and rest upon, he it was that should baptize with the Holy Ghost; and that therefore he witnessed, that "this was the Son of God, the Messiah:" and chap. iii., they came to John the Baptist, and tell him, that Jesus baptized and that all men went to him. John answers, he has his authority from heaven: you know I never said, I was the Messiah, but that I was sent before him he must increase, but I must decrease; for God hath sent him, and he speaks the words of God, and God hath given all things into the hands of his Son; "and he that believes on the Son hath eternal life." The same doctrine, and nothing else, but what was preached by the apostles afterwards; as we have seen all through the | Acts, v. g. that Jesus was the Messiah. And that it was that John bears witness of our Saviour, as Jesus himself says, John v. 33. 53. This also was the declaration that was given of him at his baptism, by a voice from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" which was a declaration of him to be the Messiah; the Son of God being (as we have showed) understood to signify the Messiah. To which we may add the first mention of him after his conception, in the words of the angel to Joseph: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus," or Saviour; "for he shall save his people from their sins." It was a received doctrine in the Jewish nation, that at the coming of the Messiah all their sins should be forgiven them. These words therefore of the angel we may look on as a declaration that Jesus was the Messiah; whereof these words, “ his people,” are a further mark; which suppose him to have a people, and consequently to be a king. 54. After his baptism, Jesus himself enters upon his ministry. But before we examine what it was he proposed to be believed, we must observe, that there is a threefold declaration of the Messiah: 1. By miracles. The spirit of prophecy had now for many ages forsaken the Jews; and though their commonwealth were not quite dissolved but that they lived under their own laws, yet they were under a foreign dominion, subject to the Romans. In this state, their account of the time being up, they were in expectation of the Messiah, and of deliverance by him in a kingdom he was to set up, according to their ancient prophecies of him; which gave them hopes of an extraordinary man yet to come to God, who with an extraordinary and divine power and miracles, should evidence his mission, and work their deliverance. And of any such extraordinary person, who should have the power of doing miracles, they had no other expectation but only of their Messiah. One great prophet and worker of miracles, and only one more, they expected, who was to be the Messiah. And therefore we see the people justified their believing in him," that is, their believing him to be the Messiah, because of the miracles he did; "and many of the people believed in him, and said, When the Messiah cometh, will he do more miracles than this man hath done?" And when the Jews, at the feast of dedication, coming about him, 66 | said unto him, How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly; Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, bear witness of me. And John v. 36, he says, "I have a greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to do, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." Where, by the way, we may observe, that his being "sent by the Father," is but another way of expressing the Messiah; which is evident from this place here, John v., compared with that of John x., last quoted for there he says, that his works bear witness of him; and what was that witness? viz. that he was the Messiah. Here again he says, that his works bear witness of him; and what is that witness? viz. "that the Father sent him." By which we are taught, that to be sent by the Father, and to be the Messiah, was the same thing in his way of declaring himself. And accordingly we find many hearkened and assented to his testimony, and believed on him, seeing the things that he did.* 55. 2. Another way of declaring the coming of the Messiah, was by phrases and circumlocutions, that did signify or intimate his coming, though not in direct words pointing out the person. The most usual of these were, "The kingdom of God, and of heaven :" because it was that must * John iv. 53, and xi. 45; and elsewhere. + From the extreme acuteness and subtilty of his mind, Locke, who here seems to be perfectly right in his views, sometimes introduces too much nicety, perhaps, into his interpretations of Scripture, though the method he followed and the pains he took to artian. In his Notes on the epistle to the Galatians i. rive at truth deserve the admiration of every Chris4,όπως εξέληται ημας εκ του ενεστώτος αιώνος πονηρού "that he might take us out of this present evil world, or age;" so the Greek words signify. Whereby, he says, it cannot be thought that St. Paul meant that Christians were to be immediately removed into the other world. Therefore vSOTWs a signify something else than present world, in the ordinary import of these words in English. Av oros, 1 Cor. ii. 6, 8, and in other places, plainly signines the Jewish nation, under the Mosaical constitution; and it suits very well with the apostle's design in this epistle, that it should do so here. God has in this world but one kingdom and one people. The nation of the Jews were the kingdom and people of God whilst the law stood. And this kingdom of God under the Mosaical constitution was called av ovros, "this age," or, as it is commonly transto which awv EVEOTWs, "the lated, "this world,' But the present world, or age," here answers. kingdom of God, which was to be under the Messiah, wherein the economy and constitution of the Jewish church, and the nation itself, that, in opposition to Christ, adhered to it, was to be laid aside, is in the New Testament called av peλwv," the world, or age, to come;" so that Christ's taking them out of the present world, may, without any violence to the words, be understood to signify his setting them free from the Mosaical constitution. This is suitable to the design of this epistle, and what St. Paul has declared in many other places. See Col. Rom. vii. 4, 6. The law is said to be " ii. 14-17, and 20, which agrees with this place, and contrary to us," Col. ii. 14, and to "work wrath," Rom. iv. 15, and St. Paul speaks very diminishingly of the ritual parts of it in many places. But yet, if all this may v. 2. which was oftenest spoken of the Messiah, in the And they answered, John the Baptist; but some Old Testament, in very plain words; and a king-say Elias, and others, one of the prophets." (So dom was that which the Jews most looked after that it is evident, that even those who believed and wished for. In that known place, Isaiah ix.: him an extraordinary person, knew not yet who "The government shall be upon his shoulders; he was, or that he gave himself out for the Meshe shall be called the Prince of peace: of the in- siah; though this was in the third year of his micrease of his government and peace there shall nistry, and not a year before his death.) "And be no end upon the throne of David, and upon he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with And Peter answered, and said unto him, Thou justice, from henceforth, even for ever." Micah art the Messiah. And he charged them that they "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though should tell no man of him."* And devils came thou be little among the thousands of Judea, yet out of many, crying, "Thou art the Messiah, the out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to Son of God: and he rebuking them, suffered them be the ruler in Israel." And Daniel, besides that not to speak, that they knew him to be the Meshe calls him "Messiah the prince," in the ac-siah." "Unclean spirits, when they saw him, count of his vision "of the Son of man," says, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art "There was given him dominion, glory, and a the Son of God: and he straitly charged them kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages that they should not make him known." Here should serve him his dominion is an everlasting again we may observe, from the comparing of the dominion, which shall not pass away; and his two texts, that "thou art the Son of God," or kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."+"thou art the Messiah," were indifferently used So that the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of heaven, were common phrases amongst the Jews, to signify the times of the Messiah. "One of the Jews that sat at meat with him, said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." The Pharisees demanded, "When the kingdom of God should come?" and St. John Baptist came, saying, Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand:" a phrase he would not have used in preaching, had it not been understood. 56. There are other expressions that signified the Messiah, and his coming, which we shall take notice of as they come in our way. 3. By plain and direct words, declaring the doctrine of the Messiah; speaking out that Jesus was he; as we see the apostles did, when they went about preaching the gospel, after our Saviour's resurrection. This was the open, clear way, and that which one would think the Messiah himself, when he came, should have taken; especially if it were of that moment, that upon men's believing him to be the Messiah depended the forgiveness of their sins. And yet we see that our Saviour did not; but, on the contrary, for the most part, made no other discovery of himself, at least in Judea, and at the beginning of his ministry, but in the two former ways, which were more obscure; not declaring himself to be the Messiah, any otherwise than as it might be gathered from the miracles he did, and the conformity of his life and actions with the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning him; and from some general discourses of the kingdom of the Messiah being come, under the name of the "kingdom of God," and "of heaven." Nay, so far was he from publicly owning himself to be the Messiah, that he forbade the doing of it: "He asked his disciples, Whom do men say that I am? not be thought sufficient to justify the applying of the epithet rovnpov, "evil," to it, that scruple will be removed, if we take ενεστώς αιων, this present world," here, for the Jewish constitution and nation together, in which sense it may very well be called evil, though the apostle, out of his wonted tenderness to his nation, forbears to name them openly, and uses a doubtful expression, which might comprehend the heathen world also, though he chiefly pointed at the Jews.-ED. for the same thing. But to return to the matter in hand. 57. This concealment of himself will seem strange, in one who was come to bring light into the world, and was to suffer death for the testimony of the truth. This reservedness will be thought to look as if he had a mind to conceal himself, and not to be known to the world for the Messiah, nor to be believed on as such. But we shall be of another mind, and conclude this proceeding of his according to divine wisdom, and suited to a fuller manifestation and evidence of his being the Messiah, when we consider, that he was to fill out the time foretold of his ministry; and, after a life illustrious in miracles and good works, attended with humility, meekness, patience, and sufferings, and every way conformable to the prophecies of him, should be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and with all quiet and submission be brought to the cross, though there were no guilt nor fault found in him. This could not have been, if, as soon as he appeared in public, and began to preach, he had presently professed himself to have been the Messiah, the King that owned that kingdom he published to be at hand: for the sanhedrim would then have laid hold on it, to have got him into their power, and thereby have taken away his life; at least, they would have disturbed his ministry, and hindered the work he was about. That this made him cautious, and avoid, as much as he could, the occasions of provoking them, and falling into their hands, is plain from John vii. 1: "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee;” out of the way of the chief priests and rulers; "for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him." Thus making good what he foretold them at Jerusalem, when at the first passover, at his beginning to preach the gospel, upon his curing the man at the pool of Bethesda, they sought to kill him. John v. "Ye have not," says he, "his word abiding amongst you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.' " This was spoken more particularly to the Jews of Jerusalem, who life; and it imports that because of their unbelief were the forward men, zealous to take away his and opposition to him, "the word of God," that |
