76. One thing more there was in the miracles done by his disciples, which showed him to be the Messiah—that they were done in his name. 'In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk,' says St. Peter to the lame man whom he cured in the temple, Acts, iii. And how far the power of that name reached, they themselves seem to wonder, Luke, x.: ' And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us in thy name.' From this message from John the Baptist, he takes occasion to tell the people, that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; that from the time of John the Baptist the kingdom of the Messiah began; to which time all the prophets and the law pointed.' 'Afterwards he went through every city and village, preaching and showing the good tidings of the kingdom of God.' Here we see, as everywhere, what his preaching was, and consequently what was to be believed.

77. Soon after, he preaches from a boat to the people on the shore. His sermon at large we may read, Matt. xiii. Mark, iv. and Luke, viii. But this is very observable, that this second sermon of his here, is quite different from his former in the mount: for that was all so plain and intelligible that nothing could be more so; whereas this is all so involved in parables, that even the apostles themselves did not understand it. If we inquire into the reason of this, we shall possibly have some light from the different subjects of these two serThere he preached to the people only

mons.

1 Luke, vii.; Matt. xi.

morality; clearing the precepts of the law from the false glosses which were received in those days, and setting forth the duties of a good life in their full obligation and extent,' beyond what the judiciary laws of the Israelites did, or the civil laws of any country could prescribe or take notice of. But here, in this sermon by the seaside, he speaks of nothing but the kingdom of the Messiah, which he does all in parables. One reason whereof St. Matthew gives us, chap. xiii. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.' Another reason our Saviour himself gives of it: 'Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be

Every thing necessary to make a man a Christian is clearly delivered in the New Testament. This Locke frequently insists on, and in this all wise and moderate men agree. Milton, in Scripture more deeply read than Locke, or, perhaps, than any other writer with whom I am acquainted, observes on this subject-"It is true, there be some books, and especially some places in those books, that remain clouded; yet ever that which is most necessary to be known is most easy; and that which is most difficult, so far expounds itself ever, as to tell us how little it imports our saving knowledge. Hence, to infer a general obscurity over all the texts, is a mere suggestion of the devil to dissuade men from reading it, and casts an aspersion of dishonour both upon the mercy, truth, and wisdom of God. We count it no gentleness or fair dealing in a man of power amongst us, to require strict and punctual obedience, and yet give out all his commands ambiguous and obscure, we should think he had a plot upon us; certainly such commands were no commands, but The very essence of truth is plainness and brightness, the darkness and crookedness is our own. The wisdom of God created understanding, fit and proportionable to truth, the object and end of it, as the eye to the thing visible."-Reformation in England. Book I.-ED.

snares.

given, and he shall have more abundantly; but whosoever hath not,' that is, improves not the talents that he hath, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.'

6

78. One thing it may not be amiss to observe, that our Saviour here, in the explication of the first of these parables to his apostles, calls the preaching of the kingdom of the Messiah, simply, the Word; and, Luke, viii. 21, 'the Word of God :' from whence St. Luke, in the Acts, often mentions it under the name of the Word,' and 'the Word of God,' as we have elsewhere observed; to which I shall here add that of Acts, viii. 4: Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the Word; which Word, as we have found by examining what they preached all through their history, was nothing but this, that Jesus was the Messiah :' I mean, this was all the doctrine they proposed to be believed: for what they taught, as well as our Saviour, contained a great deal more; but that concerned practice, and not belief. And therefore our Saviour says, in the place before quoted, Luke, viii. 21, They are my mother and my brethren who hear the word of God, and do it :' obeying the law of the Messiah, their king, being no less required than their believing that Jesus was the Messiah, the king and deliverer that was promised them. Matt. ix. we have an account again of his preaching; what it was and how :- And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease amongst the people.' He acquainted them that the kingdom of the Messiah was come,

and left it to his miracles to instruct and convince them that he was the Messiah.

79. When he sent his apostles abroad, their commission to preach we have in these words: As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand heal the sick,' &c. All that they had to preach was that the kingdom of the Messiah was come. Whosoever should not receive them, the messengers of this good tidings, nor hearken to their message, incurred a heavier doom than Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of judgment. But, Whosoever shall confess me before men, I will confess him before my Father who is in heaven.' What this confessing of Christ is, we may see by comparing John, xii. 4, with ix. 22: Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.' And 'These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was the Messiah, he should be put out of the synagogue.' By which places it is evident, that to confess him, was to confess that he was the Messiah. From which give me leave to observe also, (what I have cleared from other places, but cannot be too often remarked, because of the different sense has been put upon that phrase,) viz. that believing on or in him (for ɛis avrov is rendered either way by the English translation) signifies believing that he was the Messiah. For many of the rulers (the text says) believed on him; but they durst not confess what they believed, for fear they should be put out of the synagogue.' Now the offence for which it was

agreed that any one should be put out of the synagogue was, if he did confess that Jesus was the Messiah.' Hence we may have a clear understanding of that passage of St. Paul to the Romans,' where he tells them positively what is the faith he preaches: That is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved :' and that also of 1 John, iv. 14, 15: We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world: whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.' Where confessing Jesus to be the Son of God, is the same with confessing him to be the Messiah; those two expressions being understood, amongst the Jews, to signify the same thing, as we have shown already. How calling him the Son of God came to signify that he was the Messiah, would not be hard to show; but it is enough that it appears plainly that it was so used, and had that import amongst the Jews at that time; which if any one desires to have further evidenced to him, he may add Matt. xxvi. 63, John, vi. 69, and xi. 27, and xx. 31, to those places before occasionally taken notice of.

80. As was the apostles' commission, such was their performance, as we read Luke ix. 6: 'They departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.' Jesus bid them preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' And St. Luke tells us, they went through

1 Rom. x. 8, 9.