Matthew 23

THen spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples.

Saying, the scribes, and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat.

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye after their works, for they say, and do not. Our Lord having now done with the Pharisees, turneth his D scourse to the more Docible People, who (as we heard before) heard him attentively, and gladly, Mark 12.37. Luke 19.48. Our Saviour fore-saw, that some unwary Hearers might make two ill uses of what he had spoke against the Scribes and Pha isees. 1. Some might report him an Enemy to the Law t e Interpreters of which the Pharisees were. 2. Others mig t contemn the Authority of the Law, because he had represented these Men, in whose Hand the Interpretat on of it at present, was so truly Contemptible. Whereas on the other side, many might run into Errors of Practice, from the Example of the Scribes, and Pharisees, their Magistrates and Teachers. Against all these mistakes, he Cautions them in this Chap. Showing, that he did not undervalue the Law of Moses, nor would have his Reflections on the Pharisees prejudice any thing which they taught them of it, and according to it; neither would he have his People take the Copy of the Law from their Actions. The Scribes, and Pharisees sit in Moses seat. These Men were the ordinary Readers, and Interpreters of the Law of God. Moses is here put for the Law, as Luke 16.31. If they hear not Moses, and the Prophets, and so v. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets. Moses his Seat signifieth the Seat appointed for those, that gave the Sense of the Law, or Judgment upon it, thus Acts 15.21. 2 Cor. 3.15. Moses in old time, has in every City those that Preach him, being Read in the Synagogue every Sabbath Day. Their way was, while they Read the Scriptures, they Stood up, (paying a particular Reverence to the pure Word of God) Luke 4.16. when they had done Reading, they sate down and opened it. Their sitting in the Seat of Moses did not signifie a Succession to Moses, for he had no Successor, being the Mediator of the Old Testament. But the delivering and interpreting the Doctrine, and Law of M ses. Dr. Lightfoot thinks it is rather to be understood of the Chair of M gistracy, than the Doctrinal Chair. The Phar sees being Exercised in that, it may be understood of both, for the Reading, and Interpreting the Law, chiefly belong'd to the Scribes. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, observe and do. That is, whatsoever is in M ses, which they bid you observe, and do. The Term All is to be understood restrainedly, with respect to the Subject, matter or Persons spoken of, in Multitudes of Scriptures. OurSaviours cautioning his Disciples, so often against the Leaven of these Men, and their Traditions, plainly shows us, that must be here the Sense of it. Let not the Law of God lose its Authority with you, because of these wicked Men. He does not Command them to hear none but them, for then to what purpose did he himself Preach, or send out the Twelve, if none might hear them. All that can be concluded from this Text is, That the Law of God, or Word of God, is not to be dispised whoever Reads, or delivereth it, he goeth on. But after their Works do not, for they say and do not. We are Naturally more led by Example, than by Precept. Men had therefore need be Cautioned against ill living Teachers. Odi Philosophum qui non sapir sibi. A Man had need very well know the Medicine, which he taketh from a Physician, he seeth Sick of the same Disease, when he himself refuseth and Abominates it. He that sa s and does not, may be heard, but not imitated. There may be a time, when Men can ordinarily hear no others, which was the present Case.

For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be born, and lay them upon mens shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Our Saviour says the same of the Lawyers, Luke 11.46. The Burdens here mentioned, were not their Traditions and Ritual things, Christ would never have before commanded his Disciples to observe and do them, but the things truly commanded by the Law of God, especially the Ceremonial Law, called a Yoke, Acts 15.10. which (say the Apostles) neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear. They are, says our Saviour, Riged Exactors, aed Pressers of the Law of God, upon others, but will not themselves use the least endeavours (such as the putting to of a Finger) themselves to do them. 1. He blameth them that their own Lives, no way answered their Doctrine. 2. It may be, he also blameth their too Riged pressing the Law in all the Minute things of it: There may be a too Rigorous Pressing of the Law. Good Teachers will be faithful in delivering the whole Counsel of God, yet Teaching no more than themselves will endeavour to practise, and being Conscious of Humane Infirmity, they will do it, with great Tenderness, and Compassion, joyning Law, and Gospel both together.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteryes, and inlarge the borders of their garments. Our Saviour had v. 4. blamed the Pharisees for not living up to what they taught, pressing the Law of God on others, but not doing nor indeavouring to observe it themselves. Here he blames them, for doing what good things they did for Ostentation, to be seen of Men, and abounding in their Ritual Performances of more minute Concernment, in the mean time neglecting their Moral Duties. All they do, they do to be seen of Men; this is their main end to be seen of Men; for this he had reflected on them, Chap. 6. They make broad their Phylacteryes, and inlarge the borders of their Garments. For the right understanding of this we must have recourse to Num. 15.37, 38. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, spake unto the Children of Israel, and bid them that they make them Fringes in the Borders of their Garments, throughout their Generations, And that they put upon the Fringe of the Borders, a Ribband of Blew; And it shall be unto you for a Fringe, that you may look upon it, and remember all the Commandements of the Lord, and do them, and that you seek not after your own Heart, and your own Eyes, after which you use to go a Whoring. That you may remember, and do all my Commandments. Deut, 22.12. Thou shalt make thee Fringes upon the four Quarters of thy Vesture, wherewith thou coverest thy self. In obedience to this Law, the Jews did generally wear such Garments that had Fringes, and Blew Ribbands annexed to them. The Jews at this Day do it not, because, as they pretend, they have lost the true way of Dying the Blew Colour, required in the Law. The End why God commanded them, is expressed. That they might look upon it, and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them, and be restrained from their own Inventions, and Imaginations in Gods Service. They were also a Note of Distinction of the Jews from other People, Besides these, God Commanding that they should Bind his Laws, for a Sign upon their Hands, and as frontlets between their Eyes, Deut. 6.6, 7, 8. they made them Parchments, in which the Precepts of the Law were written, which they bound to their Foreheads, and Arms. These were called Phylacteryes from to keep. Things wherein the Law was kept, the Pharisees for a Boast how zealous keepers they were of the Law of God (than which they did nothing less) made these Phylacteries and Ribbands broader, their Fringes much longer than other Mens, this is that making broad their Phylacteryes, and inlarging the Borders of their Garments, which our Lord here reflects upon, done only for Ostentation, and that they might be seen of Men.

And love the uppermostrooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues.

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi. We have the same applyed to the Scribes. Mark 12.38, 39. Luke 11.43. Mark addeth, which love to go in long Clothing. Our Saviour in these Words does not blame a Distinction in Habits, and places; for he himself has taught us, that those who are in Kings Palaces wear soft Rayment, and being often called Master and Lord, never reflected on them, who called him so, as having done amiss, he only blameth the Pharisees Ambition, and silly Affectation of these little things, seeking their own Honour, and Glory, or an undue Domination; there is therefore an Emphasis to be put upon the Word Love. They might take Salutations, and the upper Rooms, if offered them as their due, for keeping Civil orders, but not affect them.

But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master even Christ, and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father upon the earth, for one is your Father which is in heaven.

Neither be ye called masters, for one is your master, even Christ. It is most certain that our Saviour does not here forbid the giving of the Titles of Masters and Fathers to his Ministers. for then Paul would not have given himself the Title of Father, 1 Cor. 4.15. nor called the Galathians his little Children, Gal. 4.19. nor called Timothy his Son, and himself his Father, Phil. 2.22. nor call'd himself a Doctor of the Gentiles, 1 Tim. 2.7.2 Tim. 1.11. That which he forbids, is 1. An Affectation of such Titles, and hunting after them. 2. Rem Ti the Exercise of an absolute Mastership, or a Paternal absolute Power. So as to require any to believe things because they said them, or to do things because they bid them, without seeing the things asserted, or first commanded in the Word of God. For in that Sense God alone is Mens Father. Christ alone their Masters. Pastors and Teachers in the Church, are all but Ministers, Ministers of Christ to publish his Will; and to injoyn his Laws, nor must any be owned as Masters and Fathers to impose their Laws, and Doctrines. This is twice repeated, because such is the Corruption of humane Nature, that it is very prone, not only to affect these swelling Titles, but also to exercise these Exorbitant Authorities.

But he that is greatest amongst you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted. We have what is v. 12. twice in Luke, Ch, 14.11. & 18.14. These Verses expound what went before, and let us know. 1. That it was not a Title, but the Affectation of a Title which he blamed. 2. Not a Doctorship, or Mastership, but such a Doctorship, or Mastership, as made a man too big for the Ministry of the Church; such Honour as lifted up the Mans Heart above his Work. He is an Infamous Doctor in the Church of Christ, who thinks himself too High, or too great to be a Minister in it. For God will abase, and Men shall abase him who exalteth himself. God resisteth, and Men usually contemn and despise the Proud, especially Ministers who are so. Both God shall Exalt, and Men shall Honour those that humble themselves both to Men, Condescending to those of low Degree, and to their Work thinking not the meanest Ministry to Souls, a Work beneath them.

But woe unto you Scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in your selves, neither will ye suffer them that are entring, to go in. Our Saviour now cometh to denounce Eight Woes against the Teachers of those times, the Scribes and Pharisies, Luke says. Ch. 11.52. Woe unto you Lawyers, for you take away the Key of knowledge, you entred not in your selves, and them that were entring you hindred. It was written of old, that the Priests Lips should preserve knowledge, God has committed the Key of Knowledge to the Ministers and Guides of his Church, not that they should take it away, but that the people might seek the Law at their Mouths, because they are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts. Mal. 2.7. Now says our Saviour, you have taken it away, this Matthew calls a Shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men. Doing what in them lay to keep Men from the Knowledge of the Mind and Will of God, neither themselves Teaching them the Knowledge of God, which yet was their Office and Duty, nor suffering others to do it who would. You will neither go in your selves, neither will you suffer them that are entring to go in. Your selves are too Proud, or Lazy to Preach the Gospel, which is the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, and when others would, you suffer them not, nor yet will you suffer the People, who have an Heart to it, to hear it. For this he calls them Hypocrites seven times in this Chapter, they pretending to be Teachers, and openers of the Door to the Kingdom of Heaven, when indeed they did shut it, and de ounceth a Woe to them, comprehending that ruin which soon after came upon them, and their City by the Roman Armies, and that Eternal Damnation which slept not, and was due to them. There are no worser Men in the World than Hypocries, Men pretending highly to God, yet neither themselves doing their Duty in imbracing the Gospel, nor suffering others to do it, but doing what in them lye, to hinder People from the means, by which they might come to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Woe unto you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers, therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Mark has the same, Ch. 12.40. and Luke Ch. 20.47. If any should think that Long Prayers are here condemned, he will be Confuted, by Luke 6.12. where he will find that our Saviour continued all Night in Prayer to God. It is the end of their long Prayers, which alone our Saviour blameth, their making them a Pretence to devour Widows Houses. Which whether they did as interested in the Civil Power (in which it is certain the Pharisees amongst the Jews were imployed) or by Virtue of their Ecclesiastical Power, or Influence, persuading silly Women to give them their E tates, or at least to give them a great part of them, to the Service of the Tabernacle, that they might pray for their Souls, was an Abomination to God, not only for the Hopocrify of such Prayers designed for another end than they pretended, but because God had taken upon him the special care and protection of the Widows. As our Saviour had before blamed their Religious Acts for the Ostentation in them, seeking only their own Honour, and Applause: So he here blameth them for their Covetous design in them.

Woe unto you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass sea and land, to make one proselyte: and when he is made, ye make him two fold more the children of hell than your selves. A third Woe followeth, expressed in this Verse, because they Corrupted their Proselytes, both as to Doctrine and Manners, so as they were twice more the Children of the Devil, and in danger of Hell than before. A Proselyte was one, who coming from some Pagan Nation Relinquished Idols, and worshipped one true, and living God. Of these Writers tell us there were two sorts: One that only professed to believe and Worship one God. tho he did not embrace the Jewish Religion, such a one they suffered to live among t them, and called him a Proselyte of the Gate. Others imbraced the Jewish Religion, and were admitted into their Church, by Circumcision, and Baptisme and Sacrifice (as their Writers tell us) These they called Proselytes of Righteousness. Our Saviour says the Scribes, and Pharisees, Compassed Sea and Land, that is, would take any pains (it is a Proverbial Expre sion) to make one a Prose yte, nor was this blame-worthy in them, but that which followeth, That they made him twice more the Children of Hell, than before. Corrupting them with their false Doctrine, and setting them Examples of an ill Life. Their business was not to turn them from Sin unto God, but merely to convert them to an Opinion, if they had once got them into their Church, so as they could make their Markets of them, never regarding their Souls more, nor to press upon them the Reformation of their Lives, that they might be saved. Thus Priests and Iesuites at this Day go to China, Iapan, to Proselyte Men to the Roman Faith, and use all imaginable Arts to seduce Persons Born and bred under the Profe sion of the Protestant Religion, in Protestant Countries, and boast much of their Converts, but he who looks upon the Scriptures, and considereth the Lives of the most of their Converts, will easily see they are but twice more the Children of Hell, being Licensed, by their Indulgences, pardons, Absolutions, nay by their very Casuilts to live most Prodigious Impious Lives, to say nothing of their Damnable Errors in matters of Faith.

Woe unto you ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

You fools, and blind, for whether is greater, the gold or the temple, which sanctifieth the gold?

And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools, and blind: for whether is greater the gift, or the altar that sanctifyeth the gift?

Whosoever therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Our Saviour here shows the false Doctrine, which the Pharisees for their own Gain taught the People, concerning Oaths. God had Commanded that they should fear and serve the Lord their God, and swear by his Name. Deut. 6.13. & 10.20. He that sweareth by any Person, or thing, does two things. He attributeth to the thing, or Person, by which he sweareth a knowledge of the Heart, and the secret intention. He calleth upon the Person or thing by which he sweareth to be his Judge; or to take a revenge upon him, in Case, he does not believe in his Heart, what he affirmeth, or denieth with his Words, to be true or false, otherwise an Oath is no security at all. From whence appeareth, that it is unreasonable for any to swear by any other than God, who alone can have a knowledge of the Truth, and security of the Heart; and that he, who sweareth by any Creature, committeth Idolatry in his Heart, and in his Heart does indeed Blaspheme, paying a Divine Homage to a Creature, and attributing to the Creature, what only agreeth to the Creature. The Pharisees as it seemeth had taught the People, that it was Lawful to swear by the Creature; but all Oaths by Creatures did not bind to the performance of the thing promised by such Oaths: If a Man swear by the Temple, or by the Altar, It was nothing, no Man was bound by such Oaths, to perform the thing, for which such Oaths was given as a security. But if any Man swear by the Gold of the Temple, or by a Gift, which he brought to the Altar, these Oaths did bind him. By the Gold of the Temple, is not to be understood the Golden Vessels used in the Temple; nor the Golden Plates, with which the several parts of the Temple shined; but the Gold which was brought as an Offering into the Temple, and put into the Treasury there, of which and of the Gifts the Priests and Officers about the Temple, had a considerable share, which made them Equalize an Oath by these, to an Oath made by the Name of God it self: Our Saviour here shows the unreasonable Folly o the Tradition, and calleth them for it, Blind Guides, for in reason: The Temple Sanctifying the Gold must it self be more especially Holy, that is, separate for an Holy use. The Temple was Holy, so was the Altar before the Gold was brought into it, but the Gold was not Holy, till it was brought into the Holy place, and there offered. 2. Secondly, e lets them know, that Oaths by the Creatures once made did oblige, as much as if they had been made by God himself. They were indeed sinfully made, for Men ought not to have sworn by Creatures, but being made, those who made them were bound to perform them, if the matter of them were not sinful. For he that swears by the Altar, swears by it, and all the things thereon: And he who swears by the Temple, swears by it, and him that dwelleth therein: And he who swears by Heaven, swears by the Throne of God, and him that sitteth thereon. For none who sware by inanimate things, could possibly be imagined to call these things which he knew had no Life, no Sense, no knowledge to be a Witness to the Truth of his Heart, as to what he believed, or what he intended. So as though he that sweareth by the Creature, be a profane Swearer, yet he is bound by his Oath, he indeed swearing by the God of those Creatures. He has reason to repent or the profane, and unlawful form of his Oath; but if the matter be, what he may without sin perform, he is bound by his Oath to the performance of it.

Woe unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint, and Annise and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. We have much the same, Luk. 11.42. only there it is, Ye Tithe Mint, and Rue, and all manner of Herbs, and pass over Iudgment, and the Love of God. It is manifest by our Saviours words in the latter part of the Verse: These ought you to have done; that he does not blame the Pharisees exactness in Tithing Mint, Annise, Rue, Cummin, and all manner of Herbs. But their neglecting the Weightier matters of the Law Faith and Love to God, Iudgment and Mercy. The Levites having no Inheritance, God ordained Tithes for their Maintenance; of which also the poor were to have a share, Lev. 27.30. Num. 18.23. The Pharisee boa ted, Luk. 18.12. That he paid Tithe of all he possest; Christ here acknowledgeth, that the Pharisees were exact in their paying Tithes. But he blames them for their Partiality, neglecting the weightier things of the Law. 2. For their Hypocrisie, they were only exact in these little things, that they might be taken notice of, as Scrupulous observers of the Divine Law; while they omitted those things, which were of much more weight, which he reckoneth up: Faith by which some understand Faith in God, but the most, Faithfulness, and sincere and honest dealings with Men, in opposition to Fraud, and Cheating, and Circumventions, Iudgment, by which he means Iustice, giving to every one what is their own: Mercy, by which he meaneth a Charitable behaviour, in helping such as are miserable, and afflicted. Love to God, which is the true Root, out of which all things should flow, and is indeed comprehensive of all our Duty toward God, as well as the Root of all our Good Works towards Men.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. It is a Proverbial Expression used amongst them, against such as would pretend a great Niceness and Scrupulosity, about, and Zeal for, little things, but in matters of much higher Concern, and moment were not Nice, and Scrupulous at all, and this indeed is both a certain Note, and an ordinary Practice of Hypocrites: There is no man that is sincere in his Obedience to God, but has respect to all Gods Commandements, Psal. 119. v. 6. Tho some Duties be greater, of more moment for the Honour and Glory of God than others, which a good Man will lay the greatest stress upon, yet he will neglect nothing which the Law of God enjoyneth him: But concerning Hypocrites, these two things are always true. 1. They are partial in their pretended Obedience. 2. They always lay the greatest stress upon the least things of the Law, bodily Labour, and Exercise, and those things which require least of the Heart, and least self-denial.

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye make clean the out-side of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Luke has this, Ch. 11.39, 40. as occasioned by the Pharisees, wondring that he washed not before Dinner, instead of Extortion and Excess, he has ravening and Wickedness, and addeth, You Fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within also? But the same thing might be spoken at two speveral times: He speaketh there to the Pharisee, with whom he Dined, v. 37. Here he speaks to the Disciples, and the Multitude. Our Saviours design here seemeth to me not to be a Condemning of their Legal, or Traditional washings of Pots and Cups, which he elsewhere reflecteth upon, but by way of allusion only; to blame them that in their whole Conversation, they rather studied an external Purity, than the inward Purity of the Heart, whereas if they would first have looked at Purity of Heart, the other would have followed that. A man may be outwardly pure, and inwardly filthy and impure: But no man can have a pure Heart, but he will live a Pure and Holy Life; for the External Acts, are but the Imperate Acts of the Soul: Out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaketh, and according to the Inclinations, and Affections of the Heart the Foot moveth, the Hand, and all the bodily Members act. For our Saviours Application of this to their Traditional washings, I shall speak to it when I come to, Luk. 11.39.

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness.

Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous unto men, unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie, and iniquity. The Similitude is of the same import, with the other to show, that the Pharisees had only a Vizour of strictness, and Holiness, when in the mean time their Hearts were full of Lusts, Hypocrisie and Iniquity. The Iews had two sorts of Graves; some for ordinary Persons which appeared not (to which our Saviour likened the Pharisees, Luk. 11.44.) Others that were covered with Tombes, which were wont to be kept whited, so as they looked very fair outwardly, but had within nothing but Rottenness and Putrefaction. To these he compareth them in this place. They were Men that made a great show, but had nothing of any inward Purity or cleanness, but were full of Iniquity: Thus Paul called Ananias a w ted Wall, and Psal. 5.9. The Psalmist says of the Throat of the Wicked, that it is an open Sepulcher.

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous.

And say, if we had been in the days our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Luke has it, Ch. 11.44. Woe unto you, for you Build the Sepulchers of the Prophets, and your Fathers killed them: Truly you bear Witness, that you allow the Deeds of your Fathers, for they indeed killed them, and you build their Sepulchers. It is plain by our Saviours discourse, that the Pharisees were at great Charge oft times, to rebuild or adorn the Sepulchers of the Lords Prophets, who had been slain by the Iews in former Ages, for testifying the Truth of God, and the Sepulchers of other Righteous Men dying for their Righteousness. This they did like a Company of Hypocrites, to persuade the World of what they also said. That had they lived in the times of those Prophets, and other good Men, they would have had no Hand in their Blood.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves, that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets.

Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers.

Ye serpents, ye generation of Vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? You (says our Lord) confess that you are lineally descended from those who killed the Prophets: You have not only their Blood communicated to you, but their Spirit, your Behaviours and Carriages towards me, and my Disciples have witnessed, and will yet further testifie, that you are the Children of those who killed the Prophets in a Moral, as well as a natural Sense; you inherit the same Spirit, and are full of the same Malice and Rancor. They killed them, and you bury them: Seeing there is no reclaiming you, Go you on, Fill up the measure of your Fathers sins. There is something more to be added, to make the Iniquity of this Nation full; you are a Company of Serpents, Vipers, that cannot escape the Damnation of Hell.

Wherefore behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie, and some of them ye shall scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute them from city to city.

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. Luke says, Ch. 11.49.50. Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and some of them they shall slay, and persecute. That the Blood of all the Prophets, which was shed from the Foundation, of the World, may be required of this Generation. From the Blood of Abel, to the Blood of Zacharias, who perished between the Altar and the Temple. Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this Generation. Luke says, Therefore also said the Wisdom of God. Matthew says, Behold I send. Christ is the Wisdom of God, he here tells them, he would send them Prophets, Wise men, Scribes. Luke expounds it by Prophets and Apostles. Men Authorized by Christ, to reveal unto Men the Will of God, and Men that should be extraordinarily inspired to inable them thereunto. Scribes, that is Persons instructed to the Kingdom of God, a new sort of Scribes, but much sitter for their Work, than the present Scribes. And some you shall kill, and crucifie, &c. Our Lord in this only fore-tells, what usage both himself and his Apostles should meet with from them, which was fulfilled, in what the Scripture telleth us, of the scourging of Paul, the stoning of Stephen, the killing of Iames, &c. beside the Crucifying of himself. That upon you; that is, as he expounds it, v. 38. Vpon this Generation may come all the Righteous Blood, that is, the Blood of righteous men, from the Blood of Abel, to the Blood of Zachariah, shed upon the Earth, &c. Here arise two Questions. 1. Who this Zachariah the Son of Barachiah was? 2. How it could stand with Gods justice, to bring the Guilt of the Blood of former Generations, upon that Generation. As to the first, some have guest the Person spoken of, to have been one Zachariah the Son of Baruch, who was the last slain upon the taking of Ierusalem, as Iosephus tells us, but our Saviour here speaks of a thing past, not to be afterwards done: Others think, it was Zachariah the Father of Iohn Baptist, but we have no Proo that he dyed a violent Death: Others think, it was Zachariah, who was one of the small Prophets, but there was no Temple in his time. It is most probably concluded to be Zachariah, the Son of Iehojada, whom the Iews stoned with Stones, at the Commandement of Ioash: In the Court of the House of the Lord, 2 Chron. 24.21. The Fathers name indeed does not agree, but first, Iehojada (as many of the Iews had) might have two Names, some think it was this same Zechariah, who is called the Son of Ie Berechiah, Isa. 8.2. Our Saviour nameth Abel, who lived before the Law, and Zachariah, who lived under the Law, both slain for Righteousness sake; that under them he might comprehend all the Martyrs slain in those two Periods, others Judge, that these two are named, because we read of Abels Blood crying, Gen. 4.10. and Zechariah's praying (when he dyed) That the Lord would require his Blood. For the other Question. It is but Righteous with God, to punish the sins of Parents upon their Children; and tho such Vengeance does not ordinarily reach further than the Third and Fourth Generation, yet where succeeding Generations, go on in the same sinful Courses, it may reach further, and oft does, Isa. 65.6. I will (says God) Recompence into their Bosom your iniquities, and the iniquities of your Fathers together. That was the Case here. They filled up the measure of their Fathers sins. Therefore Christ tells them, that Vengeance should sleep no longer, but come upon that Generation, which hapened in the utter Destruction of Ierusalem, within less than forty years after. Our Lord concludes with a Pathetical Lamentation over Ierusalem, and a further Confirmation of what he had said about their Ruin.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not?

Behold your house is left unto you desolate.

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have the same, Luk. 13.33, 34. O Ierusalem! Ierusalem! The doubling of the word, shows the vehemency of our Saviours Affection. Thou killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee. That hast killed, and abused, and art yet going on to do the like not taking notice of the Vengeance of God upon thee before for this very sin, 2 Chron. 36.16, 17. Neh. 9.26. How often would I have gathered thee? Giving thee all External means, proper to have reformed thee, and reconcile thee to God, as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings: Which if thou hadst accepted, and imbraced, the Chickens are not safer under the Wings of the Hen, from the danger of a Kite, than thou wouldst have been from Enemies. But thou wouldst not. Instead of hearkening to my Prophets, thou killedst them, and didst stone those sent unto thee, and so didst voluntarily reject me, and all my offers, and tenders of Grace, Mercy, and Protection, through the meet obstinacy of thy perverse Will. Behold your House is left unto you desolate. Both the Temple, in which you place such a Confidence, and your own dwelling Houses shall be destroyed, burnt and razed down, or at least left without you as Inhabitants. For I say unto you, you shall not see me henceforth, till you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord. I will appear no more to you as a publick Preacher, after two or three days for ever; and you, that the other day so envied the Peoples Acclamations to me, Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Shall be glad your selves, to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and shall say the same thing, Blessed is he, &c. for whereas some interpret the term Till, &c. of the day of Judgment, or the time when the Iews shall be converted, I take them to be strained Interpretations. Till here certainly is to be interpreted, as Psal. 110.1. and Math. 1.25. and this Comporteth with the History, for after this time, our Saviour appeared in the Temple publickly no more. For the Disputes raised from v. 7. About Gods secret Will, whether he seriously willed the Salvation of the Iews, &c. I take the Affirmative part, to have no Foundation in this Text, for would I, is plainly enough here interpreted by the foregoing Word, Sending them Prophets, and other Ministers, to persuade them to Repentance, and Reconciliation with God. As the use of means proper to an end appear to us, Indications of the Will of him that useth them.