16

Sect.

92.

They are troubled to hear of his approaching Sufferings.

how disagreeable foever they may be, and let them fink into your Hearts; for the Son of Man, Luke IX.44 instead of reigning in that Grandeur which you expect, fhall very fhortly be betrayed into the Hands of finful Men (c), and fhall feem for a while to be a helpless Prey to their Rage; for they shall put him to Death in a moft cruel and infamous Manner; but they shall not finally triumph over him; for after he is thus flain, he fball rife from the Dead on the third Day, according to the Intimations I have often given you. (See Vol. i. pag. 153, 404, 566.)

45

Mat. XVII. 24.

But they were fo ftrongly prepoffeffed with the Expectation of a Temporal Kingdom, that they understood not this Saying, plain as it was, and the Senfe of it was hid from them, fo that they perceived it not; foolishly imagining it inconfiftent with what the Sacred Oracles had declared of the glorious Success of the Son of Man, and the univerfal Empire he was to establish. (Dan. vii. 14.) And yet they were afraid to ask him what was the Meaning of that Saying, left he fhould upbraid them as unteachable; confidering how lately he had given them the like Warning before, and how severely he had rebuked Peter for endeavouring to diffuade him from it: (Sect. 89.) Nevertheless they perceived, that their Mafter foretold his own Death, and were exceeding forry, that a Perfon of fo excellent and amiable a Character, from whom they had entertained fuch glorious Expectations, should meet with so unworthy a Return.

And soon after this, he came with his Disciples to Capernaum: And when they were come to Caper naum, the Receivers and Collectors of the Sacred Tribute (d), which was gathered every Year thro'

all

Ears: for the Son of Man fhall be delivered into the fhall kill him; and after that he is killed, he fhall rise the third Day.] [MARK IX. 31. MAT. XVII. —22,

Hands of Men, [and they

23.-]

45 But they understood not this Saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to afk him of that Saying, [and were exceeding forry.] [MAT. XVII. —23. MARK IX. 32.]

our Language will hardly admit. It intimates the Propenfity they had, to withdraw and turn away their Ears, from fuch Declarations as he was now about to make.

(c) Shall shortly be betrayed &c.] Mark has expreffed it in the Prefent Tenfe, and fays, The Son of Man is delivered: But nothing is more common in the Sacred Language, than to speak of what should certainly and quickly be, as if it was already done. Compare John xii. 31. xvii. 4, 11, 24. Eph. ii. 5, 6. Heb. xii. 22. and Rev. xviii. 2, 4. The Explication of many other Scriptures depends on this obvious Remark.

(4) The Collectors of the Sacred Tribute.] Jofephus has exprefsly afferted, that each of the Jews used yearly to pay a Didrachma, or Half-Shekel, the Piece of Money here mentioned,

to

He pays the Tribute by a Miracle at Capernaum. came to Peter, and faid, Doth not your Mafter pay Tribute? [MARK IX. 33.-1

And

25 He faith, Yes. And when he was come into the House, Jefus prevented him, faying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the Kings of the Earth take Cu

ftom or Tribute? of their own Children, or of Strangers?

26 Peter faith unto him, Of Strangers. Jefus faith

unto him, Then are the Children free.

ple?

24.

17

all their Cities, came to Peter, and faid, Does not Sect. 92. your Mafter, who has the Character of fo religious Mat. XVII. a Teacher, pay the ufual Tribute of the Didrachma (e) or Half-Shekel to the Service of the TemAnd he fays, Yes, I know that he uses 25 to pay it, and make no Doubt but he will do it now. it now. And when he came into the Houfe, Jefus who was there before, prevented him, before he could fpeak of the Affair in Queftion, and faid to him, What doft thou think, Simon, and what seems fit to thee on this Occafion? Of whom do the Kings of the Earth receive Custom or Tribute? of their own Sons, or of Strangers? Peter Says to 26 him, Lord, it is evident they receive it only of Strangers. Jefus faid to him, Then the Sons, by Virtue of their Fathers Difpenfation, are free from the Obligation: And on the like Principle, I, as the Son of GOD, might plead an Exemption here, especially as I have not now the Sum, which is required towards the Maintenance of 27 Notwithstanding, left the Temple-Worship. Nevertheless, left we 27 we should offend them, go fhould offend them, by giving an Occafion to imaHook, and take up the Fifh gine that I put any Slight on the Temple, or left that first cometh up and others from my Example fhould in far different when thou haft opened his Circumftances omit this Contribution, I will not Mouth, thou fhalt find a Piece of Money: that take, debate the Matter, but rather work a Miracle, and than fail in the Payment. Go therefore to the Sea, and when thou comeft to the neighbouring Shore, throw in a Hook, and take the first Fif that comes up; and when thou hast opened its Mouth, thou shalt there find a Piece of Silver-Coin, called a Stater, which it has just swallowed (f); take that,

thou to the Sea, and caft an

to the Service of the Temple: (See Jofeph. Antiq. lib. xviii, cap. 9. (al. 12.) §. 1.) A Custom, which probably took its Rife from the Demand of that Sum from each of the Ifraelites, whenever they were numbered. Exod. xxx. 13. And therefore, with Beza, Cafaubon, Hamamond, Grotius, and many other great Criticks, I chufe to understand this Paffage, as referring to that, rather than to any Civil Tax; chiefly because I think, notwithstanding what Salmafius fays to the contrary, (against Milton, pag. 259.) our Lord's Argument ver. 25, 26. The Reader will find an excellent Note in Grotius here,

can otherwife have no Force.

which renders it unneceffary to inlarge any farther.

(e) Does not your Mafter pay the ufual Tribute &c.] It feems then to have been a Voluntary Thing, which Custom, rather than Law, had established. In Nehemiah's Days it was accounted fo, and the Sum was then something lower. See Neh. x. 32.

(f) A Stater, which it has just swallowed.] The Stater was (as appears in Part from this
Text, a Piece of Coin, in Value about Two Half-Shekels, or, according to Dr. Prideaux,
VOL. II.
C

near

2

18

Reflections on the Gentleness and Poverty of CHRIST. Se&t. 92. that, and give it to them that collect the Tribute, and give unto them for me Mat. XVII, both for me and thee; for thou knoweft it will and thee. answer their Demands for both. Accordingly Peter went, and having caught a Fifh, he found the Money in its Mouth, and presently returned and paid it according to his Lord's Command.

27.

Mark ix. 32.

How

IMPROVEMENT.

OW flow and untractable were the Minds of the Apostles, who understood not these plain Things, when thus inculcated again and again! But on the other Hand, how much Integrity does it fhew in the Hiftorian, to record what feemed fo little to the Honour of himself, and his Brethren? In this Refpect, and many others, furely Credit rifes to the Gospel, even by Occafion of the Infirmities of those to whom it was committed, and out of Weakness they are made ftrong. The Lenity of our Blessed Lord was truly admirable, that he should bear with fuch Stupidity in his Difciples with fo much Gentleness and Patience, and Luke ix. 44. should with fo much Earnestness go on to renew his Inftructions to them. Let us however learn, to be upon our Guard against the Prejudices of Worldly Intereft, fince, as we fee, they may take fuch ftrong Hold of Minds, in the main upright and pious. And therefore let us earnestly pray, that GOD would give us a greater Relish for spiritual and eternal Bleffings.

Mat. xvii. 27.

It cannot furely become us, to feek the Grandeur and Riches of this World, when our Blessed Mafter was fo poor, that he could not pay this little Tribute, without having Recourfe to a Miracle. Yet this he chufes, rather than to give Offence by a Refufal, how juftly foever he might have Ver. 26. pleaded an Exemption from it. Let us learn from hence that Meekness of Wifdom, which will teach us to feek the Intereft of others, rather than our own; and to confider, how we may edify others by the Abundance

of

near Three Shillings of our Money, tho' moft Criticks reckon the Shekel but about Half-aCrown. (See Drufius, on this Verfe and the 24th.) I fee no Reason with Schmidius to fuppofe, this Piece of Money was created on this Occafion: But fuppofing, as in the Paraphrafe, that the Fish had accidentally swallowed it, (perhaps as it was falling into the Water, near fome other Prey,) I cannot forbear remarking, how illuftrious a Degree of Knowledge and Power our Lord difcovered in the Cafe before us; Knowledge, in penetrating into the Bowels of this Animal, tho' in the Sea; and Power, in directing this particular Fish to Peter's Hook, tho' he himself was at a Diftance. Hardly any Circumftance can be imagined more fit, to encourage him, and his Brethren, in a firm Dependance on Divine Providence. And it is very natural to reflect, how eafily Chrift could, if he had feen fit, have drawn up immenfe Treasures by this very Method, from the Heart of the Sea: But he intended, that his Servants fhould be inriched and adorned in a much nobler Manner, than with Pearls and costly Arrray,

The Difciples contend, who of them should be greatest.

19

of our good Works, rather than how we may excuse ourselves in the Sect. 92:
Omiffion of any. That Extent of Knowledge and Power, which our Lord
displayed on this Occafion, can never be at a Lofs for Means to repay,
whatever we may thus facrifice for his fake.

1

SE C T. XCIII.

CHRIST reproves his Apoftles for their Contention, who fhould be greatest; and recommends to them Humility and Mortification. Mark IX.-33,

-37. 42, to the End.

Mat. XVIII. 1,—9. Luke IX. 46,—48.

Now

MARK IX. 33.

Mark IX.

33.

OW when Peter was returned from the Sect. 93.
Sea-Side, and had paid the Tribute-
Money, with which the Fish had fupplied him (a),
our Lord, from a late Occurrence which he had
observed among his Disciples, took Occafion to
recommend Humility to them: And being in the
House with his Apoftles, that he might naturally
introduce the Discourse he intended, he asked
them, About what were you difputing with each o-
ther on the Way in fo eager a Manner, that I
could not forbear taking particular Notice of it?

But instead of answering him directly, they were 34
confounded with the Queftion, and continued
filent, being afhamed to confefs the Truth; for
as they were travelling on the Way, a Controversy
arofe among them, [and] they had warmly debated
the Matter one with another, which of them should
be the greatest Man in that Temporal Monarchy,
which they affured themselves that Jefus, as the
expected Meffiah, would erect, whatever Suffer-
ings might lie in the Paffage to it.

And

(a) When Peter was returned, &c.] In order to remind thofe, who may hear these Sections read in a Family, of the Connection of them, I have generally introduced each, with a brief Hint at the Subject of the former; which though it makes the Paraphrafe on the first Verfe of a Section fometimes much longer, than I fhould otherwife have chofen, yet I hope may be attended with Advantage fufficient to ballance that Inconvenience.

C 2

(b) Called

20

Sect. 93. Mark IX.

35.

I.

the Thought of their Heart,] Twelve, and faith unto fat down, and called the them, If any Man defire to be firft, the fame fhall be laft of all, and Servant of all. [LUKE IX. 47.—]

CHRIST taking up a little Child, exhorts them to Humility;
And Jefus perceiving, notwithstanding their Si- 35 And. [Jefus perceiving
lence, the fecret Thought of their ambitious Heart,
and obferving the fame Carnality and Emulation
to be still working there, when he was fate down,
called all the Twelve about him (b), and fays unto
them with great Seriousness and Earneftnefs, It is
Humility that is the Way to Honour in my King-
dom; and therefore if any one would be Chief there,
let him in all the Offices of condefcending Friend-
ship to his Brethren, be as the last of all, and the
Servant of all.

Mat. XVIII. Now at the fame Time (c), when the Disciples
were thus called, they came to Jefus, and finding
that he knew the Subject of their late Debate,
fome of them at length took the Liberty of fay-
ing, Lord, decide this Question, and tell us plainly,
who is intended to be the greatest in the Kingdom
of Heaven, and to whom wilt thou commit the
chief Management of Affairs in it?

2

And when he had answered the Enquiry in the Manner related above, Jefus, in order to imprefs the important Maxim yet deeper on their Minds, having called to him a little Child, that happened then to be in the House where they lodged, took and fet him by him in the Midft of them; and taking bim up, and embracing him in his gracious Arms, in Token of his tender Regard, be faid unto them, 3 I affuredly declare it to you as a moft folemn and important Truth, that except ye be converted and turned from these ambitious and carnal Views, and become like little Children in Lowliness and Meeknefs, in a candid teachable Temper, and an Indifference to the great Things of the present Life, (Pfal. cxxxi. 1, 2.) you will be fo far from having

any

M A T. XVIII. 1. At the fame Time came the Dif

ciples unto Jefus, faying, Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?

2 And Jefus called a little Child unto him, and [took and] fet him [LUK. by him] in the Midft of them, [and when he had taken him in [MARK IX. 36. LUKE IX.—47.]

his Arms, he said unto them,]

3 Verily I fay unto you, Except ye be converted, and

become as little Children,

ye

(b) Called all the Twelve about him.] It is natural to suppose, that twelve Perfons travelling together on Foot would form themfelyes into two or three little Companies, while fome of them, no doubt, would be attending Christ, and difcourfing with him: But our Lord judged it proper, as he was now in the Houfe, that all the Twelve fhould hear this Admonition, tho' they might not all have been engaged in the Difpute which occafioned it.

(c) At the fame Time,] By thefe Words Matthew exprefsly fixes the Connection between this Story, and that which concluded his xviith Chapter. But Clarius feems to refine too much, when he supposes, that Chrift's having thus miraculously provided for paying Peter's Tribute with his own, gave Umbrage to the reft: Yet this precarious Turn ferves the Church of Rome as an Argument for the Supremacy of the Pope; nor is it wonderful, that in so weak 2 Cause they should catch at such a ́Shadow.

(d) Enter