BOOK 5. THE MESSAGE.
CHAPTER 2.
5.2.2. Of Christ's sermon this year.
Of Christ's sermon this year.
1. His preaching this year was frequent, and amongst others his sermons, now it was that he delivered that first sermon, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
2. Now was it that he delivered that spiritual and mystical sermon of regeneration, at which Nicodemus wonders, John iii. 4. "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?" But Jesus takes off the wonder, in telling him. This was not a work of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit of God, "for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and is as the wind certain and notorious in the effects, but secret in the principle and manner of production. Then Christ proceeds in his sermon, telling him yet of higher things, as of his descent from heaven, of his passion and ascension, and of the mercy of redemption, which he came to work and effect for all that believe; of the love of the Father, the mission of the Son, the rewards of faith, and glories of eternity. And this was the sum of his sermon to Nicodemus, which was the fullest of mystery and speculation that ever he made, except that which he made immediately before his death.
3. Now was it that the throng of auditors forcing Christ to leave the shore, he makes Peter's ship his pulpit, Luke v. 1, 2, 3, 4. Never were there any such nets cast out of that fisher-boat before: while he was upon land, he healed the sick bodies by his touch, and now he was upon sea, he cured the sick souls by his doctrine: he that made both sea and land, caused both to conspire to the opportunities of doing good to the souls and bodies of men.
4. Now it was that he preached that blessed sermon on that text, Luke iv. 18. "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." No question but he preached both to poor and rich. Christ preached to all, but for the power and fruit of his preaching, it was only received and entertained by the poor in Spirit. In the following particulars, his office is set out still in a higher tenor, "To heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; or as it is in Isaiah lxi. 1. "The opening of the prison to them that are bound" A sad thing to be bound in captivity, but sadder to be bound in chains or locked up in a prison there; but it is most sad of all to be imprisoned having one's eyes put out: as it was the case of Sampson and Zedekiah. Now the evangelist willing to render the prophet to the highest comfortable sense that might be, he useth an expression that meets with the highest mystery; that is, when a man is not only shut up in a blinded prison, but when he himself also hath his eyes put out; and to such Christ should preach: preach what? Not only deliverance to the captives, but also of restoring of light to captive prisoners; nay, yet more, "recovering of sight to blinded prisoners," as the evangelist renders it, Luke iv. 18.
5. Now it was that he delivered the admirable sermon, called, "The sermon upon the mount;" It is a breviary of all these precepts which are truly called Christian: it contains in it all the moral precepts given by Moses, and opens a stricter sense, and more severe exposition than the Scribes and Pharisees had given; it holds forth the doctrines of meekness, poverty of spirit, Christian mourning, desire of holy things, mercy and purity, and peace, and patience, and suffering of injuries: he teacheth us how to pray, how to fast, how to give alms, how to contemn the world, and how to seek the kingdom of God, and its appendant righteousness.
And thus Christ being entered upon his prophetical office; in these and the rest of his sermons, he gives a clear testimony, that he was not only an interpreter of the law, but a law-giver; and that this law of Christ might retain some proportion at least with the law of Moses. Christ in this last sermon went up into a mountain, and from thence gave the oracle. I cannot stand to paraphrase on this, or any other of his sermons, but seeing now we find Christ in the exercise of his prophetical office, let us observe, 1. His titles in this respect, 2. The reason of his being a prophet, 3.The excellency of Christ above all other prophets; and then we have done.