thou findest that the Lord feeds thy body, and hath a care of this temporal life, that thou also strive to find that the Lord feeds thy soul, and hath a care to bring thee unto eternal life. And, indeed, if thou receivest these temporal benefits which serve for the sustentation of thy body with thanksgiving and prayer, thou wilt find, that when the Lord feeds thy body, he feeds also thy soul.

Now, the Evangelist marks by the way, interrupting the history, "That none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? seeing they knew that he was the Lord." No question, the Evangelist sets down these words, partly to let us see what great reverence they carried to the Lord while they sat at table with him, and partly to let us see how full and sure persuasion they had that it was the Lord. For he tells the cause why they durst not ask him who he was, because "they knew that he was the Lord;" and it had been too great boldness and impudency in them to have asked that at the Lord which they knew well enough, and the Lord had revealed himself to them sufficiently before, and now also. By this behaviour of the disciples, we may mark what is the nature of faith, and the force and effect of it in the regenerate man. It is not unreverent, but thinks reverently of the Lord, whom it apprehends; it is not impudent and shameless, but humble and shamefast; it is not immoderate, it passes not measure, but it is moderate, and contains the self within bounds and measure; that is, it is not evermore curiously seeking many and new revelations, but it is content with that measure that the Lord hath revealed. By the contrary, look to the nature of infidelity; it is ever unreverent toward God, impudent, and immoderate; it is never content with that measure of revelations which the Lord hath given, but it is ever curiously out of measure seeking new revelations. And what if it were for any good end? what if it were to learn and grow better? Then it were somewhat more excusable; but it is all to this end, that either it may tempt the majesty of God, or else to satisfy the immoderate and insatiable curiosity. We may see the example of these fruits of infidelity in

1 i. e. Shamefaced, modest.

sundry persons; as in the Jews, who, as David says, oft times tempted the Lord in the wilderness by their infidelity,' but chiefly in the scribes and Pharisees. They ever tempted the Lord; for albeit both by his word and doctrine, and also by his divine works and miracles, he had sufficiently revealed himself unto them, and albeit also they had been convicted in their conscience that he was the Messiah, yet, notwithstanding of all this, they continued still in tempting of him; and they say, "Master, we desire to see a sign of thee," Matth. chapter xii. verse 38. But the Lord answered them," An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah." The Papists this day are very like the scribes and Pharisees, they cannot be content with that measure of revelation which the Lord hath given us in the Scriptures, and namely, in the New Testament, wherein the mystery of Christ and the doctrine of salvation is fully and clearly set down,-a clearer revelation than is there set down shall we never find, until the Lord come in the clouds to judge the world ;-they cannot be content with all the miracles which we read wrote in the Old and New Testaments by the prophets, by the Lord himself, and the apostles, but they are ever seeking for new and extraordinary revelations; they are seeking unwritten verities which may be called vanities, they are ever seeking new miracles, and such other toys and dreams, they can never be content. But we may answer them as the Lord answered the Pharisees, "They shall get no more signs nor revelations than they have gotten already;" they are too bold and impudent, after that the Lord hath sufficiently revealed himself, to seek for new revelations. This their doing testifies sufficiently that they have no faith, for faith is reverent, shamefast, and moderate, keeping the self within the bounds of God's revealed will; but, by the contrary, it bears witness of their infidelity, for this impudency and immoderate seeking of new miracles and revelations are fruits of infidelity.

But a question may be moved upon these words, when he says,

1 Psalm xcv. 9.

"And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? seeing that they knew that he was the Lord." Is it unlawful for us to seek increase and growth of knowledge? Yea, are we not commanded to seek it daily? Says not the Lord, "Seek, and ye shall find; ask, and it shall be given you; knock, and it shall be opened unto you?" Luke, chapter xi. verse 9. Yea, is it not said, "The violent take the kingdom of heaven by force?" Matth. chap. xi. verse 12. And doth not the Lord recommend importunity and earnestness in craving, by the parable of the widow, who importunated the unrighteous judge? To this I answer, It is lawful, indeed, to seek continually the increase and growth of knowledge, as well as of all other spiritual graces; yea, it is a thing that the Lord recommends unto us, and commands. But of what knowledge should we seek the increase? Only the knowledge of these things that are revealed and set down in the Old and New Testament. It is the Lord's will that we ever grow in knowledge of these things, and that we go from knowledge to knowledge. But this increase of knowledge is far different from curiosity in seeking new revelations, besides the things that are revealed in the writings of the prophets and the apostles. The Lord likes well growth of knowledge, but he mislikes curiosity. Yea, I say to thee, if thou seekest a clearer and more ample revelation than that which is already set down in the Old and New Testament, thou offendest highly the majesty of God; for, by so doing, thou deniest that Christ, when he came into the world, brought with him a full and perfect revelation of all things necessary. Read what the Apostle Paul says, Rom. x. 6.

Now, to end shortly. In the last words of our text, we have set down the conclusion of this appearing of Christ whereof we have spoken, wherein he tells, that it was the third in number; for he says, "This now is the third time that Jesus showed himself unto his disciples, after he was raised again from the dead." I think he calls it the third in number, not absolutely, but in respect of the disciples and so the words import, for it is said, "This is the third time that he showed himself unto his disciples." For, if

:

we number precisely the particular appearing of Christ after his resurrection unto this time, whereof we have any mention made in the Scripture, we will find that this is the eighth' in number. He showed himself first to Mary Magdalene, next, to other certain women; thirdly, to the two apostles who were going to Emmaus; fourthly, to Simon Peter; fifthly, to James, as we may read, 1 Cor. xv. 7; sixthly, to the disciples assembled together in Jerusalem, Thomas only being absent; seventhly, to the same disciples assembled together, Thomas being present with them; eighthly, he appeared unto these seven at this time when they were fishing. Now, it was not without cause that the Lord revealed himself so oft after he rose again. No question, he did it not only to confirm the disciples of the truth of his resurrection, but also for our cause, that we might have stedfast faith, and full assurance, that he is risen again for our comfort. And it is the Lord's will, that when we read that there were so many that saw him with their eyes, heard him, spake with him, handled him, and haunted with him, we should be fully persuaded and assured of his resurrection. But I will not insist in this matter, because I have spoken of it already. Now, seeing the Lord has had such a great care of our faith, that by believing we might have comfort, seeing so oft times, and to so many he appeared, the Lord make these means effectual to work and to increase faith in us, that both in our life, and especially in the hour of death, we may have matter of rejoicing in him! To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all praise and honour. Amen.

1 Yet in the beginning of this and the 48th Lecture, this is stated to be the seventh appearance. The same inconsistency occurs in the Commentary. The passage in the Corinthians regarding James seems to have struck our author at this point, and he neglected to turn back to reconcile his previous statements with his new view. The appearance to James is thus spoken of in the Commentary: 5. Fratribus amplius quam quingentis, et Jacobo, vide 1 Cor. xv. 5.—P. 1151.

THE FIFTIETH LECTURE.

OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

JOHN, CHAP. XXI.

15. So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, the son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my lambs.

16. He said to him again the second time, Simon, the son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He said unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my sheep.

17. He said unto him the third time, Simon, the son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was sorry because he said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? and said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.1

WE have heard these days past, beloved in the Lord Jesus, of the third general appearance of the Lord Jesus after his glorious resurrection. The place, we heard, was by the sea of Tiberias. The persons to whom he appeared, we heard, were seven in number. The manner how he appeared was by miracle, by wonderful working. He shows a miracle in the sea, by taking of many

The Commentary takes up John xxi. 15-19.