Chapter X
The account of Christ s examination before Caiaphas, in the nineteenth, twentieth,
and one-and-twentieth verses of this eighteenth chapter of John. We now come to the other part of Christ s sufferings recorded in this chapter, and
that is a strict examinaton of him.
1 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the wovld ; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have L said
nothing. Why askest thou me ? ask them, which heard me, what I have
said unto them: behold, they know what I said. JOHN xviii. 19, 20, 21.
Here begins a third part of Christ s sufferings recorded in this text. You have first his having been taken, and so bound, and then led to Annas
his house in a triumph of glory ; now, here is the third, his coming to
Caiaphas his house (for Annas had sent him bound to Caiaphas), who is
called the high priest, because he was that year the high priest, though others had the name also, for they still retained the title, though they were out of the office. And being here, they fall to examining of him about his
disciples, and his doctrine. Other evangelists tell us of their examining of
him, and bringing in witnesses against him, concerning some speeches he
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spake about the temple, and about his own office, and his being the Messiah ; but this examination here, which, certainly was the first they began with, and was as the prodromus to all the rest, no evangelist hath it but only John.
The time was (some twenty-one years before) when Christ, being but
twelve years old, had asked them, and posed the doctors in the temple ; and he was then (as he saith) about his Father s business, putting forth then some beams of the Godhead dwelling in him. And now he is before them
in a state of ignominy, and he is asked and examined as a delinquent, as
a malefactor, as a heretic and seditious person; and he is about his Father s
business in this as well as in the former.
And by the way here, afore we come to the particular opening of. these
verses, let us consider who it was that was thus examined. It was he that was the great prophet prophesied of by Moses, that should come into the
world, of whom it was said, that whosoever would not hearken to the words
of that prophet which he should speak, he should surely be put to death.
Clean contrary now, he being come into the world, he is examined as a false
prophet, that they might find cause of putting Mm to death. He that was
the truth itself, is examined and charged with false doctrine. He that was
the prince of peace, and came and preached peace (as it is, Eph. ii. 17), he
is charged with rebellion, and accused to have preached sedition. But, to come to the words.
The high priest then asked Jesus. Then, or therefore. Some translate it
therefore, and so it hath relation to what is said in the 13th and 14th
verses, where John speaks of the high priest, and brandeth him to be the man that gave the first counsel that Christ should die for the people. And now they having resolved to put him to death, therefore the high priest asked him of his doctrine and of his disciples, seeking by questions to ensnare him, that so they might have some plausible ground for his con demnation. Others they translate it then, and so the meaning is this, that
whilst our Lord and Saviour Christ was examining concerning his dis
ciples, then was one of his disciples a-denying of him ; whilst he was called
in question for them, and it was made an occasion of his suffering, then was Peter committing that foul sin. You see the love of our Lord and Saviour Christ.
The high priest asked him ; as being the mouth of that great assembly, the Sanhedrim, of all the elders and the priests who were met together at
his house. For you must know it did belong to the high priest, and to
that assembly of elders, to decide all controversies of doctrine that did
arise, and to make inquiry into heresies and false doctrines, as appears by that place in Deut. xvii. 11-13, therefore now to deal with Christ about
his doctrine, had it been in any thing false or untrue, it had not been unlawful for the high priest to have done it. But see the iniquity of his and their proceedings. They proceed altogether against and without law, for they do not lay any false doctrine to his charge, they bring no witnesses
that this and this he had said, but merely, after the manner of the Inquisi
tion, ask him questions to ensnare him ; whereas there should have been a
complaint made first unto him, and he should have brought forth the evi
dences, and not go and wire-draw (as I may express it) and examine him upon interrogatories, and so to get something from himself; this was alto
gether beyond his commission.
He asked him, it is said, of his doctrine and of his disciples. The scope of the high priest in this question must be a little considered, for that will
252 OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V.
give us light into it ; what end it was that the high priest had in it ; and what end likewise it was that God had in it. The end and scope of the high priest was twofold.
It was first, (as I hinted before), to fish out of Christ whether or no he had taught such doctrine as should come within the compass of that law in Deut. xiii. 5 ; for as I said, this great Sanhedrim, the council of the high
priest, and the rest of his fellows, had especially to do in the case of a false
prophet. Now there, in Deuteronomy, the law is this, If a prophet arise
that shall revolt from the Lord your God (as it is in the margin), teach men to apostatize from God,
* who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and set up any other god, that prophet shall be put to death. Now because
that Christ had set himself up to be a prophet, yea, and more than a pro
phet, to be the Son of God, they would have ensnared him by asking him
questions of what he had taught, that so according to the law they might put him to death as a false prophet. And because that in that law (as appeareth ver. 6), not only a false prophet was thus to be put to death, but
if any one did secretly entice another, saying, Let us go and serve other
gods even as now secretly to persuade any to popery is death by the law of this land, so it was to turn from the true God, or to turn to any other
god ; this the high priest had an eye upon, and would have gathered it out
of Christ himself, as appears by Christ s answer, in which he quits himself from any such practice of enticing any secretly,
* In secret, saith he, have I said nothing.
And, secondly, another end the high priest had was this. They were resolved he should be put to death, and they would therefore fain have
gotten something out of him that should be matter or cause of death, and that by the judgment of Pilate. For you must know that all matters of
controversy in their own law Pilate would not meddle withal ; but if it touched upon anything that concerned the Roman state, either raising of
sedition, or that did touch upon Caesar, denying of him to be king, &c., of that Pilate was exceeding jealous (and that they knew), and about that he
meddled, as being within his cognisance as the Roman governor. You
shall read in Luke xiii., that Pilate had mingled the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifices : he killed a great many of them while they were sacri
ficing. What was the reason ? Pilate did not regard sacrifices nor sacri
ficing, and all the schisms that were in that church Pilate took no notice of them, but he let all the sects amongst them enjoy their liberty ; why doth he kill these Galileans ? Look in Acts v. 37, and you shall find that there was one Judas of Galilee, that, in the days of the taxing, went and drew away much people after him, raised sedition, and taught that it was not lawful to pay tribute and taxes to Ca3sar. This was it that made Pilate to
fall upon a remnant of these Galileans that came up to Jerusalem to wor
ship, and to do it even while they were a-sacrificing. No v, therefore, that which this Caiaphas did fish for was this, to have matter to accuse Christ unto Pilate, for having done as that Judas did, drawa much people after him in a way of sedition. Therefore he tries now if he could get anything that might drop from his own mouth, out of which he might frame an accu
sation ; and therefore the doctrine which he especially aimed in this ques tion was, Whether he were the Son of God or no ? And hence is it that we find in Luke xxiii. 2, when they came to accuse Christ before Pilate, the
thing they urge upon Pilate against him is this, He forbiddeth to pay tribute unto Caasar, saying that he himself is a king ; and (ver. 5), He
stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee
CHAP. X.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 253
to this place. They would insinuate to Pilate that he had gone up and down teaching this doctrine, and gathering disciples after him, to make a head against the Romans, as being king of the Jews. They put all upon this interpretation, and this was it that Caiaphas, in his questioning Christ, fished for ; and thus doth Gerrard interpret the words. And that is the reason that Pilate still saith, he found no cause in the man to put him to death ; for Pilate did not meddle with their controversies concerning mat
ters of their religion, not he ; but if it were a matter of right or wrong, as
Gallio said, a matter of sedition, then he meddled with it. This, I say, was the second thing that Caiaphas aimed at in his asking Christ about his
disciples and his doctrine, namely, to find out, if he could, that he had
taught a doctrine of rebellion, and did go about to draw disciples in a sedi
tious way after him ; which you see is insinuated to be his scope in Christ s answer. You have gone into corners (saith Caiaphas) and into woods, and spread your doctrine in secret, and have taken cunning ways to draw disciples after you. No ; saith Christ, whatsoever I have said I have said publicly ; ask them that heard me what I have delivered, for I
will not accuse myself.
The end that God had in this, why he should be examined about his
disciples and his doctrine, it was,
1. To shew that he should suffer for having disciples, that those whom he died for the owning of them should be part of his crime for which they put him to death. Which is a circumstance mightily setting out the love of Christ unto us.
2, To shew what it was that they chiefly maliced him for, it was for
having disciples, which was the work of his ministry. And yet they them
selves had disciples, for there was nothing more common (as all men know) than for the several sects which were among them (and there were multi tudes of them) to have their several disciples, and liberty was given to them so to do ; jet his disciples, of all the rest, they maliced ; and though they themselves had all the power, yet that vexed them, that he should have any
disciples at all.
And they asked him of his doctrine also, as one that had taught new mat
ters, and had not followed the traditions of the elders in all things, but had corrected them in a great many of their false glosses by which they misin
terpreted the law.
Neither do they ask him at all of his miracles ; not a word of them. Whatsoever made for him, that they meddled not with, but whatsoever might any way make against him, that they might fish anything out of, of that they make inquiry ; for his miracles were they that confirmed him to be the Messiah, and confirmed his doctrine. They asked him of his
doctrine, as that which was contrary to the law of Moses, and as one that
brought in innovations ; and they asked him of his disciples, as one that
brought in sedition ; but that which confirmed the truth of both they speak not a word of. For that is the nature of corrupt men, that which makes for the truth in any cause or business, they let that pass in silence, not a whit of mention of that.
* Believe me, saith he, for my works sake. He still confirmed his doctrine by miracles ; they would not so much as consider of them, but only barely asked him of his disciples and of his doctrine. They asked him of his disciples, and of his doctrine. What is the answer now that Christ makes ? It is not to the matter of what Caiaphas said or asked him. He declareth neither what his doctrine was nor what disciples he had. Only he deals with them warily, as with a
254 OF CHEIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V
cunning adversary, one that was skilful to destroy. He would not go and accuse himself, but refers what he had taught to their proof, for it was matter of fact.
s If I have taught anything, saith he, ask them that heard me. And he answers nothing about his disciples at all, for if what
soever he had taught had been sound and good doctrine, there had been no
guilt in drawing disciples after him. And whereas Caiaphas in his exami
nation did insinuate that he had gone about in a cunning way to draw dis
: he never went about
ciples after him, he clearly wipeth off that challenge
deceitfully to sow tares whilst others slept ; he never enticed any one
secretly to any doctrine which he had not publicly taught, but tells them
that he did always affect publicness, and he expresseth his affectation of
publicness in his doctrine by all sorts of expressions. This in the general. 1 spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the synagogues, and in the
temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret hare I said nothing.
I shall first open the words, and then shew you Christ s scope in this answer of his, as I shewed you their scope in their examination.
First, To open the words. You see our Lord and Saviour Christ answers them fully, and he answers them sharply: I spake openly. The word is
iraolqffia, and it hath a twofold meaning.
1. That for the place where he spake or preached, it was open; so the word is taken, John xi. 54, where it is said, that Jesus walked no more
openly, that is, in public view. I spake openly; that is, I did not seek corners to preach in, or to deliver my doctrine.
2. It signifies that he did speak plainly his mind; he spake out; he did not go about the bush, as we say. So the word is used, John x. 24, If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly (it is the same word that is used here) ;
tell us plainly, with a parresia, with a freedom and plainness, whether thou be the Christ. And they themselves once gave that testimony of him, that he was regardless of any, and cared not who knew his mind ; so Matt. xxii.
* We know thou regardest no man s person, but wilt speak the truth
16,
plainly. So he had ever done. I spake openly ; that is, what was in my heart about the truth, I spake it plainly. And then as he had spoken openly and plainly, so to the world : I spake openly to the world, saith he ; that is, to all sorts of men, for so world is taken. He did not restrain what he taught to a few disciples only, but he
told it to the people also, as the Syriac translation hath it. As when a man
publisheth a book, he publisheth it to the world ; so saith Christ, I spake openly to the world.
And this, saith he, I have ever done. It hath been my custom from the
beginning, as oft as I had any occasion, to speak publicly. It was so at the first; for in Mark i. 21, when he began first to preach, He entered
into the synagogue and taught.
/ ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort.
There were those two places of public preaching, which he took occasion
to preach in, and he instanceth in both. I have taught my doctrine in all the several sorts of public audiences that are amongst the Jews. First, he instanceth in the temple, that is, in Solomon s porch, for that was the
great place where they used to speak to the people ; and therefore when Christ is said by one evangelist to walk in the temple, another saith, he walked in Solomon s porch, whither all the Jews did resort (for so some read this, whither the Jews always resort), or as others, whither the Jews out of all quarters did resort. Which by the way may be an answer to that
CHAP. X.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 255
which is said, that there were such multitude of believers in Jerusalem, that they could not meet all in one place. Certainly there were mighty audiences amongst the Jews, consisting of many thousands, when they came up to the feast, unto whom Christ preached ; therefore at one time
in the feast it is said that Christ (to the end they might all hear) lifted up his voice and cried, He that is athirst, let him come unto me and drink. There they all met, and in that respect he had opportunity to preach to many thousands at once, for all the Jews, it is said, came thither ; and so
that was fulfilled which was spoken of him, Ps. xl. 10, I have not con
cealed thy word from the great congregation.
The synagogues (which he instanceth in likewise) did differ from the
temple thus, that the synagogues they had only moral and natural worship in them, not ceremonial. The temple had ceremonial worship, it was made
principally and especially for that, yet so as that prayer and preaching, &c., was exercised in it too ; but in the synagogues there was only prayer and
preaching, and the moral and natural worship of God, which is to be for
ever, and they were for that use only. Now under the gospel, that which God hath made to be the seat of all worship, it is not so much the imita
tion of the temple or representative worship, but it is the imitation of the
synagogues (for so particular congregations and churches are) ; and there
fore in James ii. 2, If any man come into your congregations (the word
is, into your synagogues ) with a gold ring, &c. And in Heb. x. 25,
* Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together ; it is, assembling together in a synagogue. Yet though, for the matter of it, the congregations now be as the synagogues then, which therefore have only moral worship,
yet for the privileges and for the promises, they are called temples too, the
meetings of the saints in the New Testament are. Every synagogue now, that is, every assembly of the saints, have the promises of the temple made
to it. You are a temple built up to God, saith the apostle, acceptable to him by Jesus Christ. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the
temple. The doctrine which he had to deliver, he hath chosen all sort of
ways to make it public. And he addeth a negation besides. In secret have I said nothing* These words you have spoken of the great God in Isa. xlv. 19, which he that is God applies here unto himself.
But how is it said that he taught nothing in secret ? for in Mark iv. 10, when he was alone, he preached to his disciples. And he made a long sermon here (which John recordeth), at the passover, and he did it when nobody was by but his disciples. And in Mat. xvi. 26, he charged them that they should tell no man that he was the Messiah. And many instances
might be given of his often preaching privately ; how then doth he say,
1 In secret have I said nothing ?
Certainly our Saviour doth not contradict himself or the truth. But this
speech of his doth not refer to the act of preaching only, as if it had been unlawful for him to teach in private, but refers to the matter, I have said
nothing in secret ; that is, I know nothing that ever I have spoken unto
any in private, but I have spoken it publicly ; I was never shy or chary ot my doctrine ; I never feared the face of any man ; neither cared I if all the world heard me, but I have ever declared the mind of God to the full, and done it with all the freedom of mind that could be. And then likewise the
scope of that speech is this, that he had not two sorts of doctrine, which
they would have charged him with ; that he held forth his best doctrine in
public to the world, that so he might gain applause from the people ; and another private doctrine which he reserved to himself, and taught it only to
256 OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V.
his disciples. No ; Christ was so far from it, that if you read that place in Mark iv., and compare the 10th and 21st verses together, you shall find
that though when he was alone he did indeed explain a parable privately to
his disciples, and so make a sermon of it, yet what saith he at the 21st
verse ? Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed ? There is nothing hid which shall not be made manifest. And look in Mat.
x. 26, you shall see his meaning to be this : though I have opened this
parable to you in private, and so preached a sermon privately, yet what I have said in your ear, do you go and preach it on the house-top. So that
Christ professeth the highest plainness and openness that could be, of whatsoever he held, and he had that spirit that scorned to reserve himself, to deliver one thing in private and another in public. And then he had
this third scope also, that he was ready to defend what he had taught, if
there were any man that could lay anything to his charge. I know nothing, said he, that ever I spake in private, but I spake it openly ; therefore if any man can accuse me, I am here ready to defend it. This is the scope of
his speech. Our Lord and Saviour Christ, you see, he doth not answer a word con
cerning his disciples. What was t&ie reason?
1. Because it was lawful for him, according to the custom that was
amongst the Jews, to have disciples. The Pharisees they had so uncon
trolled ; and the Sadducees had so : and you know what great contention there was between those two sects ; so the Essenes, so the Nazarites, so the-
Herodians, and so others. And Christ he might as well justify the one as
they the other.
2. It needed not : for if he could justify his doctrine, he might justify his
having disciples. If his doctrine were sound and true, there was no guilt in this that he had disciples. 3. He would say nothing concerning them, because he would take all
upon himself, he alone would suffer. Others give this reason : because his
disciples had forsaken him, or because he would not betray them, therefore he would not tell who they were. And they observe this from it, that men should not betray others when they are asked of them, as here Christ did not his disciples. But I take the second to be the truer reason, namely, that he standing to the justification of his doctrine, his gathering disciples that makes no crime. There is only this question a little more largely to be insisted upon, whether that all private preaching, that is not in public assemblies, be unlawful ?
1. It is the objection that the papists urged against the churches of Christ
in their first Keformation (as Beza hath it in his sermons upon the passion). They say, saith he, that we preach in chimney-corners. But what saith Calvin ? It is, saith he, a childish argument to go about to prove by this answer of Christ s to Caiaphas, that in some cases men should not preach the word of God in private ; for Christ s scope in this speech is not to jus
tify the lawfulness or unlawfulness either of the one or the other, but only to shew what course he had held, and to rebuke the impudent malice of his
adversaries ; for otherwise Christ had preached not only in the synagogues, but in a ship, and in mountains ; and whenas the Jews went about to sup
press him, you shall find that he withdrew himself with his disciples into a
desert place, and he did so a long time. And the disciples themselves did
the like for fear of the Jews, as in Acts i. 14 and Acts xii. 12.
2. But, secondly ; there is this may be gathered out of it too, as the scope
CHAP. X.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 257
of Christ, and that justly : that no man should go and spread a doctrine
privately, which he will not own and preach publicly, or own before all the world ; for so our Saviour Christ did. It was not but that he taught
privately, and so his apostles did too ; but as they taught privately, so
they did teach also in the temple, and never scrupled to do it. It is the
property of wisdom (as it is Prov. i. 20, 21) to utter her voice in the streets, and to cry in the chief places of concourse, and in the city to utter her words. It is the devil s practice to sow tares in the night whilst men slept. And the apostle, in 2 Tim. iii. 6, speaks of a sort of men that creep into
houses, and pervert silly women. And it is certainly a sign of falsehood, and argues a lie, to conceal men s minds, or to speak that in private which
they will not do in public. Error and falsehood always shun the light. Our Saviour Christ, you see, scorned to speak anything in private, which he had not publicly vented, and he was ready to give an account of it ; and so did the apostles too ; and although they held their meetings, in times of perse cution, privately, yet so as what they preached privately, they did not fear to profess publicly. And it is the genius of the truth, and of them that do
profess it, so to do. The gospel is light, and it seeks no corners, and it
ought to seek no corners, but ought to be spoken publicly ; Acts v. 20, Go, stand and speak in the temple all the words of this life. It was Christ s charge to the apostles.
3. Therefore, in the third place, I remember Beza gives this answer : The papists, saith he, need not object to us, that we seek corners to preach in ; for, saith he, we desire nothing more than all that ever we preach or
hold, to preach it to all the world. And so much now for answer to that
question.
Now, the scope of Christ in this 20th verse (to touch that a little) is this. You see he doth not answer directly to what Caiaphas asketh him ; Caiaphas would have had something that he had taught out of him, that so he might ensnare him, which was against the law ; for by the law he was not thus to
sift him, but to have produced witnesses. Christ therefore tells them that he had taught what he held in public, and so puts them upon the proof, refers them to what he had delivered, which they were (if they counted it
heresy) to bring proof of. And, secondly, if I have disciples, saith he, I have not gathered them by any secret whisperings or creeping into houses, but it hath been by preaching publicly ; and if I have preached anything publicly, and gathered disciples by it, you yourselves may convince me of what I have taught, and here I am to answer it. So that I say, Christ he doth not go to answer punctually to what the high priest asked him, for he would not give that advantage to so cruel an adversary ; but here I am, saith he. They ought to have produced witnesses in a matter of fact as this was. And so much for the 20th verse, the opening of it. I shall open likewise the 21st, and then give you observations out of them altogether.
* Why askest thou me ? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know ichat I said. Our Lord and Saviour Christ, as he had cleared himself in the former words, so here he gives the sharpest reproof, which the high priest to the uttermost deserved, for his unjust proceedings against him ; for they were, according to their law, to prove everything by witnesses. Christ, though he stood at the bar, yet he would shew the greatness of his spirit, he speaks home, you see, and sharply. It became him so to do ; he speaks not rail-
ingly or revilingly, but that which shewed both the injustice of Caiaphas, and that he himself, though he stood there before them as a malefactor, VOL. Y. B
258 OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V.
was not a whit dejected. Do you ask me, saith he ? I never spake any
thing privately, but in public, and if there be a fault in gathering disciples, the fault must lie upon my doctrine ; and if there be anything in my doc
trine, you have the world to witness against me, for I have taught openly in the synagogue and in the temple ; and do you ask me ? And do you begin now to ask me ? Have you not excommunicated my disciples, and made a law that whosoever confesseth me shall be cast out of the syna
gogues, and have cast them out because they followed my doctrine ? As
you never yet refuted my doctrine, and now you bring no witnesses about
it, do you ask me, that have dealt so injuriously with me and my disciples ? And not only so, but you have bound me, and brought me hither to your bar, and have nothing to lay to my charge ; but what I am accused of, you would get out of my own words. Do you ask me in a matter of fact what
I have preached, that so you might ensnare me out of my own sayings ? Do you ask me ? Will you have me to accuse myself ? The law allows me this liberty, not to accuse myself; no man by the law is to be judged without witnesses. Produce them. Why ask you me ? Ask them that heard me.
Obs. It is not irreverence to magistrates to defend ourselves in such
cases as these are. Christ doth not stand upon his points as the Messiah, but as a subject to that state. And men ought to shew great boldness of
spirit in such cases. So the apostles, Acts v., Whether it is better to obey God than man, judge you. And Paul saith, Phil. i. 28, that such bold ness is a token of perdition to the adversaries, and of salvation to the people of God.
Ask them that heard me. This shews his innocency. I do not desire
you, saith he, to ask my friends only ; ask my enemies, the worst I have, any one that hath heard me, that can testify anything ; here I am ready to defend it; if they will frame up any accusation, I will answer it.
Behold, they know what I have said. That same behold hath an emphasis with it. Some interpreters very probably conjecture, that he did point to
their own officers, who had formerly, when they were sent by their masters
to entrap him, given this testimony of him in John vii. 46, that never man spake like him ; and that therefore he did insinuate this in his speech, and perhaps did more largely explain it ; for the Holy Ghost records but the sum of things ; and so now he gives the greatest justification of himself that can be : saith he, your own officers (pointing at them) that stand here
at the bar holding of me, many of those can tell what I have delivered ; I have those to justify me, for they said never man spake as I did, therefore ask them, and never stand asking of me. It is a mighty reproof. I am so
free in myself, and stand so innocent and so resolved in that truth that I have spoken, that let your own servants and ministers be called, and let them speak. And so you have the answer of Christ in this 20th and 21st
verses. I shall now give you some observations, and so conclude this story of Christ s sufferings, which were antecedent to his being scourged, crowned with thorns, and crucified.
Obs. 1. You may observe that the high priest doth not find fault with Christ nor with his disciples, for that they had taught without authority. In another case, when he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple, they asked him,
* By what authority doest thou these things ? But here
they do not lay that to his charge. Certainly they would have silenced him
long afore for his preaching, if it had not been allowable by the custom of that country. The truth is, that though none but the priests and Levites
CHAP. X.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 259-
that were skilful in the law were to preach, yet divers others did, and were*
permitted so to do in that state, if they were gifted. The Pharisees did so,, and so did Paul, who was a Pharisee, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel
,*-. and;
yet he was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Benjamin^ And t Christ himself did not take upon him to preach simply as he was the
Messiah, as holding that forth for his warrant, though that was.warrant
abundantly for him.. And when they eome to condemn him, they do not
quarrel with him for that, but for the matter of his doctrine, whether yea or no he did teaeh these and these points, which they would haye known from himself, and therefore they asked him of his doctrine.
Obs. 2. You see they object no vice against Christ, only his. doctrine to him (for otherwise Christ was innocent), and his having disi
ples>. Observe,
then,, that his professing Christians should herein imitate their ra^^ter, that when they come to suffer, they may no way suffer as evil dpers ; that they may suffer for nothing but the doctrine they have held forth, thedisciples they have kept company with, the profession they have made, that it may be barely and merely the truth of their religion they suffer fort
Obs. 3. Still the great charge in all ages that they go. about to.
Iayr as to
Cbrist, so to his people, it is heresy, and it is sedition. This, they would
have, fastened upon Christ,, charging him with heresy in his doctrine ; with
sedition in gathering disciples to disturb the state, as IDoteudas an<| others that you read of in Acts v* ; and therefore they ask Mm, of his doctrine, and of his disciples, and they would have fetched that outfrom himself, that when he had gathered disciples enow he would presently have rebelled. This they would have made Pilate believe. Both these, heresy andj sedi
tion, in terminis, were laid to Christ s charge.
Obs. 4. In that Christ answers nothing about has disciples, we mayga ther this (which indeed I hinted afore), that if the doctrine be good;,, as. to the having disciples that do embrace it, there is noguilt in that. If Christ had done it seditiously indeed, which was it they endeavoured to lay to his
charge, therein there had been a guilt. Look of what kind thedoctrine is, of that kind the disciples must be. If the doetrine be right, thereis no
danger that disciples embrace it. Therefore Christ, in Mat. xxviii>. 20, bids them make disciples, not to themselves, but to the tru,th,. to ; their
doctrine..
Obs. 5. Observe,, that even these men here accused themselves in accus
ing Christ. There were several of them had several sorts of disciples,, but what themselves went on in and agreed in amongst themselves, that they fall upon Christ for; for this is manifest by all the storiesof the Scripture, and by their own. Rabbins, that in those times it was free to gather disciples. There were three eminent sects among themselves, that still agreed in
temple worship ; there were the Sadducees, that denied the resurrection,
against the Pharisees, and the Pharisees against the Sadducees; there were the Herodians likewise; there were the Esseni; there were the Naza-
rites.. All these were amongst the Jews ; and it is evident that after the time of the Maccabees, yea, after the captivity of Babylon, there was a
permission of great differences in point of doctrine amongst them. Yet when the true Messiah cometh to teach his doctrine, and to make disciples, they fall upon him for that which they themselves practised. Here were many Pharisees here present that were sectaries (that is the truth, on it), but what was a commendation, and tolerable in them one to another,, that must not be suffered in Christ ; for men will bear anything but the truth. They themselves (saith the apostle in the Galatians) would constrain you.
260 OF CHEIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V.
to be circumcised and to keep the law, yet they themselves do not keep the law. It is constantly so in experience ; they that are opposers of the truth
always do so. The papists they suffer a world of differences amongst themselves, they suffer even Jews that are opposite to Christ, and who
blaspheme him ; but any that do profess but the least of protestant doc
trine or worship, how do they oppose them ! The Pharisees, you see, did the like, though there was a world of division amongst themselves, and
they had a liberty to differ in matters of doctrine, and in matters of a high nature too ; yet when it comes to the truth, there they would not permit Christ either to teach any doctrine differing from them, or to have disciples ; which yet they themselves allowed, both in themselves and others.
Obs. 6. Those that were the greatest corrupters of doctrine (for these Pharisees and the high priests were those that had corrupted the doctrine of religion by their traditions, as Christ intimateth often in his speeches), they are they that are here most zealous in the matter of doctrine, who
themselves, I say, had been the greatest corrupters of it, and had drawn in their several ways several disciples after them, as the manner of those times was.
Obs. 7. This very speech of Christ may teach us this., to take heed of
perverting the speeches of men. For this speech of Christ, if you do not take the -scope he aimed at, is subject to perversion. He saith that in secret he had taught nothing. Now all the stories of the evangelists shew that he had taught much in private ; but (as I have shewed you) his mean
ing is this, I have not one kind of doctrine that I teach privately and an other that I teach publicly. He doth not so much refer to the act as to the matter.
Obs. 8. Though they had authority to examine men s doctrines, yet here
lay the evil of their examining Christ, that they should have done it upon complaints first brought before them. It is still as controversies do arise.
It was not that the Sanhedrim went and made so many doctrines unto which they would tie men, and they must preach no other ; that power even those amongst the Jews had not. It was lawful for men to inter
pret the Scripture, and that not only by the rule the Sanhedrim set out ; but indeed if any controversy did arise upon the spreading of a doctrine, then it belonged to their cognisance, as appeareth by Deut. xvii. If a
false prophet arise, and if there were any controversy between blood and
blood, case and case, or interpreting Scripture, the thing was to be referred unto them, and it was examinable by that council. But that men should be limited in their doctrine to what all the councils in the world should
say, this is not the rule. It was not the rule among the Jews themselves, although that Sanhedrim had that authority which no council ever had since the world began, for it was by divine institution. Therefore, I say, they do not find fault with him because he had not come to know what doctrine he should teach as from them, but that he taught a doctrine con
trary to God s law. They indeed acted beyond their authority, to proceed by way of examination ; they should have done it by way of charge. Obs t 9. You see the freeness of truth and innocency ; it is able to appeal even unto enemies, unto any, to defend itself. And therefore as we should so preach, so we should so walk, as we may freely and boldly appeal unto
any, for so Christ doth here : Ask them that heard me, saith he. Obs. 10. Oftentimes doctrines and opinions are condemned by prejudice, and upon hearsay only. This Caiaphas and many of those rulers, they had not heard Christ; no, the greatness of their places kept them from
CHAP. X.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 261
that, as oftentimes great places keep men from the means, from that which
should save them ; but their officers heard him, and by the report of mali
cious and malignant spirits, Caiaphas and the rest were thus informed.
Obs. 11. Lastly, it is the law of G-od, and indeed the law of nature and
equity, that there should not be an oath ex officio ; that is, that men should not be proceeded against, either in church or otherwise, by a bare exami nation of themselves, till such time as witnesses have brought an accusa
tion against them. As in Acts xxv. 27, It seems to me unreasonable (it was the speech of a heathen) to send a^ prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him. That rule which is given concerning an elder
is true concerning every brother also, though the instance is only in an
elder, as one whose credit should be more than another s : 1 Tim. v. 19, Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three wit nesses. I do observe this difference, my brethren, and it is very notable: when afterward the high priest doth examine Christ of this truth, whether he was the Messiah, and when he was punctually asked whether he was the Son of God or no, he answers plainly, I am. But when he would ex amine him about matter of fact, not about the matter so much what he
taught, as that he had taught thus and thus, which might be proved by witnesses, then Christ referreth it to witnesses, and would not answer him
self. And the reason of the difference to me holds forth this great truth, that no man is to refuse if he be positively asked whether he hold this or that opinion or no. Or if he be asked an account of his faith, or demanded what his judgment is in such or such a thing, he is freely to tell it, espe
cially if they that ask him have authority. It is a thing in which Christ s example is held forth to Timothy by the apostle Paul, that he witnessed a good confession before Pilate and the high priest, 1 Tim. vi. 13. A man
is to give an account of his faith to any that will ask him ; let him look to it
though, whether it be to ensnare him or no. But if any shall come and say, I preached such a thing, which is matter of fact (for as it is preached it is matter of fact), and there are witnesses that can clear whether I did or no, in that case the way is not to proceed by examination of me, but to pro duce the witnesses, and so to proceed ; for no man is bound, in matter of
fact, to accuse himself. This I take to be the difference of Christ s answer in this, when the high priest examined him about his doctrine, that is, asked him whether he had not preached thus or thus ; saith Christ, If I have preached thus or thus, prove it ; there are witnesses enough, I refer
myself to them ; I will never tell you what I have preached
: go to them that heard me, and bring them hither, and then examine me, and I shall
give you an answer. But when he came positively to ask him whether he held this or no, whether he was the Messiah, he answered clearly and
plainly ; for no man is to refuse to give an account of his faith, though it
endanger his life, if he be called to it. But for matter of fact, whenas it may be proved by witnesses (and all such things may be proved by wit
nesses, though it be matter of doctrine), a man is not to accuse himself.
It was the proceeding in that great oath that you are now freed from, which, as it was a great oppression, so it is a great mercy to this kingdom that it is taken away.* And whereas they used to allege that Christ accused himself, the case is different ; it was not what he had preached in
* There were many oaths imposed in those times ; but I suppose the reference is to the oath imposed by the. Convocation in 1640 (sometimes called the Et Cetera
Oath), and declared illegal by the Parliament in 1641. See Kapin s History, vol. ii.
pp. 321 and 380, or any other history of the period. ED.
262 OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK V.
matter of fact, but in matter of opinion and judgment. But as to the matter of fact,
* Ask them that heard me. And this is the law of nature, and this is the law of the Jews ; and this was Christ
* Askest thou me ? saith he.
1 s dealing with a cunning and wary adversary that sought his
life ; and this, you see, he stands to. I have taught, saith he, where all the Jews come ; I have taught in the temple, taught in the synagogues, taught before all the world ; and now have you brought me hither, having bound
me, and cast me and my disciples out of the synagogues, and ask me what
! Here was the ^most unjust and unequal proceeding in
I have preached
the world ; yet thus they did with Christ, and the disciple is not above his
master.