a

ed and faid, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37. And Jefus faid unto him, Thou haft both feen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38. And he faid, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. 39. And Jefus faid, (1) For judgment I am come into this world: that they which fee not, might fee; and that they which fee, might be made blind. 40. And fome of the Pharifees which were with him, heard thefe words, and faid unto him, Are we blind alfo? 41. Jefus faid unto them, If ye were blind, ye fhould have no fin: but now ye fay, We fee; there fore your fin remaineth.

C

b

Erily verily I fay unto you, He that entreth not by the door into the fheepfold, but climbeth up fome other way, the fame is a thief and a robber. 2. But he that entreth in by the door, is the fhepherd of the sheep. 3. To him the porter openeth; and the fheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own fheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And when he putteth forth his own fheep, he goeth before them, and the fheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5. Ánd a ftranger will they not follow, but will

Joh. 5. 22, 27. The Father judgeth no Man; but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son : And hath given him Authority to execute judgment alfo, becaufe he s is the Son of Man. See Joh. 3. 17. God fent not his Son into the World to condemn the World; but that the World through him might be faved. Joh. 12. 47. If any Man 1o hear my Words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the World, but to fave the World.

ΙΟ

flee

I to them in Parables, becaufe they Seeing, fee not: and hearing, they hear not, neither do they underftand.

+ See on Joh. 15. 22. d See on Ver. 9.

e Acts 20. 28. Take heed therefore to your felves, and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you Overfeers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his Blood.

f Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me, for I am Meek and lowly in

Mat. 13. 13. Therefore fpeak 15 Heart.

(1) The Senfe of thefe Words feems to be this: For judgment am 1 come into this World, that is, to declare and manifeft the juft Judgment and Providence of God, which, contrary to the vain Opinions of Men, appears in this, that they which fee not; that is, thofe who are ignorant, and fenfible of their Ignorance, and defirous to have it removed, way fee; and that they which fee, that is, vainly think they fee, and know enough already, and therefore fhut their Eyes against the Light, might be made blind; that is, be left in Darkness. What the Word that often fignifies, fee the Note on Joh. 12, 38.

1

11.

flee from him for they know not the voice of ftrangers. 6. This Parable fpake Jefus unto them: but they underftood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7. Then faid Jefus unto them again, Verily verily I fay un to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8. All that ever came before me, are thieves and robbers: but the fheep did not hear them. 9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he fhall be faved, and fhall go in and out, and find i pasture. 10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to deftroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good fhepherd: the good fhepherd giveth his life for the fheep. 12 But he that is an m hireling, and not the hepherd, whofe own the theep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf Dd 4 catchfhall feed them, even my Servant David; he fhall feed them, and he fhall be their Shepherd. Ezek. + 37. 24. David my Servant fhall be King over them: and they all fhall have one Shepherd: they fhall alfo walk in my Judgments, and obferve my Statutes, and do them, Mich 5.4. He fhall ftand and feed in the Strength of the Lord, in the Majefty of the Name of the Lord his God, and they fhall abide: for now fhall he be great unto the Ends of the Earth. + Heb. 13. 20. Now the God of Peace, that

名

Joh. 14.6. Eph. 2. 8. See

on 1 Tim. 2. 5.

Rom. 5. 1. Being juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift. 5 Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore, Brethren, boldness to enter into the Holieft by the Blood of Jefus.

Pfal. 23. 1, 2. The Lord is my Shepherd, I fhall not want: he maketh me to lie down in green Pafures: he leadeth me befide the ftill Waters.

*Joh. 1. 16. Of his Fulness have all we received, and Grace for 15 Grace. 2 Pet. 1.3, 4. According as his divine Power hath given us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness, through the Knowledge of him, that hath called us to Glory and Vertue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promifes; that by these you might be partakers of the divine Nature, having efcaped the Corruption that is in the World through Luft.

20

25

*Ifa. 40. 11. He hall feed his Flock like a Shepherd: he fhall gather the Lambs with his Arm, and carry them in his Bofom, and fhall 30 gently lead thofe that are with young. Ezek. 34. 23. I will fet up one Shepherd over them, and he

brought again from the Dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the Sheep.- I Pet. 2. 25. Ye were as Sheep going aftray; but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls. Pet. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd fhall appear, ye fhall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.

I

m Phil. 2. 21. All feek their own, not the things which are Jefus Chrifts.

n + Zech. 11. 16, 17. I will raise up a Shepherd in the Land, which fhall not vifit thofe that be

cut off, neither fhall feek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth ftill!

but

с

2 catcheth them, and scattereth the fheep. 13. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14. I am the good fhepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father and (1) I lay down my life for the fheep. 16. And other fheep I have, which are not of this fold: them alfol must bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and there fhall be one fold, and f one fhepherd. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18.

but he fhall eat the Flesh of the Fat, and tear their Claws in Pieces. Wo to the idle Shepherd that leaveth the Flock.

a

Acts 20. 29. I know this, that after my departing fhall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the Flock.

b Ver 27. Ezek. 34. 11. Thus faith the Lord God, Behold, I, e- 10 ven I will both fearch my Sheep and feek them out † 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless, the Foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth them that 15 are his.

ct Mat. 11. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no Man knoweth the Son but the Father: neither knoweth any Man 20 the Father, fave the Son, and he to whomfoever the Son will reveal him.

Ifa. 56. 8. The Lord God, which gathereth the out-cafts of If-25 fael, faith, Yet will I gather others to him, befide thofe that are ga

thered unto him.

No

f Hof. 1. 11. Then fhall the Children of Judah, and the Children of Ifrael be gathered together, and appoint themfelves one Head, and they fhall come up out of the Land.

* Ifa. 53. 7, 8, 12. He was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his Mouth. For the Tranfgreffion of my People was he fmitten. Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the great, and he fhall divide the Spoil with the Strong:

(1) The plain Meaning of this Place is, that thofe who obey the Voice of Chrift, and fubmit to the Terms and Conditions on which Salvation is offered to them, fhall partake of the Benefits of his Death. This is evident from what our Lord fays of his Sheep, Ver. 4. that they follow him, and know his Voice. It was cuftomary for Shepherds in that Country to go before and lead their Flocks, not to drive them before them, as we do. Thofe, who from this, and fuch like Expreffions, would limit the Death of Chrift to a few particular Perfons only, interpret them in a Senfe which contradi&ts other plain Scriptures, which affure us, that Chrift died for all, 2 Cor. 5. 15. that he would have all Men to be faved, Tim. 2. 4. and that he tafted Death for every Man, Heb. 2. 9. If any there. fore mifs of Salvation, it must be through their own fault.

k

m

21. O

hath a de

32. 405. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to i take it again. This (1) commandment have I received of my Father. 19. There was a divifion therefore again among the Jews for these fayings. 20. And many of them said, He hath a Devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? thers faid, These are not the words of him that vil: "Can a devil open the eyes of the blind. 22. And it was at Jerufalem the P feaft of the dedication, and it was winter. 23. And Jefus walked in the temple in a Solomons porch. 24. the Jews round about him, and faid unto him, How long doft thou * make us to doubt [Or, hold us in fufpence]? If thou be the Chrift, tell us plainly. 25. Jefus anfwered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I

+ Exod. 4. 11. And the Lord faid unto him, Who hath made Man's Mouth, or who maketh the Dumb, or Deaf, or the Seeing, or the Blind, have not I the Lord? + Pfal. 94. 9. He that planted the Ear, fhall he not hear or he that formed the Eye,fhall he not fee? † Pfal. 30

Year of our
Lord

33.

Then came

do

146. 8. The Lord openeth the Eyes of the Blind: the Lord raifeth them that are bowed down.

• + Joh. 9. 6, 7.

P

*

1 Mac. 4. 59. Moreover Judas and his Brethren, with the whole Congregation of Ifrael, ordain'd, that the Days of the Dedication of the Altar fhould be kept in their Scafon from year to year, by the Space of eight Days, from the five and twentieth Day of the Month Cafleu, with Mirth and Gladness.

9 + Acts 3. 11. As the lame Man which was healed held Peter and John, all the People ran together unto them in the Porch, which is called Solomons, greatly wondering. A&s 5 -They were all with one accord in Solomons · Porch.

12.

† Ver. 38. † Joh. 5. 36. I have a greater Witnefs than that of John; for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish, the fame Works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath fent me.

(1) Grotius notes that thefe Words, This Commandment have I received of my Father, refpect not the raifing of his Body, but only the laying down of his Life, or his dying for the Sheep.

с

St. JOHN X. do in my Fathers name, they bear witnefs of me. 26. But ye believe not; becaufe ye are not of my fheep, as I faid unto you. 27. My fheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28. And I give unto them eternal ́life, and they fhall (1) never perifh, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. 30. "I and my Father are one. 31. Then the Jews took up ftones again to ftone him. 32. Jefus answered them, Many good works have I fhewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye ftone me?

i

† Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God, heareth God's Words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

b Ver. 3, 4, 14.

• See on Mat. 16. 24.

e

5

dt Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father hath given me,fhall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. tJoh. 17, 11, 10 12. Holy Father, keep through thy Name thofe whom thou haft given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the World, I kept them in thy 15 Name: thofe that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is loft but the Son of Perdition.

Joh. 18. 9. Of them that thou gaveft me I have loft none. Mat. 20 16. 18.The Gates of Hell fhall mot prevail against it. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation.Jude ver. 1.-To them that are 25 fanctified by God the Father, and

33.

preferved in Jefus Chrift, and called. etJoh. 14. 28. -My Father is greater than 1.

Joh. 17.7, 9. They have known that all things whatfoever thou haft given me, are of thee.- I pray not for the World, but for them thou haft given me. Mat. II. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father.

Wifd. 3. 1. The Souls of the Righteous are in the Hands of God, and there fhall no torment touch them. Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thy Hand.

ht Joh. 17. 11, 22. Holy Father, keep through thine own Name those whom thou haft given me, that they may be one, as we are. The Glory which thou gaveft me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as we are one. iSee on Joh. 8. 59.

k

Eccl. 4. 4. Again I confider ed

(1) Our Bleffed Lord does not fay, they fhall never perish through any Fault of their own; but that they continuing in his Fold, and to be his Sheep, they fhall never perifh through any defect of his, or by reafon of any want of Power in him; for he is Stronger than all their Enemies, and his Father who gave them to him is greater than all their Ad verfaries; and therefore none are able to pluck them out of his Hands. But that his Sheep may fray out of his Fold, and put themselves from under his Protection, is manifeft from the Cautions given to them to be circumfpect and watchful, and to take heed left they fall, I Cor. 10. 12. and the Exhortations to continue in his Goodnefs, Rom. 11. 22. and to look to themselves that they lofe not thofe things which they have wrought, 2 Ep. of Job. ver. 8. Thefe are mighty Motives to diligence and watchfulness in our fpiritual Concerns.