Matthew 11

O be thankful that we are born in such a climate where the light of the Gospel has shined! To have the knowledge of the true God, is more than if we had mines of gold, rocks of diamonds, islands of spices, especially if God has savingly revealed himself to us, if he has given us…

That God should call you when you were in the hot pursuit of sin, admire God's love, exalt his praise. Again, that God should call you, and pass by others, what mercy is this? (Matthew 11:26) Even so Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. That God should pass by the wise a…

The lamb's innocency will not preserve it from the wolf. John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, yet they say he has a devil (Matthew 11:18). Slandering Job calls the scourge of the tongue (Job 5:21).

(Isaiah 59:15) Truth fails; truth on earth does, but not truth in heaven: God can as well cease to be God, as cease to be true. Has God said he will be good to the soul that seeks him (Lamentations 3:25), he will give rest to the weary (Matthew 11:28)? Here is a safe anchor hold…

God needed not to adopt us, he did not want a Son: God did not want a Son, but we did a Father; God showed power in being our Maker, but mercy in being our Father: when we were enemies, and our hearts stood out as garrisons against God, that he should conquer our stubbornness, a…

(Mark 10:19) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Do not steal. This is not the violence which takes the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 11:12). (2.) The house-thief, who purloins and filches out of his master's cash, or steals his wares and drugs.

Christ was the most innocent upon earth, yet was reported to be a friend of sinners. John Baptist, a man of a holy austere life, yet they said of him, He had a devil (Matthew 11:18). The Scripture calls slandering, smiting with the tongue.

Never was there such a pattern of amazing kindness. Christ bids us learn of him (Matthew 11:29); he does not bid us learn of him to work miracles, but he would have us learn of him to forgive our enemies. If we do not imitate Christ's life, we cannot be saved by his death.

That God should consecrate any heart, and anoint it with grace, is an act of pure love. That he should pluck one out of the state of nature, and not another, must be resolved into free grace (Matthew 11:26): Even so Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. This will increase…

Q. What is the work of Christ as a Prophet? A. To reveal and make known to his people the counsel and will of God (Deuteronomy 18:18; John 1:18; John 4:25; John 15:15; Matthew 11:27). Q. How does he this?

Q. What follows hereupon? A. Hereby the soul feeling itself to be utterly lost is further and more kindly broken and humbled (Luke 19:10; Isaiah 61:1, 2, 3; Matthew 11:20; Zechariah 12:10). Q. What else is done by the Gospel in the working of faith?

Q. What was the cause of God's decrees? A. The cause that moved him to decree was nothing foreseen in the creature, but his own will and good pleasure (Romans 9:11, 18; Matthew 11:25, 26). But since some are appointed by the decree of God to damnation, if his will be the cause o…

So that phrase (Ephesians 6:12) 'we wrestle with spiritual wickednesses in heavenly things' is rather to be understood of 'heavenly things' than of 'heavenly places' — the word signifying rather supracelestial, in the highest heavens, where (if rendered of places) the devils nev…

John 6:47. He that believes in me has life everlasting. Matthew 11:28. Come to me all you that are weary and laden, and I will ease you. Mark 16:16. He that shall believe and be baptized, shall be saved: but he that will not believe shall be damned.

These words must not be understood absolutely and simply, but with limitation. For many places of Scripture are spoken simply, which must be understood with respect: as when it is said, Matthew 11.18, John came neither eating nor drinking, that is not, eating nothing at all, but…

First, because it was not revealed to him, though John sent two of his disciples to demand of him, whether it were he that should come, or shall we look for another. Christ answers, "Go tell John, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor the Gospel is prea…

So that it is not in him that is learned, nor in him that is unlearned, to discover the mystery of iniquity, by which Antichrist has filled the Temple so full of smoke, that no man can see how to enter into it, until God enlighten him; which caused the Lord Jesus in the days of…

Hence I find it written (John 1:11), Jesus came to his own, but his own received him not, that is, for the Christ, that Messiah which was to come: but only for the Carpenter's son (Matthew 13:58). The reason was, because none could understand that Mystery: but they only to whom…

That so are all the commands of Christ to believers, the whole system of his precepts, whether for moral obedience or worship, himself declares. Take my yoke upon you, says he, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls; for my yoke…

This he could not have done, had he withdrawn himself from all communication with them. Yes, he condescended to them beyond the legal austerities of the Baptist (Matthew 11:18, 19). Hence those who of old pretending more than ordinary holiness and devotion did withdraw themselve…

So he says of himself, No man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven (John 3:13). His ascension into heaven in this place, which preceded the actual ascension of his humane nature, is nothing but his admission into th…

For this cause God saw it necessary, and it pleased him to put a grievous and heavy yoke upon them, to subdue the pride of their spirits, and to cause them to breathe after deliverance. This the Apostle Peter calls a yoke that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear (Ac…

Hence under the Old Testament the days of the Messiah were called the world to come, as we have shown (chapter 2:5). And it was a periphrasis of him, that he was [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] (Matthew 11:3), he that was to come. And the faith of the Church was principally exercised…

Hence [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], he that was to come, was the name whereby they expressed their faith in him. [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩]; Matthew 11:3. Are you he who is to come?

Faith or believing is a coming to God. So Christ calling us to faith in him, calls us to come to him (Matthew 11:28). And unbelief is a refusal to come to him, You will not come to me that you may have life.

Herein lies the greatest part of that yoke which the Apostle Peter affirms that neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear (Acts 15:10). Which the Lord Christ gives us deliverance from (Matthew 11:27, 28, 29, 30).

3. The season of his speaking these words in the manner declared, was, on his coming into the World; therefore coming (or when he cometh) into the World, he says, [in non-Latin alphabet], veniens or venturus; when he was to enter into the World, when the design of his future com…

Despise not the saints for their worldly poverty, but honor them for their virtue; we esteem of a ruby or diamond, though it be in the dust. John Baptist was girt with a leather girdle, yet he was more than a prophet (Matthew 11:9). He was honored to usher in the King of Glory i…

Again, God's people are well styled a called people, because they are so many ways called: from self to Christ, from sin to holiness, from misery to happiness and glory. They are called from self to Christ (Matthew 11:28): Come to me all you that are heavy laden. The main end of…

Secondly God in making promise of salvation respects not men's worthiness. For he chose us to life everlasting when we were not: he redeemed us from death being enemies: and entitles us to the promise of salvation, if we acknowledge ourselves to be sinners (Matthew 9); if we lab…

Means 5. Shame yourselves by setting before you those eminent patterns who have been most excellent for meekness. Above all, compare your spirits with the spirit of Christ: 'Learn of me,' says he, 'for I am meek and lowly' — Matthew 11:29. Christ was meek and lowly, but I am pro…

Matthew 11.19. The last clause of the Verse. — But wisdom is justified of her children. THE particle But commands your reflection upon the foregoing words and verses, wherein our Savior describes the humors and manners of that generation, which he does two ways, 1. Allegorically…

There be but few that seek it, and yet fewer that find it, but fewest of all that enter in at it. But how does all this agree with Matthew 11:30, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light," and 1 John 5:3, "His commandments are not grievous"? I answer.

1. All power of government is given to Christ. (Matthew 11:27) All things are delivered to me of my Father. And the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son; (John 5:22) that is, the whole government and administration of affairs.

But that it can happen, with respect to the outcome, that which God from eternity willed not to happen — that has not yet been proved. That it is not actually preached to many, nor ever was preached in former times, Scripture ascribes to the will of God (Psalms 147:19, 20; Matth…

Hence He was called "the Coming One." Such is the sense of the question of John (Matthew 11:3): "Are you the Coming One?" — and He had been desired from Adam onward: "the Desire of all nations" (Haggai 2:7). At the appointed time, therefore — that is, when the time destined for…

For when sinners, burdened with the sense of their sins and of divine wrath, strive to flee to divine mercy, they do not at once feel themselves embraced with favor and grace, but rather feel themselves sent far away by God as unworthy — lest, by Satan's craftiness — who most ea…

For the first, the causes why so few believe the Gospel, we cleared to you already, that generally the powerful preaching of the Gospel has been with little fruit, so that Isaiah has this sad complaint, Lord, who has believed our report? And our Lord Jesus has it also on the mat…

I will take one of a city, and two of a family, and bring you to Zion, says the Lord; it's two or three in the corner of a parish, or in the end of a town, to speak so, who are converted, and the rest are suffered to lie in black nature. If the reason thereof be inquired after,…

And how was he esteemed, or rather disesteemed and undervalued at his death; so that it is said (Acts 3:14), they denied the holy and just one, and desired that a murderer should be granted to them; they rejected the Prince of Life, and chose Barabbas; and judging him not worthy…

So that that question needs not now to be proposed — are you he that should come, or do we look for another? Go, says Christ (Matthew 11:4-6), and tell John, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and th…

The elect were God's people when Christ did undertake and engage for them, and in this respect election is a fountain-grace, and Christ's death is not the cause of election though it be the cause of all the benefits that follow upon it. 3. It is free in respect of God's absolute…

But to them that desire further clearness or confirmation in this concerning business, we shall speak a little, yet you must know, that it's such a thing as is impossible to be made plain to a proud-humored or unhumbled sinner, it's the poor humbled soul that will take it up, an…

2. Why else are all the promises and encouragements that are given to sinners to believe? As that of Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all you that labor and are heavy laden," etc. And that of 2 Corinthians 5:20, where both are put together: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though Go…

That is, that you might be declared to be so. And, Matthew 11:19: Wisdom is justified of her children. 2. We will find this meaning of the word to be clear, if we consider justification, as distinguished from sanctification, for in that Popish sense, they are both made one and t…

It's either a most inconceivable condition, beyond what others who have not heard the gospel, will come under, if the offer be slighted, or eternal salvation, if it be embraced. Woe to you Chorazin, woe to you Bethsaida (says the Lord, Matthew 11:21-22.) For if the mighty works…

And this (Isaiah 5:6) is called a taking hold of God's covenant; it is an actual committing of ourselves to him, that we may win to peace, or a leaning on him; as suppose one were to rest upon a staff, it does not only imply the effect, his having of ease, but also, and firstly,…

That though the Lord stretched out His hands all day long, yet it was to a rebellious and gainsaying people. Look forward, and see what our Lord says of John the Baptist, and of Himself (Matthew 11): "To what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the mark…

The great ground that makes God expostulate with the hearers of the Gospel, and that makes them come under the complaint, (John 5:40) "You will not come to me that you may have life," and (Matthew 23:37) "How often would I have gathered you, and you would not;" and for substance…

A 3rd symptom of not making use of Christ's Intercession is when folk have too much anxiety, which is a fault that a believer may easily fall in, when he has no ground from himself to propose to God for a hearing, and when he cannot answer his own challenges, and is therefore di…