immediately (as the three Evangelifts exprefly obferve) to teach them what things the Son of Man fhould fuffer, and that he fhould rife the third Day. Confider now what was the Connexion between St. Peter's Confeffion, and the Prediction of the Sufferings and Refurrection of Christ, which so closely followed it. The Disciples had preached the Approach of the Kingdom, had found, by the Powers beftowed on them, what Power their Master had; and our Lord now perceived upon the Confeflion of Peter, that they took him to be the Chrift. He well understood what Confequences this Notion would produce; he knew the Opinion of the Jews in general, and of the Difciples too, was, That Chrift abideth for ever §. and was to be fubject to no Power, but to exercise Power and Dominion without End, which they likewife apprehended to be temporal Power and Dominion. Our Lord, who took all proper Occafions to difclaim temporal Power, found it neceffary now to guard the Conduct of his Difciples, who were very likely to give Umbrage to the Jews, by the Hopes they conceived themselves of feeing their Mafter a great temporal Prince. To prevent these ill Effects, he charges them in the first Place to tell no Man, that he was the Chrift; for fuch open Declaration to the People, confidering what Notion they had of the Chrift they ex * John xii. 34. pected pected, would have amounted to a Claim of temporal Power. In the next place, to moderate the Expectations of his Disciples, and to beat down the Pride and Vanity, which would naturally arise from them, he tells them he was to fuffer many things, and even Death itself; but at the fame time, to keep them from abfolute Despair, he gives them to underftand that he should rise again. This Doctrine he began to teach upon the Occafion mentioned, as the Evangelists particularly remark, intimating that it was frequently repeated and inculcated. So little were the Disciples prepared to receive it, that St. Peter rebuked his Master for talking about suffering ; Be it far from thee, Lord; This fhall not be unto thee h. Which explains another Paffage in the following Chapter, very much abufed by the Confiderer, where our Saviour foretells again, The Son of Man fhall be betrayed into the Hands of Men. They fhall kill him, and the third Day he fball rife again; and they were exceeding forrowful. He fubjoins to this a Paffage from St. Mark, where our Saviour tells the Difciples, the Son of Man must be killed, and, after he is killed, he fhall rife the third Day: and they understood not that Saying . Hear now the Confiderer; 'Tis equally strange, fays he, that h Matt. xvi. 22. i Matt. xvii. 22, 23. * Mark ix. they Confider now; it was the general and firm Perfuafion of all the Jews, of the Rulers and Difciples equally, that the Chrift, whenever he came, was to abide for ever; to be a Prince of Power, to fubdue his and his Country's Enemies with uninterrupted Success. This Propofition therefore, that the Chrift fhould die, according to the Jewish Notion, contained an abfolute Abfurdity. Now the Difciples were ftrong in this Opinion, that Jefus was the Chrift; they were confirmed in it by every fresh Instance of Power and Authority which they faw him exert. Our Lord was fenfible how this Opinion would operate, and therefore, from the Time that he found they believed him to be the Chrift, he began to preach to them, what he was to fuffer, and that he was to die and rife again. How they received these Declarations, appears from St. Peter's rebuking our Lord for making them, and from many other Inftances which need not be particularly referred to. Add to this, that all their Hopes, all their Expectations depended on their Master's being a powerful Prince. So that to think of his dying was contrary to all they believed of Chrift, and contrary to all they hoped for themselves. To overcome all their Prejudices and all their Paffions at once was more than they were able to do. The Prophecies fpoke fo plainly of the Sufferings of Chrift, that they were furprised and afflicted to hear them; but how to understand them they knew not, because taken literally they appeared inconfiftent with the Faith they had profeffed, that Jefus was the Chrift. As little did they apprehend what rifing dgain meant; and how should they understand it? Since they could not conceive how he could dye, they could have no Notion how, or in what Manner, he could rife. Poffibly they thought there was something mysterious in it. It was usual with their Master to discourse them, as well as the Multitude, in Parables; and to ufe common Expreffions in a Sense that was hidden and mysterious. They had been long accustomed to this Sort of Language, and had frequently been puzzled with it. When he bade them to beware of the Leaven of the Pharifees; they had little Doubt about the Meaning of fo common a Phrase, but the Matter they quite miftook. And when he was in the Temple, difputing with the Jewish Doctors, he said he was about his Father's Bufinefs; the literal Senfe of the Words was obvious enough, but the Meaning was not understood. He told his Disciples at another Time, that he had Meat to eat, which they knew not of; not meaning, as they were ready to understand it, common Food, but fomething of quite another Na ture. Thus when our Lord talked to his Disciples of suffering and dying, though fuch Language 2 Matt. xvi. 6. Luke ii. 49. * John iv. 32. at at the first must needs alarm and afflict them, yet it was according to their Notions impoffible to be true in the literal Senfe. What then was more natural than to conclude, that their Master had some hidden Meaning? We have a plain Inftance of this in a like Cafe. The Jews looked upon a Man as defiled, that had eaten with unwashed Hands; but our Saviour tells the Scribes and Pharifees, Not that which goeth into the Mouth defileth a Man, but that which cometh oute. What Words could be plainer? But the Thing being fo opposite to Jewish Maxims and Practice, the Disciples no more understood how it could be, than how the Meffias could fuffer and dye; and therefore Peter defires his Mafter to declare unto them the Parable. Thefe Prepoffeffions continued 'till after the Refurrection. When their Lord was crucified, all their Hopes dyed with him; and when he was risen again, it was fome Time before they could credit their own Eyes, and be perfuaded that they really beheld him. As strange as this may appear to the Confiderer, I can fee nothing unnatural in it. Suppofe now this Account of the Disciples Want of Understanding to be true, it fhews indeed their Honefty and Sincerity in reporting it fairly. But fuppofe (as the Confiderer supposes) that it is all forged, I would fain ₫ Matt. xv. 11. * 15. I 2 know |