Matthew 17

ANd after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart.

And was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the Sun, and his rayment was white as the light. Both Mark and Luke have recorded this History. Mark 9.2, 3. Mark says. His Rayment became shining exceeding white, as Snow, so as no Fuller on Earth can white them, Luke says, Ch. 9.28. And it came to pass, about Eight Days after these sayings, he took Peter, and John, and James, and went up into a Mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his Countenance was altered, and his Rayment was White, and Glistering. All three agree the place. Upon a Mountain, Matthew says it was six, Luke says eight Days a ter the preceeding Discourses. Luke mentioneth our Lords praying, which neither of the other mentioneth, and says his Transfiguration began whilst that he was praying. They all agree the Company that was with our Saviour. Peter, Iames and Iohn (which were the three our Saviour took with him, when he went to pray be ore his Pa sion, Matth. 26.37.) Peter was to be a great In rument in carrying on the Works of the Gospel. Iames was he whom Herod killed, Acts 12.2. Iohn was he who outlived all the Apostles, he intended to have these three Witnesses of his Agony, Matth. 26.37. he prepareth them for that, and for the future Testimony they were to give him, by making them Eye Witnesses of this his Glorious Transfiguration. This as to his Person lay in the Change of his Countenance looking gloriously as the Sun, and his Rayment looking extraordinarily white.

And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with them.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here, if thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. Mark adds, Ch. 9.6. For he wist not what to say, for they were afraid, Luke addeth, Chap. 9.30.31. who appeared in Glory, and spake of his discease, which he should accomplish at Ierusalem. But Peter, and they that were with him, were heavy with Sleep, and when they were awake, they saw his Glory, and the two Men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Iesus, Master, it is good for us to be here, &c.—not knowing what he said. So as the History seemeth o be thus. After six or eight Days, Christ took Peter, Iames, and Iohn and went up into a Mountain, and Prayed, while he Praye his Disciples fall asleep, Waking, they saw him with his Face shining gloriously, like the Sun, and his Garments white as Snow, and two Men talking with him about his Death and Passion, whom they (by Revelation) knew to be Moses and Elias. They were sore afraid, and Peter not well knowing, or considering what he said, says to Christ, Master! It is good for us to be here. Let us make here three Tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, one for Elias. It is most likely, That Moses and Elias appeared in their own Bodies; as to Elias, there was no difficulty, for his Body was taken up to Heaven in a Fiery Chariot; for Moses, it is said, the Lord buried him in a Valley, in the Land of Moab, over against Beth Peor, but no Man knoweth of his Sepulcher to this Day, Deut. 34.6. The Devil and the Archangel had a dispute about his Body, Iude 9. it is very Probable, God raised up the Body of Moses, for this Transfiguration-testimony, That by the Law, and the Prophets, represented in Moses (the giver of the Law) and Elias one of the most famous of the Prophets, the Disciples might be confirmed in their Faith concerning Christ, as the true Messias, and also fortified against the Scandal and Temptation of that Ignominious Death, which he was soon after to undergo; and that these three Apostles, being the highest Number of Witnesses, by the Law of Moses, to confirm a thing, might be judged Competent Witnesses of what they saw, and heard. Do not think Peters saying, Let us Build here three Tabernacles, &c. proceeded, from any Pleasure or Satisfaction that he had from this Glymps he had of the Divine and excellent Glory, for how could this consist with that fear, with which Mark says, they were possessed? but that as Mark says, He wist not what to say, or (as Luke) not knowing what he said. Which I take to be, as a reasonable, so the b st excuse can be made for the Errors, and Weakness discovered in his Speech, as if Moses & Elias, or Christ could have dwelt there &c.

While he yet spake, Behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. Mark and Luke relate the same, without any considerable Variation, only Luke says, They were afraid, as they entred into the Cloud. It seemeth that the Cloud did incompass them, so as they seemed all as if they had been within the Cloud. This still increased their fear. It is observable, that God did very often make his Appearances to People in a Cloud, making the Clouds his Chariots, Exod. 16.10. and 40.34. Num. 11.25. Psal. 104.3. To teach us Humility, not to pry too much into his Secrets, who covereth himself with thick darkness, and likewise to consult our Weakness, who are not able to behold him, as he is; this is said to be a bright Cloud, so differing from the Cloud, in which he appeared under the Law, but without doubt it had something of a shadow in it, and was chosen of God, for some abatement of the brightness of his Glory. This Cloud incompasseth Christ, Moses, and Elias, and also Peter, Iames and Iohn. [And behold a Voice out of the Cloud] they saw no visible shape, no more did the Iews, Deut. 4.15. only as St. Peter (who saw it) expresseth it, 2 Pet. 1.17. there came such a Voice from the Excellent Glory. He speaks of this very time, as may appear from v. 18. The Voice is the same, which was heard upon the Baptism of Christ, Chap. 3.17. only there is added to it, hear him. You need no Elias to instruct you, Hear him. Thus Moses saw what he had before prophesied of Deut. 18. v 15.18. fulfilled; he in this Ministry as a Servant in the house of God had prophesied, that the Lord, would raise up a Prophet from amongst their Brethren, like unto him, and put his Words into his Mouth, and he should speak unto them all, that God should command him; Deut. 18.18. and v. 15. unto him you shall hearken. God had now fulfilled that Word, and he declares that this Prophet was his Son, his beloved Son, and commands them to hear him. Which Words Establish Christ, as the only Doctor and Teacher of his Church, the only one whom he had betrusted to deliver his Truths, & will to his people, the only one to whom Christians are to hearken, nor does this destroy the Ministers of the Word, who are no more than the Interpreters of what he has said, and are no more to be regarded, than as by them we hear Christ speaking more plainly, and frequently unto us. This appearance of God from time to time in a Cloud, and that not in any visible shape, but in an excellent Glory, causing a Voice to be heard, lets us see the Audaciousness of those, who by any Pictures or Images pretend to make any Represent tion of any Person in the Trinity. And this command from God to us to hear Christ, lets us also see the Audacity of those, who take upon them to impose upon Christians, what Christ never spake

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

And Jesus came, and touched them, and said, Arise and be not afraid.

And when they had lift up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. Mark says no more then, And suddenly when they had looked round about, they saw no Man any more, save Iesus only with themselves. Such is the Majesty and Glory of God, that a Cloud will not so vail it, as a Man is able to behold any appearance of it, without some Consternation; something more than that Fear of Reverence, without which none ought to draw nigh unto him. Paul fell to the Earth, Acts 9.3. when a light from Heaven shone upon him. The Disciples here fell on their Faces, and were sore afraid. This lets us see the Goodness of God, in hearkening to the Peoples request, Exod. 20.19. Deut. 5.28. & 18.16, 17. and speaking to us by Men like unto our selves. By Moses under the Old Testament. By Christ (that Prophet mentioned, Deut. 18.15.) under the New Testament, and such as he Commissionated to declare his Will, Heb. 1.1.2. And Iesus came and touched them, and said, Arise and be not afraid. To deliver them from the Fear of a Spectrum, or Apparition, he toucheth them, and says in Effect, It is I; be not afraid They look up and see the Excellent Glory, and the Cloud was withdrawn, as also Moses and Elias, and they and their Lord were left alone; and he goeth down from the Mountain with them, whether this Mountain was Tabor, or some other Mountain much nearer Cesarea Philippi, is of no Consequence for us to be satisfied in.

And as they came down from the mountain Jesus charged them saying, Tell the vision to no man, untill the son of man be risen again from the dead. Mark says the same, Ch. 9. v. 9. Luke says, Ch. 9.36. They kept it close, and told no Man in those days, any of those things which they had seen. The other two Evangelists record the Precept, Luke and Mark their Obedience to it. The most probable reason of this Charge given by Interpreters is, lest his after-Sufferings should have shaken again their Faith, as to the Divine Nature of Christ, before he was by his Resurrection from the Dead, declared to be the Son of God with Power, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. 1.4.

And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes, that Elias must first come? Before these Words, Mark says, Ch. 9. v. 10. And they kept that Saying with themselves; questioning one with another, what this rising from the dead should mean? Then he addeth. And they asked him, Saying, Why say the Scribes, that Elias must first come. The Disciples (as appeareth) were as yet very imperfectly instructed in the Doctrine of Mans Redemption by Christ, tho Christ had before told them, that as Ionah was three Days, and three Nights in the Belly of the Whale: So he should be three Days, and three Nights, in the Belly of the Earth. How dull the best of Men are to apprehend spiritual Mysteries, which are above the reach of our Reason? The Iews had a Tradition, and retain it to this day, That before the coming of the Messias, Elias should come; they build it upon, Mal. 4.4, 5. That they had such an Expectation appeareth by their sending to Iohn the Baptist, Ioh. 1.21. to know if he were he, meaning Elias the Tishbite (for him they expected) and this was their great Error, and still blindeth them. The Disciples had now seen Elijah and possibly might wonder at our Saviours forbidding them to speak of the Vision, as thinking, that nothing could more conduce, to the receiving of him as the Messiah: Or, possibly they might wonder at Elijah's so soon leaving the Earth, the Messiah being come, whom they expected he should come before. So as tho they were fully satisfied, that Christ was the true Messiah, yet they knew not how to reconcile their Faith to the Promise, or to their Tradition built upon the Promise. This causeth the Question.

And Jesus answered, and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things.

But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him, whatsoever they listed: likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them.

Then the Disciples understood, that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Mark says, Ch. 9.12. He answered, and said unto them, Elias verily comes first, and restoreth all things, and how it is written of the Son of Man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him, whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. Our Saviour agreeth to the Promise, but shows their mistake, as to the true Sense of it. They understood the Promise of Elias the Tishbite the Promise referred only to one of his Spirit, and such a one was come, that was Iohn the Baptist, as the Angel told Zachariah, Luk. 1.17. He shall go before him in the Spirit, and Power of Elias. Very much of the Power and Spirit of Elijah, was Evident in Iohn. Elijah was full of Zeal for God, 2 Kin. 9, 10. So was Iohn the Baptist: Did Elias freely reprove, not only Baals Priests, but even Ahab and Iezebel? Iohn as freely reproved Herod and Herodias, and the Pharisees and Sadduces. Was Elias an austere Man? Such was Iohn the Baptist. Did Elias flee unto the Wilderness to save his Life? Iohn Baptist, for some time, lived and preached there. Elias living in a corrupt time, was a great means, or Instrument to restore decayed Religion: So was Iohn the Baptist, in the time wherein he lived. This notwithstanding not the Iews only, but some Chr tians and that not only Papists, but some Protestants think, That besides the Elias, which is long since come, there is another Elias, who shall come before the end of the World; they found their Opinion upon this Text in a great measure. 1. Because our Saviour here says,, he does come first; and Mark says,, coming first restoreth, all things; now Iohn the Baptist was both come, and gone; nor had he restored all things: Besides they say, that Iohn denied himself to be Elias, Ioh. 1.21. and it is plain, that not the Scribes and Pharisees, but the Disciples only understood the Prophecy of Elias the Tishbite, and Malachy says, that Elias should come, before the terrible day of the Lord, which day they say, is the Day of Iudgment, in the constant Language of Scripture. But to all this is answered, 1. That the Baptist, Ioh. 1.21. only denied himself to be that Elias, about which they inquired, according to their Tradition. 2. That it is true, that the Disciples were led away with the Jewish Tradition, and looked for Elias the Tishbite, but Christ both here, and elsewhere correcteth their Error. 3. That not only the day of general Judgment, is called the terrible Day of the Lord, but the Gospel-time, Mat. 3.10. when the Ax was laid to the Root of the Tree, &c. So Acts 2.20. and the day of the Iews particular Judgment, which some understand hinted in those Texts. 4. That our Lord first repeateth the words of Malachy, and so he says, Elias shall come, or is coming; and then he expounds the words of Malachy, of Iohn the Baptist. 5. That the words of Mal. 4.6. are expounded by the Angel, Luk. 1.16, 17. and there applyed to Iohn the Baptist. 6. That Iohn did fulfil the words of the Prophet. By indeavouring the Conversion of the Iews, and prevailing in a great measure. 7. That the last words in Malachy, Lest I smite the Earth with a Curse, plainly show, That the Text in Malachy cannot be understood of the Day of Iudgment. And tho the Name of Elias be given to Iohn, yet it is no more than the giving the Name of David to the Messias, Ezeck. 37.24. So as, there is no other Elijah to be expected, but the Elijah prophecied of by Malachy, was (as our Saviour does expound it) Iohn the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded. They knew him not, their Tradition blinded them so, as they could not discern the Prophecy of Malachy, fulfilled in him, so did unto him whatsoever they listed, and says our Saviour) So shall they do with the Son of Man, that is, with me, who am the Son of Man.

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

Lord have mercy on my son, for he is lunatick, and sore vexed, for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. The same History is told us, both by Mark and Luke, but with considerable difference, we have it, Mar. 9.17. thus, And one of the multitude answered, and said, Master I have brought unto thee my Son, which has a dumb Spirit: And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth and gnasheth with his Teeth, and pineth away, and I spake to thy Disciples, that they should cast him out, and they could not. As an Introduction to this, Mark says, v. 14, 15, 16. That when our Saviour came to his Disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes, qu stioning with them: And straight ay all the People, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him. And he asked the Scribes, what question you with them? Luke gives us this Account, Ch. 9.37, 38, 39, 40. And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the Hill, much People met him. And behold a Man of the Company cryed out, saying, Master I beseech thee look upon my Son, for he is mine only Child. And o a Spirit taketh him, and he suddenly cryeth out, and it teareth him, that he foameth again, and bruising him, hardly departeth from him. And I besought thy Disciples to cast him out, and they could not. When our Lord went up to the Mountain where he was transfigured, he left at the Foot of it, the multitudes, and nine of his Apostles, he took only three with him. How long he stayed there, no Evangelist tells us: The multitude, and his Disciples stayed waiting for his coming, probably not far of, some of the Scribes were got to them, and they were arguing together: The day after our Lord and Peter, Iames and Iohn, were come down from the Mount; they go to the multitude, who received him with great Passion, and saluted him: He beginneth to inquire what they were Discoursing about. But was by and by interrupted with a certain Man; who comes and falls down upon his Knees before him, begging Mercy for his Son, who (as Matthew reports his Condition) was Lunatick and sore vexed, often falling into the Fire, and often into the Water. Mark says, he had a Dumb Spirit, that it tore him, he often Foamed and Gnashed with his Teeth, Luke says, That it was the Mans only Child, that he had a Spirit, that he cryed out, it tare him, he Foamed, and was bruised by it, &c. By the Description of this young Mans Disease, it appeareth to have been, what we call the Falling Sickness, wherein Men fall down, Foam and beat themselves, with this Disease the Devil joyned, so as at certain times of the Moon; This Disease took him, and the Devil acting with it, he was Dumb at least for the time, and fell sometimes in the Fire, sometimes into the Water, Foamed, Gnashed with his Teeth, tore himself: This seems to have been his Condition. The Father (during Christ's absence) had attempted a Cure by his Disciples, but the Text says, they could not (the reason we shall hear afterward) upon this he cryeth unto Christ for his help.

Then Jesus answered, and said, O faithless, and perverse generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me.

And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour. Mark relates this part of the History, much more largely, Ch. 9.19.20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. He answered him, and said, O Faithless Generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him, and when he saw him, straightway the Spirit tare him, and he fell on the Ground, and wallowed Foaming: And he asked his Father, how long is it ago, since this came unto him? And he said of a Child. And oft times, it has cast him into the Fire, and into the Waters to destroy him: But if thou canst do any thing, have Compassion on us, and help us. Iesus says unto him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the Father of the Child cryed out, and said, with Tears, Lord I believe, help my unbelief. When Iesus saw, that the People came running together, he rebuked the foul Spirit, saying unto him: Thou Dumb and Deaf Spirit, I Charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the Spirit cryed, and rent him sore and came out of him, and he was as one Dead. Insomuch, that many said; He is Dead. But Iesus took him by the Hand, and lifted him up, and he arose. Luke relates this shorter, but addeth nothing to what is in the other Evangelists, Luk. 9.41, 42. Then Iesus answered, and said, O Faithless, and perverse Generation. Christ here calls them, not so with respect to justifying Faith, but that Faith which respected the Divine Power, as to working Miracles. Every Revelation of the Divine Will, is the Object of Faith, Christ had revealed to the Iews, that he was sent of God, and furnished with such a Power, this the Iews and particularly the Scribes did not believe, the Faith of the Father of this Child, was but very weak in the Case; no more, as we shall see afterwards, was the Faith of the Disciples, so as he may be understood to respect them all, tho in different Degrees, he calls them Perverse, because they had so often seen, and experienced his Power of this Nature, yet their Faith was not clear, and strong. He biddeth that the young Man should be brought to him, and it was done. And when he saw him (says Mark) straightway, the Spirit tare him, &c. Our Saviour could easily have prevented this, but probably he suffered it, that the Miracle might be more Evident. However it letteth us see, how hardly the Devil parteth with his Possession in us, in any Degree, and how ready he is to run to the length of his Line, in doing us Mischief. Christ asked his Father, how long he had been so vexed, his Father tells him from a Child. By this also the Miracle was more Illustrious, which probably was the reason; why Christ propounded the Question: No Evils are too inveterate for Christ to remove. The Father reneweth his request, and in it shows the Weakness of his Faith, If says he, thou canst do any thing, his coming to Christ, and Crying to him, argued that he believed, he could do something, his Saying, If thou canst do any thing, speaks the Weakness of his Faith. Christ tells him, If he could believe all things are possible. Nothing tyeth Gods hands, but his Creatures unbelief. It is said, That Christ could not in Capernaum, do many mighty works, because of their unbelief. Upon this the Father Crys out, Lord I believe, help my Vnbelief. Men may truly believe, and yet have a mixture of Unbelief. God rewards a weak Faith, to Souls labouring under the Sense of their Weakness, and desiring an increase of strength, Christ rebukes the Spirit (called a Dumb and Deaf Spirit, because it made the Person such that was thus affected with it) Christ commands the Spirit out, and so to come out, as never more to enter into him. The Evil Spirit roars, rendeth him, comes out, and leaveth him as one dead: Which still confirmeth us in his Malice to mankind, he will do what harm he can, when he cannot do us the harm he would.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

And Jesus says unto them, Because of your unbelief, for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting. Mark repeats only what we have here, v. 19.21. The Reason assigned here by our Saviour, why his Disciples could not cast out this Devil; was their Vnbelief, not their total want, but the Weakness of their Faith. Christ here again lets us see the Power of Faith, and the mischief of Vnbelief. I take the plain Sense of the Text to be this, That there is nothing, which may tend to the Glory of God, or to our good, but may be obtained of God, by a firm Exercise of Faith in him; whether our Saviour here speaketh of a Faith of Miracles, or no, I will not determine, I rather think, that he speaketh here of any true Faith; we must have the Power and Promise of God for its Object. The Promise of working Miracles by a Divine Power committed to them, was a particular Promise made to the Disciples, Mat. 10. and so was only the Object of their Faith. But I take our Saviours words to extend to a further Latitude, tho as to Miraculous Operations, it was only applicable to them. There is nothing which God has Promised to give or bestow on any, but Faith will obtain from him, if attended by a fervent Prayer, to which Fasting is subservient, as preparing us to it. There are some things, which are obtained by a stronger Faith, and by more fervent and importunate Prayers than others are: A Mercy sometimes seem to us, to come out of the Hand of God with more Difficulty, and Wrestling for it, but there is nothing within the Latitude of a Promise, but is to be done, and obtained by the vigorous Exercise of Faith, and by fervent and importunate Prayer. The Apostles had yet but a weak and imperfect Faith, and they had not used such fervent and importunate Prayer in this Case, as they ought to have done, thence did this work appear so Difficult unto them.

And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.

And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again, And they were exceeding sorry. Mark says, Ch. 9.30, 31, 32. And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee, and he would not that any Man should know it. For he taught his Disciples, and said unto them, the Son of Man is delivered into the Hands of Men, and they shall kill him, and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third Day. But they understood not that Saying, and were afraid to ask him. Luke says, Ch. 9.44. he said unto them, Let these Sayings sink down into your Ears; for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of Men. But they understood not this Saying, and it was hid from them; that they perceived it not, and they feared to ask him that saying: It is said, That Christ taught his Disciples, as they were able to hear, Mar. 4.33.9. he tells them Ioh. 16.12. He had many things to say unto them, but they could not hear them at that time. Christ a long time concealed the Doctrine of his Passion, and Resurrection from the dead, from them, until he had confirmed them in the great point of his Divine Power, and his being the true Messiah; now he begins to deliver this Doctrine unto them, that what they should now soon see, might not weaken their Faith in him, as the Messiah and the Son of God: Partly, in regard of that inveterate Opinion, which had possessed the Generality of the Iews, that the Messiah should be a temporal Prince, and should deliver the Iews from that Servitude, under which they were, and had for a long time been: Partly, in regard of the Difficulty to conceive, how he who was the Son of God could dye. Once or twice before therefore he had begun to speak to them, about his Passion, Ch. 16.21. Moses and Elias, had some Discourse with him about it, Luk. 9.31. The Text says, They understood it not, It was hid from them. They perceived it not. They were afraid to ask him. They were Sorry. Possibly they were sorry, that they could not understand it, and reconcile it to the Notion of the Messias, they had drank in, for it seems hard to assert, they were sorry for what Christ said about his suffering, because the Scripture says, they understood it not, thinking our Saviour had not spoken plainly of a matter of Fact which should be, but that he intended something else, besides what his Words seemed plainly to import.

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money, came to Peter, and said, Does not your master pay tribute?

He says Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom, or tribute? of their own children or of strangers?

Peter says unto him, Of strangers, Jesus says unto him, Then are the children free.

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the Sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish, that first cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. That take, and give unto them for me and thee. The Jews were by Gods Law, Exod. 30.13. obliged to pay an half Shekel, which was for the Service of the Sanctuary, v. 16. this was paid every year, the half Shekel amounted in our Money to fifteen Pence, or there abouts, whether this were the Tribute Money here demanded, and paid, some doubt, and say that the Romans having the Iews now under their Power, imposed this payment upon every Head, as a Tribute to the Emperor, which being a Customary payment, they thought the Iews would less umble at, tho it was changed from a Sacred, to a Civil use, from an Homage Peny to God, to be an Homage Peny to the Conquerors. The Agreement of this Sum, with what was required by the Law, together with what our Saviour says afterward, will incline us to think, that this Tax was that Re igious Tax mentioned, Exod. 30. and that the Collectors were some Officers deputed for that Service by the Priests. When Peter came into the house, our Saviour preventeth his propounding the Question to him (for Peter had before told them, yes he did) by asking him of whom the Kings of the Earth use to receive Tribute, of their own Children or of Strangers? where by Children, we must not understand their Political Children, that is their Subjects, but their Natural Children for otherwise Peter would not have said of Strangers, nor would our Saviour have Answered, Then are the Children free, for there is nothing more ordinary than for Princes to receive Tribute of their Subjects. That which our Saviour seemeth to mean is this, This Tribute is gathered for my Heavenly Father. I am his Son, I am not bound to pay it. Notwithstanding lest we offend, Lest we give them occasion to say we break the Law of God, Go thou to the Sea, (the Sea of Galilee which was near) and take up the Fish, which cometh up first, and when thou hast opened his Mouth, thou shalt find a piece of Money, to the value of about an half Crown in English. How this Money came in the Mouth of the Fish, is a very idle dispute, considering that he that speakes, was the Creator of all things. And pay thou for me and thee. The Papists who think they have found here an Argument for the Primacy of Peter, because Christ paid this Tribute for him, and not for the other Disciples, do not only affirm what they do not know, but forget that Capernaum was the City in which Peter lived, (we heard before of Christs curing his Wives Mother there of a Feaver) and that Peter was the only Man of whom this Tribute was demanded. This Portion of Scripture affords us this Instruction. That it is the Duty of Christians, to yield something of their own right, when they cannot insist upon, and obtain it without a Scandal, and prejudice to the Gospel, and the concern of Religion. If this were required in pursuance of the Law, Exod. 30.12, 13. and our Saviour had refused to pay it, the Scribes, and Pharisees would have Clamoured against him, as Violating the Law of God. If it were required as a Civil Tax, they would have Clamoured against him, as a Man that went about to stir up Sedition, or Rebellion. Having therefore first asserted his right, and immunity, he departeth from it, to prevent a Scandal. We must never part with Gods right: but to depart from our own, is not only lawful, but oftentimes very advisable, and expedient. Our Saviour chuseth rather to Work a Miracle, than to give a Scandal, and by this Miracle he also confirmed his Immunity, that he was the Son of him, who is the King of Kings, and so not in strictness obliged to pay it.