I. Of the choice of his Company. He took Peter, James and John. That Christ doth not use all his servants alike familiarly in every thing. Partly because he had his liberty, for in matters of free favour it is not ⟨p. 9⟩tance of Persons to pass by some and admit others, no not in the most necessary spiritual dispensations, Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whomsoever the Father will reveal him. The plea of the Lord of the Vineyard will ever hold firm and valid, Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own. But this is a thing of another nature, the dispensing of his arbitrary respects, acceptance of Persons in Judgment is a violation of Justice, but not in matters of free favour. Partly because he would consecrate and hallow spiritual Friendship, and commend it to us by his own example, and therefore though he loved all his Disciples, yet he choose out some for intimacy and special converse, these were [Greek or Hebrew], the flower of the Apostles, either because of their suitableness, he had a special inclination to them, or for their sincerity and eminency in Grace, he delighted in them more then in the rest, sicut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter, ita magis, ad magis; if I love all that are godly, I love those most who are most godly. Now as Christ consecrated holy Friendship in his own Person, so was it exemplified in his Disciples, for I find a great Friendship between ⟨p. 10⟩two of these mentioned in the Text, John and Peter you find them mostly together, John 20. 2, 3, 4. Mary Magdalen runneth and cometh to Peter and to the other Disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter went forth and the other Disciple, and came to the Sepulchre, so Acts 3. 1. Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple, at the hour of Prayer, John 21. 7. The Disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord, and John 21. 21, 22. Peter seeing the Disciple which Jesus loved, said Lord, and what shall this man do? as willing to know the future state of his Friend, so Acts 8. 14. Peter and John go to Samaria to confirm the Disciples, See John 18. 15.
I. Of the choice of his Company. He took Peter, Iames and Iohn. That Christ doth not use all his servants alike familiarly in every thing. Partly because he had his liberty, for in matters of free favour it is not ⟨p. 9⟩tance of Persons to pass by some and admit others, no not in the most necessary spiritual dispensations, Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whomsoever the Father will reveal him. The plea of the Lord of the Vineyard will ever hold firm and valid, Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own. But this is a thing of another nature, the dispensing of his arbitrary respects, acceptance of Persons in Judgment is a violation of Justice, but not in matters of free favour. Partly because he would consecrate and hallow spiritual Friendship, and commend it to us by his own example, and therefore though he loved all his Disciples, yet he choose out some for intimacy and special converse, these were 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the flower of the Apostles, either because of their sutableness, he had a special inclination to them, or for their sincerity and eminency in Grace, he delighted in them more then in the rest, sicut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter, ita magis, ad magis; if I love all that are godly, I love those most who are most godly. Now as Christ consecrated holy Friendship in his own Person, so was it exemplified in his Disciples, for I find a great Friendship between ⟨p. 10⟩two of these mentioned in the Text, Iohn and Peter you find them mostly together, Iohn 20. 2, 3, 4. Mary Magdalen runneth and commeth to Peter and to the other Disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter went forth and the other Disciple, and came to the Sepulcher, so Acts 3. 1. Now Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple, at the hour of Prayer, Iohn 21. 7. The Disciple whom Iesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord, and Iohn 21. 21, 22. Peter seeing the Disciple which Iesus loved, said Lord, and what shall this man do? as willing to know the future state of his Friend, so
