John 21:7–8

In the fourth branch of this Narration, some particular effects and consequents following upon this manifestation of Christ, before his conference with Peter, are recorded, to v. 14. together with Johns account of the number and order of this manifestation, v. 14. The first effect of Christs manifestation, is their coming to land to him, after they knew it was he, Peter, waiting for nothing but that he come not naked, doth cast himselfe into the sea, to come to Christ, v. — 7. The rest come so fast as they can, without neglecting the benefit conferred upon them by Christ. Therefore, they make hast to come in a little ship, (which it seems stood beside the other,) seeing it would come sooner then the greater vessel, and do drag the net with fishes after them, v. 8. As for Peters coming, we are not to conceive that he came walking miraculously on the sea, for we are not to multiply miracles needlesly: Nor yet that he could wade, seeing they were at some distance from the shore, and the sea so deep as to carry a ship with all those men and their fishing instruments: But that he cast himself into the Sea, to come swimming. Doctrine, 1. A sight of Christ is inviting and alluring, and will make these who know him, come to him; As here, they all come when they know him. 2. In the Church of Christ, and even among Disciples and Apostles, there is great variety of tempers and dispositions and endowments; Every one hath not alike perfectione in the same degree, nor is it to be expected that all will be alike, though all may be sincere and approved; for, here, John is most eminent in discerning Christ, Peter is most forward in zeal, and yet all do willingly come to Christ. 3. One Disciple may outstrip another in expressions of forwardnesse and zeal, who yet cometh not behinde him, either in knowledge or solide love; for, here John is eminent in knowledge, and was a true lover of Christ, and yet Peter outstrips him in this expression of affection; which flowed, partly, from his natural disposition, and, partly, from the sense of his late fall. 4. The shortest cut will seem far about, if a nearer could be had, to a soul filled with zeal and desire to be at Christ; for, so did appear in Peter, who could not stay on a ship, though he could come but little sooner by swimming. 5. Zeal will make a man, when he seeth Christ, forget and quit all, to be at him; for, Peter waits not upon the draught of fishes, but when he heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fishers coat to him (for he was naked) and did cast himselfe into the sea. He only stayed that he might not come naked, and girt his coat to him that it might not hinder him, nor he lose it, in swimming. 6. To swim through deep seas (if it were of blood) to be at Christ, is a sweet way to a zealous man, if it should bring him a moment sooner then another mean; for, therefore did Peter willingly cast himselfe into the sea. 7. Affection unto Christ doth not warrant men needlesly to cast away his benefits, or neglect his bountiful providence in outward things, providing, they omit no diligence to come to Christ; for, so much doth the practice of the rest of the Disciples teach, who indeed came, but dragging the net with the fishes. And this their carriage is justified both by Christs command, v. 10. and Peters own practice, v. 11. and albeit both he be commendable in his way, and they in theirs, and yet in some circumstances they are contrary to other: Yet these may be very consistent, if we mark these particulars. 1. Christ doth approve of all who sincerely endeavour to come to him, and who lay no impediments in their own way, nor follow their lawfull employments for a by-end, albeit all be not alike speedy and forward; for, both are approved that they come, and they also though they come not so soon as Peter, because they make no wilfull delay, but take a little ship that they might come the sooner, seeing they might hazard in it, being not far from land, &c. And their aime in bringing the net with them, was not so much to enrich themselves, as that they might not lose what providence had brought unto them. 2. The sincerity, and desire of Saints to be at Christ, is not to be measured, by what at some-time themselves or others attain unto; for, this was an extraordinary gale of affection in Peter, not at all times attained by himselfe, and therefore it doth not defame them, who follow the ordinary way of expressing affection unto Christ in such cases. 3. Some may the more warrantably expresse their affection to Christ, by neglecting at some time all other affairs, that they have others to do them for them, and so they do not miscarry through their laying them by; for, Peter might the more safely leave all and come to Christ, that there were others sufficient to bring the draught to land. Otherwise it had not been commendable in him to leave them, and it had been their sin, if all had done as Peter did. Though this also must be added, that however men have others to do affairs for them, yet that will not warrant them alwaies to neglect a worldly calling, (if that be their station) though at sometimes it may. 4. It were safe for us to conjoyne both these practices, as pointing out our duty, in relation to several times, and to make Peters practice of leaving all, our rule in extraordinary cases and times, and when we are called to forsake all: As Peter had some reason to be forward now above the rest, because of his foule fall. And to make their practice our rule in ordinary cases, and so to follow duty and have a care of worldly affairs, as they do not sinfully retard us from coming unto Christ. 5. In our ordinary walking also the conjoyning of these practices would make compleat Christians; to be like Peter in our affections, above, (as no doubt they also were) and undervaluing these temporary things about which we must (notwithstanding) be necessarily taken up, and being ready to abandon and forsake them when called so to do, as he did. And to be like them in our outward carriage, conscientiously following duty in obedience to a command.