John 8:10–11

In the third place, We have Christs dealing with the woman herself; who being left by her accusers, and not condemned by them, he doth also dismisse her with a gentle warning, to watch over her wayes in time to come. In doing whereof, he doth not make void the Law of Moses, nor say that none ought to condemne her to death, but he declines to act the part of a civil Magistrate in passing sentence upon her, and doth act the part of a Minister of the Gospel, in absolving an humbled sinner. Doctrine 1. As they who run away from Christ, when they are convinced, do but go on in their sinne, and carry their shame with them; So they who attend upon Christ, and betake themselves to the posture of condemned sinners, will at last get a gracious answer; as this womans experience doth teach, who (when her accusers went out) did stay still, to her own great advantage. 2. It is necessary, that such as are waiting on Christ for grace, be serious observers of his dealing, that from thence they may learn to know what a one he is: for, his questions, when he lift up himself, Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? did not slow from any ignorance in him, but serve to excite her to consider the power of his word, and what effects it had produced, and to shew that his doings are not easily marked, even when they are acted before our eyes. 3. Such as are truly humbled with the sence of their sins, will get little pleasure to meddle, save with these things which nearly concern themselves: for, albeit Christ propounded two questions, yet she answers onely to what concerns herself, and that no man had condemned her, not meddling with what concerned them. 4. Such as Christ hath a minde to do good unto, are not to expect that so much will be intimate unto them at first, but they must be content to be exercised with attendance, and speaking to Christ, till the compleat deliverance come; for, so much appears in his dealing with this woman, He speaks so in her cause to the Pharisees, as encourageth her to stay still, till she see what further he will say: Then, he leads her up to speak to him, and gives her a ground of an argument, that since no man had condemned her, therefore he, the Saviour of sinners, would deal gently with her: and at last, he brings out his sweet sentence, 5. The charge and office of the Ministry is inconsistent, in Gods appointment, with the exercise of the office of Magistracie, in one and the same person; and it is so weighty a calling, that it is enough to take up the whole man: Therefore, doth Christ, the great Messenger of the Covenant and Preacher of the Gospel, refuse to take on that calling, Neither do I condemne thee. So also Luke 12.13, 14. 6. It is the allowance of Christ, that humble and cast down sinners be gently dealt with by his Ministers; and his rich grace will absolve such as do condemne themselves before him: for, by this sentence, he not onely declines to exercise the office of Magistracie, but doth absolve her, whom he knew to be humbled, in the Court of conscience. 7. It ought to be no impediment to humble sinners to expect absolution from Christ, that their sins are such as by the Law of God and man deserves bodily death, or that they are to die a violent death for them: for, though this sin deserved stoning by the Law of God; yet that doth not hinder Christ to give her a pardon. 8. Grace is so absolute and free, that it can make a very sudden change in sinners; it can take them, as it were, in the very height of their impiety, and convert and make pardoned Saints of them; for, so it appears in this woman, who being taken in the very act of adultery, goeth not away from Christ till she be absolved. 9. Such as have tasted of Christs grace in pardoning their sin, will retain so much sense of their own corrupt inclinations, and of their obligation to Christ for his mercy, that it will put them to a wary and circumspect walking for time to come: for, so much is imported in the direction subjoyned to her absolution, Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more. See chap. 5.14. 10. Albeit humble and pardoned sinners should have an eye especially, upon the sins they have been formerly addicted unto, and upon grosse and scandalous evils, that they break not out into them; Yet they should also be sensible of their pronenesse to all sinne, as having the seed of all sin within them, and should have an universal hatred against all sin, and be watchful over themselves, that they fall not into any sin: Therefore is the direction general, Sin no more, that she should not onely be jealous of her own inclination to her former debordings, or oppose and strive against some sins, while she delighted in other sins, but that she should watch against all kind of sin.