every one of us especially such as are most blind and ignorant in the things of God that is in things spiritual and heavenly c. and were never yet cured by Christ of this blindness nay never yet had the eyes of their minds truly â—nlightned by the Spirit of Christ to see and know those things which concern their eternal peace and salvation let such above all others be stirred up here by the example of this poor blind man to seek and sue to Christ to be cured of their spiritual blindness and to have their minds enlightned as he did to have his bodily eyes opened c. How often doth David in the Psalms pray to God to open the eyes of his mind and to enlighten him with true knowledg of his Will as Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law and Verse 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes c. and Verse 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law So let every ore of us pray and sue to God and to Christ Jesus the Son of God often and daily to open the eyes of our minds and understandings to see and know the things of God revealed in his Word c. For he only can do it He that opened the bodily eyes of this blind man he only can cure us of our spiritual blindness c. He it is that must anoint the eyes of the mind with that spiritual eye-salve mentioned Rev. 3. 18. Therefore 1 Joh. 2. 27. it is said The anointing which ye have received abideth in you and shall teach you all things c. We have not this anointing from our selves but must receive iâ— from Christ Therefore also Joh. 1. 9. he is said to be that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that is every one of God's Elect which comes to be enlightned and Mal. 4. 2. He is called the Sun of righteousnesse who giveth light to such as sit in spiritual darkness of ignorance c. This being so let every one that is yet ignorant and blind in the things of God seek and sue to Jesus Christ this Sun of righteousness to be enlightened and ro be cured of his spiritual blindnesse c. And to this end labour first to see and be sensible of thine own blindness and ignorance by nature in the things of God that thou dost sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death as the Scripture saith of such as live in ignorance of God and of the means of salvation yea that thou art very darknesse it self as the Apostle sayes of the Ephesians Chap. 5. And think what a misery this is far worse than to be blind in body That blindnesse is nothing to this Therefore let this consideration drive thee to Christ and cause thee to call and cry most earnestly to him to cure thee c. Here followeth Verse 52. the Miracle it self Where 1. Consider the manner of our Saviour's working it or the means used by him in the working of it viz. the uttering of these words of comfort to the blind man Go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole Whither also is to be referred the outward action of touching the eyes of both the blind men which were at this time cured Matth. 20. 34. 2. The miraculous Effect which followed in this blind man Immediately he received his sight 3. Another Effect which this caused and brought forth in him viz. his thankfulness to Christ for the benefit of this Miracle which he testified by following Jesus in the way Of the first Our Saviour in curing him of his blindnesse did use these words here mentioned as also the outward touching of his eyes not that he could not have wrought the Miracle without these but the more to confirm the faith of the blind man as also the faith of his Disciples and others which were present Observ Observ In that our Saviour used no other means here in curing this blind man but only his bare word spoken together with the outward action of touching his eyes which yet was no means or cause in it self of the Miracle but a sign only c hence gather the Divine power of Christ and consequently the truth of his God-head in that he was able to work this miraculous cure above and beyond the power of nature and that without any natural or ordinary means but only by speaking the word and touching the eyes of the blind c. This seemeth to confirm our faith in the Person of Christ that he is not only true man but true God also in one and the same person and consequently the only true Messiah the confirmation of which truth was one main end of all the Miracles of Christ Joh. 20. 31. But of this often before Now more particularly touching the words of comfort which our Saviour here useth to the blind man they consist of two parts 1. He bids him go his way that is to depart in peace and with this comfort and assurance That his Petition was now granted and that he should indeed be cured of his blindness 2. He doth for his further comfort commend his faith as the instrumental cause or mean by which he came to be made whole that is to receive and be partaker of this miraculous cure of his blindnesse Thy faith c. Upon the first I will not insist Of the second Thy faith Whereby thou dost believe me to be the true Messiah and that I am both able and willing to cure thee of thy blindnesse Hath made thee whole This is not to be understood as if he were cured by the power or vertue of his faith either as the efficient cause or as the meritorious cause deserving this at the hands of Christ for the cure was wrought only by the power of Christ and that freely of his meer grace and mercy but he ascribes it to the faith of the blind man 1. Because it was the instrumental cause or means by which he did apprehend the power and goodnesse of Christ for the obtaining of this miraculous cure 2. Because it was also a Motive to move Christ the rather to cure him though no meritorious cause of the cure Quest 1 Quest 1. Whether was this faith of the blind man a true justifying faith apprehending Christ's mercy for pardon of his sins c or only a belief of his power and mercy for the obtaining of this Miracle Answ Answ It is most probable that he was indued with a justifying faith at least with some seed or beginings of it sowen in his heart and wrought in him by the Spirit of Christ and this is the more probable because it is said afterward that he followed Christ in the way in token of his thankfulnesse for this benefit expressing his faith by that special fruit of it c. Yet our Saviour doth not seem here to speak of his faith as it did justifie him but as
unto Christ because of the press hindring them yet they were not discouraged but used means notwithstanding this Impediment to present him unto him to teach us that we must not be discouraged from doing good duties though we meet with impediments to hinder us but we must labour to overcome all difficulties and to break through them rather then omit our Duties Eccless 11. 4. He that observeth the Wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap That is he that will be discouraged with inconveniencies and impediments shall never do good Duties therefore we must not stick at such difficulties or hinderances but break through them rather then be kept from doing any good Duty which lyeth upon us to perform The Queen of Sheba was not discouraged with the distance of place nor tediousness of the journey from going to hear Solomon's Wisdome Zachaeus Luke 19. was not discouraged by the press of people nor by the lowness of his stature from using means to see Christ So the blind man Luk. 18. was not discouraged from crying more and more unto Christ for help though the people rebuked him that he should hold his peace These examples must teach us not to omit good Duties because we meet with difficulties or impediments to hinder us in them True it is That when we should do good we shall often meet with such impediments and hinderance when we should perform Duties of Piety As Prayer Meditation Reading c. we often meet with worldly cares or business or company or the like hinderances but we must not suffer them to hinder us but break through them all So in doing duties of mercy and charity we shall often meet with hinderances as in visiting the sick in relieving such as are in want c. yea we are very apt in such Cases to make many vain excuses and to feign to our selves more difficulties and Impediments then indeed there are like the sloathfull who saith There is a Lyon in the way c. Prov. 26. 13. But we must learn to leap over all such stumbling blocks and to break through all hinderances rather then omit such Duties of mercy Mark 2. 5. When Jesus saw their Faith He said unto the sick of the Palsy Son thy Sins be Forgiven thee April 18. 1619. VVEE have heard of the Actions performed by the friends of the sick as preparatives to this Miraculous cure Now followeth another speciall Action of our Saviour Christ which was also a Preparative to the Miracle namely the spirituall curing of the sick party of his Sins which he did by pronouncing the pardon of them unto him And this Action of Christ is further amplified 1. By the cause moving him thereunto He saw their Faith 2. By the manner it was in loving sort calling him Son 3. By the event which followed ver 6 7 8 9. When Jesus saw their Faith This is to be understood both of the Faith of the friends of the sick who brought him to Christ and also of the Faith of the Sick party himself for our Saviour would not pronounce pardon of sins to him upon the Faith of others if himself had not been a Believer Further By Faith We are to understand a true justifying Faith apprehending Christs speciall mercy towards them for the pardon of their sins and withall trusting on his power and goodness for the obtaining of this Miraculous Cure Quest Quest How did our Saviour Christ see their Faith which is an Invisible Grace in the Heart Answ Answ He might see it two wayes 1. Inwardly in the Heart of the sick party as being God and so knowing the Heart 2. Outwardly by externall fruits evidences of it as by their pains taken to bring the Sick party to Christ and by his willingness and forwardness to be brought as also by his patient bearing of this sickness By these and the like outward fruits of Faith our Saviour did perceive their Faith Son He gives him this Title no doubt to shew his loving affection and good will towards him and thereby to incourage and comfort him being cast down as is probable with the sense of his Sins therefore Mat. 9. 2. our Saviour said Son be of good chear c. Thy Sins are Forgiven c. Upon thy Faith and Repentance which I discern to be in thee I have pardoned thy Sins and do assure thee therefor from my own mouth Quest Quest Why doth our Saviour first assure him of the forgiveness of his Sins seeing he was brought to him to be cured in body of the Palsy Answ 1 Answ 1. To shew that he came not onely or chiefly to be a Physitian for the body to cure mens bodily diseases but principally to cure mens Souls of their Sins 2. To shew that Sin is the Originall cause of all bodily diseases and consequently that in sickness the best way to find ease and deliverance is to seek pardon of sins Observ 1 Observ 1. Here then we are taught that in time of bodily sickness the onely way to have ease and deliverance is to seek first to have our sins pardoned and to be assured thereof in our Conscience we should be more carefull of this by far then to have the sickness it self removed So was David as we see Psal 32. and Psal 38. So Hezekiah Esay 38. 2. Reas Reason Sin is the procuring and deserving cause of all bodily pains griefs and diseases Lam. 3. 39. Man complatneth for his Sin 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause for the Sin of profaning the Lords Supper many are weak and sick among you c. therefore when our Saviour had cured him that lay diseased at the Pool of Bethesda he bad him go away and sin no more least a worse thing come to him Joh. 5. 14. Though God in laying sickness on his Children doth not aim at the punishing of their sins but at other ends as the tryall of his Graces in them as their Faith Patience c. as in Job and at other good ends yet this is true that sin is the Originall and procuring cause of all sicknesse which come upon the Godly and the Wicked so as if there were no Sin in them they should never feel sickness Now then seeing sin is the cause of all sickness therefore in sickness our first and chief care must be to have our sins pardoned and the Guilt of them removed because otherwise we cannot look to have our sickness removed or to find ease and comfort in it Object Object Some are delivered out of bodily sickness before they have timely repented and so before their sins be pardoned So 2 Kings 8. 10. there is a promise made to wicked Benhadad that he should recover of his disease on the contrary some there are whose sins upon their repentance are pardoned and yet God holdeth them still under sickness Answ Answ 1. Though the wicked whose sins are not pardoned are sometimes delivered out of bodily sickness yet this deliverance
of Rome was at first a forward Professour of Christian Religion yet afterward fell away and became a wicked Apostate wilfully and maliciously persecuting the Truth which himself had once professed So Ecebolius c. Francis Spira So Those that received Seed in stony ground Luke 8. 13. The Reason of this Point There may be a fair shew of saving Grace in such as have no soundness of Grace at all in them Now where there is no truth or soundness of Grace there may be a good Profession outwardly for a time and yet afterwards a fearful Apostacy and forsaking of that Profession Note here that this total or final Apostacy or Falling from God and from the good Profession and Shew of Grace which hath once been made is to be understood only of Hypocrites and wicked men who were never yet effectually called Quest Quest May not God's Children fall from their first Profession and from the Grace which they have once been Partakers of Answ Answ Yes they may fall away as the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 4. But 1. Not totally or wholly but in some degree only They may slack their first love and zeal for the Truth and may grow more cold and backward in professing it but they do never wholly fall away so as to lose all Grace 2. They may fall away for a time but not finally they do at length by God's helping hand recover their former good estate Use 1 Use 1. Not to think strange if we see such as have made Profession to fall away It is no new thing but such as may be and hath often been Such Examples there have been alwaies It must not discourage us much less suffer our selves to be drawn away by their ill example We must be never the less forward because of so many back-sliders c. More Tares than Wheat c. It is no hurt but good to the Church to have Tares fanned from Wheat c. 'T is not enough that thou hast been a Hearer of the Word c. One may go further than so yet be an Hypocrite and fall away Non quaeruntur in Christianis initia sed finis Paulus malè coepit sed benè finivit Judae laudantur exor dia sed finis proditione damnatur Hierom ad Furiam Epist 10. Vse 2 Vse 2. To admonish all that have made Shew of Grace and have begun a good Profession of Christ not to rest secure herein but to labour for perseverance Joh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word ye are verily my Disciples The Mark of Christ's true Disciples It is nothing to begin well so have many done who have ended fearfully as Judas c. Take heed it be not so with us Be not so foolish as to begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Gal. 3. 3. Without Perseverance all good beginnings are utterly lost He that endureâ—h to the ead shall be saved Let us then look well to our standing 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed there be not in any an evill heart to depart from the living God 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware lest ye being plucked away with the Errours c. These are perillous and declining times foretold Mat. 24. 12. These times afford lamentable Examples c. Means and helps to Perseverance and to keep from Apostacy are these 1. Get soundness of Grace and rest not in a Shew of Godliness without the Power of it Labour for true Faith such as may unite us to Christ inseparably this will never fail Unbelief is a main cause of Apostacy Hebr. 3. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall See that thou be built on the Rock c. else when the floods come c. 2. Carefully use all the means whereby we may be stablished in Grace and by which we may grow in it as the Word Sacraments Prayer Conference c. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow by it Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed there be not an evill Heart c. but exhort one another c. 3. Be jealous over your selves and often sift and examine your spiritual estate how it stands before God whether we grow better or worse whether we go forward or backward As men of the World use often to cast up their accompts to see whether they thrive or decay in their worldly estate so must a Christian do And here it is not amiss to take notice of some of the principal marks and signs of Back-sliding and Apostacy in Grace and Profession of Religion As 1. Coldness or Luke-warmness in spiritual Duties as Hearing Praying Meditation performing these without feeling fervency c. Customary serving of God 2. A Willingnesse and Contentednesse to live without the effectuall and powerfull means of Grace as a profitable Ministry c. When men begin to fall from their Meat it is a sign of dangerous Sicknesse c. 3. Not profiting by the meanes of Grace publick and private as the Word Sacraments c. As when good Meat being taken in yet doth not digest c. Not to go forward is to go backward 4. Immoderate love and delight in earthly things as worldly profits pleasures c. The nearer men cleave to the World the further they depart from God as we see in Demas 5. Harbouring any one sin as Judas did Covetousness 6. No Reluctation against daily small sins and falls of Infirmity when such are swallowed without check and remorse of Conscience 7. Casting off former love to God's Children Demas as it is likely turning Apostate first forsook Paul Also forsaking the Communion of Saints seperating from the godly c. If we find these and the like evils in our selves and that we bear with them in our selves and resist them not or be not humbled for them c. Take heed for they are fearfull signs of a Declining in Grace and many times though not alwayes fore-runners of a total and final Apostacy c. Remember 2 Pet. 2. 21. Better not to have known c. Mark 3. 19 20 21. And they went into a House And the Multitude cometh together again so that they Nov. 21. 1619. could not eat Bread And when his friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said He is beside himself IN the former Verses we have heard of the Election of the twelve Apostles and of the Description of them by their several Names Now the Evangelist layeth down some Events or Consequents which followed after the choosing of them The Consequents are three 1. Our Saviour Christ's going home or into a House with his Disciples Ver. 19. Ad finem versus 2. The great concourse of the People to him unto that House in so much that they could not so much as eat Bread Ver. 20. 3. The ignorant and
Otherwise they cannot look that any good fruit should come of their teaching So much of the first Branch of the Comparison Viz. The resemblance between the Husbandman or sower of seed and the Minister of the Word Now to speak of the resemblance between Seed and the Word of God This stands in two things chiefly 1. The seed of any Corn or grain hath in it a fructifying vertue whereby it being cast into the Earth and lying hid there for a time and rotting doth at length spring again and take root downwards and afterwards brings forth fruit upward So the Word of God hath in it a Divine power and vertue whereby being soundly preached and conscionably heard and received into the hearts of the hearers it doth take root in them and bring forth in them those excellent fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. Esay 55. 10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and watereth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud c. So my Word shall be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that which I please and shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is said to be The immortal seed of our new birth c. to shew That it hath spiritual life and vertue in it and that it gives life to those that hear it causing them to bring forth living fruits of Faith Repentance c. Quest Quest Doth not the Spirit of God work these heavenly Fruits in us Answ Answ Yes the Spirit is the Author and Efficient cause of them but yet the Word is the ordinary Instrumental cause and means by which the Spirit worketh them Use 1 Vse 1. See the Excellency of the Word preached it is not a dead Sound but it hath in it a living Virtue and efficacy to work upon the hearts of the hearers it hath in it a fructifying vertue able to bring forth spiritual fruits of holiness righteousness faith repentance c. in all those that hear and receive it as they ought It is that living seed from whence all fruits of saving grace do spring and grow up in a Christian How should this move and stir us up to love and esteem highly of the Word preached and to hear it upon all occasions Use 2 Vse 2. Let all hearers of the Word examine and try whether they find and feel in themselves this fructifying vertue of the Word whether it have taken such root in their hearts that it bring forth in them spiritual fruits of Faith Repentance Newness of life c. Hast thou been a hearer of the Word Look well to this What vertue this seed hath had in thee what fruits of grace of holiness and reformation of life it hath brought forth in thee If it have brought forth these Fruits in thee in some measure then thou hast been a good hearer if not the fault is in thy self alone for the Word in it self hath a fructifying vertue being the immortal seed of the new birth and of all saving graces in those that hear it aright Therefore if it be not fruitful in thee it is because thou dost not hear it in such conscionable manner as thou oughtest thou doest not receive this seed of the Word into good ground that is into an honest and good heart when the seed sowen is good if it fructifie not the fault is in the ground being barren c. So the Word of God being in it self the living seed of grace if it do not take root and bring forth fruits of grace in thee the fault is in the barrenness of thy heart c. So much of the first resemblance between Seed sowen and the Word preached The second Resemblance is this Seed that is sowen though it be good and have in it a fructifying vertue yet it doth not take root or spring up unto fruitfulness of it self alone but by the blessing and providence of God causing the Sun to shine and the rain to fall upon it and so causing it to spring and grow up according to that Hos 2. 21. I will hear the Heavens saith the Lord and they shall hear the earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn c. And Heb. 6. 7. The Earth which drinketh in the rain c. and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God So it is with the Word preached though it have in it vertue to bring forth the fruit of grace yet it doth not of it self alone shew and manifest vertue without the speciall blessing of God upon it that is without the speciall work of the Spirit of God accompanying the Ministry of the Word in the Hearts of the Hearers otherwise the Ministers of God may Plant and water in vain unless God give increase 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that Planeth any thing neither he that watereâ—h but God that giveth the increase Vse Use See how needful it is for Minister and people to pray unto God for his blessing upon the Ministry of his Word and for the powerfull work of his Spirit to accompany his own Ordinance in the Hearts of the hearers to make it fruitfull in them Though the Word Preached be the Seed of God having in it most excellent vertue yet it hath this vertue not from it self but from the blessing of God promised to his own Ordinance and from his Spirit accompanying the same and therefore though this Seed of the Word be sowen by the Ministers of the Word never so diligently yet unless God send the Rain and Sun-shine of his Spirit upon it it can never fructify in the hearers So much of the resemblance between the Word of God and seed Sowen Now to speak of the third branch of the Similitude the resemblance between the Preaching or Ministry of the Word and the sowing of Seed 1. As the sowing of Seed is the ordinary means to have a Crop and Harvest of Corn and without sowing no Harvest can be looked for so the Preaching of the Word is the Ordinary means for the bringing forth of Spiritual Fruit in men and to cause a Spiritual Harvest of Grace in their hearts and lives and therefore where this seed of the Word is not sowen at all there can no Spirituall Fruit or Harvest be expected no fruit of Faith Repentance c. which shews the misery of such people who live without the Ministry of the Word 2. As it is in sowing seed if it be too thin and sparingly sowed there is likely to be a thin and sparing Crop as on the other side where the seed is sowen with a full hand the Harvest is like to be the more full and plentiful So it is in the Ministry of the Word where this Seed is thin sowed that is the Word is seldome Preached there small fruit is to be expected and on the contrary where it is more frequently and often Preached
tribulation even as it came to passe c. So Act. 20. 23. when he was to go to Jerusalem he made sure accompt before-hand to meet with bonds and afflictions there See Joh. 16. 1. 2. Consider the necessity of suffering affliction for all that will profess Christ and the Gospel 1 Thess 3. 3. That no man should be moved with these afflictions for your selves know that we were appointed thereunto Act. 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Luke 9 23. 3. It is matter of much comfort to a Christian to suffer for well-doing and for the name and profession of Christ 1 Pet. 3. 14. and 4. 16. If any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalf And Verse 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you c. It is an evidence of Gods Spirit of grace and adoption dwelling in thee if thou be content to suffer for the Name of Christ yea it may be an evidence of salvation to thee Phil. 1. 28. In nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Quest Quest May not an Hypocrite or Reprobate and one that shall never be saved suffer much for the profession of the Gospel Answ Answ He may as appeareth 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give my body to be burned c. and Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain c But an hypocrite or Reprobate cannot in due and right manner suffer for the Truth not with sincere affection of heart not in way of true obedience to Gods Will not ayming at Gods glory as the chief end of his suffering but for sinister respects as for vain-glory or the like end Therefore to suffer for the Word with an upright affection ayming at Gods glory and out of true love to the Word is an evidence of grace and salvation to all that do thus suffer 4. Consider That much good is wrought in us by the trouble which we suffer for the Gospel if they be sanctified to us and that we have grace to bear them in due manner and to make a holy use of them They serve to humble us to try and exercise our faith hope and patience to stirr us up to prayer with more fervency to wean us from the world c. No cause therefore why we should so stumble at them as to be discouraged in our Christian course Lastly Consider that we have a promise that God will not suffer us in such cases to be tryed or Afflicted above our strength but will make away to escape that we may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. 13. So much of the Apostacy of these temporary hearers Now follows the Circumstance of time when they are offended and fall away Immediately That is so soon as Affliction and Persecution for the Word ariseth Observ Observ Hence we may observe that such as are hasty and forward at first in the Profession of Religion and in making some shew of Grace if they be not sound and sincere in Religion and Grace do oftentimes fall away as hastily and suddenly from their first Profession These temporary hearers did at first hearing of the Word immediately receive it with joy but having not the Word truly rooted in them by found Faith we see here they fall away as suddenly when troubles come upon them for the Words sake Mark 10. 17. The young man being a Ruler came running to Christ c. and asked what he should do to inherit eternal life But so soon as our Saviour put him to a through tryall by bidding him Sell all c. he went away as soon very sad c. The reason was because he was not sound and sincere in that profession which he made He had good things in him and shewed himself teachable therefore it is said our Saviour loved him but his heart was not truly touched with an unfeyned desire of salvation and of the means of it And thus it is with many hypocritical professors of Religion as they are at first for a time very hasty and suddain in their profession and in shewing some kind of love and desire to the Word and some sudden â—oy in it and some hasty zeal c. So many times they do as hastily and suddenly fall from their first love and zeal c. Their Religion is like Jonas his gourd springing up in a night and withering the next morning Vse Use This being so it should move us much more to labour for soundness of Religion and Grace that we may be constant in it than to be over-hasty and sudden in taking up the profession of Religion and in making shews of grace without due and serious consideration first had of the good grounds upon which we take up our profession Better to begin and enter more leisurely and advisedly into a Christian course upon good grounds and reasons well weighed and so to proceed therein with constancy than to begin over-hastily and unadvisedly and then as hastily to give over and fall away for want of soundness and sincerity Mark 4. 18 19. And these are they which are sowen among thorns such as hear the Word And the May 21. 1620. cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches c. OF the second sort of unprofitable hearers signified by the stony ground we have spoken Now we are come to the third sort resembled by the thorny-ground Whose description is laid down in these two Verses These are such who hear the Word but they suffer the fruit of it to be choked and hindred in them by the cares of this world by the inordinate love of riches and by other sinful lusts so that these may be called the Worldly-minded hearers And although they are not in express words commended so much as the former sort yet it seemeth that in some respects they go beyond them 1. Because they are compared unto thorny ground which is softer and hath more depth of earth than the stony ground whereby it seems to be implyed That the Word taketh deeper root in these than in the former 2. It is said Luke 8. 14. that these bring forth no fruit unto perfection whereby seems to be implyed That although they bring not forth good and ripe fruit yet they bring forth some fruit which is more than is said of the former sort Now in the words consider two things 1. What is commendable in these hearers They hear the Word 2. What is discommendable wherein they fail namely in this That they suffer the Word afterward to be choked in them that is the fruit of it to be hindred Where 1. Consider the causes or means of choaking it which are three Cares of this world deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things 2. The effect or consequent It becometh
laid down the second Consequent of the Miracle which was our Saviour's comforting and incouraging of the Woman being much humbled and cast down with fear of Christ's Divine Majesty and with the sight and feeling of her own unworthiness as we heard out of the former Verse Now he doth incourage her three wayes 1. By calling her Daughter 2. By commending her Faith telling her that she was made whole by it 3. By assuring her by promise of the continuance and constant fruition of the benefit of health restored to her in these words Go in peace and be whole of thy Plague Doctrines generally arising from the coherence of this verse with the former Observ Observ In that this Woman being stricken with fear and trembling at the Divine Majesty of Christ and greatly humbled before him in the sense of her own vileness our Saviour doth thereupon incourage and comfort her Hence we learn that Christ Jesus is the raiser up and Comforter of such as are truly humbled before him in the fight of their own unworthiness and vileness in regard of their sins Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest c. Esay 42. 3. A bruised Reed shall he not break c. Luk. 4. 18. He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted Quest Quest How doth Christ comfort such as are so humbled Answ Answ 1. Outwardly by his Word and Ministery of it especially by the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospel applyed to them effectually See Esay 50. 4. 2. By the inward consolations of his Spirit speaking peace to their Consciences and assuring them of his favour and of the forgiveness of their sins Use 1 Vse 1. To stay and comfort the Hearts of such as are much cast down before God in the feeling of their sins and unworthiness by reason of them and cannot for the present conceive or feel any comfort or assurance of Gods mercy and favour yet let them not be utterly dismayed or out of all hope of comfort but wait still upon God and upon Christ Jesus the Lord for comfort for assuredly he that is the Comforter of all the humbled and broken hearted will in due time raise up and comfort them with the feeling of his favour c. Vse 2 Vse 2. If we would have the Lord Jesus from Heaven to raise us up and comfort uâ— we must then first see that we be truly humbled and cast down in his sight with the sense of our sins and wretchedness of our selves Jam. 4. 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up If thou wouldst have Christ to give thee ease and rest thou must first travel under the burden of thy sins if thou wouldst have him to heal thee thou must first be broken in heart and bruised in conscience for thy many and great sins So much of this general Observation from the coherence Now to speak more particularly of the words Daughter He giveth her this title of a daughter thereby to testifie his loving affection toward her which was such as is in a natural father toward his child and by this also he implyeth that near spirituall union which was between himself and her in respect of the bond of faith by which she wa knit unto him Observ Observ Here then we are to take notice of the strait and near union that is between Christ and all true Believers they are as nearly united as natural Parents and Children yea much nearer in as much as the bond of grace is straiter than of nature See this before Chap. 3. 33 c. It followeth Thy faith hath made thee whole This is the second thing by which he doth encourage her namely by commending her faith By faith understand not onely a general belief of Christ's power that he was able to cure her but also a particular and speciall applying of his power and mercy to her self being perswaded that he was both able and willing to cure her as may be gathered out of the 20th Verse going before where it is said That she said that is was perswaded in heart that if she touched him she should be whole Quest Hath made thee whole Quest How can her faith be said to have made her whole seeing it was the vertue which went out of Christ that is his Divine power which healed her as we heard before Verse 30. Answ Answ The miraculous cure is here attributed to her faith not as to the efficient cause for that was Christ's Divine vertue but as to the instrumental cause or means by which she apprehended and applyed to her self that divine power of Christ by which she was healed Doctr. Doctr. Hence we may gather That faith is the onely means and instrument by which we receive and apply to our selves all benefits and good things which we have from Christ As this Womans faith was the mean and instrument by which she came to receive bodily health from him so it is also the only instrumental cause or mean by which we receive all other benefits from Christ which he bestoweth on uâ— or hath purchased for us The reason hereof is because by faith alone we are united unto Christ himself by it we receive him Joh. 1. 12. and by it he comes to be joyned to us yea to dwell in us Ephes 3. 17. We are also married to him by faith Hos 2. 20. Therefore seeing it is by faith that we come to receive Christ and to be united and joyned so near unto his person in a spiritual manner hence it followes that by the same faith we receive all benefits from Christ which we have from him Even as the Wife being by the marriage-bond â—oyned to her Husband comes by this means to have an interest in those things which are her Husbands as his Honour Riches c. So we being by faith married to Christ by the same faith also we come to have interest in all benefits of Christ which he hath procured for us Now the benefits which we have from Christ and by his means are of two sorts 1. Spiritual which concern our souls and the life to come as justification forgiveness of sins God's favour and salvation it self All these and the like we receive from Christ by faith Rom. 3. 28. we are said to be justified by faith c. So Act. 13. 38. Through this man that is through Christ is preached to you forgiveness of sins See Mar. 2. 5. And by him all that believe are justified from all things Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life See also Mark 16. 16. 2. Temporal benefits which concern this life as bodily health wealth outward peace and prosperity These also we may be said to receive from Christ 1. In that we come to have true right and interest to them in him and by him alone for as in Adam we have lost our right
28. 16. He that believeth will not make haste He will stay the Lord's leasure c. Use 2 Use 2. See also how great need we have of Christian patience Hebr. 10. 36. yea not onely of patience but of long patience whereby to submit obediently and constantly to the bearing of every Crosse and Tryall sent on us of God though he hold us never so long under it An easie matter to be patient for a little while in trouble but when trouble continueth long when the Lord doth long hold us under the Rod and doth nor remove or mitigate his hand here is the patience of the Saints that is the greatest tryall of their patience Here it is a most difficult thing to continue our patience and obedience and not to repine grudge murmur or use any unlawfull means to help and ease our selves Oh therefore let us in this Case labour for constant patience Let it have Her perfect work c. Jam. 1. 4. Use 3 Use 3. This is for the comfort of God's Children when they are long holden under a Crosse or Tryall before God come unto them by deliverance Let them not think this strange nor be at all discouraged much less cast away their confidence in God's promise of deliverance nor their patience but remember that God doth often thus deal with his faithfull Servants letting them alone very long in the midst of their troubles not coming to them by deliverance but seeming to forget them c. And this he doth for speciall reasons as we have heard before both in respect of his own glory and of their good and profit that being long trained up in the School of affliction they may profit the more in sound knowledge of God Faith Repentance Patience and all saving graces Therefore no cause for us to faint or be dismayed though God should long deferr to help and deliver us in our troubles outward or inward though he tarry never so long yet come he will at length most certainly to give deliverance in the due appointed time when it shall be best for us Hebr. 10. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Though he may tarry a while or long yet not alwayes c. In the mean time we must live by Faith and Hope and Patience not limitting God any time for our deliverance but leaving that to his wisdom c. So much of the Circumstance of Time Now to speak of the miraculous Act of Christ in walking on the Sea to his Disciples Walking upon the Sea Quest Quest How could this be seeing his humane body being naturally heavy as the bodies of other men are must needs be apt to sink of it self Answ Answ The Divine Power of Christ's God-head did bear up his body miraculously above the Waters not suffering it to sink and withal the same Power of Christ did alter the nature and property of the waters that whereas naturally they are apt to swallow up and sink all heavy bodies they did now on the contrary help to bear up the body of Christ so as he walked as safely on the top of them as if he had walked upon a way paved with stone Here the Papists and Lutherans the better to establish their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation and to prove that his body may be miraculously in diverse places at once do affirm that Christ in walking on the Sea did miraculously change and alter the natural property of his body making it of a heavy body to become light c. Now if Christ could do this then say they by the same reason he can make his body be present in divers places at once contrary to the natural property of it But this is easily confuted For 1. We deny this that Christ in walking on the Sea did alter the natural condition or property of his body for then it should not have remained a true humane body but the Miracle consisted partly in the bearing up of his body by the Power of his God-head that it should not sink and partly in making the waters firm and solid underneath his feet to bear him up so that the change and alteration was in the waters and not in Christ's body Observ 1 2 Though we should grant that Christ did here work a Miracle in changing the naturall Property of his body which is false yet let them prove if they can that he doth the like in the Sacrament Observ 1. See an evidence of Christ's God-head bearing up his humane body that it did not sink and causing the waters to be as firm land underneath his feet Object Object Peter also did walk on the waters to Christ Mat. 14. Answ Answ Not by his own power but by the Power of Christ commanding him to come to Him on the Sea This appears in that so soon as Christ began but a little to withdraw his powerful help Peter began presently to sink c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that Christ walked on the Sea as upon the Land causing it to bear him up We learn that he is absolute Lord over the dead and sensless Creatures such as the Sea is he hath absolute Power over such Creatures to command and over-rule them and to make them obedient to his Will See this Point spoken of before in Ver. 39. of the fourth Chapter where Christ rebuked the Wind and Sea shewing his Power over them c. This Power of Christ is manifested sundry wayes 1. By altering the natural properties of the insensible Creatures and causing them to work against Nature when it pleaseth him as here he changed the nature and property of the waters causing them to bear up his body So at his death he caused the Vail of the Temple to rent the Earth to quake the Rocks to cleave asunder and the Graves to open Matth. 27. 51. See also Luke 19. 40. and Joh. 20. 19. The doors opened c. 2. By making even such dead Creatures obedient to his Word and Command and to his Will as in the fourth Chapter He rebuked the Wind and the Sea and made them still So afterward in this Chapter Ver. 51. when He came into the Ship to his Disciples he made the storm of Wind presently to cease 3. By turning one Creature into another as Water into Wine Joh. 2. 4. By multiplying the Creatures extraordinarily without means as he multiplied the five Loavs and two Fishes as we heard before 5. By employing them as Instruments and Means of effecting His Will either in punishing the Wicked or in comforting and doing good to the Godly which fear his Name See Chap. 4. Ver. 39. 6. Lastly in changing the quality and condition of these insensible Creatures at the last day from Corruption to Incorruption for there shall be new Heavens and a new Earth Christ shall at that day manifest his Dominion over the Heavens and Earth and Sea and the other insensible Creatures by purging them with fire
because he was begotten of God the Father from Eternity Therefore Joh. 5. 18. he called God his own Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Rom. 8. 32. Quest Quest How was Christ the Son of God begotten of God the Father from everlasting Answ Answ This is a high mystery of Faith impossible to be fully conceived or uttered yet that we may in some measure conceive of it aright we must know that Christ is said to be begotten of God the Father because he did from everlasting receive the beginning of his Person from the Father after an unspeakable manner I say he received the beginning of his Person from the Father not the beginning of his Essence or Divine Nature for that he hath of himself and from himself as well as the Father He is God of himself but he hath the beginning of his Person from the Father so that he is begotten of the Father not as he is God simply but as he is the Son Observ 1 Observ 1. The truth of Christ's God-head that he is not onely true Man but true and very God in one and the same Person yea equal with God the Father in respect of his Divine Nature and Essence See this Point proved Chap. 1. ver 1. Use 1 Use 1. To strengthen our Faith in this main Point of Doctrine and Article of Christian Faith touching Christ's God-head and to move us to hold and maintain the same against all Hereticks who have denied or opposed it either in ancient or latter times In the ancient times of the Church near unto the Age of the Apostles this Doctrine was greatly opposed by sundry wicked and blasphemous Hereticks as Ebion Cerinthus Arrius c. who stirred up great troubles and bloody persecutions against the true Church for maintaining this truth of Christ's God-head and eternal Generation from the Father And it is God's great mercy to us in these times that the Church is not troubled with such dangerous Hereticks as heretofore for which it behoveth us to be thankful Vse 2 Use 2. Hence gather That he is that true Messiah foretold by the Prophets and appointed of God to be our Saviour in that he is both God and Man in one and the same Person For such a one was the true Messiah to be and so was he described by the Prophets as Isa 9. 6. To us a Child is born c. His Name called Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God c. And Isa 7. 14. He must be Immanuel God with us that is God incarnate c. Now then this Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary being such a person as is both God and Man this proves him to be the true and onely Messiah or Christ ordained of God to be our Saviour and Redeemer The sum of the Gospel is that Jesus is the Christ Joh. 20. ult These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God c. We must therefore imbrace him alone as our onely Saviour seeking Salvation in him alone c. Use 3 Use 3. See the cause why the Death and Sufferings of Christ though but short yet have sufficient Power and Vertue in them to satisfie God's Justice for the eternall punishment of our Sins and to procure and purchase God's favour and eternall Life for us namely because of the dignity of his Person that Dyed and Suffered for us being the Son of God and God himself c. See Hebr. 9. 14. called precious Blood The Blood of God Acts 20. 28. Use 4 Use 4. Teacheth us further That Christ is a most powerfull and sufficient Saviour c. See Chap. 1. ver 1. Mark 9. 7 8. And there was a Cloud c. Aug. 6. 1626. Observ 2 Observ 2. CHrist being the Naturall Son of God by eternall Generation by this we may see how such as are by Nature Children of Wrath do come to be Adopted and made the Children of God namely by believing in Christ the Naturall Son of God This is the way and there is none other Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name And Ephes 1. 5. we are said To be predestinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ c. Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ. Reas 1 Reas 1. By Faith in Christ true Believers are most nearly united and joyned to Christ in a spirituall manner They become one with him and he with them They become Members of his Body Flesh and Bones Ephes 5. 30. Therefore they cannot but have one and the same heavenly Father with him they cannot but be his Brethren Rom. 8. 29. He is said To be the first-born among many Brethren Reas 2 Reas 2. By Faith Believers do apprehend and apply Christ's Righteousness whereby they are justified before God and being justified they are also adopted as Children c. Use 1 Vse 1. See what is to be done of all such as are yet in their Naturall estate and out of Christ Labour for true Faith whereby to believe in Christ and so to become one with him that in him thou mayst be accepted and as righteous adopted as the Child of God Thou must first be joyned by Faith to him that is the Natural Son before thou caust be an adopted Child of God by Grace Labour then for some measure of this Faith in Christ the Son of God that in him thou mayest also be accepted as the Child of God by Adoption To this end thou must have a true feeling of thy Naturall misery without Christ that in thy self thou art a Child of Wrath and not to only feel this but to be truly humbled for it c. Then thou must hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousnesse and God hath promised to satisfie thee therewith Matth. 5. 6. This very hungring and thirsting after Christ is accepted of God as a degree of Faith and upon this Faith he will accept thee in Christ as his Child Then being the Child of God thou art also sure to be an Heir of his heavenly Kingdom Rom. 8. 17. If we be Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-Heirs with Christ c. Use 2 Use 2. Comfort to true Believers being by Faith joyned to Christ the Naturall Son they must needs be Children by Grace and Adoption As certainly as Christ is the Naturall Son of God so certainly art thou his adopted Child c. no cause to doubt our Adoption built on a sure Foundation Now how great a priviledge is this to be a Child of God the greatest in the World 1 Joh. 3. 1. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that Christ our Saviour is the true and naturall Son of God we may hence take notice of the unspeakable love of God shewed to us and to the rest of his true Church and faithfull People and the great desire and care he had of our
is shewed uâ—to such he taketh it as shewed unto himself Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my Name receiveth me And this is further amplified by a comparison from the lesse to the greater In that the love and respect which is shewed to humble persons is not only shewed to Christ but also to God the Father who sent him Whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me Whosoever shall receive That is perform any duty of love and good respect to such One duty of love viz. loving and respectful entertainment is put for all other duties of love and respect One of such children This is not to be understood properly of children in age although our Saviour would have them also to be lovingly and respectfully used as we have heard before and as he shewed by his own practise but of such persons as do resemble and are like unto little children in the grace of humility Verse 42. he saith on the contrary Whosoever shall offend oneof these little ones that believe in me c. Now little children cannot be said properly to believe in Christ by actual faith In my Name That is for my sake or for this cause and in this respect that he doth believe in me and is my disciple or doth belong to me as it is explained Verse 41. Receiveth me Sheweth the same love and respect unto me Observ 2 Observ 2. Christians ought not only to be truly humble in themselves but also to shew special love and respect unto such as do resemble young children in humility This our Saviour here teacheth us in that he did not only set a young child before his disciples as a pattern of humility to teach them to be as humble as children in themselves but also taketh occasion withall to perswade and move them to receive such humble Christians in his name that is to shew all love kindnesse and good respect to them for his sake affirming that in so doing they should shew love and respect to himself yea and to his heavenly Father that sent him This shews that he would have his Disciples and all other good Christians not only to be like unto children in themâ—elves by the grace of humility but also to love and esteem well of such as are like children in humility and to shew it by all fruits of love and good respect towards such Reas 1 Reason 1. God himself sheweth special love and respect to such as are truly humble Esay 66. 2. To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit c. and Esay 57. 15. He professeth that he doth dwell not only in heaven but with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit Reas 2 Reas 2. Christ Jesus our Saviour was not only truly humble in himself but did also shew special love and respect unto such as were humble when he lived on earth as we heard upon the former Verse Therefore we ought herein to follow his practise Reas 3 Reas 3. Humble Christians do in special manner resemble Christ Matth. 11. 29. Learn of me c. Therefore we ought to shew special love to such Use 1 Use 1. See how contrary the practise of the world is unto that which God requireth of us in his Word For whereas the Lord requireth of us to shew special love honour and respect to humble Christians it is so for the most part that in the world none are more hated despised and set at naught then such as are most humble and most like unto children in thiâ— grace of humility and in practise of it None more contemned and vilified by the profane and common sort than these who carry themselves most humbly and lowly even as little children in their behaviour See how contrary the practise of the world and of the common sort of men in the world is to the rule of Gods Word which therefore must teach us to beware how we make the example of the world that is of the profane or common sort in the world the rule of our practise either in this or in any other matter Rom. 12. 2. Be not conformed to this world c. Use 2 Use 2. Let us not think it enough to be humble in our selves like little children but withall see that we do shew special love and respect unto all humble Christians who do truly resemble children in humility and the more humble they shew themselve the more let us shew our love and respect towards them by all fruits and tokens of it by receiving and entertaining them lovingly and respectfully both into our company and into our houses as occasion is offered and by our readiness to help relieve and comfort such in their troubles and by doing them all the good we can Seeing they are so belovâ—d and respected of God himself and of Christ Jesus let them be also loved and respected and honoured by us and that in special manner let us esteem them as the â—ittest objects of our love and respect Whom should we so much love and honour as those whom God himself and Christ Jesus doth love and honour Whom but such as are most like unto Christ himself And who are thâ—se but humble Christians who are most like unto little children in this grace The rather le 〈…〉 love and honour such because they have so much need of our love and respect being as they are for most part so apt to be despised and trampled under feet in the world yea the more they are conâ—emned in the world the more ought we to love and honour them for the Lords sake c. Observ 2 Observ 2. That whatsoever duties of love and good respect we do perform toward good Christians being believers in Christ and truly humble the same doth Christ Jesus accept as done unto himself Whosoever shall receive one of such children receiveht me c. So Matth. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me c. And Matth. 25. 34 c. Come ye blessed of my father c. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink c. Verse 40. Verâ—ly I say â—nto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto Me. Reas 1 Reason 1. There is a most straight union between Christ and true believers They are one with him and he with them 1 Cor. 12. 12. As between husband and wife and as between the Vine and the Branches c. Joh. 15. 5. Reas 2 Reas 2. Christ going up into heaven did leave the Saints and faithful upon earth as Deputies or Substitutes in his room and place to the end that in them we might shew our love to him being absent Matth. 26. 11. Ye have the poor alwayes with you but me ye have not alwayes Understand it chiefly of the poor Saints and believers in Christ Use 1 Use 1. How should this perswade
c. 4. In the calling and gathering of the Gentiles to the unity and fellowship of the Church See Psal 2. 6 8. Ephes 3. 3. c. By this means his Kingdom is enlarged much Use Use See our priviledge and happiness who live in these times since this clear and evident manifestation of the Kingdom and Regiment of the Messiah It is God's special mercy to us that we are born and live in these times since the coming of Christ in the Flesh because now his spiritual Kingdom and Government is more evidently manifested than it was before The Gospel is now more clearly â—aught and the gifts of the Spirit are more abundantly powred forth on the Church than before Christ's coming Christ himself also is 〈◊〉 ascended c. the Gentiles also whereof we our selvs are a part are now no longer shut out from the fellowship of the Church but are called and admitted unto it These things we see fulfilled which many Kings and Prophets that lived before Christ's Incarnation did greatly desire to see and yet could not Let us be thankful for this priviledge vouchsafed to us of God and make a good and right use of it Seeing Christ's spiritual Kingdom and Government in and over his Church is now so clearly manifested let us joyn our selves to this Church of Christ and yield our selves as dutiful Subjects of his Kingdom to be governed of him by the Direction of his Spirit and by the Rule of his Word Let us now kiss the Son lest he be angry c. as it is Psal 2. otherwise if we rebel against Christ and will not suffer him to reign over us we must look to be destroyed as his Enemies Luke 19. 27. Hitherto of the Reason or Ground of our Saviour Christ's Exhortation Now to speak of the Exhortation it self which is two fold 1 To repent 2. To believe the Gospel But before I speak of these particularly observe first two general Points of Instruction from the words Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour did chiefly insist on these two things in his Preaching namely upon the Doctrine of Repentance and Faith we learn That the Doctrines of Repentance and Faith should be in special manner taught and insisted upon by Ministers of the Word Our Saviour Christ in his Preaching chiefly urged these as we see here So did John Baptist as appeareth Math. 3. 2. compared with Act. 19. 4. So also did the Apostles as Paul Act. 20. 21. He witnessed to Jews and Grecians the Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Reas Reas These are main and principal Doctrines of the Gospel therefore reckoned among the fundamental Points of Christian Religion taught in the Primitive Church Hebr. 6. 1. The Foundation of Repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God Vse Vse Thiâ— should move Ministers much and often to preach these Doctrines of Faith and Repentance And the People of God should desire often to hear these Doctrines taught No Points of Christian Doctrine are more necessary or more useful These are such Doctrines as can never be taught too much because they can never be learned enough Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour preaching the Doctrine of the Gospel did exhort unto Repentance and Faith hence we may gather That the Doctrines of Repentance and Faith are taught onely in the Gospel as parts of it The Law discovereth Sin but sheweth no Remedy now Repentance is a Remedy c. This is true of Repentance Luke 24. 47. that Repentance should be preached in his Name that is in the Name of Christ as a part of the Gospel It is also true of Faith I mean of justifying Faith whereby we believe in Christ that it is taught onely in the Gospel as a part of it and not in the Law The Reason is because the Moral Law neither reveâ—leth nor teacheth Christ the Mediator therefore it doth not teach Faith in Christ the Mediator There is a kind of Faith taught in the Law which is a belief of God and confidence in him but not that Faith which apprehendeth Christ c. It is an Error to hold this to be commanded in the Law Now to speak particularly of these two Duties unto which our Saviour in his Sermon exhorted The first is To Repent The second To Believe the Gospel Quest Quest Seeing our Saviour doth first exhort to repent and then to believe the Question may be moved Whether Repentance be before Faith or Which of those Graces is first wrought in the heart Answ Answ The Order of these two Graces may be considered three wayes 1. In respect of Time and so neither Repentance nor Faith is first but they go together in time 2. In respect of their Nature and so Faith is in order of Nature before Repentance because a man must first be perswaded of his Reconciliation with God through Christ and of God's love towards him before he can truly love God again and he must first love God truly before he will truly hate Sin as offensive to God and turn from it 3. In respect of the manifestation of them in external fruits and so Repentance goeth usually before Faith because it sooner appeareth and is outwardly discerned by the fruits of it than Faith is And this may be one cause why Repentance is named before Faith in this and some other places of Scripture as Act. 2. 2. and Hebr. 6. 1. Now to speak of our Saviour's Exhortation to the practise of these Graces And first of the practise of Repentance which is first mentioned by our Saviour In handling whereof I will speak of these five things 1. Shew what Repentance is 2. The necessity of it 3. The signs or marks of it by which we may try whether it be in us 4. Speak of the Motives to stir us up to the practise of it 5. Of the Impediments that usually hinder from it Touching the first thing What Repentance is Answ It is a grace of the Spirit whereby a man is truly humbled for his sins and doth turn from them all unto God First I say it is a grace of the Spirit that is wrought in us by the Spirit of God to shew that we cannot repent of our selves but it must be given us of God 2 Tim. 2. 25. Jer. 31. 18 Further I add that it is a Grace whereby a man is truly humbled c. Where note that Repentance hath two parts whereof it standeth The first is Humiliation for sin The second is Conversion or Turning from sin to God both these must be in true Repentance 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my People shall humble themselves and turn from their wicked wayes c. Touching the first of these which is Humiliation for sin In it there must be two things 1. A true sight and feeling of our sins and of the Curse due unto them by the Law of God Psal 51. 3 I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me So
Faith that as in eating and drinking there is an applying of Meat and Drink with the hand to the mouth and so a receiving of it into the stomach for the Nourishment of the Body so in believing there must be a particular applying of Christ the bread of Life to the Soul for the spiritual nourishment of it Reas 2 2. Joh. 3. 16. Whoso believeth in Christ shall have everlasting Life Now if to believe in Christ were onely in general to believe all things to be true which are revealed in the Word touching Christ then not onely many wicked men but the Devils should be saved for they believe the History of the Gospel to be true as may appear because they confessed Christ to be the Son of God c. and Jam. 2. 19. They believe and tremble yet they shall never be saved therefore in saving Faith there is something more required than a general assent to the truth of the Word namely a particular Application of Christ c. Reas 3 3. True Faith breedeth Peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. and confidence towards God Ephes 3. 12. But a general perswasion of the truth of the Word will not work these effects onely a particular Application of Christ will do it this therefore must be in true Faith Thus we see that in true Faith there must be a particular applying of Christ Therefore let none content themselves with that Popish Faith which is onely a general Belief of the truth of the Word Ignorant People think this is a good Faith but it will deceive them if they trust to it The second thing to be spoken of is The Degrees of true Faith which are two The first is a weak Faith yet true and sincere The second is a strong Faith A weak Faith I call that which is mixed with much doubting which doth generally assail it and often prevail much against it This weak Faith is nothing else but an earnest and unfeigned desire of being reconciled to God in Christ with a hearty sorrow for our Unbelief and with a care to use all means for the encrease and strengthning of Faith God accepts this Desire in stead of a stronger Faith Therefore the promise of blessedness is made to it Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. and Revel 21. 6. I will give unto him that is athirst c. Such a weak Faith was in him Mar. 9. 24. I believe help my Vnbelief and Matth. 8. 26. The other Degree is a strong Faith by which I understand a more full perswasion of God's Love in Christ and of Salvation by him This was in Abraham Rom. 4. 20. Who did not doubt of the Promise c. and in Paul Rom. 8. 38. This is not wrought in a Christian at the first but in tract of time after one hath had many experiences of God's Love This measure of Faith we must all strive unto yet the other weak Faith if it be sincere and unfeigned doth truly apprehend Christ though weakly As a weak Eye-sight might look upon the Brazen Serpent as well as a stronger sight Therefore let not such be discouraged who find onely this weak Degree of Faith in themselves onely look to this that it stand not at a stay but that it grow in thee and that to this end thou use all good means else it never was true Faith if it continue still as weak as at first and grow not to more strength by Degrees The third Point is The necessity of Faith for a Christian which may appear by these Reasons Reas 1 1. It is the onely instrumental cause in us of our Justification and Salvation Rom. 5. 1. Justifyed by Faith c. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved c. It is that alone which uniteth us to Christ by which he dwells in us Ephes 3. 17. and so by it we come to be partakers of all the saving benefits of Christ as God's favour Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation it self Reas 2 2. Hebr. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God The best works we perform if they be not done in Faith believing that the person and work is accepted in Christ they are unpleasing to God yea they are sins Rom. 14. ult Reas 3 3. Faith is the means of up-holding our spiritual and temporal life Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. Without Faith we cannot live the spiritual life of Grace because by it alone we are united to Christ and so receive Influence of Grace and of spiritual life from him He is life but we partake not of this life but by Faith Again without Faith we cannot lead our temporal life in such manner as may be pleasing to God and comfortable to our selves It is Faith which must guide and order our temporal life in such manner as God requireth causing us to seek his glory in all our wayes and to depend on him in all estates as well of adversity as prossperity Thus we see the necessity of Faith for every Christian In the fourth place let us see some special marks and signs by which we may examine whether we have true Faith 1. True Faith purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. causing in us a constant purpose and striving against all sin yea against our most inward and secret corruptions It will cause not onely a wandring and inconstant purpose of avoiding sin but a constant purpose True Faith cannot stand with a purpose of continuing in any known sin He that believes truly that his sins are forgiven by the mercy of God in Christ that person believeth withal that he must not live in sin because it is offensive to God Examine thy self by this property of Faith whether it be in thee Art thou careful to purge thy heart and life from sin c. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Art thou careful not to defile thy Conscience with sin True Faith cannot stand with an evil conscience 2. Where true Faith is there will be a daily striving against Unbelief and doubtings with a careful use of the means whereby these doubtings may be subdued and the heart setled in a stedfast belief of God's promises Now these means are the Hearing of the Word Use of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Prayer c. Where Faith is there will be a conscionable use of these spiritual exercises for the strengthning of Faith Examine thy Faith by this mark Doest thou feel contrary doubtings and much Unbelief in thy heart And doest thou hate thy doubtings and constantly strive and pray against them Doest thou say Lord I believe help my Vnbelief It is an Argument thou hast Faith in some measure Some say they never doubted of their Salvation this shews they never truly believed for Faith is mingled with Unbelief and causeth a strife against it in all that have it 3. True Faith is fruitful in 〈◊〉 works especially in the works of Love Gal. 5. 6. Faith worketh by Love Jam. 2. It is
healed in Body as we see that Woman did who had been twelve years Diseased with an Issue of bloud Mark 5. 27. She came in the presse behind and touched His Garment c. So should we in all outward and bodily miseries presse unto Christ by earnest prayer for help and deliverance 2. But much more in all our Spirituall miseries and inward distresses of mind and conscience as in the feeling of the burden of our own sins and of God's wrath we should go unto Christ by Faith yea we should presse unto him by Faith labouring to lay hold on him and on the merit of his Sufferings for the pardon of our Sins at least to touch Him by the hand of our Faith This is the onely way to find ease and comfort Use 1 Use 1. This reproveth such as being in distresse and affliction take wrong Courses to find ease and deliverance Some being in outward affliction as bodily Sicknesse or the like fall to murmuring and repining to impatient words and behaviour thinking so to ease themselves but this is the way to increase their own torment of Body and Mind and to make the burden of their own Cross heavier than it would be Others are worse who in such Cases stick not to seek help from Witches or Wizzards and what is this but instead of going to Christ for help to seek to the Devil for it See Levit. 20. 6. it is said of such If any turn after such as work with Spirits and South-Sayers to go a Whoring c. I will set my face against that Person and cut him off This was Saul's sin when God had cast him off he went to the Witch of Endor that is to the Devil for help 1 Sam. 28. Again others there be who in time of inward trouble of conscience when they feel the burden of sin lying on their conscience and the wrath of God terrifying them instead of going to Christ by Faith betake themselves to merry Company or to vain Sports thinking so to find ease but this is not the way This course may for the present stop the mouth of thy accusing conscience but it will not take away the sting of it nothing will do this but the bloud of Christ applyed by Faith Use 2 Use 2. In all miseries and troubles outward and inward take the right course and use this as the best remedy Go to Christ Jesus for help go to Him by Faith and by Prayer yea presse unto Him by earnest prayer and labour to lay hold on his Power and Mercy and on the merit of his Sufferings by a true and lively Faith at least to touch him though it be but by a weak Faith Thou shalt find vertue to come from him to give thee ease and comfort in all distresses Let no impediments therefore hinder thee from going to Christ in such Cases presse to him through all difficulties let not the greatness of thy misery or multitude of thy sins keep thee back nay rather these must drive thee to Christ And the more to incourage thee to go to him consider how he calleth all unto him that travel c. promising to refresh them Matth. 11. 28. and Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Observ 2 So many as had Plagues Observ 2. Hence gather That all Diseases of the Body are Fruits of Sin sent of God upon Men as scourges for sin 1 Cor. 11. 30. For the sin of prophaning the Lord's Supper many were sick c. Joh. 5. 14. Sin no more lest a worse c. Therefore Mark 2. 5. when our Saviour was about to cure the sick of the Palsy he first pronounced forgiveness of sins to him to shew that his sins were the cause of his Disease Lam. 3. 39. Man complaineth for his sins c. Reas God doth not chastise or punish those that are innocent but such as deserve it by their sins otherwise he should be unjust And although he doth not alwayes aym at the satisfying of his justice in punishing sin when he layeth sickness upon men for sometimes he layeth it upon his own Children for other ends as for the tryall and exercise of their Faith and Patience c. as we see in Job's example yet it is true that in all Diseases and Sicknesses laid upon Men Sin is still the originall and procuring cause so as if there were no sin in them they should never feel Sicknesse Use 1 Use 1. To cause patience in bearing every Sickness contentedly seeing it is the Fruit of our Sins and comes justly upon us God do thus no wrong in so scourging us therefore submit to this hand consider thy Sins have deserved Hell fire if God free thee from this an Christ be well content he should lay a short tryall on thee by Sicknesse yea be thankfull to him for dealing so well with thee See Mich. 7. 9. I will bear the wrath of God because I have sinned c. Vse 2 Use 2. In all sickness of the body search out our sins the causes of our sickness and be humbled truly for them acknowledging them and craving pardon for them in Christ This is the way to find ease and comfort and deliverance if God see it good for us Sin being removed the sting of sin is removed and then the sickness it self also shall be removed or sanctifyed to us This course David took Psal 32. See before Chap. 2. ver 5. Use 3 Use 3. See by this the heinousness of sin and how offensive it is to God in that it causeth him so sharply to chastise men and to scourge us with these whips of bodily Diseases c. Ver. 11 12. And the unclean Spirits c. Here is set down the second sort of Miracles wrought by our Saviour namely his powerful subduing of the Devils in such as were possessed In the words consider two things 1. The Behaviour of the Persons possessed or of the Devils in them set forth in two things 1. Their falling down before our Saviour Christ 2. Their crying out and confessing him to be the Son of God 2. The Carriage of our Saviour towards them ver 12. He rebuked them sharply that they should not utter Him Unclean Spirits that is the Devils being in those that were possessed with them and they are called Unclean to shew their nature in that they are wholly polluted with the filth and corruption of Sin and thereby to put difference between them and the good Angels which are clean and pure Spirits as we heard Chap. 1. Ver. 23. Fell down before Him in token of their subjection to him and to his Divine Power which he made them to feel for he compelled them to it withal it is likely that they fell down before him in way of supplication to him entreating him not to torment them by casting them out for so they used to do at other times when our Saviour went about to cast them out as we heard Chap.
and saving Grace labour for saving Faith and Repentance there is a kind of counterfeit faith and Repentance very like unto true saving Faith and Repentance and yet is not so take heed of resting in such a Faith or in such Repentance yea take heed of resting in any common gift or grace that may be in an Hypocrite or Reprobate but strive to go beyond the most formal Hypocrite and to have more Grace in thee then can be in such a one strive to be not almost but altogether a good Christian he that is but half a Christian lives most miserably for he neither enjoyes God nor the World not God because he hath not Grace enough to make him his own not the World because he hath some taste of Grace enough to shew him his own misery and the vanity of Worldly things So the sound Christian hath his Heaven above the carnal Worldling here below the half-Christian no where If therefore thou wouldst be truly happy never rest till thou know thy self to be a through Christian Use 2 Use 2. Seeing bad hearers may go so far as we have heard in many properties of good hearers and yet be still unprofitable see what to judge of those that come short of these temporary hearerâ— as many do Some will scarse take pains to hear the Word at least there is no care in them to hear it duely and diligently Others hear it without understanding being so blind and ignorant that they conceive little or nothing of the Doctrines that are delivered and these come short not onely of this second sort but even of the first sort of unprofitable hearers who have some understanding in the Word Others again and those very many though they hear and understand the Word yet are not affected in heart with any love or desire to it nor with any joy or delight in it What should we think of these Is it likely that any of these should be good hearers seeing they come short of those that are bad and unprofitable Hearers We cannot so think If many that hear the Word profit not how should they profit who hear it not If many that understand it are never the better how should they be the better that understand it not If many that are affected in heart to love and rejoyce in it c. yet reap no sound fruit how should they reap fruit whose hearts are little or nothing moved with it who relish no sweetness in the Word who have no joy or delight in it but it is rather a thing tedious and wearisome to hear it c. Therefore take heed of comming short of these temporary and Hypocritical hearers take heed we come not short of those that are like to come short of Heaven if they go no farther than yet they are gone in Christianity Vse 3 Use 3. This must further teach and move us not to rest in those good things which may be found in these temporary hearers of the Word stay not where they do but see that we go further and out-strip them if we mean to approve our selves to be good hearers and such to whom the Word may be the savour of life unto life Think it not enough that we be hearers of the Word nor that we understand it in our minds nay think it not sufficient that we can be affected in heart with some kind of desire and love to the Doctrine and with some kind of delight and joy in it for thus far these temporaries go who yet are but Hypocrites Labour therefore to go a step and degree further not onely to have some love to the Word and some joy and delight in it when it is Preached but to be affected with true and sincere love to it and with sound joy in it Quest. Quest How to know true and sincere affections to the Word as true love joy c. and to discern them from hypocritical and counterfeit Answ Answ To this end we must observe and take notice of some differences between them 1. They differ in the root from whence they spring for true and sincere love to the Word and joy in it spring from true and saving faith that is from a lively and effectual apprehension and application of the Promises of salvation made in the Word Act. 16. 34. whereas the counterfeit love and joy of hypocrites springeth onely from a false temporary faith which is only a vain presumption of Gods mercy in Christ or a sleight and groundless perswasion That the Promises of salvation belong to a man without any true and effectual application of them 2. They differ in the motive or cause moving them to love and rejoyce in the Word That which moveth the sound Christian and good hearer to love and rejoyce in it is the excellency holiness and goodnesse of the Word in it self but that which moveth the hypocrite and temporary hearer to love and rejoyce in it is some sinister and by-respect as our curiosity and desire of hearing some new things not heard before or else some partial affection to the preachers Person or to his Gifts Learning Eloquence c. This was Augustine's delight before his Conversion in the Sermons of Ambrose more for the eloquence of the speaker then for the matter delivered as himself saith in his Book of Confessions So Ezek. 33. 32. And hence it is that the good hearer loveth and rejoyceth in one part of the Word as well as in another in the precepts and threatenings as well as in the Promises and comforts he loveth the Word nor onely when it promiseth good to him but even when it crosseth and contradicteth his sins and corruptions as Paul Rom. 7. 22. delighted in the Law of God though it restrained his corruption But on the other side the temporary hearer loveth and delighteth in some part of the Word but not in all alike he loves the promises not the threatenings c. He loves the Word so long as it speaketh good to him but if it crosse his corruptions specially his beloved sins he liketh it not as Herod rejoyced in some part of John's doctrine but not in the doctrine of the seventh Commandment which shews that his joy in the Word was not sincere 3. They differ in the quality of these affections In two respects 1. The love and joy which the good hearer hath to and in the Word doth arise in their heart leisurely and by degrees for the most part not all on the sudden Like those Act. 2. 37. who were first pricked in their hearts and humbled at the hearing of the Word and then afterwards filled with joy as appeareth Verse 41. Contrariwise the temporary and hypocritical hearer is sudden and over-hasty in his affections to the Word they spring in him suddenly like Jonas his gourd so it is said here They receive the Word immediately with gladness even upon the first hearing without any due consideration of the ground and reason of their joy without any
touch of conscience or true humiliation for sin going before 2. The affections of the good hearer are constant though not alwayes in like measure their love and desire to the Word and their joy in it continueth and increaseth more and more Contrariwise the love and joy of the temporary as it came suddenly so it goes and vanisheth as suddenly according to the Proverb Soon ripe soon rotten his affections to the Word come by fits as it were now and then and afterward decay and vanish Thus we see the differences between the sincere affections to the Word which are in good hearers and those hypocriticall and counterfeit affections which are found in the temporary hearers Now then we are to examine our affections to the Word whether they be sound and sincere and to labour that they may be so Labour to love and rejoyce in the Word even for the holiness of it and not for sinister respects and to be constant in our love and joy Use 4 Use 4. If men may go so far in the properties of the good hearer and yet be still unprofitable hearers and no better then hypocrites This must teach us not to be discouraged in our love to the Word nor to give over our joy in it though we see some fall away who have formerly been forward in hearing it and shewed much love to it and seemed to rejoyce in it Though we are to grieve at this yet not so to be offended or dismayed at it as to be thereby hindred in our good and Christian course No marvail if such fall away from their faith seeing they were never sound in faith no marvail if they leave their first love to the Word and their joy which they had in it seeing these affections were never sound in them We wonder not to see a dogg return to his vomit or the swine being washed to wallow in the mire again no more should we wonder to see hypocrites and counterfeit professors of the Gospel to fall from their first profession 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they had remained with us So much of the things that are commendable in these hearers Mark 4. 17. And have no root in themselves c. May 7. 1620. NOw follow those things wherein they fail 1. They have no root in themselves That is the Word which they hear is not rooted in their hearts Now by this rooting of it in them we are to understand the effectuall applying of it unto them which application is made by a true and saving faith in their hearts This is called by St. James The ingraffing of the Word Jam. 1. 21. See Col. 2. 7. Observ Observ Though hearers be affected in heart with the doctrine of the Word yet if it be not rooted in them that is truly and effectually applyed by faith it cannot truly profit them This is mentioned as the main cause why these hearers signified by the stony ground do not bring forth true and lasting fruit because the seed of the Word is not rooted in them by faith it may have a shallow rooting as it were in them in that their hearts are in some sort affected with joy in it but hath no true rooting in them it is not rooted deep enough in them by true faith as seed in stony-ground may enter a little but not deep enough c. Heb. 4. 2. The Word which the old Israelites heard did not profit them because not mingled with faith in those that heard it Reas 1 Reason 1. Till the Word be rooted and applyed by faith the heart cannot be truly and sincerely affected with it for all sound and sincere affections of the heart unto the Word as true love to it and sound joy in it c. do flow from true faith as effects of it They may be affected but not so as to have their hearts renewed Reas 2 Reas 2. Without faith effectually applying the Word there will be no sincere obedience yielded unto it for this is also a fruit of faith Therefore it is called the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. Use 1 Vse 1. See the reason why many profit not by the Word preached and heard because they want true faith whereby it should be rooted in their hearts they have no root of faith whereby the Word should be throughly and effectually applyed unto them and ingraffed in their hearts They are stony-ground which hath onely a little shallow mould for the seed to enter into c. So there are many hearers who give the Word onely some shallow entrance into their hearts by some sudden and light joy in it for a time or by a false temporary faith onely believing and slightly applying it for a time but there is no depth of earth in them no sound saving faith in them effectually to apply the Word and to root it in their hearts but without this all their affections of love and desire to the Word and of joy in it for a time are vain and come to nothing at length and they are never the better for all their hearing Use 2 Vse 2. If we would truly profit by the Word and have it fruitfull in us unto eternal life think it not enough to be in some measure affected with joy and delight in it when we hear it c. for all this while it hath but a shallow entrance like seed in stony-ground but labour above all to have it throughly and deeply rooted in us by true and effectuall faithfull applying it unto our selves so as it may work throughly upon our hearts causing us not only to be truly and sincerely affected to it but also to yield unfeined obedience unto it for this will the doctrine of the Word work upon us if it be once rooted in us truly by faith if it be thus rooted in us it will not onely spring up in us and be fruitful for a time but even forever and this fruit shall never dye in us but as the seed is immortal so shall the fruit be Oh therefore labour for this true and effectual faith whereby to apply every doctrine and instruction every reproof and threatening every comfort and promise unto thy self particularly and effectually so as every part of the Word may take deep root in thee and may work throughly and effectually upon thee not only affecting thy heart but renewing and changing it and framing both heart and life to the sincere obedience of it Pray unto God to give thee some measure of this true saving faith whereby his Word may be thus rooted in thee so as to bring forth saving fruit in thee Rom. 1. 16. the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation but it is not so to all but to them that believe And 1 Thessal 2. 13. The Word works effectually in such as believe So much true faith as thou hast in hearing truly to believe and particularly to apply
c. As if he should say they were worse and more rebellious against him than the Sea which is subject to his Decree but they would not be obedient to his Word So is it with all of us of our selves by nature we are more rebellious against Christ Jesus our Lord and more unwilling to be obedient to him then the Sea or Wind or any other of the sensless creatures How should we mourn and be grieved for this our natural rebellion against the Word of Christ No tears are sufficient to lament it Vse 4 Vse 4. Let us every one Learn even from the sensless creatures to yield ready and chearfull obedience to the Will and Word of Christ Shall the Wind and Sea and all creatures obey his Rebuke and command and shall we shew our selves disobedient or untractable against it How great a shame is this for us How much doth this aggravate our sin and disobedience against the Word of Christ that in this respect we are worse then they are Take heed it be not so with us lest the sensless and dumb creatures do hereafter testify against us and condemn us when the Lord shall call us to account for our disobedience against him See Esay 1. 2. How the Lord calls upon the very Heavens and Earth to be witnesses against his People for their Rebellion against him Ver. 40 41. And he said unto them why are ye so fearfull c. Here the Evangelist layeth down the Consequents of the Miracle which are two 1. Our Saviour reproving of his Disciples for their timerousness ver 40. 2. The effect which the Miracle did work in the Disciples and others which is twofold 1. Inward They were moved with great fear 2. Outward in that they do by their words one to another acknowledg the great power of Christ and profess their admiration of it In our Saviour's reproof of his Disciples we may consider two things 1. The fault it self which he reproveth Their fearfulness Why are ye so fearfull 2. The cause of this their fearfullness which he discovereth to them in these words How is it that ye have no Faith implying that want of Faith was the cause of their timerousness Quest Quest Whether doth our Saviour here condemn in his Disciples all kind of fear in this time of danger or not Answ Answ For Answer to this we must know that there is a twofold fear in mans Heart in time of distress and danger The first is a naturall fear comming from entire nature whereby every one doth naturally seek to preserve himself and to shun and avoid things hurtfull which tend to the destruction of nature Now this kind of fear is not here condemned by our Saviour neither is it of it self evill or sinfull for it was in Christ himself when he prayed Let this Cup pass from me Matth. 26. And Hebr. 5. 7. there is mention made of his fear 2. There is an immoderate and sinfull fear which commeth from corrupt nature whereby a man in time of danger so feareth that he doubteth or distrusteth of Gods Protection and special Providence for his deliverance And this immoderate fear which is joyned with infidelity is here condemned by our Saviour as appeareth by the words 1. Because he doth not say Why are ye fearfull but Why are ye so fearfull implying that he blamed them not simply for fearing or shunning the danger but for fearing immoderately and distrustfully 2. Because he sheweth in the next words that this fear in them came from want of Faith So much in way of clearing the sense of the words Observ 1 Observ 1. First let us here observe the Gracious and Mercifull dealing of our Saviour Christ with his Disciples in that he doth not utterly reject or cast them off or condemn them as void of all Faith and Grace because of their infirmity but he reproveth them for it in gentle manner to the end they might see their infirmity and be humbled for it and that so he might cure and redress it in them This teacheth us how we ought to deal with others in respect of their infirmities that we are not to reject and cast them off utterly or to condemn them as gross Hypocrites void of Grace because we see some faults and corruptions in them but we are on the other side to use the best means we can to cure and redress such sins of Infirmity in them as by Admonishing them gently by Praying for them c. In the mean time we are not simply to condemn their Persons because of their Infirmities but in love to tolerate and bear with them waâ—â—ing for their Reformation Thus did our Saviour often bear with the weakness of his Disciples see Joh. 20. 27. Esay 42. 3. It is said of him that he would not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax that is he should not reject those that are weak in Faith but bear with them and cherish the small beginnings of Grace in them And so ought we to do after his example Use Use This sheweth the uncharitableness of those that are ready to reject and utterly to condemn those for Hypocrites in whom they discern any faults and corruptions to be though they be but of weakness These shew want of Christian love whose property is to cover and bear with others Infirmities Take heed of this uncharitable censuring of others for their Infirmities and consider how ill it would be with us if the Lord himself should so condemn and reject us for our Infirmities Observ 2 Observ 2. Further we see here that although our Saviour do not utterly condemn and reject his Disciples for their timerousness and weakness of Faith yet he doth not approve of these Infirmities in them but reproveth them for the same Whence we learn that though we are to bear with others Infirmities and imperfections yet we are not to allow or approve of them but rather to admonish and reprove them for the same Thus our Saviour doth often reprove the Infirmities of his Disciples as here and Matth. 14. 31. he reproveth Peter for his weak Faith So Matth. 26. 40. he reproveth him and the two sons of Zebedaeus which were with him in his Agony for their sluggishness that they could not watch with him one hour Yea sometimes he doth sharply reprove the Infirmities of his Disciples as Mark 16. 14. He upbraided the Eleven with their unbelief and hardness of Heart And Luke 24. 25. He thus reproveth the Disciples going to Emmaus O Fools and slow of Heart to believe c. Quest Quest Whether is every one bound to reprove all Infirmities which they see in others Answ Answ Not so 1. Some Infirmities are to be covered and passed by Prov. 19. 11. Some have natural Infirmities as hastiness frowardness c. These pass by sometimes 2. Christians must have a Calling to reprove faults in others and this is in two cases 1. If they have a speciall charge of others committed to them
being set in place of Authority over them Thus Ministers of the Word have a special calling to reprove the faults and corruptions which they discern in their people 2 Tim. 4. 2. Paul bids Timothy reprove rebuke c. So also have Parents Masters Husbands to reprove the infirmities and faults of Children Servants Wives 2. When they see hope and likelihood of doing good by their Admonition and reproof as if the parties offending be such as are fit to be admonished or reproved by them and likely to take it well for ought they know to the contrary In this case every Christian is called to admonish or reprove Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wiserebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him And Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another c. These Precepts are generall belonging to all Christians and not onely to Ministers Parents c. Now for the right performance of this Duty of Admonishing or Reproving others these Rules are to be observed 1. This must be done in love and compassion toward the persons offending and not out of bitter passion much less in rancour or malice against them Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in Heart but shalt rebuke him c. Jud. 22. Have compassion of some c. 2. It must be done with the spirit of meekness especially in admonishing such as offend of weakness Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if any be overtaken in a fault ye which are Spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness c. 3. With Wisedome and discretion And this must be seen in two things chiefly 1. In making choice of the fittest time and season to reprove and that is when we perceive the party offending to be most tractable and willing to be admonished Prov. 15. 23. A word spoken in due season how good is it 2. In putting difference between the faults and Infirmities which we do reprove some are great Infirmities which are to be more sharply reproved some lesser which are more gently to be reproved 4. Joyn Instruction with Admonition Col. 3. 16. Object Object Against this Doctrine is 1 Pet. 4. 8. Answ Answ Though we are to cover others faults that is not blaze them abroad to others when there is no necessity so to do yet we ought to reprove them in some cases c. Use 1 Use 1. This condemneth the neglect of this Christian Duty of admonishing and reproving others faults and sins of Infirmity A duty greatly failed in by many Christians and yet such a duty as is of great use and profit being well performed Many excuses some do make for their omission of this Duty as that they know not how to admonish or reprove or that it will not be well taken that they shall get the ill will and displeasure of their friends or Neighbours c. But remember Eccles 11. 4. He that observeth the Wind shall not sow c. Where there is true love to the Soul of our brother or Sister and an unfeined desire to do them good by a Christian Admonition and Reproof all such frivolous excuses will easily be taken away Vse 2 Use 2. This also is for the reproof of those that take upon them to Admonish and reprove others for their Infirmities but not in due manner and so many times do more hurt then good Such are they who reprove others in Passion and Choler not in love and meekness or else undiscreetly and unseasonably or without putting difference between great and small faults or infirmities c. Use 3 Use 3. This also shews how great a sin it is to countenance and incourage others in their Infirmities as by winking at gross corruptions in others especially in their friends or by commending those things that are amiss in them or speaking too favourably of their infirmities c. Use 4 Vse 4. Be willing to be admonished and reproved by others c. Psal 141. 5. Observ 3 Observ 3. Further in that our Saviour here reproveth his Disciples for their timorousness in this danger We may hence gather that it is a fault and sin in Christians to be immoderately timorous and fearfull in times of trouble and daâ—ger Of this see before upon ver 38. in the Remedies against excessive timorousness The Reason why it must needs be a sin is because it is a fruit of infidelity and distrust of Gods Mercy and special Protection Vse Use See then that we ought not to bear with our selves in this fault and cortuption but to be humbled for it and to Pray and strive against it by all good means Mark 4. 40 41. And he said unto them c. VVEE have spoken of the fault or sin which our Saviour reproveth in his Disciples namely their excessive Aug. 20. 1620. and distrustful fear Now it follows to speak of the cause from which that timorousness proceeded which was want of Faith How is it that ye have no Faith He doth not mean they had no Faith at all but that their Faith was weak So Matth. 8. 26. O ye of little Faith And so we are to take the words here How is it that ye have no Faith That is How is it that your Faith is so weak and small Doctr. Doctr. Hence gather that timorousness in time of trouble and danger proceedeth from infidelity as an effect and fruit of it Matth. 14. 31. When Peter walking on the Sea and beginning to sink was afraid Christ reproveth him thus O thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt Therefore also the fearful and unbelieving are coupled together Revel 21. 8. to shew that excessive fearfulness is a fruit of unbelief or infidelity So when Peter for fear denyed Christ weakness of Faith was the cause as may be gathered Luke 22. 32. Now for the better conceiving of this point we must know that there is a twofold infidelity The first is that which is opposite to all Faith and excludeth it And this is in the wicked and unregenerate that have no Faith at all The second is that which is opposite to a strong Faith or to a high degree and great measure of Faith and this kind of infidelity is in many true believers and good Christians See Mark 9. 24. Now this immoderate timorousness which we speak of doth alwayes proceed from one of these two kinds of Infidelity that is to say either from want of all Faith as in the wicked and unbelievers or else from weakness of Faith as in some good Christians and as in these Disciples of Christ here mentioned Reason of this Doctrine All true courage and boldness in times of trouble cometh from faith We must first be perswaded by faith of Gods love to us in Christ and consequently of his special protection in times of danger before we can shew any Christian courage at such times 1 Joh. 5. 4. This is the victory c. Therefore on the other side the want or weakness of this faith must
needs be the cause of all cowardly fearfulness in times of distress Vse 1 Use 1. See the reason why the wicked and unbelievers are so cowardly and timorous in times of trouble and danger befalling them as we see in Cain Gen. 4. 14. and in Belshazzar Dan. 5. 6. Yea sometimes when there is no danger they are fearful Prov. 28. 1. The wicked fleeth when none pursueth And Levit. 26. 36. The sound of a shaken leaf chaseth them c. The reason of this their timorousness is their want of faith They have no assurance of Gods mercy to them in Christ nor of his special protection in times of danger therefore are their hearts thus overcome of fear and terrour They are sometime at their wits end This shall make the hearts of the wicked to fail them for fear at the day of Judgment because they shall want faith c. Vse 2 Vse 2. See also the cause of much timorousness even in good Christians in times of trouble The weakness of their saith is the cause of it as it was here in Christs Disciples And we are not to marvail that the best Christians are subject to this infirmity of timorousness more or less seeing there is some weakness and imperfection of faith in the best Vse 3 Use 3. Hence gather That excessive fearfulness in time of danger is a sin because it is a fruit of infidelity But of this before Use 4 Use 4. This sheweth us further what to do that we may be kept from this immoderate fear and timorousness Labour for true faith and for a further growth of it in us Such as never had faith must use all good means to attain some measure of it And such as have it in some measure already must labour for a further increase of it The more faith the less fear as on the contrary the less faith the more fear Pray unto God to give thee faith and to increase it in thee This will expell fear out of thy heart and make thee couragious in times of greatest distress and danger as Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet I will trust in him And Paul Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall separate c. So Hebr. 11. 34. it is said of Gedeon Barack Sampson c. that by faith they stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched violence of fire c. out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight c. So the Martyrs were couragious at the Stake and in the fire because they had special strength of faith given them Especially let such labour for faith who are called to go through great dangers as Souldiers Mariners Women that bear Children c. 1 Tim. 2. ult Verse 41. And they feared exceedingly c. The Evangelist layeth down a second consequent of this Miracle namely the effect which it wrought in the Disciples and others Which effect is twofold 1. Inward They feared exceedingly 2. Outward In that they do by their words one to another acknowledg the power of Christ and profess their admiration of it They feared c. This is to be understood not onely of the Disciples of Christ but of others also of the people who were present in other ships and saw the Miracle as may be gathered from Matth. 8. 27. where it is said The men marvailed c. Now if none but the Disciples had wondred and feared it is likely the Evangelist would not have spoken so generally saying The men marvailed but rather The Disciples marvailed Quest Quest Why did they so exceedingly fear seeing the storm being now laid the danger was past Answ Answ The Evangelist doth not here speak of their fearing of the danger in which they had been and from which they were now escaped but of that fear and reverence of the Power and Majesty of Christ with which they were stricken and moved in heart at the sight of this great Miracle And this fear was the greater in the Disciples because they now saw and considered their own weakness and infidelity for which Christ had reproved them Thus then the consideration of Christ's wonderfull power and their own weakness moved them thus exceedingly to fear and reverence the Divine Majesty of Christ And this was a good kind of fear in them whereby they so feared the power and Majesty of Christ that they were carefull not to offend him as they had done before by their timorousness and infidelity Observ Observ Hence gather That we ought to be affected in heart with great fear and reverence of the Majesty of God when we see or take notice of his great and powerful works the consideration of his wonderfull works should move us greatly to fear him Thus the Disciples and others at this time by seeing this great Miracle of Christ were moved to fear him exceedingly So Peter and others Luke 5. 8. So the Centution and they that were with him at the time of Christ's death when they saw the Earth-quake and other great Miracles wrought they feared greatly c. Matth. 27. 54. So should we be moved greatly to fear and reverence the Majesty of God when we consider his mighty works Jerem. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea c. Hab. 3. 16. when the Prophet heard of the great Judgments of God threatned his belly trembled c. Now this fear must not be servile but a fiâ—iall fear joyned with love of God which must make us afraid and loth to offend him Psal 4. 4. Vse Vse This condemneth the blockish security of many who when they see or hear of Gods great and miraculous works of Justice or mercy shewed upon themselves or others yet are little or nothing at all moved in heart to fear and reverence the power and Majesty of God This argueth great and fearfull hardness of heart Such are worse then Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 24. and Felix Act. 24. 25. This want of fear and reverence of Gods great works is an effect and sign of Atheism in such And said one to another Who is this c. By these words the Disciples and the rest do profess their admiration of the Divine power of Christ and withall do imply a confession and acknowledgment that he was more than a meer man even the Son of God himself Quest Quest Did not the Disciples know and believe before that Christ was the Son of God Answ Answ Yes they knew it in part by his former Miracles but their knowledg and faith in this Point was further confirmed by this Miracle Observ 1 1. Observ In that the Disciples and others with them are not only affected with fear and reverence at the sight of this Miracle but do also take occasion to acknowledg and magnifie the Divine power of Christ who was able to command the Wind and Sea hence we learn That we should not onely be
will do this or that good Duty and then set about it So Psal 119. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my Feet to thy Testimonies Vse Use This reproveth such as are rash and unadvised in their wayes taking in hand weighty Actions and enterprises without Counsell and Advice taken in their Hearts before-hand Thus some do rashly set about the Duties of God's worship as Prayer Hearing of the Word and such like without due premeditation going before contrary to the Precept of Solomon Eccles 5. 1 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy Heart be hasty to utter a word before God c. So others take in hand the Duties of their particular Callings without advice and deliberation going before God often punisheth such rashness with ill success Prov. 15 22. Without Counsell purposes are disappointed Observ 2 Observ 2. As this Woman came behind Christ in the Press and touched his Garment thereby shewing her desire to be healed so she brought Faith in her Heart whereby she was resolved of the power and goodness of Christ that he could and would cure her if she touched him so that as she touched his Garment with her hand so withall she touched him in her Heart by Faith applying his power and goodness to her self Now this teacheth us that such as come to Christ to be cured of their bodily or Spiritual diseases must come with Faith in their Hearts whereby they may touch Christ in a Spiritual manner that is apprehend and apply to themselves his power and mercy for the healing of them Thus in our bodily sicknesses when we seek to Christ by Prayer for help and ease we must pray with Faith else we cannot look to be heard Jam. 5. 15. The Prayer of Faith shall save the sick c. Thus Mark 2. 5. It is said our Saviour saw the Faith of him that was sick of the Palsy and of those that brought him to Christ So also when we come to Christ to be cured of our sin the Spiritual diseases of our Souls we must bring Faith to apply his power and mercy to our selves for the curing of them else we must not look to be healed As the most skilfull Physitian for the body cannot cure such a one as will not or cannot take and apply the Physick given him so Christ Jesus though a most powerful Physitian for the Soul yet doth not cure any but such as by Faith apply to themselves the soveraign Medicine of his pretious bloud that is the merits of his death and obedience which is that Spiritual Physick which he offereth to them As it is said Hebr. 11. 6. He that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him So he that commeth to Christ must come with Faith c. See Joh. 3. 14. Use Use Labour then for true Faith by which we may touch Christ in a Spiritual manner applying to our selves his power and goodness for the curing of our bodily and Spiritual diseases especially our Spiritual diseases think not to be cured in Soul of thy sins unless thou have Faith to apply to thy self the soveraign Medicine of Christ's bloud In vain for thee to come to Christ in Prayer and to intreat him to heal thee of thy sins if thou bring not Faith whereby thou mayest Spiritually touch him and receive Divine vertue from him for the healing of thee Look therefore that thou come to him with a Believing Heart as this Woman did Pray unto God to work and increase this Faith in thee and use all other good means to this end So much Faith as thou hast to touch Christ and to apply him to thy self so much healing vertue thou shalt receive from him to cure thy diseased Soul and Conscience Observ 3 Observ 3. In that this Woman shewed some weakness of Faith in that she thought she could not be healed without the touching of Christ's garment this teacheth us that the Faith of true Believers in this life is imperfect and mingled with some unbelief So was the Faith of him that brought his Child to Christ to be dispossessed of the Devil Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Yea the Faith of the Apostles themselves was imperfect Luke 17. 5. otherwise they would not have prayed to Christ to increase it Reason Reas The whole work of Sanctification is imperfect in this life therefore every particular Sanctifying Grace is imperfect Use 1 Use 1. Labour to see and feel the weakness and imperfection of our Faith how much it is assailed with doubtings and distrustfulness of Gods power and mercy and not onely to feel this but to be grieved for it yea to lament and bewail it in our selves and daily to strive against unbelief by Prayer and Meditation of Gods promises in Christ Use 2 Vse 2. See how needfull even for the best Christians to be diligent from time to time in the use of all good means ordained of God for the strengthening of their Faith as the Word Preached the use of the Sacraments and Prayer c. Mark 5. 29. And straightway the Fountain of her bloud c. Dec. 10. 1620. HItherto of the Description of the person upon whom the Miracle was wrought Now followeth the Miracle it self ver 29. The fountain of her bloud was dryed up And this is amplified 1. By the Circumstance of time or speediness of the Miracle straightway 2. By the truth and certainty of it in that she felt in her body that she was healed of her Plague Straightway So soon as she touched Christ's Garment with her hand and Christ himself inwardly by Faith The fountain of her bloud was dryed up That is the unnatural Flux or Issue of Bloud with which she had been so long afflicted was stopped and so the cause of her disease taken away Healed of that Plague or scourge that is of her disease so called to shew the nature of that disease that of it self it was a fruit of sin and a punishment inflicted for it So much of the words Now to gather such Instructions as arise from them And first from the Miracle it self or the effect which followed upon the Womans touching of Christ The fountain of er bloud dryed up and she was healed Doctr. 1 Doctr. 1. This Miracle of our Saviour in curing the Woman of an incurable disease without any means onely by his Divine power doth serve to confirm our Faith in the Article of Christ's Divine nature proving him to be God Of this often before See chap. 1. ver 42. Doctr. 2 Doctr. 2. Further this Miracle serveth even as the rest do to prove this Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ or the true Messiah that is to say that person which was ordained of God from Everlasting and in time foretold by the Prophets to be the Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind This also is proved and shewed before
perfected in their weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. 2. For the good of the parties so tryed 1. That by so great assaults their Faith being throughly tryed the soundness of it may appear and be manifested both to themselves and others 1 Pet. 1. 7. Ye are now in heaviness through manifold Afflictions that the Tryall of your Faith being more pretious then Gold may be found to your praise and honour c. So â—ob saith that he being tryed of God should come forth as the Gold 2. That such great assaults and tryalls of their Faith may be a means to humble them throughly in the sense of their own weakness and to cause them earnestly to seek unto God for strength to withstand such assaults Use 1 Use 1. Teacheth good Christians to look for such great discouragements and temptations outward and inward to assault their Faith and to try it throughly and therefore daily to prepare and arm themselveâ— to bear such assaults and to this end we must daily labour for more and more strength of Faith to resist such temptations praying unto God to strengthen our Faith and using all other good means to the same end Vse 2 Vse 2. To comfort Gods children when they feel and meet with so great tryals to assault their Faith they have no cause to be discouraged for God usually dealeth thus with his Children suffering their Faith oftentimes to be assaulted with great discouragements and temptations And this he doth for his own glory and their good to humble them and to make thorough proof and tryall of the soundness of their faith And further let such know That though the Lord suffers them to be tryed in great measure yet not above their strength but he will with the tryal make a way for them to escape that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. 13. And though Satan may winnow them yet their faith shall not fail Luke 22. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16. 18. So much of the first Antecedent of the Miracle The news or report brought to Jairus touching the death of his daughter Now followeth the second which is our Saviour's comforting of him upon the hearing of this news Verse 36. As soon as Jesus heard the Word c. Be not afraid Fear not that there is no hope or possibility of the recovering and restoring of thy daughter to life again though she be dead Onely believe Rest perswaded by faith that I being the Sonne of God and so having Divine power am able to raise thy daughter even from death And by these words he implyeth That the faith of Jairus was but weak as yet Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour perceiving the faith of Jairus to be weak doth endeavour to comfort him and to help his weak faith bidding him not fear c. Hence we learn That Christ Jesus our Lord is ready and forward to help and strengthen such as are weak in faith Isai 42. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break c. that is he shall cherish and strengthen such as are weak in faith and in other graces of the Spirit Mar. 9. 23. he encourageth the father of the Child which was possessed to believe because he perceived his faith to be very weak as yet And thus he helped and strengthened the faith of the Disciples being in danger of drowning Chap. 4. and the faith of Peter Matth. 14. and Luke 22. 31. Therefore Hebr. 4. 15. it is said We have not such an High-Priest as cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted like as we are c. Use 1 Vse 1. Comfort for such as feel and complain of the weakness of their faith Let them know and remember That Christ Jesus is most ready to strengthen their weak faith and to help their unbelief and he will do it if they seek to him by prayer to have their faith increased and carefully use all other good means to the same end Thou therefore that feelest thy weakness of faith come to him as the Apostles did in like case praying him to increase thy faith Luke 17. with the father of that child Mark 9. Say thus unto Christ I believe Lord help thou mine unbelief Then shalt thou assuredly find and feel that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax but he will by the powerfull work of his Spirit help and strengthen thy weak and feeble faith and though it be never so weak yet being true and unfeigned faith he will not suffer it to fail but that prayer which he made for Peter's faith Luke 22. shall also be effectual for thy faith to keep it from failing according to that Joh. 17. 20. Use 2 Use 2. This teacheth us also after Christ's example to be ready to help and strengthen those that are weak in faith Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in faith receive unto you c. that is admit him willingly into your society and use the best means to help and strengthen his weakness So Luke 22. Peter is commanded to strengthen his brethren This we must do after Christ's example Rom. 15. 7. Receive ye one another as Christ received us to the glory of God We must not therefore contemn or reject our weak brethren whose faith is but as the smoking flax but endeavour by all good means in our power to help and strengthen their faith as by praying for them as Christ did for Peter by acquainting him with the abundant mercies of God in Christ and with the comfortable promises of the Gospel c. See 1 Thess 5. 14. Comfort the feeble-minded support the weak c. Observ 2 Observ 2. From the Circumstance of time In that it is said That as soon as Christ heard the Word that was spoken that is the heavy news which came to Jairus and the words of discouragement which the Messengers used to him forthwith he endeavoured to comfort him hence Observe this That our Saviour Christ is ready to comfort the faithful in the very time of their greatest temptations when their faith is most of all assaulted and as it were shaken by the force of temptations and tryals inward and outward even then when they have most need of help and comfort Christ is ready to help and comfort them and to strengthen their weak faith when it is even ready to fail when they are ready to fall and sink under the burden of the temptation he is then ready to put under his hand and to uphold them Thus when Peter's faith was ready to fail and himself ready to sink for fear Christ upheld him and strengthened his faith Matth. 14. And so he helped the Disciples and encouraged them at the very time when they were in danger of drowning their faith being then greatly assaulted and shaken with that tryall Use Use Remember this when we feel the greatest weakness of faith and strongest temptations of Satan or
So was it here Yet with this difference That whereas ordinarily the Fruit of Trees and of Living Creatures doth grow to bigger quantity in long tract of time these Loaves and Fishes were suddenly multiplyed and made to grow by the Power of Christ Further let us here note That it is most probable that this multiplication and growth of the Loaves and Fishes was not onely in Christ's own hands but also in the hands of the Disciples and of the Multitude that so the Miracle might be the more sensible and apparent unto them all Quest 2 Quest 2. How appears it that the Loaves and Fishes were thus multiplyed in quantity Answ Answ 1. Because the whole Multitude did eat and were fully satisfied 2. Because so many Baskets of Fragments were afterward taken up Quest 3 Quest 3. Why did not our Saviour quench their hunger and take it away without Meat or else give extraordinary Vertue to the small quantity which they had to satisfie them all Answ Answ He could have done so but he rather multiplyed the Loaves and Fishes that so the Miracle might be the more sensible and apparent Observ 1 Observ 1. Here we see an evidence of Christ's Divine Nature and God-head in that he was able to multiply the Loaves and Fishes miraculously without means by creating and adding a new quantity and substance unto them and that suddenly in the time of breaking and distributing them As it is proper to God onely to create all Creatures at first so also to multiply them being created as we may see Gen. 1. where it appears that he gave Vertue to all living Creatures to increase and multiply And if none but God can cause all living Creatures to multiply ordinarily and by ordinary and naturall means much lesse can any but God multiply dead and insensible Creatures such as these Loaves and dead Fishes were without any means This therefore is a manifest proof of Christ's God-head But of this we have spoken often before in handling other of his Miracles Object Object 2 King 4. The Prophet Elisha did cause the Widdow's Pot of Oyl to multiply extraordinarily insomuch that it filled many other Vessels And he also fed a hundred Men with twenty Barley Loaves and some ears of Corn. Answ Answ He did not work these Miracles by his own Power but it was the Divine Power of God which wrought them The Prophet was onely an Instrument employed of God therein But our Saviour multiplyed the Loaves and Fishes by his own Power c. Observ 2 Observ 2. Further observe here That Christ Jesus as He is God hath Power extraordinarily and miraculously to multiply the smallest store of Provision and outward means which we have to maintain and preserve our Bodily Life Though we have never so little means of maintenance as Food Rayment and other necessaries for the sustaining of us yet Christ by his Divine Power is able to multiply them extraordinarily and miraculously if he see cause So here and Mark 8. he multiplyed seven Loaves and a few small Fishes so as they became sufficient to feed four thousand Men. The like examples of God's extraordinary Power we read of 1 King 17. in multiplying the small quantity of Oyl which the widdow of Sarepta had in a Cruse and of the Meal which she had in a Barrel and 2 King 4. in multiplying the other widdows Pot of Oyl and in multiplying the twenty barley Loaves with which Elisha fed a hundred Men. Vse 1 Use 1. Comfort to the poorest Christians who have never so small means of Provision for this Life as Food Rayment c. yet let them by Faith rest on the Power and Providence of Christ He that multiplyed the five Loaves c. is able still to multiply their store though never so small and he will do it even miraculously if he see cause rather than they shall want a sufficiency His Arm is not shortned therefore rest on him by Faith though the means thou hast be never so small yea though no means for the present c. Christ is Lord of all Creatures and far above all Means able to create them and to multiply them extraordinarily Though we are not now to look for miraculous provision of means yet this Power of Christ must be the proper stay of our Faith in the want of ordinary means when we cannot of our selves provide them Use 2 Vse 2. If Christ have Power extraordinarily to multiply the means which we have for maintenance of our Life then also he is able to give a blessing to the means which we have that they may have vertue and strength to do us good and to nourish and sustain our Life It is the same Divine Power of Christ which is able to do both these and therefore as in want of means we are to rest on his Power for the multiplying of the small store we have so when we have the means in more plenty we are yet to seek unto him and to wait on the same Power of his to give a blessing to the means we have c. Mark 6. 41 42 43 44. And they took up twelve Baskets full of the Fragments and of the Fishes And they Nov. 11. 1621. that did eat of the Loaves were about five thousand men c. IN these Verses the Evangelist layeth down two things chiefly 1. Our Saviour's working the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes Ver. 41 42 43. 2. The greatness of the Miracle Ver. 44. Touching the former two things are set down 1. Certain outward Actions performed by our Saviour Ver. 41. 2. The Events or Consequents of these Actions Ver. 42 43. Of the Actions of Christ we have heard before Now to speak of the Events which are two 1. That our Saviour having broken and distributed the Loaves and divided the two Fishes among them all They did all eat and were filled Ver. 42. 2. They took up twelve Baskets full of Fragments c. Ver. 43. They did eat and were filled This is spoken to shew 1. The truth and certainty of the Miracle for seeing all did eat and were satisfied this shews that there was no fraud or delusion at all used by our Saviour but that the Miracle was really and truly wrought because all the whole multitude were truly and really fed and had their hunger quenched 2. To shew the greatness of the Miracle in that so great a multitude were all fed with so little meat and not onely fed but satisfied fully c. If some had not been hungry and so had not eaten or in eating had not been satisfied the Miracle had not been so great c. Observ Observ In that this People following Christ to hear him were thus miraculously fed and satisfied with bodily Food by our Saviour Christ we may hence gather that such as do carefully and conscionably seek things spiritual and heavenly shall not want earthly things for maintenance of this life but the Lord will sufficiently provide for
helping and doing good to such as are in misery and distress We are to watch the fittest time to help and comfort such now the fittest time is when they have most need of us and when we may do them most good So these Genesarites took the opportunity of time to carry their sick friends to Christ so soon as he came into their Country because then there was good occasion and means offered for the healing of them Gal 6. 10. As we have Opportunity let us do good unto all c. Isa 50. 4. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary c. Prov. 3. 28. Say not to thy Neighbour Go and come again and to Morrow I will give thee when thou hast it by thee So also we should observe the fittest places where we may most conveniently and with least hinderance help and do good to such as are in Distress Use Vse Remember to take the best Opportunities of doing good and shewing mercy to such as are in misery Now further observe here that although these Genesarites are to be commended for their Faith in Christ and for their Charity in being so carefull to bring their sick unto him to be healed yet in this they seem faulty that they were not so forward to seek to Christ for spiritual Blessings as for spiritual Instruction Comfort Pardon of sin c. for the Evangelist makes no mention of their seeking these or the like spiritual benefits from Christ either for themselves or their friends Observ Observ Hence gather That it is naturall to us of our selves to prefer and seek earthly and corporal benefits and good things above heavenly and spirituall See this before observed in the 32. Verse of the second Chapter So much of the first work of Charity which this People performed for their sick folk namely their carrying them unto Christ to be healed Now followed their second work of Charity and fruit of their Faith viz. Their Prayer unto Christ beseeching him that they might but touch the border c. This sute or request is to be understood not only of those that brought and laid the sick before Christ but also of the sick Persons themselves for as they which brought them besought Christ to heal them by the touch of his Garment so no doubt but the sick Persons prayed and sought unto him for this benefit for themselves Now whereas they beseech him to heal them by the touch of his Garment some think it is spoken to shew the weakness of their Faith as if they tyed the power and vertue of Christ to the outward touching But it is rather spoken in commendation of their Faith to shew that they believed the Power and Mercy of Christ to be so great that he was able and willing to cure them even by this weak means of touching only the border of his Garment though they used no other means And yet withal the words do imply some Imperfection in their Faith in that they seem to ascribe too much to the outward touching as if without this they could not be cured one cause whereof might be that they had heard of others so cured before as namely that Woman which had the bloody Issue whereof we heard Chap. 5. In this respect therefore the Faith of these came short of the Faith of that Centurion Mat. 8. 8. who was perswaded that Christ could heal his sick Servant onely by speaking the word without any such touching as is here mentioned Observ 1 Observ 1. In that they besought Christ to touch his Garment that they might be healed of their sicknesses We learn what is to be done by us in all Afflictions of our own and others viz. That we should go and seek to God by the Prayer of Faith as these sought to Christ Among other means and helps to be used in trouble and distress this of Prayer is one main and principal not to be neglected See before Chap. 1. Ver. 40. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that they so much desire to touch Christ's Garment as if they could not otherwise be healed we may observe and take notice of our natural Infirmity and Corruption which makes us apt to tye and restrain the Power and Grace of God unto outward means in the bestowing of his Blessings upon us whether temporal or spiritual As for example in temporal benefits we are apt to think that he cannot give health to the sick without the outward means of Physick This was Asa's Sin who therefore in his Disease sought to the Physitians and not to God 2 Chron. 16. 12. So we are apt to think that the Lord cannot nourish and sustain our bodies without ordinary means of Food which was the sin of the Israelites in the Wilderness who are therefore said to have limited God Psal 78. 41. So in spiritual Blessings we are apt to tye God unto outward helps and means as to think he cannot save us without the merit of our own good works as the Papists imagine that he cannot give Grace without the outward Sacrament of Baptism when it cannot be conveniently had c. Use Use Take heed of thus limiting the Power and Grace of God unto outward means not that we should neglect the means but we are so to use them as not to trust in them or to tye God unto them but know that he is above all means and can work without them in case they cannot be had c. It followeth And as many as touched him c. Observ Observ Though there was some Imperfection in their Faith yet because they came to him in sincerity of heart to be healed he pardoneth and passeth by their Infirmities and vouchsafeth readily and willingly to cure them which shewes him to be a most gracious gentle and merciful Saviour ready to pardon and to bear with the Infirmities of such whose hearts are upright which is matter of unspeakable comfort to such weak Christians c. See before Ver. 50. Other Observations to be gathered hence see also before Chap. 5. Ver. 29. Finis Sexti Capitis CHAP. VII Mark 7. 1 2. Then came together unto him the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes which came from Jerusalem And when they saw some of his Disciples eat Bread with defiled that is to say with unwashen hands they found Febr. 3. 1621. fault THis Chapter consisteth of two principal parts The first is a Conference or Disputation of our Saviour Christ with the Scribes and Pharisees about their superstitious Observation of Jewish Traditions unto Ver. 24. The second is the History of two Miracles wrought by our Saviour viz. The casting of a Devil out of the Daughter of the Syrophoenician Woman and the curing of one that was deaf and had an impediment in his Speech from Ver. 24. unto the end of the Chapter In the first part consider two things 1. The Disputation it self unto
stead of all Who hath not heard of the many and grievous Afflictions of Job both inward and outward in his Body Goods Wife Children yea and in his Soul and Conscience too So how grievous troubles did the Lord lay upon Joseph David Jeremy Jonah Lazarus Paul and many others of his most excellent Servants mentioned in Scripture In a word Whom do we read of among all the Generation of the Righteous whom the Lord did not one time or other exercise with grievous Crosses and Afflictions in one kind or another though not all in like measure Hebr. 11. We have a Cloud of witnesses to confirm this Point to us Many Reasons why the Lord thus grievously afflicteth his own Children The principall whereof are these 1. To make them conformable to Christ Jesus their Head and Saviour who was a man of sorrows consecrated through many and grievous Afflictions c. 2. To make thorough-proof and trial of his own Graces in them especially their Faith Hope and Patience and to manifest the truth and soundness of these graces in them So saith Job Thou hast tried me and I shall come forth as the Gold And hence it is that Afflictions in Scripture are so often called Tentations or Trials See Deut. 8. 2. 3. To humble them for sin and to bring them to a thorough-sight of it and withal to cause them to renew their Repentance for such sins into which they have fallen after their Calling through Ignorance Infirmity or Presumption This we see in Joseph's Brethren and in David Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray c. 4. To restrain and keep them back from sin for time to come making them more wary and fearful of it because they have so much smarted for it Job 33. 16. He sealeth the Instruction or Correction of Man that he may withdraw him from his evil purpose and hide Pride from him He keepeth back his Soul from the Pit c. 5. To wean their hearts from the World and to stir up in them a sighing and longing after Heaven and that blessed rest which there is prepared for them in which all tears shall be wiped from their eyes and all troubles shall cease c. Use 1 Use 1. Take heed how we censure any to be wicked or out of God's favour because we see or hear that they have grievous Afflictions laid on them by the hand of God for so we may condemn â—ob David and the whole Generation of the just yea Christ himself But know this that one may be exercised with sharp and grievous troubles and yet be dearly beloved of God and in high favour with him So was â—ob David c. Heb. 12. Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth c. yea he doth it out of his Love and for their great good Use 2 Use 2. This may greatly comfort God's Children when they meet with sharp and grievous troubles imposed on them of God There is no cause for them to be discouraged or faint under them seeing God deals no worse with them than he hath done with his most excellent Saints and Servants formerly who have drunk as deep of this bitter Cup as themselves Therefore think not strange though God try and exercise us with grievous troubles inward or outward This is no new thing for the Lord thus sharply to chastise his own in this life but it is the ancient course which he hath alwayes used to take with them See 1 Pet. 4. 12. Consider also that the Lord doth thus sharply chastize us for our great good Vse 3 Vse 3. It must teach all God's Children to make accompt before-hand of taking up their Cross and to prepare and arm themselves to bear troubles yea heavy and grievous Afflictions Now in time of peace and prosperity prepare for the evil day and while it is calm prepare for storms hereafter to arise and beat against us else we shall never be able to bear it when it comes upon us but must needs faint in the day of Adversity and sink under the burden of the Cross Oh therefore let us now before-hand think of troubles which may come and make them present to us and arm our selves with Faith and Patience to bear them when they shall come Especially labour for Faith in God's speciall Love and Mercy to us in Christ forgiving our sins and accepting us as his Children that being assured hereof we may patiently and obediently submit to his hand in the most grievous trials which he layeth on us then shall we say with Job Though he kill me I will trust in him Hab. 2. The just shall live by Faith This is true especially of the time of Affliction when God's hand is most heavy on us Faith will sustain and comfort us in the greatest and heaviest troubles that can come On the other side without Faith the leightest Affliction will dismay us and cause Impatiency Pray therefore for more and more strength of Faith against the evill day the want of this is the cause that we are so unfit to bear crosses when they come especially heavy and grievous trials that either we faint under them or grow to inward murmuring or impatiency or to use unlawfull means to come out of trouble c. Again if we would be fit to bear grievous Affliction when they shall come let us now in the mean time enure and frame our selves to the patient suffering of lesser troubles c. Mark 7. 25. For a certain Woman whose young Daughter had an unclean Spirit c. June 23. 1622. Observ 2 OBserv 2. In that this heavy Affliction laid upon this Woman is here mentioned as the cause moving her to come and seek to Christ for her Daughter we may learn that Afflictions sanctified are excellent means to stir up and quicken to Prayer and earnest seeking of God Hos 5. 15. In their Affliction they will seek me early Isa 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them Job 33. 26. The Sinner that is chastened of God upon his Bed shall then pray unto God c. Example Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. The Saints of God have never been so forward and diligent in Prayer never so fervent in it as in time of greatest trouble So David being in the deep cryed unto the Lord Psal 130. 1. and at other times often So Hezekiah in his dangerous sickness Isa 38. Jonah in the Whale'â— belly Jeremy in the Dungeon c. Lam. 3. The Israelites Psal 107. See before in the 22. and 23. Verses of the fifth Chapter Use 1 Use 1. See by this how good and profitable it is for God's Children to be exercised with many and great troubles in that these being sanctified are such excellent means to quicken unto that Duty unto which by Nature and of themselves they are so dull heavy and backward that is to the exercise of Prayer Leâ— us then be willing to suffer
c. 2. The comfort which he Ministred to her which is amplyifed 1. By the manner of it when he bids her go away that is depart home to her own House in peace and with comfort 2. By the matter of it The Devil is gone out c. Touching the first The motive or impulsive Cause moving Christ to work this Miracle c. which was her Faith testified by her words unto Christ Quest 1. What kind of Faith it was which was in her and which she testified by her words whether onely a general belief of Christ's Power for the working of the Miracle or whether a true justifying Faith particularly apprehending the Grace and Mercy of Christ not onely for the obtaining of this Miracle for her Daughter but also for the Forgiveness of her own Sins and Salvation of her Soul Answ Answ It is probable that it was a true justifying Faith Vide Paraeum in Resp. ad Bellarmin de Justitiâ lib. 1 c. 8. 1. Because our Saviour doth so highly commend it Mat. 15. 2. Because he saith unto her Be it unto thee as thou wilt thereby implying that he did not onely bestow on her the benefit of this Miracle but whatsoever other benefit or good thing she desired for Soul or Body which he would not have done if she had not been indued with a true justifying Faith 3. This also may appear by the great strength of her Faith withstanding so many and great oppositions and discouragements as we have heard before which it could never have done if it had been onely a general Belief Quest Quest 2. How far forth was this her Faith a Motive to move our Saviour to work the Miracle Answ Answ Not by any merit or meritorious vertue in it as if she had thereby deserved at Christ's hands to have the benefit of this Miracle bestowed upon her but onely as it was a means qualifying and making her fit to be partaker of this benefit and an instrumental cause or means of apprehending and applying to her self the power and goodness of Christ for the obtaining of this Miracle Observ Observ Hence then observe That it is onely true Faith in Christ Jesus which maketh a Christian capable of all the benefits of Christ which he came to bestow upon Mankind it is that Grace which qualifieth a Christian to receive all such benefits from Christ and likewise the Instrument by which he comes to receive and apply them unto himself Our Saviour therefore tells this Woman that because of her Faith which she had testified and shewed forth he bestowed the benefit of this Miracle upon her implying that it was her Faith which made her capable and fit to receive and be partaker of this benefit and that without Faith she had not been fit to be partaker thereof So Chap. 2. 5. when Jesus saw the Faith of the sick of the Palâ—y he cured him So Chap. 5. 34. he said to the Woman which had the bloody Issue Thy Faith hath made thee whole Matth. 8. 13. to the Centurion As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee So Matth. 9. 28. Now this is true not onely of temporal benefits and blessings of this life as bodily health c. such as these miraculously received from Christ when he was on Earth but it is especially true of spiritual and saving benefits of Christ that a Christian is made capable of them by Faith alone See more of this Point and the uses of it Chap. 5. 34. So much of the cause moving our Saviour to work this Miracle and by his own words to assure her thereof for her comfort Now to go on to the words of comfort which he giveth her Go thy way c. Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour having for a time refused to hear and grant the sute of this Woman doth now at length give her comfortable assurance that he had heard her we learn that although the Lord may seem for a time not to hear or regard the Prayers of his Servants in their necessities and distress yet at length he doth hear and grant their Petitions so far as is good for them I say so far as is good for them because sometimes they ask such things as he seeth not to be good or meet for them and in that case he doth not grant them that very thing which they ask but somthing else in stead thereof which he seeth to be better for them Thus he dealt with Paul 2 Cor. 12. 9. when being buffeted with the messenger of Satan he had prayed thrice that is often to the Lord for removal of that grievous temptation the Lord did shew that he heard his Prayer at length though not by giving that which he asked which was deliverance from that temptation yet by giving him sufficiency of grace and strength to bear it and not to be overcome of it But whensoever God's Servants do pray unto him for such things as he seeth to be good and meet for them though he may for a time seem not to hear or regard their sutes yet he will at length hear and satisfy their desires The Israelites being in bondage under Pharoah and crying to the Lord for help though they were not heard at first nor for a long time yet at length the Lord heard and delivered them So David though he sometimes prayed long to the Lord in his distress before he was heard yet at length the Lord did shew that he heard him Psal 22. 2. he complaineth that he was not heard yet afterward ver 24. he sheweth that the Lord had heard him So Jeremy Lam. 3. 8. complaineth that the Lord did shut out his Prayer and yet ver 56. he saith the Lord had heard his Voice Reas 1 Reas 1. The Lord hath made gracious promises to hear the Prayes and Supplications of his Servants Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee c. Matth. 7. Ask and ye shall have seek c. Therefore he cannot but in due time perform these his own gracious promises he is faithful to accomplish them c. Reas 2 Reas 2. It is the special property of God to hear Prayers Psal 65. 2. Oh thou that hearest Prayers c. Use 1 Use 1. Comfort to the faithful when having prayed and sought to God for some special favour or Blessing as for deliverance out of some trouble and distress yet the Lord seemeth deaf to their Supplications yea though they have very long prayed And yet he seemeth to cover himself with a Cloud and to shut out their Prayers Yet let them be assured there is a time coming in which he will hear and help them and fulfill their desires so far as is good for them c. In the mean time they must wait on him by Faith and with Patience resting on his Promises and not making too much haste to have their Petitions granted Vse 2 Use 2. To stirr up God's Children to
unto them c. This hath been before observed Observ 2 Observ 2. It is just with the Lord to deprive such People and Persons of the means of Salvation who contemn the same and make not good use of them while they do enjoy them See this also before observed I proceed to the occasion of the Miracle which was a twofold Work of Mercy performed by the Friends of the Deaf and Dumb man viz. Their bringing him to Christ and their beseeching Christ to Cure him by putting his hands on him Where 1. Consider the person unto whom they shew mercy described by his present Misery or Affliction laid on him by the hand of God being Deaf and having an Impediment in his Speech 2. The works of Mercy which they performed toward him in bringing him to Christ to be cured and beseeching Him c. One that was Deaf Whether he were born Deaf is not expressed and it is rather likely That this Deafness was accidentall coming upon him either through Age or otherwise laid upon him by the hand of God For if he had been born Deaf then he must needs also have been altogether Dumb whereas it is not said That he was altother Dumb but that he had an impediment in his Speech Some think he was striken of the Devil with this Deafnesse and impediment of Speech But if it were so it is likely the Evangelist would not have concealed it Had an Impediment in his Speech Or a difficulty of speaking It is likely it was not a small or ordinary Impediment or difficulty of speaking such as is in those that have stammering Tongues or are slow of Speech but rather a great and extraordinary Impediment which so hindred him that he could not utter any plain words so as to be understood of others but onely a confused noyse or sound of words Object Object Ver. 37. The People say of Christ That he made the Dumb to speak Answ Answ 1. It is spoken vulgarly after the common manner of Speech whereby such as have a difficulty of speaking are said to be dumb 2. Or else because our Saviour at that time Cured others that were altogether Dumb as may appear Matth. 15. 30. Now this Deafness and difficulty of Speech is mentioned as a great misery and affliction and so it was For 1. By this means he was deprived of outward communion and fellowship with God by prayer and hearing the Word of God 2. Deprived also of that comfort and benefit which otherwise he might have had by the society of Men and especially of the society of God Observ 1 Observ 1. See here the cursed Fruit and Effect of Sin which hath brought such evils and miseries upon man's Body as Deafness Dumbness Blindness c. Sin is the Root and originall Cause of these infirmities and miseries unto which man's Body is subject since the Fall of Adam Sin is that which provoketh God thus to deprive some of the use of their Naturall senses as Hearing Seeing Feeling Smelling c. As Death entred into the World by Sin Rom. 5. 12. So all Diseases and Infirmities of man's Body For before the Fall of Adam our Bodies were not subject to any such Infirmities neither should they ever have been if Man had not sinned against God Hence it is That our Saviour when he Cured such as were Diseased in Body did also pronounce forgiveness of Sins to them upon their Faith as to the sick of the Palsy Chap. 2. And for this Cause also when he Cured that impotent man which lay at the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5. He bid him go away and sin no more lest a worse Infirmity or Disease should come upon him And 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this Cause that is for the sin of profaning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper many are weak and sick c. Luke 1. 20. Zachary was stricken dumb for his unbelief Object Object Joh. 9. 3. It is said of the blind man That neither he nor his Parents had sinned c. Answ Answ Our Saviour there speaketh not of the Originall and procuring Cause of his blindness which was sin but of the speciall end which the Lord aimed at in afflicting upon him that Disease or Infirmity of Blindnesse which was the manifestation of the work of God that is of the divine Power and Glory of Christ's God-head in Curing him miraculously Vse 1 Use 1. Learn to grow in hatred and detestation of Sin which is so offensive to God provoking him thus to punish and chastise men in their Bodies with such Diseases and Infirmities as Deafnesse Dumbnesse c. This must move us to hate all sin yea the very occasions of it even the Garment unspotted c. Jude ver 23. And shew our utter hatred by our care and conscience to shun it in life and practise Remember the cursed Effects of it that it doth not onely bring Death and Destruction upon the Soul but it is also the Root and Cause of all miseries diseases and infirmities of the Body making our Bodies lyable to all manner of such Infirmities and Maladies and capable of them This is that which provoketh God to take away from some the use of their Senses and Speech and the use of the limbs and parts of their Bodies As the Magistrate or Civil Judge sometimes proceedeth against some kind of Malefactors being guilty of grosse and notorious Crimes causing such to lose their Ears or to have their right Hands cut off or Tongues to be cut out of their Heads as the manner is in some Countries So the Lord in Justice proceedeth against men for sin c. See then that sin is the most hurtfull and pernicious enemy to Soul and Body poysoning and infecting both killing and destroying the Soul maiming the Body depriving it of the use of naturall Sense Speech c. and in the end bringing Death upon it Therefore as we desire and wish the good of our Souls and Bodies take heed of Sin c. Vse 2 Use 2. See what use to make of such Judgments and Chastisements laid upon men in their Bodies when we see or hear of such as are stricken with Deafness Dumbness Blindness with losse of their limbs or of the use of them c. Look not onely at these outward miseries in themselves but above all take occasion to think of Sin the Root and Cause of them all Look at these infirmities and miseries as so many Badges and Tokens of God's wrath and justice against Sin And hence take occasion to meditate of the hainousnesse of Sin provoking God thus to Chastise men in their Bodies For although the Lord do not alwayes lay such infirmities and miseries upon men as punishments to satisfie his Justice and Wrath as he doth upon the Wicked but sometimes for tryall of his own Children yet it is true that Sin is alwayes the first Originall and procuring Cause or the deserving Cause of all such miseries c. Use 3 Use 3. See
shun the same Now in this 16 Verse the Evangelist noteth the ignorance and infirmity of the Disciples in misconceiving the former admonition which they discover by their words uttered in reasoning together about the matter They reasoned among themselves saying It is Because we have no Bread By which words it appeareth how much they were mistaken in Interpreting Christ's words For whereas his meaning was as we have heard to warm them of the corrupt Doctrine and erroneous Opinions of the Pharisees and Herod they so understand him as if his purpose were to warn them that in this their present necessity and want of Bread they should not seek to the Pharisees or to Herod or the Herodians for Bread nor to eat Bread at their Tables forasmuch as they were the professed Enemies of Christ but that they should rather be content to faint and suffer Hunger than to seek for Bread to such profane and wicked Enemies of Christ Now although this at first sight may seem a plausible construction of Christ's words especially considering what is said second Epist Joh. ver 10. touching the forbearance of all outward communion with false Teachers Yet it is clear by our Saviour's sharp Reproof of them in the Verses following That they were greatly to blame and very faulty in so understanding him And the greatness of their fault and infirmity may better appear if we consider the Grounds and Originall Causes of this their misconstruction of Christ's words Namely 1. Their earthly mindedness being too apt to have their minds run upon things of this Life and to be over-carefull for them especially now when they perceived their present want of Bread which Earthliness of mind hindred them from raising their minds to the Spirituall understanding of Christ's words 2. Their infidelity and distrust of Christ's care in providing for them in this their want of Bread which made them fearfull that they should be in great distresse for want of it especially in the Wilderness or Desart place whither they were now going by Ship And this moved them so to understand the words of Christ as if he warned them that notwithstanding the great distresse they were like to be in for want of Bread yet they should not for all that eat of the Bread of the Pharisees or Herodians Now this infidelity and distrustfulness of Christ's Care and Providence in their present want must needs be a great fault and infirmity in them at this time considering the excellent means they had hitherto to confirm their Faith as Christ's Sermons and Conference from time to time and his Miracles especially those two late Miracles which he had wrought in feeding not onely them but so many thousands besides of the People with so few Loaves and Fishes as we heard Chap. 6. and in the beginning of this Chapter And hence it is That our Saviour doth so sharply reprove them for this their infidelity or weakness of Faith as being the main Cause of their misconceiving him as we may see Matth. 16. 8. He said unto them O ye of little Faith why reason ye among your Selves because ye have brought no Bread Generall Doctr. That the best Christians in this life are not free from infirmities and sinfull corruptions but are tainted with them Christ's own Disciples do here discover sundry Infirmities and Corruptions as ignorance and dulness to conceive Christ's admonition earthliness of mind infidelity c. So at other time also See this Point handled Chap. 3. 31. Particular Observ 1. In that the Disciples misconceived Christ's admonition We learn this That we are all by Nature very dull and hard to conceive things Spirituall and Heavenly which concern God's Glory and our Spiritual Good when they are taught or shewed unto us 'T is true of all sorts of persons by Nature even of good Christians renewed and sanctified by Grace yet so far forth as they are in part unrenewed they are dull and hard to conceive Spirituall and Heavenly things as the Doctrine of the Word of God and the Heavenly Truths contained in it Christ's own Disciples were hard to conceive many things which he taught them in his Sermons and private Conference So Chap. 4. 10. we heard that they were not able to conceive the Parable of the Sower touching the divers sorts of Hearers of the Word till he had Interpreted the same unto them So at others times as Matth. 15. 16. where he reproveth Peter and the rest for their ignorance and dulness to conceive his Doctrine saying Are ye without understanding So Luke 18. 34. Though he plainly foretold them of his future Passion Death and Resurrection yet it is said They understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken So Hebr. 5. 11. the Apostle tells the Faithful That they were dull of hearing that is slow and hard to conceive the Doctrine of Christ which he was to teach them Now if this be true of good Christians already in part sanctified and enlightned by the Spirit of God how much more of such as are yet wholly unregenerate 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them c. See this in Nicodemus a chief Pharisee and a Master in Israel yet how hard was he to conceive the Doctrine of Regeneration Joh. 8. Reas 1 Reas 1. The minds and understanding of all men by Nature are blinded and darkened with ignorance in matters of God This is one part of Originall sin which is in all by Nature Eph. 4. 18. Gentiles by nature have their Cogitations darkened with ignorance c. Reas 2 Reas 2. The knowledge which the best Christians in this Life have in Spirituall things is imperfect and mingled with much ignorance 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part This Reason concerneth the Regenerate onely Vse 2 Vse 1. Teacheth us every one to labour to see and feel our Naturall Blindness and Dulness to conceive things Spirituall and heavenly taught us in the Word of God or by his Ministers out of the same We are not so hard by a great deal to conceive Earthly matters of this Life as to understand Spirituall and Heavenly In Earthly matters many are quick and nimble to conceive them but in things Spirituall which concern God's Glory and our spiritual Good Salvation how hard and slow are we to conceive and understand them yea the best of us and such whose minds are in some measure enlightned to see them yet so far forth as we are still in part unrenewed how blind are our minds in the things of God How slow and hard to conceive them What Mysteries and Riddles do they seem unto us yea to such as have best wits and are quickest of apprehension in other matters yet how dull and hard is it to conceive spiritual things c. Labour more and more to see and to be humbled for this our natural blindness in matters of God
for good Christians to labour more and more to see and feel their own hardness of Heart that is so say their Naturall deadness and dulness of Heart which makes them so insensible of their sins and corruptions that they cannot be touched with such a feeling of them as is fit nor be humbled for them in such a measure and degree as they ought to be nor so affected with the means used of God to humble them as his Judgments Mercies Ministery of the Word c. Thus it is sometimes even with good Christians yea with the best which therefore the best must labour to see and bewail in themselves and daily to mourn for this Naturall hardness of Heart which remaineth in them even after their effectual Calling If our Saviour Mark 3. 5. were grieved for the hardness of heart which he perceived in the wicked Scribes and Pharisees How much more are we to mourn for the hardness of our own To this end consider the danger of this sin in that it is such a hinderance to the practice of Repentance Rom. 2. 5. and to the daily renewing of our Repentance and to our profiting by the means of Grace Use 3 Use 3. This must move all good Christians daily to labour and strive against this natural hardness of heart which is so apt to be in them using all good means to resist and subdue it in themselvs by degrees that it may not reign in them as in the wicked Remedies to cure this hardness of heart in us by degrees 1. Pray unto God to cure it in us by the work of his Spirit more and more to soften our hearts working in them more and more feeling of our sins and godly sorrow for them and to make our hearts pliable to the means c. He hath promised to take away our stony hearts Ezek. 36. 26. and he onely can and will do it more and more if we unfeignedly seek to him 2. Diligently and conscionably attend on the publick Ministry of the Word This is a Hammer to break and bruise the stoniness of our hearts more and more Jer. 23. 29. Josiah's heart melted at the reading of the Law 2 King 22. How much more powerful shall we find the Word preached to melt our hearts with godly sorrow for our sins 3. Be diligent and constant in all other religious Exercises publick and private which tend to the softning of our hearts as in receiving the Lord's Supper in private Reading and Meditation of the Word Conference c. Hebr. 3. 13. Now followeth the fourth and last particular fault or infirmity reproved here by our Saviour in his Disciples viz. their forgetfulness of the two great Miracles of the Loaves which he had lately wrought to strengthen their Faith in God's Providence for things of this life Ver. 18 19 20. And therefore he doth blame and reprove this their forgetfulness of those two Miracles as a main cause of that infidelity and distrust of God's providence which now they had discovered by their private reasoning together in their want of Bread withal he now puts them in mind again of those Miracles and of some particular Circumstances c. Observ Observ Here then we learn that it is a natural fault and corruption in us to be too forgetful of the great works which God hath wrought for our good and benefit whether for our temporal or spiritual good whether works of Justice or of Mercy we are by Nature very apt to forget such great and wonderful works of his wrought for us Christ's Disciples were faulty in too soon forgetting his Miracles lately wrought which should yet have been fresh in their memories but it was not so with them and this was the cause that they reaped so little fruit by these Miracles and that their Faith was not so strengthned by them as it should have been Now if it were so with Christ's Disciples much more are we apt to forget the Works of God wrought for our good and to passe them over without making that good Use we should of them This was the Sin of the Israelites Psal 78. 11. They forgat the Works of God and Wonders which he had shewed them Use 1 Use 1. See one cause why we make so little use of God's great Works This hindered the Disciples of Christ here from profiting by his Miracles because they so soon forgot them Use 2 Use 2. For admonition to us to take heed of this fault and corruption which is so natural even to the best namely That we do not too soon forget the great Works of God which he hath wrought for us as his Work of Creation his Work of our Redemption by Christ the Work of his Providence in ordering and disposing all things for our good his Works of Justice and Mercy shewed upon our selves and others c. These Works of God we must beware we do not too soon let slip out of our minds but on the contrary we must be very careful to keep them in mind for otherwise how shall we make use and profit by them as we ought if we do not carefully treasure them up in our minds and memories Deut. 4. 9. Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life c. The more natural it is unto us to be forgetful of God's great and excellent Works wrought for us the more careful must we be to keep them in remembrance and not onely so but to make a holy and right use of them all Especially such works as he hath done lately for us these should be most fresh in our memory The Lord hath of late years wrought many great Works for us in this Land he hath bestowed many Blessings spiritual and temporal on us wrought many deliverances for us c. These we must not too soon forget as we are apt to do but carefully remember and make a right use of them Mark 8. 22 c. And he cometh to Bethsaida and they bring a blind man unto him and besought him to touch March 6. 1624. him c. HAving finished the 3d. principal part of this Chapter containing Christ's admonition to his Disciples to shun the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod together with his sharp Reproof of them for misconceiving the same Now we are come to the fourth part of the Chapter In which the Evangelist recordeth a special Miracle wrought by our Saviour neer unto the Town of Bethsaida in curing a Blind man who was brought unto him This Miracle is recorded onely by Mark and not by any other Evangelist Where consider 1. The Occasions of the Miracle Ver. 22. Our Saviour's coming to Bethsaida c. and the bringing of the blind man c. 2. A special Antecedent or Preparative which went before the working of it viz. our Saviour's taking the blind man by the hand and leading him out
Riches Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse for they shall be filled Rev. 21. 6. I will give to him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely When Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the Wilderneâ—s which was a Type of Christ's being lifted on the Cross Joh. 3. Such as had but a weak eye-sight yet by looking upon that brazen Serpent were cured of the sting of fiery Serpents So though a Christian have but a weak eye of Faith to look at Christ crucified yet being true Faith it is sufficient to receive and apply all the saving benefits of Christs death to himself Use Great comfort to such Christians as feel and complain of the weaknesse of their Faith no cause for such to be discouraged For if their Faith be true and sound the small or weak measure cannot shut them out from Christ's benefits but it is sufficient to give them interest in all yea to give them actuall possession of Christ himself So ready is he to communicate himself and his benefits to us that he suffereth himself to be received and enjoyed even of such as have but a very weak and feeble hand of Faith to lay hold on him For as a weak hand is a true hand and may truly lay hold upon that thing which it reacheth after so our Faith though very weak and feeble yet may be true Faith and truly apprehend Christ to Justification and Salvation A man may draw Water out of a deep Well or Fountain with a small Bucket or other Vessel so may we draw Waters of Life out of Christ the Fountain of Life and Salvation though the Vessel of our Faith be but small c. Yet we must not rest content with a weak Faith but labour for increase daily The property of true Faith is to grow c. Mark 8. 23 c. And he took the blind man by the hand c. April 3. 1625. OF the occasion of this Miracle ye have heard versu priori viz. 1. Our Saviour's coming to Bethsaida 2. The bringing of the blind man unto him 2. Their Sute or Request made to Christ for him Now the next principall matter set down by the Evangelist is a speciall preparative used by our Saviour before the working of this Miracle viz. His taking of the blind man by the hand and leading him out of the Town Quest 1 Quest 1. Why did he thus lead him out of the Town before he cured him and not rather work this Miracle in the Town that so the whole Town might have taken notice of it Answ Answ Some think the reason was because the People of this Town had formerly shewed such incredulity and unthankfulness in rejecting Christ's Doctrine and Miracles and not profiting by them therefore he now refused to work any more Miracles there But then it is likely That he would not have come again at all unto this Town nor have wrought this Miracle near unto it Therefore I take the true causes to be these 1. To avoid all shew of Ambition and desire of Vain-Glory 2. To prevent the concourse and flocking of the Multitude about him which might have been a disturbance and hinderance to him in working the Miracle therefore that he might with more freedom and lesse distraction proceed in the quiet and orderly woâ—king of it he withdrew the blind man out of the Town into some more private place Quest 2 Quest 2. Why did he take him by the hand and lead him himself and not appoint others to lead him as he might have done Answ Answ 1. To shew his goodnesse and mercy towards the blind man and how ready willing and forward he was to cure and heal him 2. To shew his Humility that he did not proudly scorn or disdain him in his Misery and Affliction but was content to abase and submit himself to do any mean Office in way of helping and relieving him Observ 1 Observ 1. That in all Actions and Duties which we take in hand and perform we ought to be far from Ambitious desire and seeking after Vain-glory and praise from Men. So was our Saviour Christ as we see here and at other times Joh. 5. 41. and Joh. 8. 50. I seek not mine own Glory c. Herein we must imitate Him Gal. 5. ult Let us not be desirous of Vain-glory c. 1 Thess 2. 6. Paul professeth that he sought not Glory from men in his ministry Yea we are to shun all shew and appearance of such Ambition and desire of Vain-glory in our Actions Reas 1 Reas 1. This ambitious seeking of our own Praise is a main hinderance to the conscionable seeking of God's Glory and Honour which ought to be the main scope of all our Actions Reas 2 Reas 2. It is a fruit of Pride and therefore a sin to be abhorred and taken heed of Reas 3 Reas 3. The property of Hypocrites is to hunt after Vain-glory as the Pharisees Matth. 6. 2. Reas 4 Reas 4. It cannot stand with true Faith Joh. 5. 44. How can ye believe when ye receive Glory one from another c. where Pride and Ambition raigneth in the Heart there can be no truth or soundnesse of Faith For Faith causeth us to deny our selves and to give all Glory to God c. Object Object Phil. 4. 8. If there be any Vertue or Praise think on these things c. Answ Answ 1. By Praise understand such things as are Praise-worthy as religious and vertuous Actions These we should be carefull and diligent to perform that so we may deserve most praise and commendation from God and Men not that we should ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory or Praise from Men especially from the common multitude c. 2. Not all seeking of Praise condemned so it be just and for well-doing But seeking Vain-glory which is 1. When we seek praise for evil things or for good things that are not in us 2. From unfit persons as the profane sort or multitude 3. When we onely or chiefly seek our own praise and not God's Glory principally Use Use For admonition to us to beware of this ambitious hunting and seeking after vain-glory and praise of men in our Actings especially in good Duties as in Duties of God's Worship as Preaching Prayer frequenting Sermons Reading c. So also in works of Mercy as giving Alms to the Poor c. Take heed of seeking our selves and our own glory in performance of these and the like Duties lest we be like the hypocriticall Pharisees and those Rulers mentioned Joh. 12. 43. Who loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God If it be so with us we have our Reward as our Saviour saith of the Pharisees Matth. 6. Contrà see that in all our Actions we seek God's Glory chiefly and principally and that we be much more carefull to approve our wayes and works to God then to Men. This is the way to have true comfort
Elias Others one of the Prophets To the latter Peter in all their nameâ— answereth That their belief and perswasion was That He was the Christ 4. Consider the Event or Consequent of this Conference He charged them to tell no man of Him in the 30th Verse Of the first Jesus went out viz. from the coasts of Bethsaida in Galilee near unto which he wrought the former Miracle upon the blind man And his Disciples that is His twelve Apostles either all or most of them as is likely for it is not expressed how many of them did now accompany him These he had before called to the Office of Apostles ordaining them to be with him as we heard Chap. 3. 14. that is to be his ordinary companions and followers in all his Travels upon earth when he went to preach and work Miracles that by the frequent and ordinary hearing of his Doctrine and sight of his Miracles they might be throughly grounded in the Knowledge and Faith of his Person and Office as he was the true Messiah and Saviour of the World and so might be fitted and prepared for the execution of their Apostolical Function in the time appointed which was after his Ascension into Heaven By this we see the cause why our Saviour took his Disciples with him at this time as he usually did in his other travels But besides there was also at this time another peculiar cause which was this that he might by the way confer and question with them touching himself as we have heard and shall hear more afterward Into the Towns or Villages Mat. 15. Into the Coasts c. that is into the Region or Country bordering near unto Cesarea Philippi and to the Towns or Villages in those coasts Cesarea Philippi This was a Town or City of Phoenicia standing in the confines or borders of Syria and Judea Some write that it was inhabited partly by the Syrians which were Gentiles and partly by the Jews by reason it stood upon the very borders of Judea Sic Jansen ex Joseph lib. 2. de bello Judaico It was called Cesarea from Caesar the Romane Emperour under whose power and Jurisdiction that whole Country then was And it was called Cesarea Philippi to distinguish it from another Cesarea built by Herod the Great near to the Mediterranean Sea as Josephus writeth whereas this Cesarea here spoken of was built by Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea Brother to Herod Tetrach of Galilee See Luke 3. 1. as the same Josephus witnesseth Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. from which Philip it took the name of Cesarea Philippi Touching the cause moving our Saviour now to go with his Disciples into the Coasts of Cesarea Philippi though it be not expressed yet there is no doubt but it was for these ends and reasons chiefly 1. That he might take occasion there to do good by his Preaching as he had done in other places This may appear because in the 34th Verse of this Chapter there is mention made of his Calling the People together with his Disciples and teaching them which it is most likely he did in these coasts of Cesarea Philippi 2. That he might by the way have opportunity privately to examine and instruct his Disciples in the Knowledge of his own Person and to confirm their Faith in the same Observ 1 Observ 1. See here the great pains and diligence of our Saviour in his Ministerial Office and Function taking all occasions and opportunities of time and place to do good by his Preaching and Miracleâ— travelling with his Disciples from place to place and from one part of the Country of Judea and Galilee to another as occasion was offered and labouring in all places to do good where he had a Calling to preach Act. 10. 38. He went about doing good c. which is a pattern for all Ministers of the Word to teach them to use the like pains and diligence in their ministerial Office labouring to do all the good they can both by publick Teaching and by private Instruction Admonition Consolation of the afflicted c. watching all opportunities of doing good in their places both publickly and privately Not that Ministers should now travel up and down from place to place to preach as our Saviour and the Apostles did for they had an extraordinary Calling so to do but that every Pastor in that place unto which God hath called him ought to be diligent and painful in execution of his Ministry and to watch all occasions of doing good to that People whom he is called to teach Thus did Paul Act. 20. 18. c. and so he chargeth Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 2. to preach the Word in season and out of season c. And Ver. 5. Waâ—ch thou in all things do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry Use Vse To teach the People of God to be painful and diligent in attending on the Ministry of their Pastors and to watch all opportunities of receiving good by their labours making good use of them So Act. 10. 33. But of this before Chap. 1. 21. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples of Christ did now accompany him in his journey to the coasts of Cesarea Philippi as at other times they did usually we are to take notice of one special Prerogative of the twelve Apostles in which they differed from all other Ministers of the Gospel and had pre-eminence above them namely this That they were called to live with Christ here upon Earth and to be with him and converse with him daily accompanying him in all his travels and journeys to preach and to work Miracles being ordinary hearers of his most excellent and heavenly Doctrine and Eye-witnesses of his powerful Miracles being admitted also ordinarily to private Conference and Prayer with him So before Chap. 3. ver 14. He ordained twelve that they should be with him Joh. 15. 27. Ye have been with me from the beginning See this Point before Chap. 1. ver 16 c. Vse Use To strengthen our Faith in the Doctrine of the Gospel contained in the writings of the Apostles assuring us of the truth and certainty thereof for the Apostles living and conversing with Christ upon earth received the substance of this Doctrine from his own mouth and what they learned of him they either wrote themselves or delivered unto others to write as appeareth Luke 1. 2. Observ 3 Observ 3. From the place whither our Saviour now went to preach being the coasts of Cesarea Philippi which bordered near to the Gentiles we may gather that he was ordained and came into the World to be the Saviour of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews For although he did not preach in his own Person among the Gentiles but to the Jews onely for he was the Minister of Circumcision Rom. 15. 8. and was sent to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Matth. 15. 24. yet nevertheless he did sometimes in his travels come very near
such remain grosly ignorant in matters of Religion even in the most common and easy Principles of it seeing they refuse the means of being better instructed Besides that hereby they greatly dishonour God and shew contempt of the Authority of those that are set over them in place of Government Again this also reproveth such as being called before such as are in place of publick Authority to give an Accompt of their Faith and Religion do refuse to do it either through shame or fear of Mens displeasure or do for these or the like causes dissemble their Faith and Religion A great dishonour to God and betraying of his Truth Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples did here make outward Confession of their Faith unto Christ requiring them so to do we learn that true Faith must not lye hid in our hearts but it must be outwardly confessed to others and before others as occasion is offered and so often as we are thereunto called Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak Mat. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven But whosover shall deny me c. For this cause Hebr. 3. 1. Christ is called the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession to shew that we are not onely to believe in him by Faith but also to make outward Profession of this Faith before men when we are thereunto called 1 Joh. 4. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Thus have the Saints of God used to make outward Confession of their Faith before men when they had a Calling so to do Mark 9. 24. So the Apostles being brought before Authority confessed their Faith as Paul before Agrippa and Festus Act. 26. So the Martyrs as Steven and others that followed him whence they were also by the ancient Fathers called Confessours yea Christ himself before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession 1 Tim. 6. 13. Quest Quest. When are we called to make outward Confession of our Faith before men Answ Answ 1. When such as have Authority over us do demand of us an Accompt of our Faith ut suprà dictum 2. At other times when there is hope and likelihood of glorifying God and edifying others thereby for otherwise it is better to be silent than to make any such outward Profession As if it be before malicious professed enemies and scoffers at Religion here is no fit time or place to make Profession of our Faith but we more glorify God by silence Mat. 7. 6. We are forbidden to cast Pearls before Swine c. Use 1 Use 1. To reprove such as fail in this excellent and necessary duty of making outward Confession of their Faith before others as occasion is offered Some think they may keep their Religion and Faith to themselves and need not make any outward Profession of it to others but here we see the contrary It is not enough to believe with the heart but there must be also Confession with the mouth Others are afraid to confess their Faith in Christ before such as are Enemies of Religion lest it endanger their liberty goods or life This was the Sin of Peter into which he fell through infirmity denying and forswearing Christ to save his own life The like have others done in time of Persecution Others are ashamed to make Confession of their Faith before men lest it be some disgrace or discredit to them See Joh. 12. 42. Let such consider what our Saviour saith in the last Verse of this Chapter Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this sinfull Generation of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Others are ignorant and know not how to make Profession of Christ or of their Faith when it is demanded Vse 2 Use 2. To exhort us to make Conscience of this Christian duty of confessing and professing our Faith before men so often as good occasion is offered and we have a Calling to it yea though it be with hazard of our goods liberty or life it self in case we should be called before such as are the professed enemies of the Goâ—pel and of Christ yet we must not shrink from our Profession for fear of their displeasure or of any Punishment they can impose on us but we must witness a good Confession Rules for the right performance of this Duty of outward confessing our Faith 1. It is to be done with Christian wisdom and discretion observing due circumstances of time place and fit Persons before whom we do it 2. To be done with spiritual boldness and freedom of Speech not being daunted or dismayed herein by the faces of men that are enemies of the Truth though never so great Examples of this courage and boldness we have in sundry of the Martyrs 3. This Confession must come from inward truth and sincerity of heart aiming at God's Glory and the good of others it must not be in Hypocrisy aiming at our own praise credit or advantage 4. It must be done with the Spirit of meeknesse and mildnesse and not in distempered Passion or heat of Contention 5. It must be with fear and reverence of the Maâ—esty of God before whom we stand and with reverent regard of his truth which we make profession of 1 Pet. 3. 15. with meekness and fear Mark 8. 29. And Peter answereth and saith unto him Thou art the Christ. â—une 19. 1625. NOw followeth the matter confessed Thou art the Christ Doct. 1 Doctr. 1. That Jesus the son of the Virgin Mary is the Christ or true Messiah that is to say that special and singular Person ordained of God to be the Mediator between God and Us and to be the Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind This is the main truth believed and professed here by Peter for the rest of the Apostles Thou art the Christ that is to say Thou who hast avouched thy self before to be the Son of man for so our Saviour did Matth. 16. 13. Whom say the People that I the Son of man am art the true Christ oâ— Messiah ordained and sent of god to execute the Office of a Mediator in redeeming and saving Mankind The same truth also they had before this time made Profession of Joh. 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Yea this some of them did believe and profess at the time when they were first called to be Christ's Disciples as may appear Joh. 1. 41. Andrew so soon as he began to follow Christ finding his Brother Peter tells him thus We have found the Messiah which is
Resurrection of our bodies and to unite them again to our Souls at the last day and therefore this must be accomplished This must strengthen our Faith to rest upon God for the fulfilling of all good things which He hath purposed and promised to us in his Word Vse 3 Vse 3. See one main cause and reason why all that will godly in Christ Jesus must in this life suffer many troubles and afflictions in one kind or other because God hath ordained them thereunto 1 Thess 3. 3. and He hath foretold as much in his Word and therefore it must be so As Christ must suffer and so enter into Glory because so God hath ordained and it was foretold by the Prophets so must we through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of Heaven because of God hath ordained and said it in his Word This therefore should teach us patiently to bear all such troubles seeing it must be so submitting willingly to God's Decree and to his Word So did Christ Mat. 26. 54. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that there was a necessity of Christ's Suffering not onely in regard of God's Decree and the Prediction of the Prophets but also in respect of the accomplishing of the Work of our Redemption which could by no other means be effected Hence observe the greatness and excellency of this Work of our Redemption together with the dissiculty of it in that it is such a Woâ—k as could by no other means be effected but by the Death and Sufferings of Christ Jesus the Son of God He being by nature the eternal Son of God must take our Nature and become the Son of Man and being made Man He must also dy and suffer the Wrath of God and cursed death of the Cross else not possible for us to be saved See here how great and excellent is this Work of our Redemption far exceeding the Work of our Creation This must stir us up to all possible thankfulness to God all the dayes of our life for this wonderfull Work of our Redemption by the Death and Sufferings of Christ which is the blessing of all blessings unto us A Blessing not easily purchased for us it cost no small price no less than the precious Blood of Christ the Son of God 1 Pet. 1. 19. Oh how thankful then ought we to be for this unspeakable benefit If the Angels did sing Glory to God Luke 2. for Man's Redemption How much more ought we to blesse and praise God all the dayes of our life for the same To this end think often what we are without this Redemption think of the miserable bondage we are in by Nature that this may provoke us to Thankfulnesse Mark 8. 31. And he began to teach them c. July 17. 1625. NOw followeth the Sufferings themselves which our Saviour foretelleth 1. Generally He must suffer many things 2. Particularly in two kinds of Sufferings 1. He must be rejected c. 2. He must be Killed Of the first Suffer many things That is manifold Evils Mâ—series and Punishments which were to be laid upon him for our Sins especially about the time of his Death Here is occasion to speak of the Doctrine of Christ's Passion in General An Article of our Faith Quest 1 Quest 1. How could He Suffer being God Answ Answ This was answered before c. Quest 2 Quest 2. What were those manifold Evils which He was to Suffer for Us Answ Answ They were of two kinds 1. External or Outward 2. Inward First Bodily pains which He was put unto many wayes as by being bound with Cords being scourged by Pilate's appointment being Buffetted by the High Priest's Servant being Crowned with Thorns being stretched out and nailed on the Crosse and so hanging there for the space of sundry hours even till he dyed Also by Suffering thirst while he hung upon the Crosse and by drinking Gall and Vinegar in his thirst 2. Hither also refer the pangs of bodily Death which he was at length to Suffer Of which we shall hear more afterward 3. The great ignominy contempt and reproach which was cast upon him by mockings revilings slanders and false accusations of the Jews as also by dying the Death of the Crosse which was in it self so shamefull and accursed See Hebr. 12. 2. 2. Internal which he was to Suffer in his Soul namely the apprehension of God's heavy Wrath and Curse due to our Sins which should make his Soul heavy unto Death as we see it did Matth. 26. 38. and which should also cause him to sweat great drops of Blood and to stand in need of an Angel to strengthen him as appeareth Luke 22. 43 44. which also should cause him to cry out upon the Crosse in that lamentable manner My God My God why hast thou c. This Esay foretold Chap. 53. 10. His Soul an Offering for sinne Quest 3 Quest 3. Wherefore or to what end was our Saviour to suffer all these evils Answ Answ That he might thereby make satisfaction to God for our Sins and so both free us from the guilt and punishment due to them and also reconcile us unto God Rom. 4. 25. Delivered for our Offences c. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ hath once suffered for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God Quest 4 Quest 4. How could these Sufferings of Christ for a short time be a satisfaction to God for the eternal Curse due to our Sins Answ Answ By reason of the dignity of the Person because he that suffered was the Son of God which gave infinite vertue and merit to his passion Hebr. 9. 14. Through the eternâ—â— Spirit offered himself to God c. Quest 5 Quest 5. How did it stand with God's Justice to lay the punishâ—â—nt of our Sins upon Christ being innocent Answ Answ Because he did voluntarily become our Pledge or Surety to God undertaking the payment of our Debt of punishment for Sin Hebr. 7. 22. As if one freely becomes Surety for payment of another man's Debt it is no injustice to require the Debt of him So here c. Vse 1 Use 1. See the infinite love of Christ in being willing to suffer for our sins c. But of this before Use 2 Use 2. See here the hainousnesse of sin how offensive it is to God and hard to be forgiven and satisfaction to be made unto God for the same in that Christ Jesus the Son of God must not onely become Man but in his humane nature suffer so many and grievous things and that for this end to satisfie God's Justice for our Sins and so to justifie and save us from the guilt and punishment of the same 1 Pet. 3. 18. This was the cause of all his bitter Passion which shews the hainousnesse of Sin in that nothing could satisfie God's Justice for it but the Sufferings of Christ the Son of God This was the onely price sufficient to satisfie God for our Debt of Sin and Punishment even the
a condition in God's heavenly Kingdom Vse 2 Vse 2. See here a forcible motive to move and encourage us willingly to suffer Death or to part with our bodily Lives for the profession of Christ and of the Gospel if at any time we shall be called of God unto it Consider the excellent and blessed Reward promised to us for so doing viz. the Reward of eternal Life and Glory in Heaven after this Life ended An eternal weight of Glory A Crown of Life shall be given us So we shall gain much more then we lose by losing this Temporal Life we shall gain eternal Life This losse shall be no losse to us but the greatest gain that may be If to dye any Death be a gain to the Saints Phil. 1. 21. then much more to dye for Christ or the Gospel No Death indeed but an exchange of Temporal Life for Eternal of Earthly for Heavenly A gainful exchange as of Copper for Gold c. We lose not our Lives but lend them to the Lord for a time to receive them with advantage Think well of this excellent Reward of eternal life promised to such as lay down and lose their Temporal lives for Christ's cause and the Gospel's that it may encourage us to do it willingly if God call us thereunto Moses in suffering Affliction with God's People had respect to the recompence of Reward Hebr. 11. 26. So must we if we would willingly suffer Death for the Name of Christ or for the Gospel we must look beyond Death at the joy set before us as Christ did Hebr. 12. 2. This will make us willingly to part with this Life and to imbrace Death for Christ's sake c. When Stephen was ready to Suffer Death for the Name of Christ he looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right hand of God So must we by Faith labour to do c. This will comfort and encourage us against Death and cause us willingly to lay down our lives for Christ c. Thus have the Martyrs comforted themselves at the time of their Death with the hope of eternal life which they expected after this Life Mr. Bradford to his fellow Martyr Be of good comfort saies he we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord this Night c. Saunders kissing the Stake said Welcome everlasting Life John Noyes kissing the Stake also said to his fellow Martyrs We shall not lose our Lives in this Fire but change them for a better and for Coals have Pearls c. Observ 3 Observ 3. Our Saviour doth not say Whosoever shall lose his Life c. But whosoever shall lose it for my sake c. Here we are taught That it is not simply the suffering of Death or of any other affliction which hath the Reward of eternal Life promised unto it but it is suffering in a good cause which shall be so Rewarded Not all that suffer shall be partakers of eternal Life but such as suffer for well-doing for professing Christ and the Gospel and for giving testimony to the Truth of God 1 Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God c. Matth. 10. 39. He that loseth his Life for my sake shall find it Martyrem facit non poena sed causa Cyprian Though a man could suffer not one but many Deaths yet if it be not in a good Cause as in way of well-doing and for the keeping of a good conscience he is never the nearer to eternal Life 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give my Body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing that is if I do it not out of true love to God and Man and to a right end as for the glorifiing of God by constant profession of his Truth or otherwise Use 1 Vse 1. See what to judge of such as suffer Death in evil Causes or for evil ends as either for vain-glory as the Heathen to shew contempt of Death and Fortitude of mind or in defence of errour or sin as Hereticks Donatists Papists c. No promise of Reward to such c. Vse 2 Vse 2. See that if we would by suffering Afflictions or Death it self gain eternal Life it is not enough that we suffer but we must see it be in a good Cause as in the cause of Christ or of the Gospel for profession of the Truth or otherwise for the keeping of a good conscience This is the main thing to be looked to in Suffering The matter is not what we Suffer but for what cause and to what end c. Observ 4 Observ 4. For my sake and the Gospel's In that our Saviour joyneth these two together Himself and the Gospels as one and the same cause of loving Life and of Suffering Death Hence we may gather That to Suffer Death for the Gospel of Christ is to Suffer it for Christ himself And that these two causes of Suffering Death are one and the same in effect and substance neither can they be divided or severed one from the other He that loseth his Life for Christ's sake loseth it for the Gospel's and he that loseth it for the Gospel's loseth it for Christ's Therefore our Saviour here joyneth these two together as one and the same in substance For my sake and the Gospels So Revel 2. 13. To the Church of Pergamus Thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my Faith in the dayes wherein Antipas my Martyr was slain among you c. My Name That is The profession of Me. My Faith That is My Doctrine of Faith Reason There is a near affinity and special relation between Christ and the Gospel and that in three respects 1. In that Christ as He is God is the Authour and efficient cause of the Doctrine of the Gospel It is not a Doctrine devised by Men or Angels but proceeding from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as from a Fountain 2. In that Christ as Mediatour doth reveal this Doctrine from the bosom of his Father See Joh. 1. 17 18. 3. In that Christ is the main substance and matter of the Gospel which is contained in it The whole Doctrine of the Gospel is concerning Christ directly or indirectly either concerning his Person and Office or concerning the Benefits we have by Him or the means of applying Him c. Use Use To be a motive and encouragement unto us willingly to lay down our Lives and to suffer Death not onely for Christ's sake but also for the profession of his Word and Gospel to seal and confirm the Truth of it even with the loss of our Lives if we shall be called so to do as the Martyrs have been To encourage and move us hereunto let us know and consider That in laying down our Lives for the Gospel we do lay them down for Christ himself whose Gospel it is and who is himself not onely the Authour and Revealer but
hinderances but also to use all helps and means to further us in the performance of holy and spiritual exercises as Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing c. Our Saviour here did not onely withdraw himself from company but made choice of the fittest and most convenient place where to pray with his Disciples and to manifest his Glory to them that the opportunity of the place might be a furtherance to himself and them in those heavenly exercises Now if our Saviour had need thus to do much more we c. to take the fittest time and place also to use due Preparation before we set about such holy duties and Watchfulnesse in performing them See before on the Ver. 46. of the 6th Chapter Reason Reason We are of our selves very unfit and untoward to all spirituall Duties and therefore had need to use of all good helps to further us in performance of them Use See the cause why many perform holy and religious Duties with so little fruit and comfort because they are not carefull to use all good helps and means to further them therein c. Mark 9. 2 3. And he was Transfigured before them And his Raiment became shining c. April 23. 1626. NOw followeth the Transfiguration it self 1. Generally and briefly propounded together with the persons before whom or in whose sight it was done He was Transfigured before them 2. More particularly amplified by one speciall Adjunct or Circumstance of it The shining and perfect whiteness of his Garments which whiteness is amplified 1. By comparison to Snow 2. By comparison to Cloth purged and whited by the Fuller's Art He was Transfigured Or transformed and changed in the figure or shape of his Body the former shape which he had before was altered and changed into a far more excellent and glorious shape or figure Luke 9. 29. As he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered And Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun Now touching this Transfiguration or change of his shape some things are to be remembred for the better conceiving of it 1. That it happened while he was at prayer Luke 9. 29. 2. That it was not a change or alteration of the nature or substance of his Body as if that were turned into a Spirit or spiritual substance for it remained still a true humane Body with the same nature and essentiall properties which it had before but it was onely an alteration of the outward quality and condition of his Body that is of the colour shape or outward form and visage of it from that which it was before that whereas before it was of an ordinary colour and outward shape like the bodies of other men now it became most excellent bright and glorious to behold even as bright as the Sun c. 3. That although this change was not in the essentiall form or substance of Christ's body yet it was a true real and sensible change and alteration of the quality of his body and not in imagination or in shew and appearance only Luke 9. 29. It is not said The fashion of his countenance seemed to be altered but it was altered And ver 32. The Disciples saw his Glory Therefore it was visible c. 4. That although this wonderfull change and alteration appeared chiefly in his face as being the most conspicuous part of his body yet it is probable That it was more or less throughout all the outward parts of his Body and from thence the brightness and glory was derived to his Garments shining through the same as is said afterward 5. That this change was not perpetual or long to endure but for a short time onely though it is not expressed how long that is to say during some part of that time in which Christ and his three Disciples were abiding in the Mount for this Glory ceased before they came down again from the Mount Object Object Matth. 17. 9. Called a Vision Answ Answ Yet it might be really done as Acts 10. 3. Before them That is in the presence and sight of those three Disciples before mentioned c. viz. Peter James and John It followeth Ver. 3. And his Raiment became shining c. This is added the more to amplifie and set forth the excellent brightness and heavenly Glory of Christ's body in which he now appeared to the three Disciples Brightness and Light are in Scripture put for heavenly glory and happiness 1 Tim. 6. 16. So also the colour of white Therefore the Angels used so to appear Contrà blackness and darkness signifies misery of Hell which was so great that it shined through all his Garments making them also to shine most bright and to appear perfectly white as the Snow and whiter than any Fuller upon Earth can make any Cloth with Water and Fulling-Earth Note that this perfect whiteness and glittering was not in the Garments of themselves but in the body of Christ and thence derived to his Clothes c. As the Sun which enlighten the Ayr. Quest 1 Quest 1. How or by what means was this perfect whitenesse and brightnesse caused in the Body and Garments of Christ Answ Answ By the divine Power and Majesty of his God-head now manifesting it self extraordinarily for the time not onely in his humane Soul as at other times but also in his Body and Garments Before this time the Glory of his God-head did hide and cover it self under the vail of his humane Flesh or Body even as the brightness of the Sun beams is sometimes covered under a dark Cloud but now this Glory of his God-head did for a time extraordinarily and wonderfully shew and manifest it self outwardly even to the bodily sight and view of the Disciples Object Object 2 Pet. 1. 17. He received this Glory from God the Father Answ Answ As he was Mediatour he received it from the Father but as God he had it in himself c. Quest 2 Quest 2. Whether did the Disciples now see the God-head it self or divine Nature of Christ Answ Answ Not so for the God-head cannot be seen with bodily eyes Joh. 1. 18. but they saw an outward sensible effect of the God-head or a true symbolicall Sign and Representation of it viz. the outward brightness and glory which appeared in his Body and Garments and especially in his Face A symbolicall sight like that of Moses when he saw the back parts of God Exod. 33. 23. Quest 3 Quest 3. Wherefore or to what end was Christ now transfigured and the shape of his Body and Garments thus gloriously changed before his three Disciples Answ Answ 1. To prove and manifest the Truth of his God-head and that he was the Messiah and to confirm their Faith therein For which cause also that heavenly Voice was uttered from God the Father at the time of this Transfiguration of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him ver 7. 2. The better to arm them against that scandall or offence which they might take
Place Calling or Office in the Church forasmuch as no outward Calling or Office can exempt any man from Errour but to build our Faith and Religion only upon the written Word of God which is the Word of Truth and cannot deceive or lead us into Errour Observ 4 Observ 4. In that the ground and cause of this Errour of the Scribes was their mis-understanding of that place of the Prophet Malachy before alledged hence we are taught what is one main cause of all Errours and corrupt Opinions of men in matters of Faith viz. The Ignorance or misconceiving of the true sense of the Scriptures See this handled Chap. 8. 28. Mark 9. 12. And he answered and told them Eliasverily cometh first c. Nov. 19. 1626. IN this Verse and the next is laid down our Saviour's Answer to the Question of the three Disciples propounded to him in the former Verse touching the Opinion and Doctrine of the Scribes conceâ—ning the coming of Elias before the coming and manifestation of the Kingdom of the Messiah In which Answer our Saviour resolveth the doubt moved by the Disciples and withal discovereth and confuteth the Errour of the Scribes The Answer consisteth of three parts 1. A Concession or granting of that to be in some sort true which the Scribes taught touching the coming of Elias that he was indeed to come before the Messiah 2. A further declaration or shewing both of the end of Elias his coming or what he should do at his coming He should restore all things And also what he should suffer or what ill entertainment he should find in the World at his coming namely that he should suffer such abuses at the hands of wicked men as Christ himself was to suffer according to the Scriptures 3. A plain discovery and confutation of the Errour of the Scribes teaching and holding that Elias was not yet come c. This our Saviour confuteth by avouching that he was already come and had suffered c. Of the first He answered and told them c. Though the Disciples in moving the former Question discovered much Ignorance and Weakness yet our Saviour beareth with them and gently answereth them shewing himself ready and forward to resolve and satisfy them in the matter they doubted of Elias verily cometh first q. d. It is true in some sense which the Scribes say and I grant it to be so as the Prophet Malachi fore-told that Elias ought indeed to come first that is before the coming of the Messiah Here note that our Saviour doth not speak of Elias in that sense as the Scribes did in affirming that he was to come before the Messiah For the Scribes understood this of the coming of the Prophet Elias himself in his own Person to live upon Earth again but our Saviour under the Name of Elias understandeth John Baptist the Fore-runner or Harbinger of Christ even as the Propet Malachi also doth Chap. 4. 5. before alledged calling him by the Name of Elias and affirming that this Elias that is to say John Baptist ought indeed to come before the Messiah That this is our Saviour's meaning is plain and clear Matth. 17. 13. where it is expresly affirmed by the Evangelist that the Disciples understood our Saviour's words in this sense viz. That he did not speak of Elias himself in his own Person but of John Baptist whom he called by the Name of Elias So also Mat. 11. 14. All the Prophets and the Law prophesied till John And if ye will receive it this is Elias which was for to come Quest Quest. Why doth the Prophet Malachi in the place before alledged and our Saviour in this place call John Baptist by the Name of Elias Answ Answ This Name is given to John in regard of the resemblance and likeness that was between him and Elias in sundry things As 1. In excellency of gifts and graces of the Spirit in which John Baptist resembled Elias in which respect it is said Luke 1. 17. that he should go before the Lord in the Spirit and Power of Elias Especially John resembled Elias in his great and fervent Zeal for God's Glory for as Elias was zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1 King 19. 10. and testified his Zeal by reproving Sin and setting himself against it even in the highest Persons as in King Ahab and â—esabell his Wife so also did John shew his fervent zeal in like manner by reproving sin plainly in the greatest Persons as not only in the Pharisees and Sadduces which came to his Baptism but also in Herod himself and Herodias his Wife 2. John resembled Elias in this that as Elias living in a very corrupt Age of the Church waâ— a special Instrument and means of reforming the abuse and corruptions reigning in those times and of restoring the decayed state of Religion so also John Baptist was stirred up of God in very corrupt times of the Church and was appointed as a special means of restoring the corrupt and decayed state thereof as appeareâ—h by the words immediately following this Text. 3. John resembled Elias in the manner of his outward Life and Conversation amongst men viz. In the strictness and austerity of it and particularly in his very Diet and Apparel As Elias was a man of a strict and spare Diet as may appear 1 King 19. 6. so was John also for his Meat was Locusts and wild-Hony And as Elias was cloathed in a hairy Garment in which respect he is said to be a rough or hairy man and was girt with a Girdle of Leather 2 King 1. 8. so also was John Baptist cloathed with Camel's haire and had a Girdle of a skin about his Loyns as we heard Chap. 1. Again as Elias lived for a time in the Wilderness whither he was forced to fly for his life being persecuted by Jesabel so likewise John Baptist both lived and preached in the Wilderness of Judea as we heard Chap. 1. 4. Lastly as Elias was hated and persecuted by Ahab and Jesabel and suffered much at their hands for his zeal and faithfulness in his Ministry so also did John suffer much for the same cause being hated of Herodias and imprisoned and put to death by Herod Now further when it is said here that Elias that is to say John Baptist was not onely to come but to come first This is to be understood in respect or relation to the time of Christ's Birth or coming into â—he World that John was to come before him in time that is to say to be born and to live on Earth before Châ—ist for the space of six Months as appeareth Luke 1. 26. 36. as also to exercise his Ministeriall Office of Preaching and Baptising some space of time before Christ himself Quest Quest Wherefore or to what end was John Baptist appointed to come before Christ that is to be born and to preach before him Answ Answ That he might be as a Harbinger to prepare the way for Christ that
wrath and curse of God He deals with the Souls and Consciences of such as he did here with the body of this possessed young man He carries them headlong to the practice of sin and so doth cast their Souls into the fire of Hell even as he did violently throw the body of this party into the Fire and into the Water And as he did reâ—â— and tear the body of this party with grievous pains causing him to fome and gnash his teeth c. So doth he rack and torment the Consciences of wicked men with inward gripings and terrours and makes their Consciences to fome and gnash within them as it were And as he did deprive this party of his bodily senses striking him both dumb and deaf So doth he bereave the wicked of their spiritual senses striking them with spirituall dumbness and deafness c. so as they can neither pray nor speak a word to God's Glory or Edification of others nor yet hear God speak unto them by his Word as they ought c. See then the wofull misery of all such as are thus spiritually possessed of Satan and under his Power in their Souls and Consciences which should move all such to labour for a true feeling of this their own lamentable condition and to use all means speedily to be delivered from this spirituall Power of Satan especially to come duly to the publike Ministery of the Word which is the ordinary means to cast down the holds of sin in them and to deliver them from the Power of Satan c. And it should also move us to pitty and pray for such If we should see one bodily possessed by the Devil and so tormented as this party was would not our bowels yearn Much more then c. See before chap. 5. 1 c. Mark 9. 18. And I spake to thy Disciples that they should cast him out and they could not March 4. 1626. HItherto of the first Argument or Motive used by the father of this possessed young man to move our Saviour to shew mercy on him taken from the lamentable misery in which he was Now follows the second Motive from the unability of the Disciples to cast the Devil out of him notwithstanding that he had sought unto them to do it I spake to thy Disciples The reason why he first sought to the Disciples was because Christ himself was at that time absent And they could not Hence it is probable That they did attempt the casting out of the Devil but could not do it c. The cause of this unability in the Disciples was partly their own Weakness of Faith Matth. 17. 20. and partly the Unbelief of the Father and of the Nation of Jews especially of the Scribes and Pharisees in the following Verse Observ 1 Observ 1. That although the Apostles of Christ had the extraordinary Gift and Power of working Miracles conferred on them by Christ for the sealing of their Doctrine as we heard before Chap. 6. 7. yet they could not exercise this Power at all times whensoever they would but then onely when it was expedient when it made for God's Glory and Edification of the People and when they were thereunto moved by special instinct Sometimes it was not expedient neither did it make for God's Glory that they should exercise the Power and Gift of Miracles and sometimes also they were hindred by their own Unbelief or by the Unbelief of others from working those Miracles which they attempted as at this time they were as appeareth Matth. 17. 20. and in this Chapter afterward Hence also we may gather by the way That this Gift of working Miracles was not any Power or Vertue inherent in their own Persons for then they mighâ— have exercised it at all times when they would but it was the divine Power of God and of Christ himself which did work in them and by them as by Instruments So Peter professeth plainly Act. 3. 12. Why look ye on us as though by our own Power we had made this man to walk c. But ver 16. The Name of Christ had made this man strong c. See before Chap. 6. 7. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples were hindred and disabled by their own Unbelief and Weakness of Faith that they could not at this time work this Miracle in casting the Devil out of the possessed party we learn that Unbelief or Weakness of Faith is a sin very hurtful and dangerous to the true Saints and Servants of God hindring and depriving them of most excellent priviledges and benefits which otherwise they might enjoy So here the Disciples by their Unbelief deprived themselves for a time of that rare and extraordinary gift of working Miracles utterly disabling themselves for the exercise thereof More particularly the Saints of God do by their Unbelief hinder and deprive themselves of two sorts of benefits or priviledges 1. Of inward and spiritual priviledges which concern the good of their Souls and the life to come as of the comfortable feeling of God's favour and of that measure of inward peace of Conscience and spirituall Joy which they might and should otherwise enjoy if they had more strength of Faith Hence it is that David sometimes felt so little inward peace and comfort and on the contrary so great inward trouble and discomfort within himself as he complaineth Psal 42. and Psal 77. The cause hereof was the Weakness of his Faith even as himself implyeth plainly Psal 77. 10. when he saith This is mine Infirmity Thus also it waâ— with Jonah Chap. 2. ver 4 7. being in the Whale's Belly through Weakness of Faith his Soul fainted within him for a time and he thought himself to be cast out of God'â— sight 2. The Saints of God by Unbelief do oftentimes deprive themselves of those outward and corporal benefits and priviledges which otherwise they might enjoy as of that measure and degree of outward peace and prosperity God's Protection and Blessing in things of this life which they might otherwise enâ—oy yea they may and do sometimes wholly deprive themselves of these or some of these Blessings through their own Unbelief Numb 20. 12. Moses and Aaron by their Unbelief deprived themselves of the great benefit of coming into the promised Land of Canaan to dwell in it And Isa 7. 9. the Lord threatens his People the Jews that if they would not believe his Word and Promise given for their deliverance from their enemies they should not be established that is they should not enjoy the benefir of outward security and safety from those enemies but should be deprived of the same See also Joh. 11. 40. Exemplum Marthae Observ 3 Observ 3. In that the Father of this possessed young man having first brought his Son to the Disciples to be dispossessed and they not being able to help him yet did not forthwith despair of help nor yet give over the use of further means but hereupon made sute unto Christ
Answ 1. When they are to deal against gross and hainous Crimes or Sins very offensive to God or scandalous to Men Then is it fit to reprove sharply that by this means the Offenders may be the more deeply touched in conscience and humbled for such sinâ— 2. When they are to deal with perverse obstinate and stubborn Offenders who obstinately persist in their sins without any reâ—orse of conscience or humiliation at all These are to be terrified with sharp and severe reproofs that this may either humble them or else convince and leave them without excuse Jude ver 22. Have compassion of some making a difference And others save with fear c. Thus our Saviour now dealing against the obstinate and malicious Scribes and Pharisees useth this sharp reproof crying out against them That they were a faithless and perverse or crooked Generation c. Of the third The persons here reproved by our Saviour 1. The Scribes and Pharisees with other unbelieving Jews who were so far from believing in Christ that they were enemies to Him and his Doctrine maliciously opposing the same who therefore he calleth a faithless Generation 2. The father of the possessed son as also Christ's own Disciples who though they were not destiâ—ute of true Faith yet were at this time weak in Faith and for this cause are in some sort touched by this Reproof First of the first sort oâ— Persons Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour spareth not the Scribes and Pharisees though men of great Place and Account amongst the Jews being publike Officers and Teachers in the Church c. but reproveth them sharply for their gross unbelief Hence gather That Ministers of the Word may and ought to reprove sin as occasion is offered even in the greatest persons that are of their charge not sparing or favouring them not winking at them in their sins more than at the meanest sort of persons committed to their Charge How often doth our Saviour reprove sin not only in the common People but also in the Scribes and Pharisees as Matth. 23. and else-where often See before chap. 6. ver 17 18 c. Observ 1 Observ 2. From the manner of our Saviour's speaking here unto the Scribes and Pharisees and other unbelieving Jews in that he doth not call them a faithless People or faithless Persons but a Generation of faithless People thereby alluding to their wicked Parents or Ancestors whom they resembled in unbelief Hence we learn That the Children and Posterity of wicked Parents and Ancestors are apt to resemble their Parents and Ancestors and to become like unto them c. See chap. 8. ver 12. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour in this reproof of the Nation of the Jews and especially of the of Scribes and Pharisees for unbelief doth also indirectly and closely tax and blame the father of the possessed child yea and his own Disciples too for their weakness of Faith Hence learn That it is profitable and necessary for the true Saints and Servants of God to be admonished of their Corruptions and sinful Infirmities with which they are tainted yea to be reproved for the same by such as have a Calling to do it Our Saviour Christ often used to reprove not only gross sins in the Scribes and Pharisees and such like profane and wicked persons but also the Corruptions and sinful Infirmities of his own Disciples As their spiritual blindness and dulness to conceive of heavenly matters unbelief hardness of heart c. as we have often heard before So Paul writing to the Saints and Faithfull in the Church of Corinth yet forbeareth not to blame and reprove them for their great Corruptions and Infirmities with which they were tainted as for their envying strife and divisions which were amongst them 1 Cor. 3. 3. which shews That it is necessary and fit for the true Saints of God to be admonished and reproved for their Corruptions and Infirmities as occasion is offered and by such as have a Calling to do it Reas 1 Reas 1. This is one speciall means to humble them in the sight and feeling of their own Corruptions causing them often to renew their Repentance and move them to strive more and more to mortify and subdue the same in themselves Reas 2 Reas 2. Sins of God's Children are very dishonourable to God bringing scandal and disgrace upon Religion Therefore great need for them to be admonished Vse 1 Use 1. See then that both Ministers of the Word and all such as have charge of others as Parents Masters c. ought to be careful on all occasions not onely to reprove sin in such as are profane and wicked but also in such as they are perswaded to be good Christians and the true Saints and Children of God not to bear with such or let them alone in their Corruptions but to admonish them of the same yea plainly and sharply to reprove them if need be especially if they be such Corruptions as they do perceive them too much to favour and bear with in themselves Vse 2 Use 2. To move the Saints and Children of God even the best of them to be willing and desirous to be admonished and told of their Corruptions and sinfull Infirmities upon all occasions by such as have a Calling to do it yea to be glad and thankful for this as for a great kindness and work of charity performed towards them So David Psal 141. 5. Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl c. One mark of a sincere heart before God is to be willing and glad to be admonished of a fault or corruption and to submit to the same and make use of it as the contrary is the mark of an Hypocrite Prov. 9. 8. Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee but rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Now followeth the Sin for which our Saviour reproveth both the Scribes and Pharisees and also his own Disciples in some sort together with the father of the possessed child viz. The sin of Unbelief Mark 9. 19. He answereth him and saith O faithless Generation c. April 1. 1627. IN this Answer of Christ to the father of the possessed child two things are contained 1. A sharp Reproof both of him and his Disciples but especially of the Scribes and Pharisees with other unbelieving Jews for their incredulity O faithless Generation how long c. 2. A precept or command touching the bringing of the possessed child unto him In the Reproof five things to be considered 1. The person reproving our Saviour Christ 2. The manner of reproving which is sharp and vehement c. 3. The persons reproved both the father of the child and the Disciples themselves and especially the obstinate Scribes and Pharisees c. 4. The speciall sin for which they are reproved Unbelief 5. The amplification of this sin 1. By the means which had been
from the beginning Rev. 9. 11. called Abaddon and Apollyâ—n which signifieth a Destroyer much more true of the Devil This deadly malice he sheweth both against the Bodies and Souls of men seeking the utter destruction of both 1. He seeks to destroy and murder the bodies of men by temporal or bodily death so far as God doth permit and suffer him as here he did to this Child and to Job's Children and Servants Job 1. 2. He seeks also and that principally the eternal Destruction of mens Souls and Bodies together in Hell He seeks nothing so much to cast their bodies into the Fire or Water to burn or drown them as he doth to cast both their bodies and souls into the fire and pit of Hell there to be burned and drowned everlastingly And this he doth by his wicked and sinful suggestions and temptations labouring continually to entise men unto sin and so to bring them to eternal destruction 1 Pet. 5. 8. As a roaring Lion c. He is called The Tempter 1 Thes 3. 5. Use 1 Use 1. See what cause there is for us to be watchful at all times against this our deadly Enemy the Devil and against his Temptations walking circumspectly in all our wayes and carefully looking to our selves that we give him not the least advantage to tempt and draw us to sin and so to the destruction of our Soul and Bodies The more he seeketh to do this the more watchful must we be over our selves the more wary of giving him any advantage against us Ephes 4. 27. Give not place to the Devill that is Give him no advantage or occasion to draw us to sin by his Temptations which may be done many wayes as by yielding to the first motions of any sin arising in our hearts and not resisting them at first or by casting our selves upon the occasions of sin as evil Company Idleness c. or by negligence in good Duries or by loosnesse in our outward Carriage thereby discovering the inward Corruptions of our hearts and so laying our selves open to Satan our deadly Enemy All these take heed of and look to thy self in all thy wayes that thou give no advantage to the Tempter to tempt thee to sin and so to murder and devour thy Soul as he desireth and seeketh by all means and at all times and at all places He goeth about as a roaring Lion Therefore look to him and to thy self and all thy wayes especially to thy heart that thou keep it with all diligence as Solomon exhorteth in the Proverbs See thou be daily armed against him with Faith Prayer the Word of God c. If thou didst certainly know that thou hast an Enemy which did seek thy bodily life and did ly in wait secretly to murder thee How wary and fearful would it make thee to be where thou becomest how thou caâ—â—iest thy self thou wouldst carry some weapon about thee c. How much more cause hast thou to walk circumspectly at all times in all places seeing it is so certain that Satan the deadly Enemy of thy Soul and Body lyeth in wait continually to tempt thee to sin and so to devoure thy Soul in eternal destruction See 1 Pet. 5. 8. Use 2 Use 2. This should teach us not to hearken or yield to the faire or friendly perswasions of Satan whereby he eâ—tiseth us to sin under pretence of good Will as he did to our first Parents by suggesting to our minds the Profit Pleasure or Content which sin will bring to us For whatsoever he pretend the Truth is he doth intend nothing else but the devouring of our Souls He is a Liar and a Murderer from the beginning Therefore trust him not though he seem to speak never so faire to thy heart c. See in Ver. 23. of the first Chapter Use 3 Use 3. See what cause there is for us daily to commit our selvs and such as belong to us unto God's special Protection by Prayer that he may keep us from the power and malice of this our deadly Enemy which daily goeth about and laboureth to destroy and Murder our Souls and Bodies Observ 2 Observ 2. Though the Devil had often cast this Child into the Fire and Water desiring and seeking to destroy it yet it appears that he could never do it the Lord restraining his Power and preserving the Child from destruction Hence we learn that although the Devil's Power and Malice against Mankind be very great yet it is limited and restrained by the over-ruling Power of God so as he cannot do so much hurt as he desireth but so much only as the Lord suffereth him See before Chap. 5. ver 12. Vse 1 Use 1. To comfort the Godly against the malice and power of Satan c. See before the 12th Verse of Chap. 5. Vse 2 Use 2. This should also cause us to bless God for his Goodness and Mercy in curbing and restraining the Power and Malice of Satan that he cannot do us so much hurt and mischief as he would If he might have his Will he would not suffer us or ours to live an hour but would use some means to murder us and to destroy our Bodies he would devour our Souls c. How then are we bound to God for restraining his power See Chap. 1. 23. Now followeth the third part of the Answer of the Father unto Christ's Question or Demand viz. The renewing of his former sute unto Christ for his Son that he would shew mercy on him and help him out of that misery But if thou canst do anything c. Having further declared and laid open unto Christ the misery of his Child in that the Devil had so often cast him into the Fire and Water c. Now suddainly he breaketh off all further discourse touching that matter as being tedious and grievous to him to speak or think of and as one that was impatient of further delay and desirous to have his Son speedily healed if it might be he now takes occasion to renew his earnest Sute and Prayer unto Christ saying But if thou canst do any thing c. Now in that he speaketh thus doubtfully touching Christ's Power If thou canst c. this was out of the Weakness of Faith For although he was not quite destitute of Faith but had some Seed thereof sowen in his heart by which he did in some measure believe and had some perswasion of Christ's Power and Ability to help his Child for otherwise he would never have brought his Child to him nor made any sute at all to him to cast the Devil out of him yet notwithstanding it appeareth by these words as also by that which followeth Ver. 24. that this his Faith was as yet very weak and feeble being joyned with much doubting and wavering Quest Quest What was the Cause or Occasion of this Weakness of Faith and doubtfulness in him touching the Power of Christ Answ Answ There might be sundry occasions of it As
1. The Consideration of the grievousness and long continuance of his Son's misery and affliction 2. The Unability of the Disciples to cast out the Devil though he had sought to them to do it 3. Our Saviour's delaying of the time so long before he did help and deliver the Child 4. That hitherto his Child was so far from being helped that he grew rather worse the Devil tormenting him more grievously than before and that in the presence of Christ All these considerations laid together were no doubt so many main hinderances to the Faith of this man and occasions of his doubtfulness and wavering in belief of Christ's Power Have Compassion on us c. he joyns himself with his Son as accounting his Affliction to be his own Now in the words consider two things 1. The manner of renewing his Sute and Prayer to Christ with much Weakness of Faith discovered by his doubtful speaking of Christ's Power If thou canst c. 2. The Petition or Request it self which he maketh to Christ that he would have Compassion on him and his Son and help them viz. by casting the Devil out of him Of the first Observ That the Saints and Children of God do sometimes pray with much weakness of Faith their Faith in Prayer is not alwaies strong or powerful but oftentimes very weak and joyned with much doubting and wavering especially in time of trouble and distress So here the Father of the possessed Child prayes to Christ but with much weakness of Faith Psal 77. 1. David prayed earnestly to God in his trouble and yet Ver. 7 c. it appears that he felt much weakness of Faith at that time Vse Use See that there is no cause for us to be discouraged though we feel much Weakness of Faith in our Prayers especially when we are in trouble and distress inward or outward for thus it is oftentimes with other Saints and Children of God yea with the best of them Neither doth this Weakness of Faith hinder our Prayers from being accepted of God or from prevailing with him as we see also in this Example of the Father of this Child whose Prayer was accepted of Christ and prevailed with him though joyned with great Weakness of Faith It is not the strength or measure of Faith but the truth and sincerity of it that maketh our Prayers acceptable and available with God neither doth he hear us for the worthiness of our Faith but for his Promise sake and for the Merit and Intercession of Christ especially Therefore though thou feel much Weakness of Faith in Prayer be not out of heart or discouraged in the duty but be constant in it assuring thy self that God doth hear and accept thee in Christ for his Promise sake notwithstanding the Weakness and Imperfection of thy Faith Onely see thou do not approve of thine own Infidelity or Doubtings but resist them by all means and labour daily for more strength of Faith in prayer Jam. 1. 6. Let him that asketh Wisdom of God ask in Faith nothing wavering c. that is let him not in his prayer give way to wavering or doubting so as to suffer it to prevail over his Faith but let him resist and strive against such wavering in prayer Observ 1 Of the second Observ 1. In that this father of the child doth not give over his Suit and Supplication to Christ but doth now renew the same again though our Saviour did not help and deliver his child at first but delayed the matter Hence we are taught not to give over praying and seeking to God in our Troubles and Distresses but to persevere therein constantly renewing our requests with the more fervency when we are not helped or delivered at first See before chap. 7. ver 28. Rom. 12. 12. Continue instantly in prayer especially in time of trouble So Ephes 6. 18. Watch thereunto with all perseverance c. Thus have the Saints of God done in their Troubles Though they have not been helped or delivered upon their first praying to God no nor for long time yet have they not fainted in prayer but have continued and persevered renewing their requests with the greater fervency Thus David being in trouble and having prayed and sought to God for help though the Lord did not help him at first but delayed long yet did he not give over praying but continued and renewed his requests as we may see Psal 13. Psal 69. 3. So Lam. 3. 44. The Church being in affliction complaineth that God did not hear or help them at first but covered himself with a Cloud that their prayer should not pass thorough and yet they continued still praying unto him as appeareth in that Chapter 2 Cor. 12. 8. Paul being in inward distress buffetted by the Messenger of Satan prayed thrice that is often unto God for removall of that affliction though he were not delivered upon his first or second prayer yet he gave not over but persevered constantly Vse Use To stir us up unto this perseverance in prayer to God in time of our Troubles though we be not helped at first c. See before chap. 7. ver 28. Observ 2 Observ 2. Have compassion upon us c. It is the Lord 's free mercy and compassion that must move him to help and deliver us out of our troubles and miseries which we are in at any time therefore this father of the child first prayeth unto Christ to have mercy or compassion upon him and his son and then to help them It is not any goodness or worthiness at all in us that can move the Lord to help and deliver us but onely his free mercy and compassion toward us Therefore the Saints of God have used this as the best argument to move the Lord to help and deliver them even his own merciful nature and disposition toward such as are in misery So David Psal 57. 1. Be mercifull unto me O God be mercifull unto me for my Soul trusteth in thee yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge till these Calamities be over-past So Psal 69. 13. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me in the truth of thy Salvation Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink c. Vse Use Teacheth us in all our Distresses and Miseries outward and inward to deny our selves and to fly to this gracious mercy of God praying him for his own own mercies-sake to help and deliver us Psal 25. 11. For thy Name-sake pardon my Iniquity that is for thy mercies-sake See also ver 16. Turn thee c. Observ 3 Observ 3. Help us In that he joyneth himself with his child in this petition to Christ we learn That Parents should accompt the miseries and afflictions of their children as their own miseries and so to be affected with them praying for them and using all other good means for their help and deliverance as they would do for themselves So the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 22.
when she would have Christ to cast the Devil out of her Daughter prayeth him to have mercy upon her self And ver 25. She came and Worshipped saying Lord help me So David 2 Sam. 12. 22. Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live Children are not onely near and dear to their Parents but a part of them as it were in that they do receive their natural life and beeing from them and therefore when any Parent doth see God's hand upon his child by any affliction as sickness pain c. he should acknowledge that God doth correct him in his child and accordingly should be affected with his child's affliction as his own the rather because the Lord may and doth oftentimes visit the sins of the Parents upon their Children as he threatneth in the second Commandment which moved the Widow of Zarephath 1 King 17. 18. presently to apprehend and acknowledge her own sins when God did smite her child with Death Mark 9. 23. Jesus said unto him If thou canst believe c. May 6. 1627. THE third part of the Conference between our Saviour Christ and the father of the Lunatick child viz. Our Saviour's Reply unto that Answer which the father of the child made unto his Question touching the time How long his child had been in that case as we heard in the two former verses The Answer of the father was That his son had been so from a child or from his infancy And withall in hiâ— Answer he took occasion as we have heard both to lay open further unto Christ the misery of his child â—â—d also to renew his earnest suit and prayer for the dispossessing and healing of him Now to that prayer or petition our Saviour here replyeth yielding and promising that his petition might and should be granted conditionally that he could believe and for confirmation hereof he takes occasion further to set out the Power and Vertue of Faith affirming that all things are possible unto him that believeth In the words two things are contained 1. The condition which our Saviour requireth of this man for the obtaining of his request and prayer for his son viz. That he should believe If thou canst believe 2. A further declaration of the Power and Efficacy of true Faith in that he saith All things are possible c. Of the first If thou canst believe That is by true Faith rest perswaded of my Power and willingnesse or readinesse to help thy son by working this Miracle upon him Here note That our Saviour doth not speak properly of justifying Faith or of Faith as it doth justify that is to say as it doth apprehend the main promise of the Gospel touching forgiveness of Sins and Salvation by Christ but of that Faith which is by Divines called the Faith of Miracles which is noâ—hing else but a belief of the Divine Power of God or of Christ for the effecting of some miraculous work And yet our Saviour doth not here exclude justifying Faith but include it rather especially in the words following forasmuch as it is one and the same Faith in general by which true Believers do apply the promise of remission of Sins and Salvation and by which they do believe the Power of God for the effecting of some miraculous work onely it is distinguished in regard of the object for the general object of Faith is the whole word of God and every Divine Truth revealed And there is no doubt but the father of this child did in some measure believe both though but weakly as yet Fides â—ustificans fides Miraculorum est eadem genere non specie Paraeus de Justif lib. 1. cap. 5. pag. 87. Quest Quest Why doth our Saviour speak thus conditionally or doubtfully If thou canst believe c. seeing he was not ignorant that he did already in some measure believe Answ Answ 1. To put him in mind of the weakness of his Faith and to stirr him up to labour and strive for more strength of Faith as we see he did presently hereupon ver 24. 2. Because in his prayer or petition he spake doubtfully of Christ's Power If thou canst do any thing c. thereby seeming to impure the matter unto some weakness in Christ if his child were not healed therefore our Saviour answers him with this conditional Speech touching his own Faith saying If thou canst believe thereby implying That the onely cause that could hinder the working of this Miracle upon the child was the weakness of his own Faith and not any unability or weakness in Christ himself Note further That when our Saviour saith If thou canst believe Here seemeth to be an Eclipsis or defect of something which is to be supplyed to make the sentence full q. d. If thou canst believe that which thou desirest shall be done for thee See Piscator in locum All things are possible c. The more to stirr up and strengthen the Faith of this father of the child our Saviour takes occasion to set out unto him the excellency and power of Faith Now these words are not so to be understood as if Faith did inable the Believer to do all things of himself or by his own power but that it is a means by which the Believer is inabled to procure or obtain all things to be done for him by the Power of God See Piscator and Marlorat in locum Neither is it to be understood of all things simply and absolutely but of all such things as are agreeable to God's revealed Will and do make for his Glory and for the good of the Believer All such things are possible to the Believer that is the Believer is able by Faith to procure or obtain them to be done for him by the Power of God Observ 1 Observ 1. When we want any blessing or benefit which we desire and are hindred and kept from enjoying it longer than we desired the fault is not in the Lord but in our selves either because we want Faith to believe God's Power and Goodness towards us or because we do not so earnestly pray and seek to him for such Blessings as we should or by reason of some other sin which remains unreformed in us and so doth hinder and keep us from enjoying such or such Blessings which we desire The father of this Lunatick-child seemeth in the former verse to lay the fault upon Christ himself imputing the matter to some weakness in him if his child should not be healed but our Saviour here plainly tells him that the fault was in himself even the weakness of his own Faith which therefore he useth means to stirr up and strengthen This shews where the fault is when we do at any time want any Blessing which we desire for our selves or those which belong to us as our Children Friends c. It iâ— not in God but in our selves Mark 6. 5 6. Our Saviour could do but few great workâ— at Nazareth
is good for him and stands with the Will of God yea it is a powerfull means for the obtaining not onely of ordinary favours but also of extraordinary and miraculous Benefits and Priviledges at the hands of God and that both Spirituall and Temporall Touching Spirituall it is a means to obtain pardon of sin and God's favour justification and eternall Life at the hands of God For all these are in Scripture promised to such as believe as we have heard before Touching temporall Favours and Priviledges of this Life there is none so great or hard to be obtained but Faith is able to procure for the Believers good Hebr. 11. The Apostle reckoneth up sundry great and excellent Benefits which Believers obtained at the hands of God by means of Faith as that by it the Israelites obtained safe passage through the Red-Sea as on dry Land ver 19. So ver 33. By Faith they subdued Kingdoms obtained the Promises of God stopped mouths of Lyon quenched violence of Fire c. And ver 35. Women received their Dead raised to Life again c. By Faith the Apostles of Christ obtained the extraordinary Power and Gift of Miracles in those times as of healing the Sick raising the Dead casting out Devils c. And by the same Faith they should have been inabled to work other Miracles besides those they did work if it had made for God's Glory Matth. 17. 20. Verily I say unto you If ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain remove hence c. and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you So Luke 17. 6. Reas 1 Reas 1. By Faith a Believer doth honour God believing his Word Power c. Therefore God doth honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Reas 2 Reas 2. It helpeth and inableth us to pray unto God earnestly and effectually in all our Necessities and so to obtain all things of God which tend to his Glory and our Good Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much that is the prayer of Faith as he calls it before ver 15. Oratio fidei omnipotens Luther Vse 1 Vse 1. See the excellency of this Grace of true Faith worthily called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. in that it is so powerfull and effectuall to prevail with God for the obtaining not onely of some but of all Blessings and Benefits needfull and profitable for us By Faith Jacob wrestled and prevailed with God and obtained a blessing Gen. 32. 28 29. And by this as by a powerfull instrument or means we prevail with God for the obtaining of all blessings Spirituall and Temporall especially Spirituall This makes all things possible to be obtained for us at the hands of God yea by it we do actually come to receive from God whatsoever is good for us The hand of our Souls by which we lay hold upon all the blessings of God and reach them to our selves though they be never so hard to be obtained though they be never so far removed from us c. A strange and wonderfull Instrument or Engine it is by which we are inabled to reach up to Heaven and to pull down from thence all things which we stand in need of all blessings and good things all deliverances from evil c. Use 2 Use 2. For the comfort of all true Believers who are indued with any measure of this excellent and powerfull Gift of Faith which is able to work so great matters and to prevail so much with God Great is the Priviledge and Happiness of such as are partakers of this Grace for having Faith they either have or may have all things in Heaven and Earth that are good and necessary for them All Spirituall blessings as pardon of Sins God's favour c. All Temporall blessings of this Life as Health Wealth and outward Prosperity so far as is good and fit for them and so far as stands with the Will of God 1 Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours and ye are Christ's c. Hieronym Fideli homini totus mundus divitiarum est Object Object But do we not see that the Faithfull do want many good things in this Life especially Temporall things c. Answ Answ 1. They want nothing that is good and profitable for them to further their Happinesse and Salvation Psal 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 2. If they do want any Blessing it is their own fault because they do not stirr up and exercise their Faith in depending upon God and praying to him so often and earnestly as they should Vse 3 Use 3. See what cause for us to labour for this excellent Grace of Faith as we were before exhorted c. Mark 9. 24. And straightway the Father of the Child cryed out and said c. May 13. 1627. IN this verse and the three next going before as ye have heard is laid down to us a Conference holden between our Saviour Christ and the Father of the Lunatick Child which Conference consisteth of four parts 1. A Question moved by our Saviour to the Father of the Child How long his Son had been in that case 2. The Answer of the Father in which he doth not onely certify our Saviour how long his Son had been so even from his Childhood or Infancy but withall takes occasion further to lay open the misery of his Child and to renew his earnest sute and supplication unto Christ for his Son 3. Our Saviour's Reply which he made to that Answer and particularly to the Petition or Sute made to Him by the Father of the Child In which Reply he doth seem to yield and grant his Request conditionally that he could believe that is by Faith rest perswaded of his divine Power and Mercy and depend on it for the working of this Miracle on his Child 4. The Answer of the Father of the Child unto that Reply of Christ Touching the three first parts of this Conference I have spoken already Now followeth the fourth and last which is set down in this 24th Verse now read viz. The Answer made by the Father of the Child unto Christ's Reply in the former Verse requiring Faith of him to believe his Power and Mercy if he would have this Miracle wrought for his Child To this he now answereth in these words which do contain in them nothing else but an earnest Prayer or Supplication made by the Father of the Child unto our Saviour Christ in which as he doth make open Profession of his Faith so withall he prayeth for further encrease of it In the words consider three things 1. The time when he made this Prayer to Christ Straightway that is immediately upon those words of our Saviour used to him in the former Verse in which he assured him that If he could believe all things were possible c. 2. The manner of his praying or making Supplication to Christ which consisteth
and importunate with the Lord to grant our Requests And then may we hope to prevail for such importunate Suiters he loveth He is not like unto some great men who love not to be too much importuned or troubled with Petitions but He loveth to be importuned and followed with our Sutes and Supplications and that with earnestness It is no trouble to him but a delight rather and such â—ervent Prayers are best pleasing to him and most powerful to prevail with him The second thing to be considered in the manner of the Prayer here made unto Christ by the Father of the Lunatick Child is that it was accompanied with much Humiliation in himself expressed by tears He cryed and said with tears These Tears no doubt proceeded from the inward sorrow of his heart whereby he was deeply touched and much humbled in himself for his Unbelief which our Saviour had put him in mind of in the former Verse which therefore he prayeth against so earnestly in the words following And this sin of Unbelief which now most troubled him did no doubt bring to remembrance other sins of his and so caused the greater sorrow in him Observ 1 Observ 1. That true Faith is alwayes joyned with sorrow and humiliation for Sin causing those in whom it is to be much humbled and cast down in themselves with grief for their sins and to mourn for the same with godly sorrow unto Repentance 2 Cor. 7. 9. this sorrow was in the Corinthians who were Believers and it is alwayes joyned with true Faith being an inseparable Effect of it So in that sinful Woman Luke 7. as she had Faith as appeareth Ver. 50. so this Faith caused her to mourn and weep for her sins abundantly Ver. 38 So Zech. 12. 10. I will poure on the House of David c. the Spirit of Grace and Supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him c. that is they shall look on Christ by Faith and thereupon shall mourn for their sins by which they have pierced him See Hos 12. 4. Exemplum Jacobi Reason Reason True Faith doth apprehend and apply God's Mercy and Goodness toward the Sinner and so causeth him to mourn and grieve for offending so gracious and merciful a God Use Use To examine our Faith by this special fruit and companion of it viz. Godly sorrow and Humiliation of Heart for our sins Look whether we be humbled and cast down before God in sight of our sins whether we feel our hearts broken and melted with godly sorrow and grief for them especially for those sins by which we have most dishonoured God and that not so much in regard of the punishment and misery which follows sin as that we have offended God our gracious Father If it be thus with us this argues true Faith in our hearts that we do in some measure truly believe and apprehend God's Mercy towards us in Christ which makes us so to grieve for offending him On the contrary if our hearts be not yet truly humbled and broken with godly sorrow for our sins there is no true Faith in us as yet whatsoever we say or profess to the contrary It cannot be that Faith should be in a heart that is not truly humbled for sin Faith and Repentance alwayes go together and a believing heart is alwayes a broken and contrite heart truly touched and humbled with grief for sin Therefore let every one of us look to it and examine our Faith by this infallible mark and sign of it viz. This true sorrow and humiliation of heart for our sins Every one can say he hath Faith but this is not enough 2 Cor. 13. 5. we are bid to examine our selves whether we be in the Faith c. especially this is to be done at this time now we are to come to the Lord's Table Faith is one of the principal Graces which we are to examine our selves for before we come to this Sacrament as we heard lately upon 1 Cor. 11. 28. And here is one special mark to try and know it by look to thy self then now thou comest to the Sacrament whether thou be truly humbled and grieved for thy sins c. If so it argues some true Faith begun in thy heart Otherwise if not thus humbled and broken in heart never think thou hast any true Faith or that thou art fit to be partaker of the Sacrament Presume not therefore to intrude into this holy marriage Feast without a wedding Garment Some are so far from true sorrow for their sins that they are not yet come to true sight of them Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this father of the possessed child was grieved especially for his sin of Unbelief as appeareth by the words following we may gather That where there is true Faith there is alwayes grief and sorrow for the contrary sin of Unbelief which is mingled with Faith Faith being imperfect even in the best Christian in this Life and being joyned with the contrary sin of Unbelief which doth continually resist and oppose Faith This cannot but cause greive and sorrow in the heart of the Believer it cannot but cause him to mourn and grieve for the weakness of his Faith and for that it is so much opposed and hindred by the enemy thereof which is Unbelief Use Use Here then see another special mark and sign whereby to examine and try our Faith whether it be true and sound not counterfeit Look what grief of heart we feel for the weakness of our Faith and for the contrary sin of Unbelief which opposeth and hindreth our Faith It is a good sign of the presence of any Grace in the heart when the contrary sin or corruption is not onely felt and perceived but lamented and grieved for This argues that sin not to be a reigning sin but of infirmity because the party in whom it is doth not allow or like of it in himself but on the contrary doth mourn and grieve for it Observ 3 Observ 3. In that the inward sorrow of heart which was in this party did express it self outwardly by tears we may learn That when the heart is truly touched and humbled with sorrow for Sin it will shew it self also outwardly by some Signs and Testimonies thereof as occasion is offered as by tears or weeping or by a sad and heavy countenance or some other way Luke 18. 13. The humbled Publican standing far off would not so much as lift up his eyes to Heaven but smote upon his Breast c. Luke 7. The Woman which washed Christ's feet with her tears c. Quest Quest Whether outward tears be of absolute necessity in true humiliation for sin Answ Answ Not so for there may be true humiliation of heart with dry eyes and some are naturally of so dry a constitution of Body that they can very hardly or not at all draw forth tears yet I take it that in great and extraordinary
hence it was That they prayed unto Christ to increase their Faith Luke 17. 5. which they needed not to have done if it had not been weak and mingled with some Unbelief This also we may â—ee in David Psal 77. And in Jonah chap. 2. Vse 1 Vse 1. This confuteth the erroneous and groundless opinion of some who teach and hold That the the Faith of a good Christian in this Life may be and is free from all doubtings and unbelief But if it were so then perfection of Grace should be in this Life contrary to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part and prophesy in part Now if the knowledge of the best be imperfect in this Life then also the Faith of the best is imperfect and so shall be till the Life to come Besides if the Faith of true Believers could be so perfect in this Life as to be free from all doubtings and unbelief then should there be no need of the Ministery of the Word or Sacrament or Prayer to confirm and strengtâ—â—â— the Faith of such Use 2 Vse 2. To comfort such weak Christians as feel and complain of much â—nbelief and doubtings in themselves touching God's favour and pardon of their sins c. no cause for such to be discouraged or to conclude That therefore they have no Faith at all For thus it hath been alwayes with the best Saints of God in this Life their Faith hath been imperfect and mingled with infidelity doubtings and distrustfulness of God's Power Goodness and Mercy toward them and thus is it still with the best Christians and so will be during this Life As every sanctifying Grace is imperfect in the Saints of God and mingled with the contrary sin and corruption during this Life so is this Grace of Faith Therefore never be dismayed because of the weakness of thy Faith for it may be true and saving Faith though it be weak and joyned with much Unbelief A true Believer in this Life is not such a one as hath no unbelief or doubtings in him but one that doth feel and complain of his unbelief mourning for it and striving against it If therefore it be thus with thee comfort thy self notwithstanding all the doubtings and unbelief with which thy Faith is assayled Observ 2 Observ 2. Where true Faith is though but weak there is a carefull striving against the contrary sin of Unbelief together with an earnest desire and endeavour by all means to grow in Faith So here in this father of the Lunatick child though his Faith was weak yet being true Faith it was joyned with a striving against Unbelief and care to have his Faith increased and therefore he prayes unto Christ to help his Unbelief So in the Apostles Luke 17. 5. Though they were yet weak in Faith yet there was in them a care to resist unbelief and to pray for increase of Faith So in David Psal 77. 10. and Psal 42. 5. In Jonah chap. 2. Use 1 Use 1. To examine our Faith by this Look whether we daily labour and strive against the contrary sin of Unbelief and doubtings of God's favour and of his Word and Promises and whether it be our earnest desire and care to use all good means whereby to grow in Faith and to have our hearts more and more settled in the belief of God's Power and Mercy and of his Word and Promises made to us in Christ whether we carefully and conscionably use the means appointed of God to increase and confirm our Faith as the hearing reading and meditation of the Word of God the frequent use of the Lord's Supper Prayer c. Dost thou desire the sincere Milk of the Word c. If it be thus with thee it argues Faith to be begun it thee and though it may be yet but weak and feeble yet that it is a true and saving Faith On the contrary if no such striving against unbelief and doubtings no care or conscience of using the means for increase of thy Faith no love to the ministery of the Word no desire or care to come often to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper but art negligent this way as many of you shewed your selves to be the last Sabbath If no care to seek unto God by daily prayer for the strengthening of thy Faith and for the helping of thy Unbelief this argues want of true Faith in thee and that thou art as yet utterly destitute of this precious Grace For if it were in thee in any measure though never so weak it would shew it self by resisting the contrary sin of Unbelief by all means and by causing in thee a most earnest desire and endeavour daily to grow and increase in Faith As it is with all sanctifying Graces of the Spirit of God so with Faith it is of a growing Nature like the grain of Mustard-seed which though very small at first in the seed yet groweth by degrees to a tall Tree c. Like the Cloud which appeared to Elijah small at first like an hand-breadth c. Vse 2 Use 2. See what to think of such as say They have alwayes believed and never doubted of their Salvation a sign they never truly believed For true Faith is not onely joyned with a feeling of Unbelief and doubtings but with resistance and striving against it c. A true Speech He that never doubted never truly believed Observ 3 Observ 3. In that he prayes to Christ for increase of Faith we may gather That true Faith is the Gift of God or of Christ and that not onely in regard of the first beginning but also of the increase of it Ephes 2. 8. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves It is the Gift of God Hebr. 12. 2. Christ is said to be both the Authour and Finisher of our Faith Vse 1 Use 1. This must teach us what to do when we feel the weakness of Faith seek to him that is the Authour and Finisher of our Faith to perfect his own work begun in us Pray with the Disciples Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Vse 2 Use 2. To comfort us against the weakness and imperfection of our Faith when we consider whose work it is to confirm our Faith even the work of God and of Christ himself who is Almighty and therefore able to strengthen our Faith though never so weak He that hath begun the work both can and will perfect it unto the Day of Christ Phil. 1. He will not quench the smoaking Flax c. Isa 42. Mark 9. 25 26 27. When Jesus saw that the People came running together c. May 27. 1627. HItherto of the Antecedents of the Miracle which made way unto it Now followeth the Miracle it self with the manner of our Saviour's working of the same Concerning which three things are set down 1. Our Saviour's reproving and charging of the Devil to go out of the child ver 25. 2. The miraculous Effect which
In this particular apprehension and application of Christ stands the nature of faith chiefly when we do not onely believe in general that Christ is a Saviour but do in particular apprehend him and believe him to be so unto us as Paul Gal. 2. 20. This is called receiving of Christ by faith Joh. 1. 12. and is set forth Joh. 6. by the phrase of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood c. 3. Christ and his benefits That is to say those spirituall and saving benefits which flow from his death and suffering as pardon of sin justification reconciliation with God and eternal life To shew that faith doth apprehend Christ not barely or nakedly considered in respect of his Person but clothed with these excellent saving benefits purchased for us by his death and obedience Observ 1 Observ 1. That it is one special quality and property of all true Christians to be indued with the grace of true Justifying faith whereby they do believe in Christ that is apprehend and apply him particularly unto themselves together with the benefits of his death as pardon of sin c. By this Property our Saviour himself here describeth his true disciples calling them such as do believe in him So in many other places of the New Testament they are called Believers and faithfull ones as Act. 4. 32. The multitude of Believers were of one heart c. Rom. 4. 11. Abraham is said to be the Father of Believers Reason Reason True Christians have a most near Union with Christ Jesus as the Members with the Head Ephes 5. 30. As Branches with the Vine Joh. 15. 5. They are one with Christ and he with them Now this cannot be without faith by which therefore he is said to dwell in their hearts Ephes 3. 17. they are said to be in Christ and he in them Note That this Faith is not in all true Christians in the same degree but in some weaker in some stronger c. Vse Use For Examination To try and know whether we be true Christians yea or no by examining what true faith is in us whereby to believe in Christ and to apply unto our selves the benefits of his death and obedience We must not rest in the bare name of Christians or in the outward profession of Christian Religion in coming to Church c. but examine whether we be Christians indeed what true Union we have with Christ by faith c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith Prove your selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you c. And because there is a false and counterfeit faith which is in many hypocrites yea in reprobates by which they in some sort believe and perswade themselves that Christ is their Saviour and that they shall have their sins forgiven by the merits of his death c. Therefore let us try and examine the truth and sincetity of our faith by such marks and sings thereof as are set down in the Word of God of which I spake very lately upon the beginning of the â—reed Here therefore I will but briefly touch this matter contenting my self only with the mentioning of one special mark and property of true faith amongst the rest by which we are to examine the truth of it and that is this Examine whether that faith by which we proâ—ess to believe Christ to be our Saviour and that our sins are or shall be forgiven by him do cause and bring forth in us a true hatred of sin and conscionable care to resist and strive against it in our selves Act. 15. 9. By true faith the heart is purified c. Faith and Repentance are unseparable So 1 Tim. 1. 5. Faith and a good conscience are joyned Try thy self by this c. especially now we are to be partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Faith being one of those graces especially required to make us fit partakers yea the chief of those graces without which we cannot be good Christians or true members of Christ and so can have no right to the Sacrament which is ordained for further confirmation of our faith and to seal our further growth in Christ Jesus c. Observ 2 Observ 2. From the phrase of believing in Christ which is here used implying not onely a particular apprehension and application of Christ and his benefits but withall a resting and relying upon him for eternall life and salvation hence we learn That it is the nature of true faith to cause and inable Believers to rest and rely upon Christ as their only Saviour and to depend on him by assured trust and confidence for the obtaining of salvation This is properly to believe in Christ or to believe on Christ as it is sometimes translated in the New Testament Rom. 10. 11. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed This is to rest and rely on him by confidence of heart for pardon of sins justification and eternal salvation Called sometimes trusting in Christ Ephes 1. 12. Psal 2. ult This trusting in Christ or resting on him by confidence and affiance of heart for salvation is alwayes joyned with true justifying faith and is the proper work of faith Ephes 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him By true faith the Believer doth not only apprehend and apply Christ to himself in particular believing him to be his salvation but withall resteth on him for salvation c. Use 1 Use 1. See what to judg of the Popish faith which they profess and teach to be sufficient which is nothing but a general belief of the Word and Promises of the Gospel touching forgiveness of sins and salvation without any particular trust affiance or confident resting upon Christ Jesus for Justification and salvation This is not to believe in Christ or to believe on Christ and therefore their faith is no true faith noâ— such as can justifie or save them Vse 2 Vse 2. By this again we learn To try and examine our faith whether it be indeed a true justifying and saving faith Examine whether it inables us in some measure to put our trust and confidence in Christ Jesus as our Saviour and to rest and rely on him for Justification and eternal Salvation If it be so this shewes true faith Otherwise if thou canst not thus rely and rest upon Christ as thy Saviour and Redeemer and trust on him by assured confidence of heart for pardon of sins and for reconciliation with God and eternal life I say if thou canst not do this in some measure there is no true faith in thee as yet For if thou didst truly and effectually believe and apprehend Christ to be thy Saviour thou wouldst rest on him by faith for Justification and eternal salvation Therefore examine thy heart diligently touching this property and work of faith viz. this confident resting on Jesus Christ c. And if thou
do not yet feel it labour and strive unto this practice of faith especially then when thou feelest the burden of thy sins and fearest God's wrath Then especially labour by faith to cast thy self upon Christ and to rely on him for pardon of sins c. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour joyneth these two Properties together in his disciples 1. That they were little ones in humility 2. That they were believers in him hence we may gather That true faith and true huâ—â—lity go alwayes together in such as are good Christians they are inseparably joyned as the cause and the effect in every true Christian faith being the cause and humility the effect and such an effect as is never severed from the cause See this in the Publican Luke 18. he was both a true Believer as appears in that he went away justified which could not be without faith and withall he was very humble in himself as appeared by his carriage looking downward and standing far off c. So Luke 7. in that woman that washed Christ's feet with her tears c. Matth. 8. 8. the Centurion excelled in faith and likewise in humility thinking himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof c. Reas 1 Reasons 1. There is a connexion of all sanctifying graces of the Spirit in the regenerate especially of such as are fundamental and most necessary to salvation so as he that hath one hath all in some measure Therefore he that hath faith must needs have humility 2. By true faith the Believer doth apprehend God's mercy in Christ for the pardon of his sins which cannot be without a true feeling of sin and godly sorrow for it which is the ground of true humility 3. Faith doth apprehend Justification by free grace and mercy of God without any merit or worthiness in the person and so causeth the Believer to deny himself and his own righteousness in the matter of his Justification and so to be humble Vse 1 Use 1. See here again how we may try and know true faith in our selves viz. by this inseparable effect and companion of it which is true humility if thou be truly humble and lowly in heart and in thy whole â—aâ—riage even as a young child And this argues thee to be a believer in Christ and to be indued with some measure of true faith which is the mother of humility c. Use 2 Use 2. If we would be truly humble as little children c. as we must be if ever we come into the Kingdome of Heaven then labour first for the grace of true faith to apprehend God's mercy in Christ Jesus for pardon of sins c. This will cause and bring forth in us true godly sorrow and grief for thy sins and so work true humility for a heart truly broken for sin is alwayes an humble heart True faith will cause thee to deny thy self and all that is in thee in the matter of thy Justification and Salvation and make thee go and seek to Christ alone and this will make thee truly humble c. Now followeth the third and last thing to be spoken of in this Threatening denounced by our Saviour against such as offend or wrong his true Disciples viz. the grievous punishment threatned against such set forth by comparison to the punishment of such malefactors as were wont to be drowned in the Sea with a stone about their neck c. Observ 1 Observ 1. The Lord will most severely judge and punish such as give offence to his Saints and servants by any wrong or injury offered unto them As he will reward such as do good to his Saints as we heard before in the Verse foregoing so he will severely punish such as wrong them This may appear in that our Saviour here denounceth such a grievous threatening of Judgment against such that it were better for one to have a milstone hanged about his neck c. This shews that the Lord will severely punish and be revenged of all such as offer wrong to his true Servants and that both in this life and after this life 1. In this life with temporal Judgments Gen. 12. 3. the Lord telleth Abraham that he would curse such as cursed him And we have Examples of the temporal Judgments of God inflicted in this life upon such as have wronged or abused his faithful Servants and not only upon particular persons but upon whole families as upon Pharaoh and his house for taking Abraham's wife from him wrongfully Gen. 12. 17. So upon Abimelech King of Gerar and his house for the same sin Gen. 20. 18. Therefore Psal 105. 14. it is said He reproved Kings for their sakes viz. not onely in words but really by plaguing and punishing them for his servants sakes yea upon whole Nations Matth. 23. 35. Our Saviour threatens the Jews that upon them should come all the righteous blood of God's servants that had been shed upon the earth from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias c. The Histories of the Church are full of examples in this kind viz. of God's Judgments in this life upon the persecutors of his Saints c. 2. After this life God will most severely punish such as offend and wrong his faithful servants by eternal Judgment and damnation in Hell if they repent not This is chiefly implyed in this place when our Saviour sayes It were better for one to have a milstone c. Therefore also Matth. 18. 7. a Woe is denounced against such as are the cause of such offences and injuries against the Saints of God 2 Thess 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire c. And if it be so that the Reprobate shall be condemned at the last day for not doing good to the Saints of God Matth. 25. 41. how much more for doing them hurt c. Use 1 Use 1. This serves for the terrour of all such as are guilty of this sin of offending the Saints or Servants of God by any wrongs injuries or abuses offered to them in word or deed Let them know and be assured that howsoever the Lord do for a time permit and suffer them to wrong or abuse his Servants yet he will not alwayes suffer it but will in due time most severely punish and be revenged on them for all the wrongs they have offered to his servants He hath threatened to do it and it is just with him to do it and therefore he will most certainly doâ—st The wrongs and abuses offered to his Saints and Servants are so many indignities done against the Lord himself and so doth he esteem them and therefore cannot but severely judg and punish such both in this life and after this life in Hell who are guilty of this sin of offending and scandalizing his servants by such wrongs and
proving it unlawfull for such as are lawfully Divorced for Aâ—â—â—tery to marry again that the contrary may be gathered from hence For if it be a sin for the husband or wife to marry again after Divorcement for other causes except Adultery then it is no sin to marry again after Divorcement for Adultery So that this place makes not for but against this gross errour of the Papists which errour touching restraint of Marriage after Divorcement the Pope by his Canon-Law maintaineth to the end that he may get the more money for granting dispensations to marry in such cases as reverend Dr. Fulk observeth in his Confut. of Rhem. Testam upon Matth. 5. 32. Now this that marriage after Divorce for Adultery is lawfull especially for the Innocent party may further be proved by two Reasons 1. Because otherwise the innocent party should be punished for the others offence c. 2. God hath ordained marriage for a remedy against incontinency for all persons 1 Cor. 7. 2. See Perk on Matth. 5. 32. The words being thus explained and cleared from this corruption of the Papists we may in them consider two things 1. A twofold sin condemned by our Saviour in married couples 1. Unjust Divorcement or separation of themselves one from the other for any cause except Adultery 2. Marrying again with others after such Divorcement The second thing in the words is the censure passed by our Saviour upon this twofold sin especially upon the latter and such as commit the same affirming them to be guilty of Adultery against their former wife or husband which they so unjustly put away and marry with others afterward Observ 1 Observ 1. That it is utterly unlawfull for man and wife to be separated by Divorcement one from the other for small or leight causes yea for any cause whatsoever excepting onely for the sin of Adultery committed by either of them after marriage The Doctrine of our Saviour in this place condemns it as a great sin yea as the sin of Adultery in the husband to put away his wife and in the wife to put away her husband by Divorcement for leight causes yea for any cause except Adultery For the clearing of this two things are to be shewed 1. That Divorcement is not simply unlawfull or forbidden by the word of God but permitted and allowed in some case viz. in the case of Adultery 2. That it is not Lawfull in any other case Of the first It is presupposed by our Saviour here that there may be a just cause of Divorcing man and wife a-sunder viz. the sin of Adulâ—ery committed after marriage That our Saviour takes this for granted may amply appear both by the main scope of his words in this place which was not to condemn all Divorcement but that which was practised among the Jews for ordinary or leight causes as upon discontent hatred c. and especially by comparing this place of Mark with that Matth. 19. 9. where the exception of the case of Adultery is expressed So also Matth. 5. 32. So then in the case of Adultery it is clear that Divorcement of man and Wife is permitted and lawfull Reason Reas Because this sin of Adultery doth directly violate and break the marriage-covenant made between man and Wife in their first Marriage and so diâ—â—olve the Marriage-bond Prov. 2. 17. The Adulteress is said to forsake the guide of her youth and to forget the Covenant of her God that is the marriage-covenant made with God and her husband Here two things are to be noted by us 1. That although the sin of Adultery do break the marriage-covenant and so dissolve or untye the marriage-bond between man and wife yet that covenant may again be renewed and so the marriage-bond be re-united and made firm again by the mutual and free coâ—â—ent of both parties upon the repentance and submission of the guilty person And then in this case of reconcâ—liaâ—ion though Divorcement be permitted as lawfull yet is it not required as absolutely necessary 2. That if in the case of Adultery the innocent party do desire and seek to be Divorced from the other which hath â—o offended yet this is not to be done privately of his or her own head but by publick order of Law and by the consent and authority of the lawfull Magistrate Of the second That Divorcement of man and wife is unlawfull in any case or for any other cause besides the sin of Adultery this is also clear both by the words of our Saviour in this â—lace being rightly understood by comparing this place with Matth. 19. 9. as also by that other place Matth. 5. 32. Whâ—soever shall put away his Wife saving for the cause of Fornication causeth her to commit Adulâ—ery c. Here â—â—â—e that there may be other just causes of some kind of separation of man and wife for a tiâ—e as in case â—ne of the parties have some contagious disease also in case that one of them grow â—o malicious against the other that it is not safe for them to dwell together in regard of danger to the life of one of the parties also in case that in dwelling together the one doth require of the other some unlawfull or intolerable conditions and such as the other cannot with a good Conscience yield unto In these cases there may be a separation between them at least for a time that is so long as the just causes of separation do remain but no totall or finall separation by Divorcement is by the Word of God permitted but onely for Adultery Object Object 1 Cor. 7. 15. If the unbelieving depart let him depart A Brother or Sister is not under Bondage in such cases c. Answ Answ The Apostle doth not there speak of Divorcement that is of voluntary putting away of the husband or wife by giving a Bill of Divorcement but he speaks of the case of malicious and willfull desertion when one of the married couple being an unbeliever that is a Pagan or Gentile and the other a Believeâ— being after marriage conveâ—ted to the Christian Religion the unbeliever doth forsake the believer by departing from him or her and obstinately refusing to dwell or live with the party forsaken and that out of a hatred of the true Christian Religion in this case the Apostle sheweth that the Believer is not in subjection but at liberty to marry with another Provided that the Believer have first used all good means to gain the unbeliever to repentance and to the true faith and no means will succeed Now in this case the Believer doth not divorce himself or seek to be divorced but is a meer Patient suffering himself to be unâ—ustly forsaken of the unbeliever Therefore this place proves not that there is any other just cause of divorcement besides Adultery Quest 1 Quest 1. Why should not some other kinds of sin as Idolatry Witchcraft Blasphemy c. being more haynous than Adultery be just causes of divorcing man and
there and he thereupon rehearsed the summe of both Tables of the Commandements 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul c. 2. Thy Neighbour as thy self Upon this our Saviour replyes thus unto him This do and thou shalt live Reason Reason This is the Condition of the Legal Covenant of Works viz. perfect obedience to be yielded to the whole Law and to every part of it and that in the highest degree So understand the tenure of this Covenant Levit. 18. 5. Ye shall keep my Statutes c. which if a man do he shall live in them As on the contrary the Condition of the Evangelical Covenant is Faith in Christ Act. 16. 31. Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved c. Therefore such as look to be saved by the Legal Covenant must keep the Condition of it viz. perfect obedience to the whole Law in the highest degree c. Use Use Hence gather That it is impossible for any to be justified or saved by their own good works or inherent righteousnesse forasmuch at none can thus be saved without perfect obedience yielded to the Law which none is able to perform since Adam's fall Therefore Gal. 3. 10. As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. Which shews the misery of all such as seek Justification or salvation by their own good works as Papists and some ignorant people in our Church who think to be saved by their good meaning good prayers and good serving of God c. They seek salvation by such a way and means as by which they can never attain to it that is by their own good works and obedience to Gods Commandements which being imperfect is so far from justifying or saving them that on the contrary it makes them lyable to the curse of God Quest 1 Quest 1. Are not good works then necessary to the attainment of Salvation Answ Answ Yes as fruits and testimonies of our faith in Christ shewing the truth and soundnesse of it but not as meritorious causes of salvation We cannot be saved without good works though we be not saved by or for the dignity or worthinesse of them Ephes 2. 9. We are not saved by works as meritorious causes c. and yet Verse 10. God hath ordained them for us to walk in They are via Regni c. Bernard Quest 2 Quest 2. Why then is the Legal Covenant set down in Scripture c Answ Answ See Perkins on Gal. 3. 12. Observ 2 Observ 2. One use for which the Moral Law doth serve is To bring men to a sight of their sins and imperfections and so to humble them before God especially such as were never yet thus humbled nor brought to a true sight of their sins but are puâ—â—ed up with a conceit of their own goodnesse and righteousnesse in themselves Our Saviour perceiving this young man to be thus conceited of himself sends him to the Law putting him in mind of that perfect obedience which it requireth of all that look to be justified or saved by their good works that by this means he might bring him to a true sight of his sins and humble him before God if it might be This was the end our Saviour aymed at in referring him to the Commandements of the Law and requiring him to keep them perfectly if he would enter into life that he might by this means discover to him his sins and the imperfection of his obedience to the Law although the young man did not make so good use as he should have done of our Saviour's Admonition but stood still to justifie himself as if he had already kept the Law perfectly c. Howsoever by the scope and drift of our Saviour in urging him to the obedience of the Law thereby to humble him if it might be in sight of his sins and disobedience we may see that this is one special use of the Moral Law of God for which it serveth and is to be applyed unto men viz. to bring them to sight of their sins and so to humble them before God in regard of their unability to keep this Law Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledg of sin and Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law This use the Law hath both in the regenerate and unregenerate but especially in the unregenerate and such as are yet meer natural men and never truly humbled or brought to a true sight of their sins Use Use See then how fit and necessary it is for the Law to be preached and urged unto men by the Ministers of God especially to such as are yet in their natural estate and never yet humbled for their sins nor brought to a true sight of them but are rather puffed up with conceit and opinion of their own goodnesse and righteousnesse by Nature To such the doctrine of the Law is most necessary yea first to be preached to them before they can be fit to have the promises of the Gospel applyed to them They must first have the Law urged and pressed to their conscience to shew them their sins and misery by nature how unable they are to keep the Law and consequently to be justified or saved by their own righteousnesse and good works and therefore to drive them out of themselves to seek salvation by faith in Christ alone c. Then being thus by the Law truly humbled c. they are fit to hear the glad tydings of the Gospel and never till then which shews the folly and ignorance of such as would not have the Law preached but the Gospel onely These are their own enemies And this is all one as if a Chirurgion should first lay on a heaâ—ing plaister to skin over a wound or sore in the body before he have searched the wound c. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour appealeth to his knowledg Thou knowest the Commandements c. we may learn That Christians living in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandements of the Moral Law of God but well acquainted with them for else they come short of this young man here Neither ought we onely to know the words of the Ten Commandements but also to be acquainted with the matter and true meaning of them And herein we should outstrip this young Ruler who although he had some literal knowledg in the Law and did also in some measure no doubt understand the meaning of the Commandements yet not so truely or thorowly as he should have done as appeareth in that he thought he had kept them all from his youth which he would never have supposed if he had truely understood the meaning of the Law Therefore in this we ought not onely to be equall with him but to go beyond him in being carefull not onely to know and be familiarly
May 3. 1629. Observ 2 Observ 2. THat Ambition or the inordinate desire of Worldly Honour and Dignity unfit for us is a sin very natural unto all men even to the Saints of God and if to them much more to others Now that it is natural to the Saints of God so far forth as they are carnal we may see in Christ's Disciples They were tainted with this sin as we see here in these sons of Zebedee and both in them and the rest of the Disciples at other times See before Chap. 9. 34. So Aaron and Miriam Numb 12. 2. they shewed their ambition in seeking to be equal in dignity with Moses Yea our first Parents c. Examples of it in wicked Absalom Haman the Pharisees Diotrephes 3 Ep. Joh. 9. verse That which the Apostle sayes of Diotrephes is true of us all by Nature who are all Diotrepheses The causes of this natural sin and corruption in us are these 1. Pride and high-mindedness c. 2. Self-love seeking our selves without respect to the good of others Vse Use See how needful for us every one to resist and strive against this corruption and sin in our selves seeing it is so natural and cleaveth so close even to the best c. The more natural this lust of ambition is to all the more must every one of us labour to resist it in our selves Hebr. 12. 1. we are bid to cast off or lay aside the sin that hangeth so fast on c. such a sin is this of ambition and desire of worldly honour and advancement above others Labour we then to shake off this sin Remedies against it 1. Resist and take away the causes of this sin as pride self-love which are also so natural and stick so close to every one of us c. On the contrary labour for true humility and self-denyal shewing this humility by preferring others before our selves and being more forward to give honour than to receive it Rom. 12. 10. In giving honour prefer one another See Psal 131. 2. Consider the danger of this sin of Ambition being an enemy and hinderance to faith yea such a sin as cannot stand with faith Joh. 5. 44. How can ye believe c. It is also the cause of other hurtful and dangerous sins as of wrath strife and envy Gal. 5. 26. Let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another and envying one another Besides many other sins which are occasioned by this sin as covetousness unjustice fraud lying dissembling flattery c. For these are the common practises of such as are ambitious and seek to climb to high honour c. 3. Consider what our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 23. 12. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be brought low and he that shall humble hemself shall be exalted 4. Consider the vanity of all worldly honour how unprofitable and uncertain c. 1 Joh. 2. 17. The world pâ—sseth away and the lust of it Examples in Haman Nebuchadnezzar and Herod Mark 10. 38 c. But Jesus said unto them Ye know not what ye ask c. May 10. 1629. NOw followeth our Saviour's answer to the Petition of the two Disciples together with further conference between them His answer is twofold 1. More brief and obscure ver 38. 2. More full and plain ver 39 40. Of the first His more brief and obscure answer consisteth of two parts 1. An Admonition or reproof of them for their ignorance shewed in preferring that suite to him in these words Ye know not what ye ask 2. A Question which he demands of them the better to convince them of their ignorance and rashness in making that suite unto him in these words Can ye drink of the Cup c. The Question is touching their partaking with him in his sufferings Whether they were able and fit to suffer the same or the like c Ye know not what ye ask These words are uttered by our Saviour in way of Admonition and Reproof of the two Disciples and their Mother for their fault and sin which they were guilty of in preferring such an unfit Petition to Christ as they did And by these words our Saviour doth discover to them the cause or ground of their offence viz. their ignorance folly and rashness in that they did not know or not duly consider either the nature and quality of Christ's Kingdom and Glory that it was wholly spiritual and heavenly and not earthly or temporal such as the Kingdoms of this World are neither did they know or consider duly their own estate and condition which they were called unto in this this World which was rather to be abased by suffering much affliction than to be advanced to worldly honour c. Therefore they asked they knew not what that which was unfit for them to desire and for him to grant And this he urgeth as one reason of his denying their suite Observ 1 Observ 1. The Duty of such as have charge of others Souls carefully to admonish and reprove those of their charge when they do offend and are faulty c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour here reproveth two of his best beloved Disciples c. Learn that such as have a calling to reprove sin in others must not herein spare their nearest or dearest friends c. See both these points before chap. 8. 32. Observ 3 Observ 3. Ignorance of the will of God in those things which we ought to know is one great and usual cause of errour and sin in practise The ignorance of these two Disciples touching the nature of Christ's Kingdome c. was the cause of their errour and sin committed in putting up this ambitious sute to Christ Matth. 22. 29. Our Saviour sayes to the Sadduces Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures c. Hence it is that where ignorance reigneth there usually other gross sins do reign Hos 4. 1 2. No knowledg of God in the Land Therefore by swearing and lying and killing c. they break out c. Ephes 4. 18. The Gentiles having their cogitations darkned and blinded with ignorance gave themselves over to commit sin with greediness Use 1 Use 1. See the dangerous estate of ignorant persons which have no competent knowledg or understanding of the will of God revealed in his Word Their lives must needs be profane and tainted with gross sins and experience shews it to be so usually c. Use 2 Use 2. To stir up all sorts to labour for sound knowledg of the will of God revealed in his Word that by this means we may be the better preserved from erronious and sinfull practices To this end search the Scriptures c. Joh. 5. 39. and let the Word of God dwell in us richly c. Col. 3. 16. Observ 4 Observ 4. In that our Saviour urgeth this as one reason why he denyed their sute because they asked they knew not what viz. that which was unfit for them c. Hence gather
it is the cause and fountain of all blessings so of deliverance in trouble Phil. 2. 27. Epaphroditus being sick God had mercy on him c. Use Use To stir us up to desire and seek this mercy of God in all our necessities and miseries yea in the first place and above all other things as the only remedy to help and cure us of all and without which we can never be truly helped or delivered Therefore first and principally pray and labour for God's mercy in Christ who is the ground of it to have part in it that so this may move him to hear us in our prayers and to help and deliver us out of our troubles or at least to sanctifie them to us Seek God's mercy more than outward ease or deliverance that being the cause of this c. And to this end labour for a true sense of our misery and wretchedness in our selves especially of our spiritual misery in regard of our sins c. that this may move the Lord to shew mercy and to help and deliver us Deny our selves and all our own merits and worthiness and fly to Gods mercy alone as the ground of all our comfort and hope of deliverance in time of affliction and misery Observ 2 Observ 2. See whereupon we are to ground our faith and confidence to be heard in prayer viz. upon God's free mercy and grace who is ready to hear and help us in our necessities not upon our own merits or worthiness Dan. 9. 18. Not for our own righteousness but for thy great mercies So David Psal 51. 1. and the Publican Luke 18. God be merciful to me a sinner Use 1 Use 1. To condemn Popish prayers made with opinion of Merit like that proud Pharisee Luke 18. Vse 2 Vse 2. Labour for the feeling and apprehension of God's free mercy toward us that upon this we may build our faith and confidence in our prayers c. not upon any merit or worthiness in our selves c. Mark 10. 48 49 50. And many charged him that he should hold his peace c. Aug. 16. 1629. OF the first Antecedent or Preparative going before this Miracle of Christ wrought upon the blind man I have spoken viz. of the means used by the blind man for recovery of his sight viz. his Supplication to Christ for mercy Now followeth the second Preparative to the Miracle viz. the outward impediment by which his faith was opposed in that the multitude charged him to hold his peace Many charged him c. Luke 18. 39. it is said They which went before rebuked him c. This may seem strange that such as followed Christ and were desirous to partake in his Doctrine and Miracles should go about to hinder this poor blind man from making sute to Christ for mercy And there is no doubt but it was ignorantly and rashly done by them although it is probable that they might do it for a good end viz. lest the clamour or crying out of the poor man should be some trouble or hinderance to Christ being hasty in his journey Now this was a great tryall to the blind man and a great means to hinder and discourage him in his sute to Christ if he would have been discouraged especially seeing our Saviour was also silent and gave him no answer at first to his Petition which was another great discouragement to him c. Observ Observ The Lord suffers the faith of his Saints to be opposed with great discouragements and hinderances in this life which are means to hinder and discourage them from believing in Christ and from shewing their faith in prayer by seeking and suing to him for help in their necessities and miseries Thus the Lord suffered the faith of this poor blind man to be opposed with great difficulties and discouragements partly from the multitude forbidding him to cry after our Saviour and partly from Christ himself being silent at first and seeming not to hear or regard his cry and supplication to him Thus was it also with the faith of divers others that came to Christ for help and relief in their necessities when he was on Earth as the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15. who coming to Christ for her Daughter found no small discouragements to hinder her faith but many and great as that our Saviour at first answered her not a word that he called her dogg and told her It was not fit to give the childrens bread to such and the Disciples also desired Christ to send her away c. So the faith of those that brought the sick of the Palsie to Christ to be cured was opposed with a great difficulty and discouragement for the preasse was so great that they could not come near to Christ c. as we heard Chap. 2. 4. So the faith of those that brought their children to Christ to be blessed by him was also opposed with a great discouragement in that Christ's own Disciples did rebuke them for so doing as we heard Verse 13. of this Chapter So the faith of Zacheus Luke 19. Reason Reason The Lord suffers the faith of Believers to be thus opposed to the end it may by this means be throughly tryed and exercised and so the strength and vertue of it may the more evidently appear More particularly the Discouragements with which the Lord suffers the faith of his Saints to be opposed are of two sorts First Inward arising from the inward corruption of their nature which is a main enemy and hinderance to the work of faith in them Secondly Outward from outward causes and occasions As 1. From Satan who useth all the means he can to discourage and hinder us from believing in Christ Luke 22. 31. Satan hath desired to winnow you c. 2. From the World and from Men who are oftentimes a means to hinder and discourage us in the practice of faith as here we see in the multitude forbidding this blind man to cry unto Christ for mercy c. So Psal 3. 2. David's Enemies said There was no help for him in his God 3. From God or from Christ himself after a sort in that the Lord doth sometimes hide his face and favour for a time from his Children and seems not to regard them or their prayers but rather to be angry and offended at that time which is the greatest difficulty and discouragement of all other with which the faith of true Believers is or can be at any time opposed Thus was the faith of Jacob opposed when he wrestled with God himself c. So the faith of Job David c. Use 1 Use 1. This teacheth us and all Believers in Christ to make accompt to have our faith opposed with many and great discouragements and hinderances and to prepare and arm our selves before-hand to meet with such discouragements Praying daily for more strength of faith to overcome and break through all difficulties and impediments that we be not dismayed by them or hindered in
it was an instrument by which he apprehended Christ's power and mercy for the working of this Miracle upon him Where note by the way That it is one and the same faith by which the Saints of God do believe God's mercy for the pardon of their sins and justification and by which they do also believe the power and goodnesse of God and of Christ for the obtaining of all other blessings needful whether spirituall or temporall These are not two kinds of faith but distinct acts of one and the same faith in true Believers Quest 2 Quest 2. How did our Saviour know that this blind man had faith seeing it is an inward grace hid in the heart Answ Answ 1. He knew it by his Divine Spirit as he was God Joh. 2. 25. He knew what was in man 2. He knew it also by the outward fruits of faith appearing in him as his earnest prayer and supplication to him and calling him the Son of David and by his forwardnesse to come unto him when he was called casting off his garment c. Observ 1 Observ 1. True faith is the only instrumental cause and means by which we receive and come to be partakers of all the benefits of Christ which he came to bestow upon Mankind and especially upon his Church and Elect people whether they be temporal or spiritual benefits c. For there is the same reason of both sorts And that which is said here of this outward corporal benefit which this blind man was by faith made partaker of is true of all other blessings and benefits of Christ which he came to bestow upon us and upon his true Church Faith is the mean by which we come to receive and enjoy them Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour doth take such special notice of this Faith of the blind man which he knew to be in his heart and is so ready to commend it yea to reward it with this Miracle Hence gather that Christ Jesus the Son of God doth take special notice of all the sanctifying Graces which are in the hearts of his Saints and servants and not onely so but doth greatly like and approve of them c. Now followeth the Miraculous effect which followed in the blind man upon the former words of Christ Immediately he received his sight That is he was forthwith Miraculously cured of his blindness and obtained the benefit of his sight by the Divine power of Christ Observ 1 Observ 1. The truth and certainty of this Miracle of Christ that it was not wrought in shew and appearance onely but in deed and truth for the blind man was actually really and truely cured of his blindness and restored to his sight So the Evangelist doth testify that he did receive his sight And this is confirmed in that hereupon he followed Jesus in the way Our Saviour did not delude him with vain words or shews but really and truely cured him by his Divine power And herein the true Miracles of Christ do differ from the false and lying wonders of Satan and his Instruments which either are such works as are not truely and really done but in shew and appearance onely as the Miracles wrought by the Magicians of Egypt Exod. 7. or if they be really done yet not above and beyond the power of nature but by some naturall helps and means Observ 2 Observ 2. The greatness of this Miracle in that it was wrought so suddenly and in so short a time viz. immediately upon the words of Christ and upon his touching of the eyes of the blind which is an eviden of Christs divine power manifested herein c. The like we may see in most of his other Miracles though not in all for in working some he took time yet not for want of power c. See before chap. 8. ver 23. 24 c. It followeth And he followed Jesus in the way Luke 18. 43. He followed him glorifying God Having received this great and extraordinary benefit in token of thankfulness to Christ he forthwith joyned himself to the rest of the company which followed Christ glorifying God before them all Observ Observ We owe the duty of thankfulness to God and unto Christ for all blessings and benefits which we receive and enjoy at any time by his goodness and mercy especially for great and extraordinary benefits vouchsafed us such as this here bestowed on this poor man For these especially we are bound to be truely thankfull unto God and so for all other benefits received of what nature or kind soever Spiritual or Temporal 1 Thess 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus c. This we are taught here by the example of this poor blind man who receiving from Christ the benefit of this Miraculous cure shewed his thankfulness by following Christ and glorifying God before all that were present So also by the examples of others who received the like benefits from Christ when he was on earth as in Peter's Wives Mother before chap. 1. ver 31. who being cured of her Feaver shewed her thankfullness presently by ministring to Christ and his Disciples So also in one of those ten Lepers cleansed Luke 17. who returned to shew his thankfulness The like might be shewed by sundry other examples of the best Saints and servants of God who upon the receiving of any blessings from God whether bodily or Spiritual have shewed their thankfulness to God which shews that they thought themselves tyed and bound to this duty Now this true thankfulness which we owe to God for benefits received is twofold 1. Inward in the heart for here true thankfulness beginneth Therefore David Psal 108. 1. O God my heart is fixed or prepared I will sing and give praise This inward thankfulness of the heart stands in an inward feeling of the greatness and excellency of the blessings which we enjoy and especially of the love and favour of God from whence they flow unto us together with an earnest desire of glorifying God for the same 2. Outward thanksgiving to be expressed before men upon all occasions and that both in our words and also in our life and actions In our words by breaking forth into words of Praise and Thanksgiving to God offering the Calves of our lips in sacrifice to him Hos 14. 2. and Hebr. 13. 15. The fruit of our lips In the actions of our life yea in the whole course and carriage of it by giving up our selves wholly in obedience to the will of God and being carefull to glorify him in all our wayes Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God c. Vse 1 Use 1. To reprove such as make little or no Conscience of this duty of thankfulness which they owe to God for those blessings they receive from him c. Many such to be found for unthankfulness to God is a common and raigning sin amongst us How few are so affected in
may rejoyce and take delight therein Then shall we profit by them and be enabled to bring forth fruits of grace answerable to the means we enjoy David Psal 119. 97. Oh how do I love thy Law c. And Job 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food 4. Joyn prayer unto God with the use of all the means of grace that the Lord may bless them to us and make them effectual and profitable remembring that 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul planteth and Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase c. Mark 11. 14. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter And his Disciples heard it Decem. 6. 1629. Observ 2 Observ 2. THe fearful estate of all formal hypocrites which make a fair shew of Religion and of fruitfulness in grace but are void of the truth of Religion and of true fruits of grace They are under the wrath of God and liable to his curse if they so live and continue Even as this barren Fig-tree having a fair shew of leaves but no fruit at all upon it was accursed by our Saviour By this he shewed what was the state of the hypocriticall Jews and so of all other formall hypocrites having a shew of Religion and godliness without the power of it They are liable to the curse of God that is to his just wrath and vengeance both in this life and after this life if they so live and continue without repentance Therefore our Saviour Matth. 23. denounceth a Woe against the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees which were as whited Tombs c. And Matth 24. 51. Hell-fire is said to be the portion of hypocrites Reason Reason Hypocrisie and outward formality in Religion without the truth and power of it is a sin odious to God Luke 16. 15. Vse Vse For Terrour to all hypocritical professours of Religion which make a fair shew of Religion and grace being destitute of the truth and power of it Whose lives are nothing but leaves without fruit of grace c. Let such know and be assured that they are under the wrath and curse of God both in this life and after this life so long as they continue in this sin of hypocrisie We should therefore move all such to repent speedily of this gross and odious sin and to labour for truth and sincerity not contenting themselves with an outward shew and profession though never so glorious before men Think it not enough to have fair leaves of a goodly profession but see thou be fruitful in the true fruits of Religion and grace lest otherwise as a barren Tree thou be accursed or cut down and cast into the fire even into the fire of Hell there to have thy portion with hypocrites Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour condemns the Fig-Tree to perpetual barrenness because it yielded no fruit hitherto learn That when a people do not profit by the means of grace nor bring forth fruit answerable it is just with God to give them over to perpetual barrenness that seeing they will not therefore they shall not profit c. Now God doth this two wayes 1. Either by depriving them of the means as Matth. 21. 4â— 2. Or else by giving them up to hardness of heart c. Esay 6. 10. Mark 4. 11. Use Use See again how dangerous it is to live under the means of grace and not to profit c. For this God may give them up to perpetual barrenness The most grievous Judgment that can be Observ 2 Observ 4. In that our Saviour did not forthwith inflict a Curse or Judgment upon the Nation of the Jews as he could have done for their hypocrisie and unfruitfulness under the means of grace but first gives them warning hereof by this Prophetical type as it were of cursing the barren Fig-tree that so they might be moved to repentance We may see the patience and long-suffering of the Lord which he sheweth even toward the wicked and hypocrites in that he doth not presently inflict Judgments on them so soon as they provoke him by sin but beareth with them for a time and first gives them warning that they may if it be possible be moved to repent and turn to God and so escape the Judgment which is otherwise like to come upon them Thus the Lord dealt with the Old World before he sent the flood upon them he first gave them warning by Noah and for an hundred and twenty years space did forbear them waiting for their re-repentance 1 Pet. 3. 20. The long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah c. So he was patient towards the Jews sending Prophets to warn them long before he brought on them the Captivity Vs Vse This being so ought to move wicked men and hypocrites to make a right use of this patience of God towards them being moved thereby to speedy repentance lest otherwise God's patience being abused be turned into fury Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou his for bearance and long-suffering c. Now followeth the last thing in the words The Witnesses which were present and heard this curse denounced by our Saviour against the barren fig-tree viz. The Disciples of Christ Now he denounced the curse in their hearing 1. To the end they might take special notice of his words and of the miraculous effect which followed viz. the drying up of the Tree by the roots and so might be moved to make a right use thereof having their faith by this means confirmed Therefore afterward Verse 21. they took special notice of it and hereupon our Saviour exhorted them to labour for faith c. 2. That by their testimony the truth and certainty of the Miracle might be confirmed Observ 1 Observ 2. The speciall care which our Saviour had of his Disciples that they might reap profit by his Miracles having their faith confirmed thereby They being his special charge and most near and dear to him therefore of all others he was especially careful to instruct and edifie them both by his Doctrine and Miracles for which cause as his publick Doctrine was delivered for most part in their hearing so all or most of his Miracles were wrought in their sight and presence at least in the presence of some of them Which may teach us That as we are to seek the spiritual good and edification of all others so far as lyes in our power so especially of those which are near and dear to us and of our special charge as Ministers of their flock and people Parents of their Children c. Observ 2 Observ 2. The priviledg of the 12. Apostles that they did not only live with Christ on earth and hear his Doctrine but were personal Witnesses of the Miracles of Christ which he wrought being on earth seeing and hearing what he did and spake at the time of working those Miracles and taking notice of the miraculous effects which thereupon followed As here they heard the words uttered by him in
a shew of danger As here these Scribes and chief Priests were timerous and fearfull of danger if the common people should take part with our Saviour against them and so make some tumult or uproar against them for his sake And yet this may seem to have bin a matter not so greatly to be feared if we consider the inconstancy of the common people in their favour and friendship to our Saviour who within three or four dayes after this were moved to cry out against him that he might be Crucified Matth. 27. 22. yet we see here how apt these wicked Scribes and Priests were to be afraid of danger by the peoples moving of sedition in defence of our Saviour And this is alwayes the property of wicked men to be very apt to slavish fears upon the least suspition of evil or danger to themselves yea to fear when there is no cause of fear Psal 53. 5. and Prov. 28. 1. Reas 1 Reas 1. They have an evil Conscience within them guilty of sin unrepented of and apprehending Gods wrath which makes them fearful on all occasions as Cain Gen. 4. 14. was afraid every one that should find him would kill him Reas 2 Reas 2. They want Faith to believe Gods mercy and protection of them in times of danger and therefore they cannot but fear Revel 21. 8. The fearfull and unbelieving are joyned together Vse 1 Use 1. See the misery of all wicked men so long as they live and continue such They are apt to be troubled and tormented with fears on all occasions if never so little danger do appear yea to live in fear Now this is a hell and torment to them 1 Joh. 4. 18. Esay 57. 20. Fear hath torment in it which should move such to repent and labour for Faith and a good Conscience Deut. 28. 65. Trembling heart Use 2 Use 2. To teach the godly to strive against this timerousness and fearfulness which is in wicked men seeing it is the property of the wicked which have no Faith nor peace of Conscience Therefore such as profess to â—e Gods children and to have Faith and a good Conscience ought to labour and strive against such timerousness and fearfulness Prov. 28. 1. The Righteous is bold as a Lyon He that fears God truly need fear nothing else as on the contrary he that fears not God hath cause to fear all other things small and great as an ancient Father saith Chrysost Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the thing which these Scribes and chief Priests feared was not the sin or offence against God or against our Saviour Christ himself in going about to put him to death but the hurt and danger which was like to come upon themselves if the common people should raise tumult against them for going about in open manner to put him to death Hence we learn what is the principal matter or object of wicked mens fear usually what it is which they use most to fear Not sin or the offence of God or any Spiritual evil or danger but rather outward evils or dangers like to come upon them For example bodily sickness pain or death it self worldly crosses or losses poverty shame hatred or displeasure of men c. These and such like external evils are the matters which wicked men do use chiefly to fear As for Spiritual evilâ— as sin and the offence of God or loss of Gods favour or loss of heaven these they fear not half so much Gen. 4. Cain's fear was lest any should kill him Matth. 2. 3. when Herod heard of the birth of Christ he was troubled with fear c. Reason Reason Wicked men are most sensible of outward evils and dangers not so much of Spiritual Therefore they fear those principally and not these See Joh. 11. 48. Vse 1 Use 1. See the folly of wicked men in that they fear those evills most which are least to be feared and on the contrary those least which are most to be feared c. Vse 2 Use 2. Difference between the fear of the wicked and of the Godly c. Use 3 Use 3. Take heed we be not like to the wicked in this preposterous fear That we do not fear these outward and temporal evils but that above all we fear Spiritual evils as sin and the loss of Gods favour c. Esay 8. 12. Fear not their fear but sanctify the Lord in your hearts and let him be your fear and dread And Matth. 10. 28. Fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul But rather fear him that is able to destroy both Soul and body in Hell Observ 3 Observ 3. In that these Scribes and chief Priests who hated our Saviour and sought his death did withall fear him in respect of the peoples favour and affection to him c. Hence we learn that wicked men are sometimes forced to stand in fear of the Saints and Servants of God whom they most hate and are greatest enemies unto Though they do not fear them with any reverent fear proceeding from love yet they fear them with a servile or slavish fear joyned with hatred and enmity against them Reas 1 Reas 1. The innocency and uprightness of the Saints striketh terrour into their wicked enemies sometimes causing them to fear the just Judgment of God for opposing such So Herod Mark 6. Reas 2 Reas 2. God doth by this means curb the malice of the wicked and provide for the safety of his servants Use 1 Use 1. See the misery of wicked men being forced to stand in fear of those whom they most hate and are deadly enemies unto viz. the true Saints and Servants of God Now this is a great misery and torment to live in fear of such as we hate withal see what a miserable thing it is to be an enemy to the Saints of God in that such are sometimes forced whether they will or no to stand in fear of those whom they hate and are enemies unto See how little comfort the wicked can have in hating and opposing Gods servants yea none at all but on the contrary great trouble and torment in their Consciences which therefore should move such to repent of their sins and in particular of their hatred and enmity against the Saints of God and to labour for true love to them c. that they may not be forced to stand in a slavish fear of them but may have comfort in and by their society and friendship Vse 2 Use 2. See how little cause there is for such as fear God to fear wicked mens power or malice seeing on the contrary it is so that the wicked do often stand in fear of them And indeed there is much more cause for the wicked to fear the godly then on the contrary More cause to pitty and lament the misery of such then to fear them Now we account it a vain and foolish thing to fear such as stand in fear of us c.
moment but no time for this c. Mark 11. 22. And Jesus answering saith unto them Have Faith in God Mar. 21. 1629. IN the two former Verses we heard the occasions of our Saviour's exhorting his Disciples to the practice of Faith 1. Their taking notice of the sudden drying up of the Fig-tree the next morning as they went back from Bethany to Jerusalem 2. Peter's acquainting our Saviour Christ with the matter c. Now followeth the exhortation it self ver 22 23. â—urther urged ver 24. Where consider two things 1. The matter which he exhorteth them unto To have Faith in God ver 22. 2. The ground or reason of the exhortation by which he inforceth it being taken from the great power and efficacy of true Faith in that it doth enable such as are indued with it to do miraculous or wonderfull things even above and contrary to nature which is signified by the removing of a Mountain c. ver 23. Of the first Have Faith in God Our Saviour doth not here speak of a justifying Faith whereby we apprehend Christ as our Righteousness for the pardon of our sins and acceptation of us into Gods favour but of that Faith whereby we believe in God and do rest and rely upon him for the obtaining of all such things as we desire and are needful and fit for us to be partakers of So that the Faith here spoken of is nothing else but an affiance trust or confidence in God for the obtaining of those things which we desire and stand in need of so far as is fit and expedient for us I say so far as is fit for us because Faith doth not cause us to trust in God or to rely on him for all things simply which we desire for we sometimes desire such things as are unfit for us but it causeth us to trust on God for such things as we desire so far forth as they are fit for for us that is so far as stands with the will of God for that only is fit which he seeth to be fit for us Further touching this affiance or confidence in God for the obtaining of those things we desire and stand in need of two things are to be noted 1. That it is distinguished from a justifying Faith not as a different kind of Faith but only as a distinct operation or work of one and the same Faith For it is one and the same Faith for kind by which the true believer doth apprehend Christ and his Righteousness c. and by which he doth believe in God and trust on him for all other things which he desireth and are necessary and fit for him to receive and be partaker of onely these are distinguished as two divers and different operations of one and the same Faith 2. Note that whereas some learned Divines do make this affaince or confidence in God to be a fruit or effect flowing from Faith there be others as learned who conceive it rather as an immediate and proper act or work of Faith And this I take to be the truer and more sound Opinion In God In the Original it is Have the Faith of God Now it may be called the Faith of God in two respects 1. In regard of the efficient cause because God only is the author worker or giver of all true Faith Ephes 2. 8. Faith is called the gift of God And Gal. 5. 22. It is a fruit of the Spirit 2. In respect of the object or matter of it which it doth apprehend and look at principally which is God himself And thus we are to take it here The Faith of God is to be taken here not active for that Faith or affiance which God worketh in us but passive for that Faith whereby we believe in God and trust on him Beza Now further our Faith or confidence may be said to be in God or to be fixed on him in two respects 1. In respect of his Divine Nature and Essence simply considered together with the distinction of persons in the Trinity 2. In respect of the essential properties of the Divine Nature as his Wisdome Power Goodnesse Mercy c. Now here we are to understand both these So the meaning of the words is briefly this in effect q. d. Labour by true Faith to believe in God that is to trust in his Divine nature and properties and to rely upon the same for the receiving and obtaining of both that gift and power of Miracles which ye desire as also of all other things which ye do desire and are needful and fit for you Now that this is the meaning of the words may appear 1. By the scope and occasion of them which is this Peter and the other Disciples admiring and wondering at the Miracle of Christ in cursing the Fig-tree and causing it so suddenly to wither c. and withal acquainting our Saviour with the matter did hereby not only shew their desire to be instructed and better informed by our Saviour touching the end and use of that Miracle but withal it is most probable that they did also intimate a desire in themselves to be partakers of the like power or gift of working Miracles which they saw to be in our Saviour and this may appear by our Saviours answer to them as it is set down Matth. 21. 21. Now hereupon our Saviour inferreth this exhortation Have Faith in God whereby he doth withal teach them the way and means by which they may come to be partakers not only of that gift and power of Miracles which they desire but also to obtain all other things at the hands of God which they desired and stood in need of yea though they were such things as were most hard and difficult in themselves to be obtained 2. That this is the sense of these words may also appear by that which followeth ver 23 24. where our Saviour takes occasion further to shew them the power and effâ—cacy of true Faith both for the doing and obtaining of those things which they desired though never so hard and difficult Quest Quest Why doth our Saviour exhort his Disciples to Faith or confidence in God seeing they were already true Believers and did by Faith put their trust and confidence in God Answ Answ Because their Faith and confidence in God was as yet but weak and imperfect he exhorts them to labour for a further degree and measure of this Faith Now follow the Instructions from the words Observ 1 Observ 1. When Peter and the rest of the Disciples were moved with admiration at the Miracle of Christ in cursing the Figtree c. our Saviour hereupon exhorts them to the practice of Faith or confidence in God thereby shewing that he would not only have them admire and wonder at the greatness of the Miracle but withall to make a holy use of it learning thereby to put their trust in God by whose power that Miracle was wrought Hence learn that although it is
good to be affected with admiration and wonder at the great and extraordinary works of God yet this alone is not enough but withal we should make a holy and Religious use of such great and wonderfull works of God But of this before upon the two former Verses Observ 2 Observ 2. What is one use to be made of the great and wonderful works of God which we see hear or take notice of at any time viz. that we should by them be stirred up to the practice of Faith in putting our trust and confidence in God and in resting and relying upon him for those things which we desire and stand in need of This use our Saviour would have his Disciples make of his Miracle wrought in cursing the barren Fig-tree He would have them learn thereby to have Faith in God c. The like use should we make of all great and wonderful works of God as of his works of Creation and providence in governing the World of his extraordinary works of Justice and Mercy of his great Miraculous deliverances bestowed on us c. The consideration of these and all such wonderfull works of God should provoke and stir us up to trust and confidence in God causing us to rest and rely on him for all good things which we desire and stand in need of and for his help and deliverance of us for time to come c. Esay 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever c. Then ver 5. For he bringeth down them that dwell on high the lofty City he layeth low c. Reason Reason By such great and wonderfull works the Lord doth in special manner declare and manifest his infinite Wisdome Power Mercy Justice and such other attributes of his Divine Nature which are the chief grounds of our Faith and confidence in God as we shall see afterward and therefore the consideration of such works of God should strengthen our Faith and confidence in God and cause us the more firmly and stedfastly to rest and rely on him c. Vse Use Labour to make this use amongst other of those great and wonderfull works of God which we see or take notice of at any time To have our Faith strengthened by consideration of them and to be stirred up to this practice of it in trusting and relying upon God with confidence of heart for all good things we desire or stand in need of The more we see read or hear of his infinite Wisdome Power Mercy c. manifested in his works the more let us labour to have Faith in him Observ 3 Observ 3. When Peter and the rest of the Disciples by admiring the greatness of this Miracle of cursing the Figtree and causing it so suddenly to wither and by acquainting our Saviour with it did intimate their desire to have the like power or gift of working Miracles bestowed on them or rather confirmed to them for it was conferred on them before as we heard chap. 6. ver 7. Our Saviour presently exhorteth them to have Faith in God that is to put their trust and confidence in him for the obtaining of that which they desired so far as was fit for them Hence we may learn that the only way to obtain those things which we desire and which are needfull and fit for us is to believe in God that is by true confidence of heart to rest and rely upon him for all such things The only way to obtain at the hands of God all good things which we desire either Spiritual or Temporal Psal 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land c. And ver 4. he shall give thee the desires of thine heart 2 Chron. 20. 20. When Jehosaphat and his people desired deliverance from their enemies comming against them with a great army he exhorteth them thus Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper On the contrary Esay 7. 9. the Prophet tells Ahaz and his people being in danger of their enemies that if they would not believe and trust in God for that deliverance which they desired they should not obtain it Esay 30. 15. The Prophet tells them that if they would be saved and delivered from their enemies as they desired to be they must by Faith rest and depend upon God for this safety In quietness and confidence shall be your strength Reasons Reasons 1. We cannot of our selves obtain the things we desire and are needful for us we are not able to supply our own wants therefore we must fly to God by Faith and confidence 2. God promiseth all good things to us upon condition of our Faith c. 3. By trusting on God we honour him and then he will honour us c. Vse 1 Use 1. See one main cause why we oftentimes want those good things which we desire and are needfull for us It is because we want Faith to believe and trust in God for these things What is the cause that we want pardon of sins or at least such a comfortable feeling and assurance of it as we desire It is because we do not so trust and â—ely upon God for this benefit as we should What is the cause that we want strength against temptations to resist Satan and to mortify our sinfull lusts What is the cause why we want help comfort and deliverance in our troubles c Is it not because we want Faith to believe and rest upon God for the obtaining of these things â—o far as is needful and fit for us Use 2 Use 2. To stir us up to labour for this Faith and confidence in God for the obtaining of our desires in all things necessary and fit for us and so far as stands with the will of God If we would have our desires satisfied in obtaining all things needfull for us labour to have Faith in God that is by true Faith to rest and depend upon God for the satisfying of our desires and supply of our wants for obtaining of all good c. for deliverance from evils c. This will much stay our minds and bring great comfort c. Now because this is hard to do consider these grounds and motives 1. The Commandment of God requiring this of us in his Word that we should trust on him for all good things we desire and stand in need of Prov. 3. 5. Trust in God with thy whole heart And our Saviour in this place bids his Disciples have Faith in God yea it is a special part of that inward obedience and service of the heart which we owe to God 2. Consider the infinite Wisdome and providence of God whereby he knoweth all things and taketh special notice of all our desires and wants and so cannot but be the more ready to supply them Matth. 6. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth ye have need of these things 3. The goodness and mercy of God which makes him most
ready and forward to give those things we desire so far as he sees to be fit and expedient Psal 36. 7. How excellent is thy mercy c. 4. Consider the Almighty power of God being All-sufficient and able to give us whatsoever we desire and is needfull and fit for us for Soul or body yea those things which seem most hard and difficult to be obtained Ephes 3. He is able to do above all we ask or think Upon this ground did the three Children believe and trust in God for deliverance Dan. 3. 17. Our God is able c. Abraham Rom. 4. 21. was perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded he is able to keep c. 5. The truth and faithfulness of God in his Word and Promise Hebr. 11. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised And 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull c. 6. Our former experience of Gods power mercy and goodness in giving us the things we have desired and wanted so far as hath bin good for us 1 Sam. 17. 37. David trusted on God to give him Victory over Goliah because he had formerly delivered him from the Lyon and Bear So Paul 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death c. In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Consider these grounds and Motives c. Vse 3 Use 3. See what to do now we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if we desire to be partakers of Christ himself and the saving benefits of his death as forgiveness of sins Justification c. which are all sealed to us in this Sacrament and not only so but to be more and more assured that we are partakers of these benefits Then labour not only to bring Faith in thy heart to this Sacrament but by this Faith to rest and rely upon God that is upon his power and mercy and upon the truth of his Word and promise which he hath made to such as come duly prepared and use this Sacrament aright that together with the Bread and Wine he will most certainly give Christ with his benefits as pardon of sins c. Labour by Faith to believe and rest upon this promise of God Then be sure thou shalt be partaker of the things promised yea thou shalt by means of the Sacrament come to more comfortable feeling and assurance that Christ is thine and that in him thou hast thy sins forgiven art reconciled to God c. Though thou see nothing in thy self to move thee to believe this but the contrary yet have Faith in God rest on his power mercy truth of his promise c. Use 4 Use 4. Comfort to such as can and do by Faith believe in God and rest on him for all things which they desire and have need of c. Such shall want nothing that is good for them Psal 34. As they honour God by believing his power goodness faithfulness c. So he will honour them by giving to them all things needfull and fit for them by fulfilling all their lawful and good desires so far as may make for his glory and their good Observ 4 Observ 4. Though the Disciples had Faith already yet he exhorts them to it Hence gather that Christians ought not to content themselves with that measure of Faith or confidence in God which they have already but to labour for a further degree of faith and for further growth and increase therein So Luke 17. 5. the Apostles pray unto Christ to increase their Faith And Mark 9. 24. the father of the Lunâ—tick child Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in Grace c. If in other Graces then in Faith Reasons Reasons 1. It is the nature of all sanctifying graces to grow and increase and to cause those in whom they are to desire and labour to grow in them Matth. 13. 31. The Kingdome of heaven is like unto a grain of Mustardseed c. 2. God hath ordained means not onely to work Faith in us but also to confirm and strengthen it and to cause us to grow in it As 1. The Ministry of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere miâ—k of the Word that ye may grow thereby 2. The use of the Sacraments especially of the Lords Supper which is a Sacrament of Spiritual nourishment and growth in grace ordained of purpose to confirm our Faith c. 3. Prayer unto God for he will give his Spirit that is the graces of it viz. a further increase of them to such as ask the same Luke 11. 13. 4. To these also may be added all other helps and means to strengthen our Faith a private reading of the Scriptures meditation of the promises of God c. All these means hath God ordained for the confirming of our Faith which shews that it is his will we should not stand at a stay but labour to grow and increase therein Use 1 Use 1. To stir us up to labour for this growth and increase of Faith in our selves using all good means ordained of God to this end as diligent attendance on the Ministry of the Word Prayer Meditation in the Word and Promises of God c. To this end also labour to see and feel the weakness and imperfection of thy Faith that this may stir thee up to hunger and thirst after increase c. And then if thou use the means conscionably God will satisfy thy hunger and thirst for he filleth the hungry with good things c. Esay 44. 3. I will powre water upon the thirsty c. Some think their Faith is perfect already and needs no growth which is a fond opinion without all ground of Scripture yea contrary to it 1 Cor. 13. 9. Phil. 3. 12. Others despise the means of growth as the Ministry of the Word c. A manifest sign there is as yet no true Faith in them for if there were they could not but desire to grow and carefully use the means c. Vse 2 Use 2. See what cause for us to esteem highly of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and to desire often to be partakers of it seeing it is one principal means ordained of God to confirm and strengthen our Faith in God for the obtaining of Christ and all benefits of his death c. Consider how great a mercy in God to ordain this excellent help to confirm our Faith and to add this means to the Ministry of the Word whereas he might have given us that alone c. Therefore let every one of us make use of this excellent means for the helping and strengthening of our Faith and confidence in God and in Christ Jesus for the pardon of our sins and all other saving graces c. And to this end remember before thou come to this Sacrament not only to examine what Faith thou hast but the wants
perform them in some measure at least or else he cannot be a good Christian Vse 1 Vse 1. See that it is no easie matter to be a good Christian but hard and difficult seeing every believer in Christ is called of God to undertake and perform so many great and difficult works and Christian duties No easie matter to remove a Mountain and to throw it into the Sea But a Christian must do this in some sort yea he must make accompt to remove many Mountains before he dye and come to Heaven that is to practise and perform sundry most hard and difficult duties as hard and impossible to flesh and blood as the removing of a Mountain See the folly and ignorance of such as think it an easie matter to be a good Christian c. To believe in God and in Christ truly c. They say they have alwayes believed c. On the contrary such as truly believe are called to do such works as are most hard and impossible to nature which cannot be done without special grace and power from God See then that there is more then nature required in a Christian viz. grace and a supernatural power of God c. Use 2 Use 2. To teach us if we will be good Christians indeed not to promise our selves a life of ease but to think seriously and often what we are called unto viz. to undertake and perform great and difficult works yea many such works above the power of nature and impossible to flesh and blood c. And therefore daily to pray and labour for supernatural strength and power from God to perform these great works and duties of a Christian and withall to set about these works and daily to labour and exercise our selves in practise of them For they are such works as are not to be done once in our life-time but often and daily such as we must continue to do so long as we live in this world Sit not still as if thou hadst nothing to do thou hast Mountains to remove c. if thou be a Christian Of the second As God doth call Christians and Believers to perform great and difficult works so all such shall be enabled and have power from God for performance of those works though never so hard This our Saviour here promiseth That if a Christian being called of God do undertake a work or duty as hard to perform as the removing of a Mountain he shall be able to effect it How shall he be able Not of himself but by the power of God who calls him to the work As when God called Sampson to do great and wonderful works by bodily strength he did withall enable and furnish him with strength to do them So when God calls Christians to undertake and do great and difficult works of Christian practice he doth withall enable them with strength and power to perform those works When God called Abraham to leave his Country and Kindred and to go he knew not whither God enabled him to obey in this difficult Command So when he commanded him to sacrifice his only Son Isaac c. When our Saviour Christ called his Disciples to forsake all and to follow him he gave them power and ability to obey this his calling So when he taught them to deny themselves and to take up their Crosse c. When he called the Martyrs to bear witnesse of his truth with the hazard and loss of all they had in this World yea of life it self he gave them power to do this great and difficult work c. Use Vse To comfort Believers and good Christians against the difficulty of those Christian Duties which they are called to perform though they be never so hard and impossible to nature and such as we can never of our selves perform by our own strength no more then we can remove a Mountain and cast it into the Sea c. yet God who calleth us to do these hard and difficult things will enable us with power from Heaven to do them He will work all our works for us or in us as it is Esay 26. 12. Mark 11. 23. And shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe c. April 4. 1630. NOw it followeth to speak of the Condition of this Promise made by our Saviour to his Disciples and to other believing Christians which is also required as the means whereby they must come to be partakers of that which is promised viz. to be enabled of God to do such great and difficult works as he calls them to perform Now the Condition or Means is true Faith or Confidence of Heart whereby a Believer must rest firmly perswaded that the work he undertaketh shall be effected expressed in these words And shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe c. Observ 1 Observ 1. True Faith or Confidence in God is the only means by which Christians come to be enabled of God for performance of such works as he requires of them though most hard and difficult such works as are impossible to Nature Faith is the only means whereby we receive power from God for performance of such great and difficult works Therefore our Saviour here promising to his Disciples and to other good Christianâ— a power and ability to perform hard and difficult works above the power of Nature requires this condition That they do not doubt in heart but believe in God and rest upon him for the effecting of that which they undertake to do So that as it is God alone that can and doth enable us to do such Christian Works and Duties as are most hard and difficult so it is Faith by which we come to receive and be partakers of this power and ability from God to do such works Reas 1 Reason 1. By Faith alone they apprehend the power of God and apply it to themselves and so by this power of God working in them they come to be strengthened and enabled to do the greatest and most difficult Works which God commandeth and requireth of them Reas 2 Reas 2. Faith is the only Grace by which Christians are united to Christ Ephes 3. 17. For it is the same Faith by which we believe in Christ and by which we trust in God c. Joh. 14. 1. and so they receive power and strength from Him to do all hard and difficult works required of them And this power of Christ is the power of God for it is one and the same Divine power which is in God and in Christ c. Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ c. Hence it is that in Scripture the performance of the most hard and difficult Works and Duties required of a Christian is ascribed to Faith and they are said to be done by faith because it is the only instrumental cause and means by which we receive power and ability from God and from Christ to perform such Duties See Heb. 11. how many great
weighty asseveration in his own name I say unto you 3. The matter or exhortation it self in which he stirs up his Disciples to labour for Faith in their Prayers yea in all their Prayers or Petitions to God What things soever ye desire c. believe c. 4. A reason enforcing the exhortation upon them from an excellent promise which he maketh and whereby he assureth them that whatsoever they should so ask of God in Faith they should most certainly obtain in these words And ye shall have them Of the first Therefore Seeing such is the excellency of true Faith and the power and vertue of it so great therefore labour for it and to exercise it in Prayer c. Observ Observ The excellency of Faith and consideration of the great power and vertue of it should move us to labour for it and for further growth and strength of it c. Of the second I say unto you Of this kind of asseveration or earnest avouching used by our Saviour in this and other places upon weighty occasions we have often heard before Here he useth it the more to quicken and stir up his Disciples and us also to labour for the practice of Faith in prayer as also to confirm and strengthen our Faith in Praying forasmuch as by this serious avouching of the matter he doth the more confirm to us that excellent promise added in the end of the verse touching the efficacy of our Prayers being made in Faith that they shall undoubtedly prevail with God for the obtaining of those things we desire or pray for Of the third The exhortation it self Whatsoever things ye desire c. believe that ye receive them Where consider two things 1. A further means prescribed by our Saviour to his Disciples for the obtaining of the gift of Miracles and whatsoever else was needful for them besides that of Faith before mentioned viz. Prayer Whatsoever things ye desire when ye Pray 2. The Condition or property which our Saviour requireth in their Prayers that they may be effectual viz. Faith that is a firm perswasion or assurance of obtaining that which they ask in Prayer which is the main matter unto which our Saviour here exhorteth them Of the first Observ 1. Having first exhorted to Faith now he exhorts to Prayer Hence gather that Faith goeâ— before Prayer in order of nature and so that none can Pray aright but such as have Faith Rom. 10. 14. Heb. 11. 6. Therefore it is called the Prayer of Faith Jam. 5. 15. Reas 1 Reason 1. We must first know God to be our God and Father c. In the Preface of the Lord's Prayer Our Father c. Reas 2 Reas 2. We must first be in Christ and our persons accepted c. Reas 3 Reas 3. We must first be perswaded of God's Promise to hear us c. Use 1 Use 1. See what to think of such as want true Faith They cannot pray or call upon God aright so as to be heard and accepted of him because they want that which is of most singular use in prayer both to enable them to pray and to make their prayers acceptable and effectual with God Such may say a prayer or use words of prayer but pray aright and acceptably to God they cannot See the misery of all that want faith 1. Papists whose faith is nothing but a general belief of the Word of God without any particular affiance or confidence in God c. 2. Ignorant persons amongst us being ignorant in the very grounds of Christian Religion c. 3. All profane hypocrites and wicked men living in known sins without repentance c. Psal 66. 18. Joh. 9. 31. Prov. 15. 8. Vse 2 Vse 2. See what is to be done of such as would be enabled to pray c. Get faith come to the Ministery of the Word Rom. 10. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour having before exhorted his Disciples to the practice of faith in trusting on God c. Now withall he mentions Prayer with Faith as an unseparable fruit and companion of it hence we may learn That Prayer is an inseparable fruit and effect of true Faith which alwayes goes with it so as wheresoever true faith is in the heart it cannot but shew it self in the exercise of Prayer and calling upon God in all our necessities as occasion is offered As where there is natural life in the body there must needs be breathing so where there is any spiritual life of faith in the heart and soul there it must needs breathe out prayers unto God constantly and upon all occasions So in David Psal 116. 10. I believed therefore did I speak c. So in the Father of the Lunatick Child possessed with the Devil Chap. 9. As he had faith so he shewed it in prayer to Christ both for his child and for himself Hence it is that Faith and Prayer are oftentimes joyned together in Scripture to shew that they are inseparable Companions and that true Faith can never be without Prayer nor Prayer without Faith the one being the cause and the other the proper and immediate effect flowing alwayes from it Reas 1 Reason 1. Where Faith is there the Spirit of God dwelleth which is the Spirit of Prayer Zach. 12. Rom 8. 26. Reas 2 Reas 2. Faith perswades the Heart of God's Love c. Use Use Examine our selves by this what true faith there is in our hearts look whether it be accompanied with Prayer and invocation of God whether it do cause and stir us up daily and constantly to seek to God by prayer in our necessities and for supply of all our wants for help in all troubles c. Where faith is in the heart it will not lye hid but shew it self in Prayer upon all occasions in confession of sins and craving pardon and in suing to God for all blessings needful for soul and body c. Look whether it be thus with thee And never think thou hast true faith if it be not accompanied with frequent and earnest prayer and calling upon God on all occasions It is as impossible that Faith should be without Prayer as fire without heat or the Sun without light c. If thou canst omit or neglect Prayer day by day c. suspect thy self to be void of Faith c. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour having before exhorted his Disciples to practice of Faith or Confidence in God as the best and most effectual means to obtain both the gift of Miracles and all things else needfull for them Now withall he puts them in mind of Prayer as another means to be used for the obtaining of their Desires Hence we learn That although true Faith or Confidence in God is a powerful or effectuall means for the obtaining of all things needful for us at the hands of God yet this faith doth not exclude other good means appointed of God for the obtaining of our Desires but on the
contrary it doth include the use of other means as prayer and all other means tending to the same end So that as we are by faith to trust and rely upon God for supply of our wants and for the obtaining of all things needful for us both for soul and body so withall we are not to neglect other means ordained of God for the obtaining of those blessings and good things which we desire at the hands of God but we are carefully to use all such means and in the use of them to trust and rely upon God and no otherwise For example In matters of the Soul as we are by faith to trust in God for the pardon of our sins and for eternal life so withall we are to use orher good means appointed of God for the obtaining of these great and unspeakable blessings as the practice of repentance prayer hearing of the Word receiving the Sacraments c. So in things of this life which concern the body and outward estate as we are by faith to depend upon God for our health wealth maintenance c. so withall to use other good means to this end as diligence in our Callings frugality wise providence in ordering our affairs c. So in time of trouble or danger as we are by faith to rest on God for deliverance so not to neglect other means c. but in use of all good means to trust in God for help c. Thus have the Saints of God used to do Jacob having a promise from God that he should prevail with men did no doubt by faith believe this and trust in God that he should prevail with his brother Esau to pacifie his wrath c. And yet for all this he neglected not other means but carefully used the best he could devise as we see Gen. 32. So Paul Act. 27. 31. though he did believe and trust in God for the deliverance of himself and all the rest that sayled with him in the same ship in time of that dangerous Tempast which happened yet for all that he would have other ordinary means used he would have the Mariners abide in the ship c. Thus ought we at all times and in all our necessities wants and distresses not only by faith depend upon God for those things we desire and stand in need of but withall carefully use other good means c. And the more faith we have to trust in God the more careful will we be to use other means c. Mark 11. 24 What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye April 18. 1630. shall receive them Observ 4 Observ 4. IN that our Saviour having before exhorted his Disciples to the practice of faith in depending upon God for the obtaining of the gift of Miracles and of whatsoever else was needfull and fit for them Now in the next place he doth stir them up to prayer as another means next and subordinate to faith for the obtaining of all things needful for them hence we may learn That next unto faith or confidence in God prayer is the best and principal means whereby we are to obtain at the hands of God all things which we desire and are needful for us I say next unto Faith Because Faith is the chief and principal means as we heard Verse 22. but prayer is also a means yea the principal and only ordinary means next unto faith for the obtaining of the things we desire and want And it is such a means as Faith it self teacheth and enableth us to use for Faith doth not of it self alone or immediately obtain good things at the hands of God but by means of Prayer and no otherwise ordinarily so that as faith is the means to obtain all good things at the hands of God so also is prayer together with faith and next to faith Withall note by the way another difference between Faith and Prayer That Faith is an inward means in the heart whereas Prayer is both an inward and outward means to obtain those things we desire for it is not only in the heart but is expressed outwardly in words and outward gestures as occasion is offered c. Now for proof of the Point delivered viz. That next unto Faith Prayer is the principal and ordinary means whereby we are to obtain of God all things which we desire and are needful for us This may appear he cause in Scripture we are not only required to believe and trust in God for all things we stand in need of but we are likewise commanded to seek to God and to call upon him by Prayer for supply of all our wants and for the obtaining of whatsoever we desire and is fit for us Matth. 7. 7. Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find c. Joh. 16. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive c. Jam. 1. 5. If any want wisdom let him ask of God Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication c. let your request be made known unto God So Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble c. In these places we are required to go and seek to God by prayer in all our necessities c. Now it is Faith that teacheth and enableth us to do this therefore next unto Faith Prayer is the ordinary and principal outward means appointed of God for the obtaining of all things which we desire and are needful for us By this the Saints of God have obtained all things needful which they desired not only by faith but by prayer joyned with it and proceeding from it Thus Jacob wrestling with God by Faith and Prayer obtained the blessing Hos 12. 4. So Psal 22. 4 5. Our Fathers trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered They obtained deliverance not only by faith as the principal means of it but also by prayer as a subordinate means next to faith and proceeding from Faith Note here That we do not make Prayer to be any meritorious cause of obtaining the things we desire c. but only a means which God requireth us to use in obedience to him and for the better fitting and qualifying of us to receive all things from him We do not by our Prayers merit any thing at the hands of God as Papists falsly imagine but we receive all of his free grace and mercy and for the merits of Christ alone c. Use 1 Vse 1. See the excellency of Prayer being the chief and principal means next unto faith for the obtaining of all things which we desire of God and are needful and fit for us The Key to unlock and open the Lord's Treasury or Store-house that we may from thence receive all blessings needful for Soul and Body and all deliverances in time of trouble and danger By this we have power with God as Jacob
c. This is one of the principal and most excellent works of Faith which it worketh in us and for us the work of Prayer even such a work as brings much glory to God and singular comfort to our selves c. which should therefore draw our hearts to the love of this exercise and Duty of Prayer more and more causing us highly to esteem of it c. Vse 2 Vse 2. See what is one great cause why we want many good things which we desire and cannot obtain It is because as there is great want or weakness of Faith in us so we are slack and negligent in this Duty of Prayer in calling upon God in our necessities c. Jam. 4. 2. Ye have not because ye ask not This neglect of Prayer is one main cause which hinders good things from us This is true not only of wicked men and hypocrites who have no faith and so cannot pray at all but even of the Saints and Children of God who oftentimes by reason of the weakness of their faith or because they do not so stir up this gift of God in themselves as they should are too cold or careless in the Duty of prayer and so by this means they come short of many blessings and good things which they desire and might otherwise receive from God See then that weare not to blame the Lord as if he were slack to give us the things we desire and are needful for us but we are to blame our selves and our want of Faith and slackness in prayer Here is one main cause that we want so many blessings for soul and body which we desire and might otherwise enjoy What 's the cause that we want pardon of sins at least such a comfortable assurance thereof as we desire It is because we do not so often and earnestly sue to God in prayer for it So what 's the cause we want feeling of God's Favour and Love c That we want strength to resist temptations of sin power and ability to mortifie our lusts c. patience to bear afflictions meekness wisdom to carry our selves c It is because we are too slack in asking these things of God in prayer So for Temporal blessings What 's the cause we want health wealth good success in our Callings and business c. Because we are negligent in seeking to God by prayer c. or if we perform this duty yet not in due manner but coldly sleightly formally without faith and true feeling of our wants c. Vse 3 Use 3. See what to do if we would obtain those things which we desire and stand in need of so far as God seeth fit for us Use the means ordained of God yea the chief and principal means next unto Faith which is Prayer and calling upon God in all our necessities and wants daily and from time to time Be frequent diligent and constant in this exercise To this end labour for Faith and to pray with true feeling of our wants and with fervency of heart and affection remembring that Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much c. Remember and think often of the excellency and necessity of this Duty of Prayer being the only ordinary means for the obtaining of all things needful for us both for soul and body the means to draw down all blessings of God upon us both spiritual and temporal the only way to obtain help comfort and deliverance in all troubles c. See then that if there were nothing else to move us to diligence and constancy in this Duty yet our own good and benefit should move us to it So that as the Commandment of God and his gracious Promise annexed should first and principally move us together with the excellency of the duty in it self so our own daily necessities and continual wants should quicken and stir us up to more and more diligence fervency and constancy in this excellent Duty c. Non melior orandi magister quà m necessitas Luther Observ 5 Observ 5. In that our Saviour directs this Exhortation to his Apostles especially and that upon occasion of their desire to have the gift and power of Miracles further confirmed to them hence gather That as the Apostles had need of Faith in working Miracles so also of Prayer unto God by whose power alone they wrought them and not by their own power as our Saviour Christ did At least sometimes they were to use prayer See Matth. 17. 21. And though our Saviour Christ also himself did sometimes use prayer when he was to work Miracles as â—oh 11. 41. yet that was only as a preparative to the work and not as a means whereby the Miracle was wrought c. for that was by the power of his Godhead And therefore at the very time of working the Miracle he used no prayer but only his powerful Word Verse 43. It followeth Believe that ye receive them These words contain the Condition which our Saviour requireth of his Disciples to be observed in all their prayers that they may be effectual to obtain what they ask The Condition is Faith that is a firm belief and perswasion that they shall obtain those things which they ask of God in prayer Observ Observ One Condition or property required in true prayer that it may be acceptable to God and effectual for the obtaining of those things we desire is this that it be made in faith that is with a firm and undoubted perswasion that those things which we ask shall be granted unto us Jam. 1. 5. If any lack wisdome let him ask of God c. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering For he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea c. For let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Therefore also Jam. 5. 15. true prayer which prevaileth with God is called The Prayer of faith to shew that it comes from Faith and must be made in faith 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without doubting If we must not doubt in prayer then on the contrary we must believe and rest perswaded that we shall obtain the things we ask Reas 1 Reason 1. Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. For our persons must first be accepted before any duty or service we perform can be accepted of God Now our persons come to be accepted only in Christ and that by means of Faith believing in Him and apprehending his righteousness Now the same Faith perswades us withall that our persons being accepted God will grant the Petitions we ask of him for Christ's sake Reas 2 Reason 2. God hath promised to hear our prayers and to grant our Petitions which we offer up to him in Christ so that we pray in due manner therefore we are to believe and rest perswaded hereof upon his Word and Promise Quest Quest How far forth are we