rule upon which all Reformers of the Church should proceed viz. the authority of the Scriptures Thus should all that have a Calling to reform abuses in the Church as Magistrates Ministers c. They must have the Word of God for their ground and warrant and be able and ready to alledg it if need be and as occasion is offered against such abuses and disorders as do reign in the Church 2 Chron. 34. Josiah being to reform the Church enquired of the Lord and then caused the Book of the Law to be read in the audience of all the people Nehemiah chap. 13. when he would reform the profanation of the Sabbath alledgeth an example of Gods Judgment brought upon their Fathers for that sin So for the Reforming of the abuse of marrying strange Wives he alledgeth out of Scripture the example of Solomon who fell by that means Reason Reas The Church is the house of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. Therefore all things are to be ordered in it by warrant and direction from him that is the Master viz. from God And this direction he giveth only in his written Word Therefore are the Scriptures called Canonical because they are the Canon or Rule by which all things are to be ordered in the Church Use Use See how needfull it is for such as have a Calling to reform abuses in the Church to be well acquainted with the Scriptures c. But to come to the words themselves alledged here by our Saviour our of Esay 56. 7. My House shall be called c. The scope of the Prophet in these words is to foretell the Calling of the Gentiles and their uniting to the Church in these times of the New Testament as may appear by the circumstances of the place viz. ex praeced et seq ibid. Now this Calling of the Gentiles the Prophet foresheweth by mentioning one special effect or consequent of their Calling viz. their imbracing of the true worship of God and joyning with the true Church in performance of it and that in the most publick and solemn place appointed for it My house This is to be understood literally of the Temple at Jerusalâ—m being the principal place of Gods publick and solemn worship in those times of the Old Testament Called the house of God in that he chose it as a peculiar habitation to dwell in after a sort 1. By ordaining it to be the principal place of his most publick and solemn worship in times of the Old Testament 2 Chron. 7. 12. 2. By making a special and singular promise of his special presence in that place above all other places to hear the prayers and accept all other Religious services which his people should there perform unto him 2 Chron. 7. 15. Mine eyes shall be open and ears attent to the Prayer that is made in this place Mine eyes and heart are there perpetually Now withal by this house of God or Temple at Jerusalâ—m we are Typically to understand here every other publick or solemn place appointed for the publick worship of God in these times of the New Testament because the Temple at Jerusalem was a special type of all such publick places of Gods worship in these timeâ— Shall be called That is accounted and taken to be so indeed See Luke 19. 46. It is an Hebraism as Matth. 5. 9. Peacemakers shall be called Children of God that is they shall be truly accounted and taken so to be An house of Prayer That is a special place appointed for my publick and solemn worship Prayer being one special part of Gods publick worship is here named in stead of all other parts of it Synecdochice Of all Nations Or for all Nations as it is Esay 56. 7. which is all one in effect The meaning is that all other Nations as well as the Jews should acknowledg the Temple at Jerusalem to be the principal place of Gods publick and solemn worship and accordingly should gather and assemble themselves there to worship God which yet is not to be understood literally as if all Nations should indeed come or repair to the material Temple at Jerusalem to worship God there for this never came to pass but it is Typically and Mystically to be understood viz. that the elect of God of other Nations as well as of the Jews should in these times of the New Testament be called and gathered to the true Church typified by the Temple at Jerusalem and should be forward to joyn with the Church in the publick and solemn worship of God in the place appointed for it that is to say not onely in the Temple at Jerusalem but in every other place typified by that Temple wheresoever the Church should publickly worship God See Joh. 4. 21. The words being thus explained consider in them three things 1. The special title given to the Temple at Jerusalem and typically to every other publick place appointed for Gods publick worship in these times of the New Testament It is called the house of God and that by the mouth of God himself My House 2. The true end and use for which both the Temple in times of the Old Testament and every other place of Gods worship in these times of the New Testament typified by the Temple was and is Ordained of God viz. To be a house of Prayer that is a peculiar place for Gods publick worship 3. The generality of the persons who should in these times of the New Testament so esteem of the place of Gods publick worship as a house or place of Prayer and should use it accordingly viz. All Nations Gentiles as well as Jews Observ Of the first Observ In that the Temple at Jerusalem and typically every publick place appointed for Gods worship in these times of the New Testament is here called the House of God we may see the dignity and excellency of such places as are appointed for Gods publick worship in that the Lord doth esteem of every such place as his house or habitation where he may be said to dwell after a sort in that he hath promised in a more special manner to be present with his people being assembled in his Name to serve and worship him and there to hear their prayers and to accept of all their services duly performed to him As Jacob Geâ— 28. 19. called the place where God appeared to him Bethel that is the house of God So may every place appointed for Gods worship be called Bethel yea the Gate of heaven as he saith ver 17. because God dwelleth there in special manner manifesting the special presence of his Grace in hearing the Prayers and accepting the services of his people and that by vertue of his own promise Deut. 12. 5. The publick place which the Lord should chuse to put his name there is called his habitation And Psal 132. 13. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever there will I dwell c. yea the
to confound the Mighty c. He was able by the Preaching of poor unlearned Fishermen and such like mean Persons to confute and confound the great learned Philosophers and wise Men of the World He was able by their Ministery to beat down Satans Kingdom insomuch that he is said to have fallen from Heaven like lightning at their Preaching By their Ministery he was able to convert the World and to Call many thousands in a short space to the Christian Faith In a word by these weak instruments and means the Lord effected greater matters then all the Kings and Monarchs in the World could do with all their Power So Josh 6. he overthrew Jericho by weak meanes The Lord brought great Plagues upon Pharoah by small meanes c. Use 1 Use 1. Admire this wonderfull Power of God which is so far above all means and able to bring so great things to passe for the good of his Church by so weak means and yield him the Glory and Praise of his Almighty Power Use 2 Use 2. See the reason why the Word preached by mortall men like our selves hath such powerfull effects being able to beat down Sin and Satan in men to regenerate men to convert and save them c. No marvail for God doth shew his Almighty Power in this his own Ordinance 1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching c. Look not at the weakness of the means in appearance but remember God can work great matters by weak instruments and means Therefore despise not the means but use them conscionably and seek to God by prayer to accompany them with the powerfull work of his Spirit to make them effectuall Use 3 Use 3. Comfort for the Church in distresse when there is small means to help c. More particular Observations Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour gave such a name to Peter as might put him in mind of that strength of Faith that should be in him and such a name to the Sons of Zebedee as might put them in mind of their Duty which was to Preach the Word with zeal and power of the Spirit Hence gather That Parents should be carefull to give unto their Children such names as may teach and admonish them of good things especially such as may teach them piety and the fear of God Also such names as may put them in mind of the good examples of their religious Ancestors or of other holy Men and Women which we read of in Scripture or which we have heard of Thus Luke 1. 59. the Friends of Zachary and Elizabeth would have named John Baptist after his Fathers name but that his Father and Mother were moved by speciall instinct to call him John In the times of the Old Testament names were given either by Propheticall instinct or else according to some speciall events which happened about the time of their Birth In our Times it is fit to give usuall names so as they be such as may put the party in mind of Piety and Vertue Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour gave to Simon the Surname of Peter which signifies a Rock to shew the strength of that faith which he would give to him and to the rest of the Apostles Hence observe That great is the strength and power of that true justifying Faith which God gives unto his Elect it makes such as are indued with it like unto Peter that is Rocks able to withstand all adversary power that opposeth it self against them and their salvation 1 Pet. 2. 5. The rest of the Faithful are called living Stones c. Therefore Hebr. 3. 14. faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or subsistance or the Foundation by which we are upholden because it is that by which the Elect of God are inabled to stand against all enemies that oppose their Salvation 1. Joh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith By the World there understand all things in the World that oppose against our Salvation as the Devil the Flesh wicked Men Afflictions c. Faith stands against them and overcometh them all Ephes 6. Faith is the Shield that quencheth all the fiery Darts of the Devil See also Hebr. 11. 33 c. The reason hereof is because true Faith uniteth Believers unto Christ and so doth not onely make them partners with him in that Victory which he hath obtained over their Spirituall Enemies but also it doth convey spirituall strength from Christ unto them whereby they are inabled to stand out against Satan the World and all Enemies that oppose their Salvation And hence it is That Matth. 16. 18. it is said The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against the true Church being by Faith united unto Christ and built upon him Use Use See by this the excellency and necessity of true Faith in Christ This is that grace that builds us upon Christ the true Rock of the Church and so makes us also living stones or Rocks like unto Peter inabling us constantly and couragiously to withstand all Spirituall Enemies that lift themselves up against our Salvation yea it makes us more then Conquerers over them Labour for this Grace of Faith which may joyn us to Christ and make us one with him Then shall we from him receive strength and power to stand against all Enemies of our Salvation This will make us like the House built on the Rock which though the Winds blow and the Rain fall and the Floods come and beat against it yet it stands firm and unmovable because it is built upon a Rock So shall it be with us if we have Faith in Christ yea though it be but a small measure of this grace like the grain of Mustard-seed yet if it be true Faith great is the power and strength of it able to make a Christian to stand like an invincible Rock against the assaults of all Spirituall Enemies Indeed it is to be granted that a Christians Faith may sometimes be dangerously shaken by the assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh but it can never be wholly overturned or vanquished The prayer of Christ for Peter Luke 22. 32. is effectuall for all the Faithfull therefore though Satan may winnow them yet their Faith shall not fail So much of this Point Observ 3 Observ 3. And he surnamed them Boanerges c. Hence gather That Ministers of the Word should shew zeal and power of the Spirit in Preaching the Word Isa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voyce like a Trumpet c. Hos 8. 1. Set the Trumpet to thy mouth c. Examples of this we have in Eliah Jeremy John Baptist Paul of whom Hierom saies Paulum Apostolum quotiescunque lego non verba audire videor sed tonitrua Apolog. advers Jovinianum So also James and John were indeed sons of thunder that is zealous and powerfull Preachers of the Word James did so thunder against the
destroy him The third is their wilful ignorance and blindness in that being formerly convinced of the lawfull Calling and Authority of Christ by so many evident signs and testimonies of it as they had seen and heard viz. by the testimony of John Baptist given of him that he was the Messiah and by the excellency of his Doctrine and Divine power shewed by so many Miracles c. yet for all this they cannot or rather will not see what Authority he had but do now question him about the same Now follow the Instructions 1. From that which is commendable in them Observ Observ In that they take it for granted that none in the Church should take upon them any publick Office or Function without a lawfull Calling and Authority Hence we may learn this that no man ought to take upon him any publick Office or Function in the Church without a Calling and lawfull Authority committed to him As these enemies of our Saviour do take this for granted here so our Saviour himself doth not deny it but rather confirm it by his answer afterward in that he doth alledg the Calling of John Baptist to justify his own Calling because John bare witness of him thereby shewing that both himself and John had indeed a lawfull Calling and Authority to do that they did and consequently that every one that takes upon him any publick Office in the Church ought to have a lawfull Calling and Authority so to do and that without such a Calling he ought not to take any such Office upon him This is true of all publick Offices in the Church as the Office of a Magistrate or Minister c. but especially of the Office and Function of the Ministry Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son c. Now if our Saviour Christ took not upon him the Office of Priesthood in the Church without a Calling from God his Father much less ought any other to take upon him the Office of a publick Pastor or Minister of the Church without a lawful Calling and Authority from God See Joh. 3. 27. and Rom. 10. 14. How shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent A twofold Calling of Ministers of the Church 1. Immediate and extraordinary 2. Mediate and ordinary by the Church c. Reasons Reasons why none ought to take upon him this publick Office or Function in the Church without a lawfull Calling 1. Because without such a Calling he cannot be assured that God will assist him and strengthen him to do the duties of his Calling 2. That he cannot expect or look for the blessing of God upon that which he doth in execution of his Office and so he cannot with comfort go on in it 3. Neither can he be assured of Gods protection in his Calling that God will maintain and keep him against all enemies and dangers Now there is a twofold Calling required of every one that takes upon him this publick Office in the Church 1. An inward Calling from God and in his own Conscience whereby he must know and be assured in himself that God hath indued him in some measure with such gifts and graces as are requisite to make him able and fit to execute that Office and Function together with a willing and ready mind and Conscience to use those gifts to the glory of God and good of the Church 2. An outward Calling from men also being approved and allowed of by such as are in Authority in the Church to execute that Office he taketh upon him He that hath this twofold Calling may lawfully and with a good Conscience take upon him this publick Office of the Ministry in the Church and may with comfort execute the same and not otherwise Mark 11. 28. By what Authority dost thou these things c. June 6. 1630. NOw follow such Instructions as we are to learn from that which is evil and wicked in these Priests Scribes and Elders the enemies of our Saviour Observ 1 Observ 1. One malicious practice of wicked men against Gods faithfull Messengers and Ministers called and sent to Preach unto them his Word and to admonish and reprove them for their sins that if they be not able to gainsay or withstand their Doctrine or to take exception against their persons or manner of life then they are ready to oppose their Calling and Authority and to call that into question especially if they be such Ministers as do deal plainly and faithfully in reproving sin and reforming abuses c. As these Priests Scribes and Elders dealt with our Saviour Christ so are other wicked men apt to deal with Gods Ministers especially if they deal plainly and faithfully in admonishing and reproving their sins and seek to reform abuses in the Church Thus the Princes Priests and people dealt with the Prophet Jeremy being not able to withstand his Doctrine they questioned his Calling whether he were sent of God to Prophecy to them as he did of that grievous Judgment of the Captivity which is the cause and reason that he doth labour so much to justify and approve his Calling against them as we may see chap. 26. 15. Of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears So in other places of his Prophecy Joh. 1. 25. the Pharisees question the Calling of John Baptist If thou be not the Christ nor Elias nor that Prophet Why then dost thou Baptize Because he Preached Repentance reproving their sins and sought reformation of the Church bringing in a new Sacrament c. They could not except against his person or Doctrine therefore they question his Calling Reason Reas Wicked men cannot endure to have their sins reproved as we heard before ver 18. therefore they hate and oppose such as reprove them especially the Ministers of God and shew their hatred by questioning their Authority and Calling Use Use See how needful it is for Ministers of the Word not onely to have a good and lawfull Calling from God and from the Church but also to know and be assured hereof in Conscience that so they may be able to justify and approve their own Calling and Authority against all that question or oppose it Observ 2 Observ 2. Under pretence of being carefull that none should usurp Authority in the Church they hide their malicious purpose against our Saviour Hence learn that it is the property of wicked men and Hypocrites to hide their wicked practises under good pretences Matth. 22. 15. The Pharisees and Herodians under pretence of good opinion of him c. seek to intangle him c. Joh. 12. 6. And Judas Matth. 23. 14. Vse Use Take heed of this gross Hypocrisy and dissimulation Dissembled holiness is double iniquity worse then open malice
learned Divines of both Universities and other parts of the Kingdom to the number of above 200 whose Names would be tedious and improper here to recite though to be seen in the hands of the Undertakers having expressed their earnest desire to promote the Publication of this faithful and solid Commentary It is now at length through the Goodness of God compleatly effected in the which I could do no less as a Brother than be Instrumental To whose Divine Blessing I humbly commend both Work and Reader only beg a few lines to spend upon the Comment it self Thou hast pious Reader exposed here to publick view I think the largest of all the Commentaries that have yet appeared in any Language upon any of the Evangelists As the Gospel it self entertains you with a Discourse of the Life of our Saviour so this Comment was the Work of the principal part of our Reverend Author's Life The Evangelist sets before you the heavenly Feast of the Covenant of Grace This Commentator servs it up with choise and Appetite-whetting Sawces It 's worth our lives to read it digest it exemplify it in a suitable Conversation There is a strain of spirituality runs through it that will render it very acceptable unto such whose holy senses are exercised in the things of God In handling of each parcel of this Holy Scripture after a clear Partition of the words he raiseth distinct and pertinent Observations puts forth every where as occasion requires notable Textual Intricacies and Inquiries which he solves judiciously and distinctly and yet with a neat desirable brevity without obscurity He seems utterly to disaffect all larded pompous and high-flown Expressions and aereal Terms He aims not at diserta but fortia not to level his design at Eloquent Trappings but strong and nervous Explications as Jerom once wrote to Nepotianus Docente te in Ecclesia non clamor Populi sed gemitus suscitet te Lachrymae Auditorum Laudes tuae sint When thou teachest in the Church let not the humming but the groaning of the People raise thy Affections The tears of the Auditors are the praises of the Minister There is scarce any material Point or practical Controversy that may not if I mistake not be found in this excellent Treasury of Divinity Many proper and obvious Objections every where almost raised and no less satisfied Multitudes of Cases of Conscience requisite for the daily use of all sorts of Christians pertinently discussed To instance in a few Here is handled the Minister's Warrant and Call to his holy Function and Office the manner of managing it to his own Comfort the honour of his High-Calling and the Edification of his People Here is discussed that Question When and in what Cases Confession of Sins may and must be made unto men As to Civil Callings How to know the Time when we ought to enter into them The Nature of spiritual Combates The true Apprehension of the state of Adoption How to discern the Devil's Suggestions from the Motions of our own corrupt Lusts The Purity of the Word of God What Comforts and Supports against the troubles of vain thoughts in Prayer How to know that we are sincere in the great and important matters of Religion In what respect either as to Order of Time or Nature or quo ad nos Repentance may be said or not be said to go before Faith Here is stated the difference between John's Baptism and Christ's The Questions about costly Apparel the plentiful Use of the Creatures the Duty of lifting up our Eyes and Hearts to Heaven before and after Meals by the Example of our Lord and what Knowledg the Saints shall have of each other in the Kingdom of Glory are all sweetly opened and pithily answered These 〈…〉 scatterings and gleanings of my present Observation to the vast Multitudes of useful practical spiritual Cases that are here almost in every Leaf in every Sermon held forth for the enlightning of the Understanding the rectifying the Conscience the resolving the doubtful the establishing the weak the comforting the Desolate the stating of Evidences of God's Love and the Administration of an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That the Man of God may be perfect unto every good Work With Commendation therefore of these pious and holy Labours of Love unto the Dews of Zion and thy Soul unto the fructifying Influences of God who alone giveth encrease unto the planting of Paul and the watering of Apollos not willing to detain thee any longer from entring into this spiritual Mine of the Gold of Ophir I rest From my Study at Heaver in the County of Kent Septemb. 3. 1661. Thine in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour J. Petter AN Alphabetical TABLE wherein is comprised the principal matter contained in the Commentary upon the Gospel of St. MARK A. Account ALL men must give an Account 905 Accusation Silence is the best Answer to a false Accusation 1403 False Accusation 1398 1399 The most innocent are sometimes falsly accused 781 Admonition When it should be severe 1434 1615 1616 Adoption It belongs onely to Believers 585 Derived by the Son-ship of Christ 911 Advice It should precede our Actions 278 Adultery Remedies against it 430 Affections When they are sincere 208 338 When they are inordinate they are an hindrance 218 Remedies against their inordinatenesse 218 Christians are not required to be altogether without them 137 Affliction 532 776 790 1317 1320 1349 1490 1491 1518 1519 1533 1539 1590 1604. Believers not exempt from it 124 128 272 239 Fasting should be used in time of Affliction 123 God sometimes seems not to observe the Affliction of his Children 241 244 379 In it we must trust in God 1535 Christ takes notice of the Affliction of his Servants 375 God sometimes deferrs help 377 God sometimes exerciseth his Servants with many Afflictions at once 382 442 802 916 917 It is often greatest when deliverance is near 383 The Church in this World is exercised with it 376 God exerciseth Faith with it 447 It encreaseth Faith 453 Christians should be prepared for it 514 534 539 1227 1281 1282 1286 Such as follow Christ must suffer it 538 787 Self-deniall a help to bear it 537 Prayer an Effect of it 803 Following Christ in it an evidence of love 1387 Prayer a Remedy against it 1319 God tryeth his People with it 41 210 God gives a happy issue to it 42 245 455 1328 Prayer a Duty in time of Affliction 85 148 803 804 807 1118 It is a stumbling-block to Hypocrites 212 Preservatives against the evil of it 213 1282 In it we are apt to distrust God 243 The benefit of it when sanctified 268 443 541 They come to Christians by Providence 360 1259 Difference between the Afflictions of the godly and the Afflictions of the wicked 370 The Circumstance of time sometimes aggravates it 374 It is twofold 376 Christ is present with us in them 383 Christ's
11. 5. c. Ismael is called a wild man Gen. 16. 12. and such are all wicked men nay they are as bad or worse than wild beasts to converse with yet we must be contented and patient though we be constrained to live among such brutish men seeing our Saviour himself was content for our sakes to live among wild beasts in this desolate Wilderness Observ 3 Observ 3. Here is an evidence of the divine power of Christ that he is Lord of all creatures in that he could and did restrain the wild beasts from hurting him He can alter the nature of the Creatures as Dan. 6. 22. and Act. 28. 5. Hitherto I have spoken of the two general Points considered in this short History of Christ's temptations namely 1. Of the Preparative unto them ver 12. 2. Of the Temptations themselves together with the Circumstances of them in the former part of the 13. ver Now followeth the third thing to be considered touching the temptations of our Saviour namely The good issue and event that followed after them This is expressed in the last words of this Verse when it is said The Angels ministred unto him First To open the meaning The Angels ministred c. The manner how they ministred is expressed by Matthew chap. 4. ver 11. when he saith that the Angels came and ministred unto him whereby is insinuated that they took upon them a bodily shape and so came to him in visible manner What they ministred is not expressed but it is probable that they did both comfort him after his being tempted of Satan and also that they did minister bodily food and sustenance to him being hungry after his forty dayes Fasting Quest Quest Did not the Angels attend on him and minister to him before his temptations were ended Answ Answ Yes but not in â—uch visible manner as now they did Christ Jesus being Lord of the Angels was never destitute of their Ministry but now they performed it to him in visible manner Now we read not of such a visible Ministry of Angels attending on him to comfort him but onely at this time and a little before his death when he was in that agony in the Garden Luke 22. 43. which shews that he was at that time much afflicted and weakned in body partly with hunger after so long Fasting and partly with Satan's Temptations So much of the sense of the words Observ 1 Observ 1. God giveth a good and happy issue in due time to all the troubles and temptations of his Children Though he hold them for a time under the cross yet at length he sets them free and gives them a time of refreshing Our Saviour long molested by Satan and wild beasts c. at length is set free c. Luke 4. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it God hath appointed a time in which he will afflict and try his Children and when that time is expired he will deliver them and give them ease and comfort Psal 34. 19. This is true of Inward and Outward Afflictions 1. Of Inward Though the Lord suffers his Children to be for a time afflicted inwardly by Satan's temptations or with the heavy burden of their own sins yet in due time he alwaies restoreth them to comfort and easeth them of these inward troubles 2. It is true of Outward Afflictions Psal 125. 3. The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous c. The Israelites were long afflicted and oppressed in Aegypt under Pharoah yet at length God delivered them when their affliction was come to great extremity So the Jews afterward were seventy years afflicted in Babylon yet at length the Lord brought them home again to their own Country Job had a time of grievous outward Affliction and at length was delivered So David had many outward troubles yet the Lord gave an issue to them in due time So Paul 2 Cor. 1. 8. was pressed out of measure above strength c. and then God delivered him from so great a death c. ver 10. Use Vse This must comfort us in all troubles and temptations inward and outward though they continue upon us for a time yea though it be for a long time yet if we wait upon God with patience we shall in his good time see a happy issue and deliverance Hebr. 10. Yet a while and he that shall come will come c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Angels ministred comfort and sustenance to Christ in this time of his weakness and want hence we may gather for our comfort that so many as have Union with Christ by Faith they are by vertue of this Union partakers of this priviledge That the Angels are ministring Spirits for their good as it is Hebr. 1. 14. Psal 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them Psal 91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes This is the priviledge of all the faithful That as the Angels ministred to Christ their Head in his necessity so they are ready at God's command to minister unto them also for their good that is to protect them against Satan and to preserve them safe in times of danger See some examples of this Gen. 32. 1. when Jacob went to meet Esau the Angels of God met him which they did no doubt to this end to comfort and strengthen him against his Brother Esau who sought his life So Gen. 19. the Angels brought Lot out of Sodom So 1 King 19. an Angel fed Eliah in the Wilderness And in the Acts of the Apostles we read how the Apostles were delivered out of Prison by Angels Act. 12. and Act. 16. Vse Vse Comfort to the faithful in all times of temptation and distress the Angels of God are still ready prest at Gods Command to protect and keep them from evil especially to defend them against the malice and power of Satan and wicked men his Instruments Though many Devils and wicked men oppose themselves against us yet we have a Garrison of Angels ready still to defend and keep us There are more with us than against us as Elisha told his Servant 2 King 6. Let us pray unto God to open our eyes to see this our priviledge that the good Angels are continually about us to protect us in our wayes and let the consideration of it comfort us against the malice and power of Satan and of wicked men and against all evils and dangers that may befal us Mark 1. 14 15. Now after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching c. Sept. 27. 1618. OF the two first parts of this Chapter we have spoken 1. Of our Saviour Christ's Baptism 2. Of his Temptations by Satan
Now we are come to the third namely His Preaching in Galilee which is set down partly in these two Verses and partly afterward in two other places of this Chapter as ver 21. and 22. and again ver 35. c. to 40. In these two Verses now read consider three things 1. The Time when our Saviour Christ preached After John was delivered to prison 2. The Place where in Galilee He came thither to preach there 3. The Preaching it self amplified by the Matter which he taught set down 1. Generally In these words The Gospel of the Kingdom 2. More particularly in the 15. Verse as we shall see when we come to handle it First Of the Circumstance of Time noted in these words After that John was put in prison that is after John Baptist was apprehended and imprisoned wrongfully by Herod The cause of this Imprisonment was For his reproving of Herod's incestuous Marriage with his Brother's Wife as we read Mat. 14. and Mark 6. Observ 1 Observ 1. See here what Reward the Ministers of God do usually receive at the hands of wicked men for the faithful discharge of their Duty in reproving sin they are for this cause hated opposed and persecuted wrongfully Thus was John Baptist imprisoned by Herod for reproving his sin of Incest and thus have the faithful Ministers of God in all Ages been persecuted and hated for reproving sin Mat. 5. 12. So persecuted they the Prophets which were before you So our Saviour foretelleth how the Jews should deal with the faithful Ministers sent to them Mat. 23. 34. Behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and of them ye shall kill and crucify and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from City to City Thus dealt they long before with the Prophets which were sent to reprove their 〈◊〉 ◠Chron. 36. 16. They mocked the Messengers of God and misused his Prophets c. We have examples of this in sundry Prophets as in Eliah Michaiah Jeremiah c. So also in the Apostles yea in our Saviour Christ himself Reas Reas Joh. 3. 20. Every man that doth evill hateth the Light neither cometh to it lest his deeds should be reproved Wicked men ly in the Darkness of sin now the Ministry of the Word is a Light to discover this Darkness and to convince their sins Therefore they hate this Word and persecute the faithful Ministers of it Vse 1 Vse 1. Think it no new or strange thing though in these times we see good and faithful Ministers hated molested troubled c. onely for the faithful discharge of their Duty in reproving men's sins c. yea we our selves that are Ministers must not be dismayed at it but remember it was alwayes thus this is but that old Enmity that hath ever been between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent What marvel that Owles should hate the Light If a Minister be opposed by wicked men for his Doctrine this may comfort him rather than discourage him for it argues that his Doctrine is such as convinceth carnal men's consciences of sin Luther liked his Doctrine the better because it was so much opposed by Papists and others Use 2 Vse 2. See by this our miserable blindness and corruption by nature which thus causeth us to hate trouble and persecute such as would do us good that is the faithful Ministers of God whom He sends to admonish us of our sins and to reprove us for them and so to bring us to Repentance and Salvation John sought to bring Herod to Repentance c. Is it not strange that we should hate those that seek our greatest good even the Salvation of our Souls yet thus it is with us by nature till God renew and change our hearts this shews that we love Darkness more than Light as it is Joh. 3. 19. One that is desirous to sleep is offended and angry at every thing that awakes him so is it with us by nature we do not onely ly asleep in our sins but we are apt to be offended at those who would awake us In bodily diseases we love and reward the Physitian that seeks to cure us yea though it be with hard Physick but see how foolish we are in the maladies of our Souls we are ready to hate and to be offended at such as would cure us of them by wholsome admonitions and reproofs But let it not be thus with us c. Observ 2 Observ 2. When John is cast into prison and stopped from preaching any longer then Christ preacheth hence observe the Lord 's provident care over his Church never leaving it wholly destitute of means of Instruction When some of his faithfull Ministers are restrained from preaching he stirreth up others in their rooms not suffering all their mouths to be stopped at once Act. 12. when Herod had put James to death he thought to have done the like to Peter but the Lord suffered him not Therefore although Peter were also laid in Prison and bound with two Chaines yet the Lord sent his Angel to let him loose out of Prison So we also read Revel 11. 3. that when the holy City that is the Church should be wasted and trodden under foot of the Gentiles that is of the prophane multitude that follow Antichrist yet even then the Lord would reserve two witnesses at least that is a small number which should propagate the Truth notwithstanding all the rage of Antichrist Use Vse Comfort to the true Church and to the Children of it against the rage and fury of such as persecute it Though they be never so maliciously bent against it they shall never be able wholly to root out or abolish all the faithful Pastors and Ministers of it but still out of their ashes the Lord will raise up others to preach and maintain his Truth So much of the Circumstance of Time when our Saviour Christ preached namely after that John Baptist was imprisoned Now we come to speak of the Place where he preached which was Galilee For it is said He came into Galilee there to preach the Gospel c. Galilee was one third part of Palestina or The Holy Land as it is called for it was divided into three principal Regions Judea Samaria and Galilee Judea was the most Southerly part Galilee the more Northerly part and Samaria did ly in the midst between them Now there were two parts of Galilee the Upper bordering to Tyrus Northerly and the Lower bordering to Samaria Southerly c. Now in this Country of Galilee our Saviour Christ was most conversant during the time of the execution of his publick Ministry there he taught and preached much and there he wrought most of his miracles whence it is that the enemies of Christ used to call him in way of contempt The Galilean So Julian the Apostate called Him as Eusebius reporteth Now this frequent conversing of Christ in this Country made it very famous
when we come unto it Now to gather some Observations from this 30. Verse Observ 1 Observ 1. First we see here that Peter though called to be Christ's Disciple and appointed afterwards to Preach the Gospel as an Apostle yet was a married Person at the time of his Calling and retained his wife after his Calling This is plain in that his wive's mother is here mentioned See also 1 Cor. 9. 5. Hence then we gather against the Papists the lawfulness of the Marriage of Ministers of the Word that such as are Called to that holy Function may lawfully both marry and also live with their wives after marriage having marriage-society with them Hebr. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable among all and the Bed undefiled And 1 Tim. 3. 2. A Bishop that is a Pastor must be the Husband of one Wife that is such a one as hath but one Wife at once which shews that He may lawfully be the Husband of one at one time as any other Christian man may And whereas the Papists would have the meaning to be that he should be such a one as had bin the Husband of one Wife before his calling to the Ministry this is flat against the very words of the Text he must be one that is the Husband of one Wife not one that hath bin so See also for this Point the example of Philip the Evangelist who was marryed and had Daughters as we see Acts 21. But the Papists Object that although Peter and the Apostle and Philip the Evangelist had Wives before they were called to the Ministery yet they lived not with them neither had company with them as their Wives after their Calling to the Ministery But this is false as may appear by this reason because if they had separated themselves from their Wives after their Calling they should have transgressed the Ordinance of God in divorcing themselves from their Wives out of the case of Adultery contrary to the Doctrine of Christ Matth. 19. 9. But it is not likely they would do so for it had bin a great sin in them and far be it from us to charge them with it Besides it is manifest that Peter lived with his Wife even after his Calling to the Ministery if we consider that place 1 Cor. 9. 5. We are therefore to hold this Doctrine of the Papists condemning the marriage of Ministers to be no other but the Doctrine of Devils as the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 4. 1 3. Observ 2 Observ 2. It is likely that Peter's Mother-in-Law was a good Woman fearing God 1. Because she lived in a good and Religious Family 2. Because it is said That after she was cured she Ministred unto them that is she waited upon them diligently and helped them with necessâ—ries and this seemeth a good fruit of her Faith and her true love to Christ and his Disâ—iples Therefore taking her to have 〈◊〉 a good Woman We may hence observe That good Men and Women are not exempted or priviledged from bodily sicknesse God useth to visit his own Children with bodily sickness as well as others This we see verified in sundry examples as of Ezekiah Esay 38. Lazarus Joh. 11. Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 27. Timothy 1 Tim. 5. 23. Reas Reas Why the Lord doth this 1. Sometimes to chastise and humble them for some speciall sins into which they fall after their first conversion and by this means to cause them to renew their Repentance for such faults So 1 Cor. 11. 30 32. 2. To prevent sin in them and to restrain them from it for time to come See Job 33. 16 17. 3. To make tryall of their Faith Patience and other Christian Graces in them To see how they will rest upon God for deliverance and how willingly and contentedly they will submit to his hand c. 4. To shew them their Mortality and the Frailty of their earthly Tabernacles 5. To wean them from the love of this World and the things here below and to quicken their hearts to a longing for Heaven that they may be desirous to depart out of the Body when God shall call them to it as Paul was Phil 1. 23. Use 1 Vse 1. Prepare and Arm our selves now in time of health that we may be able and willing to bear the pains of sickness when God shall please to send it on us health and soundness of Body will not alwayes continue The strongest bodies must look for a change Let us now in our health get Faith and Patience and store our Selves with Comfort out of the Word of God that we may be able to bear sickness as we ought when the Lord shall send it Many are impatient and comfortless in sickness because they never made it present to them before it came nor prepared themselves to bear it Use 2 Use 2. It is matter of comfort to us in all sicknesse though never so tedious long or painfull Consider this the dearest Saints of God have tasted of the same Cup. All or most of God's Children hitherto have gone through the pains of Sickness and of Death also we are not better then Hezekiah Lazarus Job c. Refuse not then the Lord 's chastening c. Hebr. 12. He doth it for our good Let us labour to profit by every Sickness c. Mark 1. 30 31. And anon they told him of her And he came and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately Jan. 24. 1618. the Feaver left her and she Ministred unto them Observ 3 PEter kept his Mother-in-Law in his House and took care of her to nourish her in her Sicknesse Hence Children may learn their Duty towards their Parents being aged Viz. That they ought to succour help and cherish them in their necessities especially in their elder years If Peter did this to his Mother-in-Law how much more do all Children owe this duty to their Naturall Parents By this they are to shew their thankfulnesse for their Life and Education and for all the care pains and cost which their Parents have bestowed therein Their Parents having nourished them should be nourished again by them in their necessity especially in their old age 1 Tim. 5. 4. Let Widdows learn to recompence their Parents for this is honest c. Gen. 47. 12. Joseph nourished his Father and his Brethren and all his Father's Houshold with Bread according to their Families Joh. 19. 26. Our Saviour Christ at his Death took special care of his Mother committing her to John Nature teacheth this thankfulness to Parents The Stork nourisheth her Damme being old The Heathen knew this Truth The contrary sin to this is reproved in the Scribes and Pharisees Mark 7. 11 12. who under pretence of offering Sacrifices to God in behalf of their Parents neglected the relief of their Parents Vse 1 Use 1. To shame many unthankful and unnaturall Children refusing to help and cherish their aged Parents taking no care of them in their necessities to relieve them but
came a Leper unto him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean March 7. 1618. Observ 1 HEnce gather That in prayer a reverent gesture and carriage of the body is to be used thereby to expresse the inward reverence of our hearts towards God Isa 6. 2. The Seraphims that is the Angels standing before God are said to cover their Faces in token of reverence much more should we use a reverent carriage of our Selves when we come before God in prayer Quest Quest Are we tyed to use alwaies this gesture of kneeling in prayer Answ Answ Not so the Word of God doth not bind us to this or any other particular gesture for in Scripture we find sundry gestures used Some have prayed standing as the Publican Luke 18. 13. and this gesture is also commended Mark 11. 25. Some have prayed sitting as Elijah 1 King 19. 4. and our Saviour Christ at the institution of his Sacramentall Supper blessed the Bread and Wine sitting Some have prayed kneeling as Paul Eph. 3. 14. and Peter Acts 9. 40. Some groveling with their faces on the Ground as Moses and Aaron Numb 16. 22. and our Saviour Matth. 26. 39. So this Leper as St. Luke saith Luke 5. Again some in prayer have stretched out their arms and hands toward Heaven as Solomon 1 King 8. 22. and Moses Exod. 17. 11. Some have lifted up their eyes to Heaven as our Saviour Christ Joh. 17. 1. Some have cast them down as the Publican Luke 18. Nevertheless though in the Word no one particular gesture be prescribed yet we may from the Scripture draw this generall Rule that all gestures used in prayer should be reverent Quest Quest What gestures are to be accounted reverent Answ 1 Answ 1. Such as are comely and decent 2. Such as serve to expresse the true inward humility of our hearts towards God 3. Such as expresse the inward reverence of our hearts Vse 1 Vse 1. To reprove the rude and unreverent behaviour of many in prayer especially in publick prayer Some lying along after an unseemly manner some gazing about some talking or sleeping But suppose they should carry themselves in this rude manner in the presence of an Earthly Prince would it not be hainously taken as a grosse contempt of his person And will not the King of Heaven and Earth take it much more as a high indignity offered to his Majesty that we should come to speak to him in prayer after this unreverent manner Let this abuse therefore be reformed amongst us Use 2 Vse 2. Look to our outward carriage when we come before God in prayer that it be decent and reverent especially be carefull of this publick prayer that by our reverent behaviour in the Church we may give good example to others And that we may be reverent in our outward carriage in prayer both publick and private labour above all to have our hearts affected with inward reverence and aw of God's infinite Majesty before whom we are and to whom we speak in prayer Observ 2 Observ 2. Such as will pray aright must come to God with humble hearts feeling their own vilenesse and unworthinesse of that which they ask So did this Leper come to Christ and this he shewed by the gestures of kneeling and falling flat on his face Thus also did Abraham abase himself in praying to God for the Sodomits Gen. 18. 27. He acknowledged himself to be but dust and ashes So Jacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies So Job 40. 4. Behold I am vile c. and Dan. 9. 7. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth to thee but unto us confusion of Face c. and Ver. 18. We do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousness c. See Luke 18. The Publican Reasons of this point Reas 1 Reas 1. God is most ready to hear and accept those that are humble in heart Psal 34. 18. Jam. 4. 6. He giveth grace to such Reas 2 Reas 2. This sense and feeling of our own unworthinesse will breed reverence in us towards the Majesty of God Use 1 Use 1. See how unfit such are to pray who are proud in heart like the Pharisee Luke 18. God abhorreth them and their prayers He beholdeth them a far off Use 2 Use 2. In prayer Learn to deny our selves and all that is in us and labour to come to God with a lively feeling of our own vilenesse by reason of our sins and of our unworthiness in our selves to receive any good thing from Him The lower we are in our own eyes and the more vile in our own accompt the more highly doth the Lord esteem us and the readier is he to accept us and to hear our prayers Jam. 4. 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up Come not therefore to God as the proud Pharisee and as the Papist trusting in our own Merits or Righteousness but utterly renounce these things God loves humble Suters not such proud Beggars as the Papists are So much of the outward gesture used by this Leper in beseeching Christ Now I come to the words which he used in his Petition to Christ If thou wilt c. The words were explained before Observ 1 Observ 1. In that this Leper acknowledgeth Christ's Power to cure him we may hence gather That when we come to God in prayer we must rest perswaded and resolved that he is of Power sufficient to grant the things we ask of him Thus our Saviour Christ in his prayer grounded himself upon the Almighty Power of his Father Mark 14. 36. Abba Father all things are possible unto thee take away this Cup from me c. So Paul Eph. 3. 20. Unto him that is able to do exceeding aboundantly above all that we ask or think c. And to this purpose we are taught in the end of the Lord's prayer to use those words Thine is Kingdom Power c. Reas This perswasion of God's power and ability to give what we crave is one speciall help unto our Faith causing us to pray with the more confidence to be heard Reas Vse Labour to be throughly resolved of God's power to grant our petitions Know and be assured that he is an all-sufficient God able to do above all that we ask or think Though the things which we crave may seem to us very difficult and hard to be granted if we respect our own unworthinsse yet if we look at God's Almighty power we shall think otherwise Therefore in all our prayers strive for this resolution that it is possible with the Lord yea that it is easie with him to give that we ask For example dost thou ask pardon of thy sins Thou must first rest undoubtedly perswaded that the Lord can pardon them and that his mercy is great enough to forgive them Dost thou ask deliverance out of any great distresse of
but God can be truly and properly said to be Lord of the Sabbath Use 2 Use 2. See by this that the keeping of the Sabbath is the Ordinance of Christ himself standing in force by his Divine Authority and not by vertue of humane Laws onely therefore it is not a matter Arbitrary or indifferent to keep the Sabbath Holy but it is a matter of absolute necessity which is laid upon us of Christ himself who is Lord of the Sabbath He did first Institute it and it is by his power and Authority that the first Institution of the Sabbath is established and continued in the Church at this day It was also by his Authority that the day which the Jews kept before Christs Resurrection was changed into that which we now keep and that the first manner of Resting which the Jews used being Typicall is now abrogated by all which it is plain that the keeping of the Sabbath as it is now in use with us is the Ordinance of Christ and stands in force by his Authority and therefore we are to make Conscience of keeping this day chiefly in respect of Christs Ordinance and not onely because mans Law enjoyns the keeping of it Rom. 14. 6. He that observeth the day observeth it to the Lord So must we observe the Sabbath day to the Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath and whose Ordinance it is that we should keep it Holy Look at this Ordinance of Christ and think seriously and often on it that it may move us to a Conscionable keeping of the day We can never keep it as we ought till we keep it of Conscience towards Christ the Lord of the Sabbath Vse 3 Use 3. See how great is the sin of those that contemn or profane the Sabbath This is to contemn Christ and to set light by his Authority and to profane his holy Ordinance Let all Sabbath-breakers think of this In breaking the Sabbath they sin against Christ the Lord of the Sabbath they contemn and vilify his Authority though there were no Law of Man to forbid the breach of the Sabbath yet the Law of Christ forbids it and he is such a Law-giver as is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. Take heed then how thou profane the Sabbath though no man should be offended at thee for it yet Christ the Lord of the Sabbath will be offended at thee and that is more then if all men in the World should be offended Remember then that every breach of the Sabbath is an offence and Dishonour to Christ the Lord of the Sabbath as it is in other Ordinances of Christ as the Word or Sacraments c. the contempt of these is the contempt of Christ the Lord of them so it is in the Sabbath Vse 4 Vse 4. Seeing Christ is Lord of the Sabbath let us consecrate and give up this day wholly to his honour and glory Isa 58. 13. spending it in holy exercises tending to his glory as in hearing his Word Prayer c. It is his peculiar day which he hath appropriated to himself therefore yield it unto him wholly and entirely as his due Though he be Lord of all times and dayes yet in special of the Sabbath therefore give unto him that which is his of right do not robb him of any parts of his time c. He hath given and allowed to us six dayes whereon to do our own works how much more should we cheerfully yield unto him one in seven Use 5 Vse 5. Christ being absolute Lord of the Sabbath hence it follows that none but he can dispense with the breach of it therefore neither Man nor Angel hath power to dispense with the breach of the Sabbath or to give leave to any to break it The greatest Kings or Monarchs cannot dispense with the Ordinance of Christ much lesse have Masters and Parents being private persons any Authority to give leave to their Servants or Children to profane the Sabbath day Christ alone is Lord of the Sabbath day and therefore such as take upon them to give Liberty to others to break the Sabbath do incroach upon his Authority as Usurpers None can dispense with the Law of an Earthly King but the King himself So here c. Use 6 Use 6. Christ being Lord of the Sabbath hence it followeth that the particular day appointed at first for keeping of it being altered and changed by the Authority of Christ unto that day which we now keep it is not in the Churches power or in the power of Man to change the Day again without speciall direction from Christ and we have no ground of Scripture at all to move us to think that he will ever alter the day again but the contrary may thence be inferred Finis Secundi Capitis CHAP. III. Mark 3. 1 2 3 4. And he entred again into the Synagogue and there was a man there which had a withered Aug. 29. 1619. hand And they watched him whether he would Heal him on the Sabbath day that they might accuse Him And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand Stand forth And he saith unto them Is it lawfull to do good on the Sabbath dayes or to do evil to save life or to kill but they held their peace THis Chapter consisteth of five principall parts 1. Our Saviour Christs Miraculous Curing of one that had a Withered hand unto the sixth Verse 2. Certain Consequents which followed thereupon from the sixth Verse unto the 13th 3. Our Saviour Christs Calling and choosing of the Twelve Apostles From thence to the two and twentieth Verse 4. His Apology or defence of himself against the wicked slander of the Scribes charging him as if he cast out Devils by the help of Beelzebub from the two and twentieth to the one and thirtieth Verse 5. A Message sent unto him by his Mother and Brethren with his Answer to them that did the Message from Ver. 31. to the end of the Chapter Touching the first part which contains the Miraculous Curing of him that had the Withered hand In it we may Consider three things 1. The Circumstances of the Miracle ver 1. 2. 2. Certain Preparatives making way unto it ver 3 4. 3. The Miracle it self ver 5. The Circumstances are four 1. The place where In the Synagogue 2. The occasion of the Miracle Our Saviours entring into the Synagogue 3. The person upon whom it was wrought One that had a withered hand 4. The persons before whom and in whose presence it was wrought Namely the Scribes and Pharisees described by their malicious dealing against our Saviour in that they watched him c. v. 2. He entred again This hath relation to his former going into the Synagogues to Preach What the Synagogues of the Jews were we have heard before That which is here spoken of was some Synagogue of Galilee where our Saviour at this time was Matth. 12. 9. It is said he went into their Synagogue That
wrought by the bare words of our Saviour as he uttered them Answ Answ Not so but by the Divine power of his God-head accompanying his words and manifesting it self in them and by them Observ 1 Observ 1. Here then first we have an evident Argument to prove unto us the truth of Christ's God-head in that he was able by his bare word spoken to work this Miracle in calming the Winds and the Sea It was impossible for any but God to do this Object Object The Devill hath power to raise storms as we see he did against the house where Job's Children were feasting Job 1. 19. therefore it is likely that he can also allay and cease such storms again when he pleaseth Answ Answ 1. Though the Devil hath power to do this yet not without the permission of God from whom he hath all his power but our Saviour Christ calmed the Tempest by his own proper power as he was God 2. When the Devill either raiseth or layeth a storm he doth it by natural helps and means though secret and hid from us as by joyning himself with the matter of the Wind or with the Clouds of rain and Thunder and so working in them and upon them so as to stir up Tempests sometimes and afterward to make them cease again but our Saviour Christ pacified and calmed this storm onely by his divine power immediately without any natural helps or means used by him and therefore by this Miraculous work he manifested himself to be the Son of God and consequently the true Messiah and Saviour of the World This then serveth to confirm our Faith in this main point of Doctrine touching Christ's Divine nature But we have before spoken of it often in handling other Miracles of our Saviour Observ 2 Observ 2. Further in that our Saviour by his bare word spoken doth lay the storm of Wind and pacify the Sea we may observe the wonderfull power and efficacy of the word of Christ when he lived on Earth in that by means of it he was able to work so great and wonderfull effects How many Miracles wrought he by his bare Word spoken Sometimes he did by it drive diseases out of the bodies of the sick Sometimes he cast Devils out of the possessed by it Sometimes he raised the dead by it Sometimes again by his Word he wrought so upon the Hearts of men that he suddenly converted them as he did Levi the Publican and the other Apostles onely by bidding them follow him as we have heard before chap. 1 2. Sometimes by his Word and Doctrine he did astonish the Hearers Sometimes also by a few words of his mouth he so terrified his enemies that he made them fall backward to the ground as we see Joh. 18. 6. Use Use Seeing the word of Christ uttered with his own Mouth when he was upon earth was so powerfull Hence we may gather that the written Word of Christ is also very powerfull and effectuall especially when it is opened and applyed unto the people of God by the Faithfull Ministers of Christ For the same Divine power of Christ which he manifested by his lively voice uttered on earth the same power he still manifesteth in his written Word and in the Ministry of it being now in Heaven at the Right hand of his Father Therefore be diligent in Hearing this Word of Christ Preached to thee by his Ministers and Pray unto him to give power and vertue to it that it may be as effectuall to work upon thee as the lively words of his own mouth were to work upon the Winds and Sea He that was able by the words of his mouth to work upon the Winds and Sea which are dead and senseless creatures He is no less able now by the Ministry of his written Word to work upon the Heart and Conscience that is dead and senseless and without all life of Grace This point also was before spoken of chap. 2. 14. So much of the second thing in the words namely the outward means used by our Saviour in working this Miracle namely his rebuking of the Wind and the Sea Now followeth the third thing which is the effect or consequent of this rebuke The Wind ceased and there was a great Calm Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour by his powerfull Word caused this great storm to cease and turned it to a great Calm and so saved the Disciples from the great danger and trouble in which they were Hence we may gather that Christ Jesus our Lord hath power over all the troubles and Afflictions which at any time do arise against his Church and Faithfull Servants and that he can easily take away the causes of them and cause the troubles to cease whensoever it pleaseth him Psal 93. 3. The Prophet foretelling the troubles which should be raised against the Church of Christ speaketh thus The floods O Lord have lifted up their Voice the floods lift up their Waves The Lordon high that is Christ Jesus is mightier then the noyse of many waters yea then the mighty Waves of the Sea There was never any storm of troubles so great raised against the Church of Christ by Satan or wicked men but Christ was able to make it cease and to send a calm after it It was a great storm of Persecution which Saul raised against the Christian Church when he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples Act. 9. 1. and yet the Lord Jesus by the sudden and Miraculous conversion of Saul did make that storm to cease and sent a calm after it for it is said ver 31. that the Churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edifyed c. So it was a grievous Tempest which was raised against the Primitive Church by the Heathenish Emperours of Rome in the first 300 years after Christ yet the Lord Jesus did at length put an end to that storm by stirring up Constantine that Christian Emperour by whose means the Church had Peace and rest So in Queen Maries Reign in this Land there was a fearfull storm of troubles raised by her against the good Christians yet the Lord Jesus did at length suddenly pacify that Tempest and made it to cease and sent a great calm after it in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth See also for this point 2 Tim. 4. 17. 2 Tim. 3. 11. Vse Vse No cause then for the Faithfull to be dismayed in any troubles though never so great and grievous let them remember that though the storm be never so terrible for the time yet Christ Jesus is able with a word spoken to make it cease and to send a great calm And as he is able to do this so he is ready and willing to do it in due time and when he seeth it best for his Faithfull Servants to be delivered out of their troubles Think of this in our most grievous troubles both inward and outward and it will minister comfort to us and
stay our minds from being discouraged in them In the most grievous outward troubles remember this power of Christ who is able to deliver us out of them So also in inward trouble when Satan raiseth a storm in our Conscience by urging the greatness of our sins to us that he may terrify us and drive us to doubt or despair of Gods mercy in this case also remember the power of Christ Jesus who is able with one word of his Mouth to rebuke Satan and to lay this storm raised in our Conscience yea he can make a great calm there by speaking inward Peace to our Conscience by his Spirit and assuring us thereby of the Pardon of our sins All this our Lord Jesus Christ can easily do and he will do it for us if in these storms of trouble we look up to him with the eyes of Faith and seek to him by Prayer for his help as the Disciples here did Mark 4. 39 40 41. And the Wind ceased c. Aug. 13. 1620. IN the former of these three Verses is laid down the Miracle wrought by our Saviour in calming the Tempest In which we considered 1. His Preparation to it In that He arose 2. The outward means which he used viz. his word rebuking the Wind c. 3. The effect or Consequent The Wind ceased c. Of the two first we have spoken and in part of the third From which we heard one point of Instruction gathered the last day Namely this That our Saviour Christ hath power over all the Afflictions of his Church and Servants and can easily make those storms to cease when it pleaseth him Observ 2 Observ 2. Now further we learn from hence that our Saviour Christ hath the very dead and sensless creatures at his command so as they cannot but yield ready obedience and subjection to his Will We see here that he no sooner rebuked the Wind and Sea and commanded them to be still but presently they are obedient to his Word therefore in the last verse the Disciples and others with them affirm that the Wind and Sea obeyed him Here then we may apply that Psal 148. 8. Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour Stormy Wind fulfilling his Word This is true of Christ as he is God He hath absolute power to command all the sensless creatures the Fire Water Earth Clouds Wind Rain c. He can use any of these at his pleasure as Instruments whereby to execute his own Will Joh. 2. He turned Water into Wine by his power Matth. 14. He caused the Water to be as firm Land to bear up himself and Peter when they walked upon it Joh. 20. 19. He made the Doors of the House open to him of themselves where he was to enter yea he had power over the very stones of the Earth Luke 19. 40. I tell you sayes he if those should hold their peace the stones would cry out thereby implying that he had power to make them cry out And not onely while he lived did he shew his power over these sensless creatures but even after he was dead upon the Cross he manifested the power of his God-head upon those kind of creatures causing the vail of the Temple to rend the earth to quake the Rocks to cleave and the Graves to open Matth. 27. 51. Now if he had such power over these sensless creatures in the state of his Humiliation much more now he is in Heavenly glory at the Right hand of God Phil. 2. 9. God hath highly exalted him c. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and under the Earth that is that all Creatures should be subject unto him Reasons of this Doctrine 1. Christ according to his God-head did create all these sensless creatures at the beginning Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth c. Therefore he hath power over all Creatures to use them at his pleasure 2. Christ also as he is Mediator hath received from God the Father a soveraign power over all Creatures Matth. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth See this Doctrine again handled chap. 6. ver 48. Use 1 Use 1. This serveth as matter of terrour unto the wicked enemies of Christ and of his Church Let them know and consider that Christ is Lord of all creatures yea even of the dead and sensless creatures and he can use any of them or all of them as Instruments and weapons whereby to execute his Vengeance upon such wicked ones that oppose him and his Church As the Lord Plagued Pharaoh with Thunder and Hail and with darkness c. And as he slew the Enemies of Joshua with great Hail-stones Josh 10. And made the very stars of Heaven to fight against the Hoast of Sisera Judg. 5. 20. So Christ Jesus the Lord is able to arm all these and the rest of the dead creatures as so many Souldiers of his to fight against his wicked enemies Use 2 Use 2. This on the other side is matter of comfort unto the Faithfull to consider that Christ having power over the sensless creatures to command them at his pleasure he will therefore use and employ them all for the good of such as truly believe in him Job 5. 23. Such as fear God shall be in League with the stones of the field And Esay 43. 2. there is a Promise that when the Faithfull passe through the Waters they shall not overflow them and when they walk through the fire they shall not be burnt c. These and the like promises Christ will make good to the Faithfull Not that they are altogether priviledged from being hurt or annoyed in their bodies or outward estate by means of fire water and such other Creatures but that Christ will so keep the Faithfull in the midst of all outward annoyances and dangers and will so over-rule all the creatures that none of them shall hurt or hinder the Salvation of any one of Christ's Elect but on the contrary he will make all the creatures to conspire and work together as so many helps and furtherances to their Salvation Vse 3 Use 3. See and bewail the great corruption of our nature which maketh us rebellious against Christ and his Word whereas the dead and sensless creatures are at his command and beck yielding ready obedience to him In this respect we are by nature worse then the sensless creatures worse then the Wind and Sea c. which readily obey Christ's Word Contrariwise we are Disobedient to it not suffring our selves to be rebuked and commanded of Christ Jer. 5. 22. The Lord speaketh thus of the rebelliousness of his people by way of complaint Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea c. But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious Heart
some who can see their children and Servants dangerously sick and diseased in their Souls and Consciences with sins of ignorance stubbornness lying c. yea stark dead in such sins and yet use no means to recover them c. It followeth And she shall live These words testify his Faith that he was perswaded our Saviour was able to heal and restore his Daughter to life And this perswasion of Christ's power was a special ground of his hope and confidence to be heard in his Suit Observ Observ Such as come to God in Prayer to sue for any favour or blessing for themselves or others must come with this perswasion and assurance that the Lord is able to grant their Petitions and to give the things which they crave at his hands Without this perswasion of Gods power to grant our requests we can have no hope or confidence to be heard in them Therefore in the Lords Prayer after all the Petitions ended we are taught to conclude with a Profession and acknowledgment of Gods power Thine is the Kingdome Power c. So Ephes 3. 20. The Apostle having prayed for them concludeth with an acknowledgment of Gods Almighty power able to do above all that we can ask or think So the Leper which came to Christ to be healed was perswaded of his power Mark 1. 40. If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Use Use Labour then to be fully perswaded and assured of the Almighty power and All-sufficiency of God when we come to Pray to him This will help and strengthen our Faith in Prayer We must first be perswaded of his power and ability to hear us before we can be perswaded that he will hear us Yet rest not onely in the perswasion of his power but withall strive by Faith to apply to our selves those Merciful promises whereby he hath assured us that he will hear us and grant the things we ask so far as he seeth them good for us Ver. 24. And Jesus went with him c. Though his Faith was but weak yet our Saviour doth not reject him or his sute and request but doth readily yield unto it and goeth with him to raise his Daughter from death Observ Observ Here then we learn that our Saviour Christ is ready and forward to hear and help such as seek unto him in their necessities and afflictions though their Faith be but weak yet he doth not for this reject them but is ready to hear and help them if they seek to him in sincerity of heart To this purpose is that Prophecy of him Esay 42. 3. A bruised Reed shall he not break nor quench the smoaking Flax that is He shall not reject or despise such as are weak in Faith Thus Joh. 4. he was ready to hear and help that Noble-man who came to him for his sick Son though his Faith was but weak So Mark 9. 23. he was ready to hear the Father of that Child that was possessed with the dumb and deaf spirit though his Faith was but weak Object Object Matth. 15. He put off the Woman of Canaan Answ Answ To try her Faith c. Vse 1 Use 1. This should incourage us to come to Christ by Prayer in all our necessities and distresses notwithstanding the weakness of our Faith Know and remember that he doth not cast out such as come to him for help in their troubles and miseries though their Faith be weak It is not the measure of thy Faith but the sincerity and soundness of it which he respecteth in thy Prayers which thou makest to him He is near to such as call upon him in truth and sincerity of Heart though their Faith be but weak and Feeble for the measure of it Use 2 Use 2. We must imitate this mercifull nature and disposition of our Saviour Christ in being ready and forward to help and relieve such as are in necessity or distress when they seek to us and make their case known to us yea though they do not seek to us yet if we see and take notice that they stand in need of our help we ought to be ready to help and succour them for this the good Samaritane is commended Luk. 10. 33. See Prov. 3. 27. and Job 31. 16. And much People followed him c. Out of a desire to see Christ's Miracles every one strove to be foremost and next unto Christ and this was the cause of so great a throng and Press of people about him at this time Now although many followed for sinister ends either out of a vain curiosity to see novelties and strange things done by our Saviour Christ or else to cavill and take exception against him and his Miracles yet some no doubt followed him for a good end namely to profit by his Miracles and to have thir Faith confirmed by means of them and of this number were his Disciples who followed him among the rest Matth. 9. 19. Observ 1 Observ 1. We are to imitate the zeal and forwardness of this people in following Christ striving every one who shall be foremost in following him as they did Quest Quest How shall we follow Christ seeing he is not now upon Earth but in Heaven Answ Answ Yet we are still to follow him sundry wayes 1. By Faith Believing in him and imbracing him as our onely Saviour and Redeemer 2. By Obedience to his will and Word in all things conforming our selves to the rule of it in the whole course of our lives 3. By a sincere and constant Profession of the name of Christ that is of his Gospell and true Christian Religion All these wayes we are to follow Christ and not onely to follow him but to be zealous and forward in following him striving who shall be foremost herein Matth. 11. 12. From the dayes of John Baptist untill the time of Christ's Preaching the Kingdoms of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force Luke 16. 16. The Kingdome of God was Preached and every man Pressed into it So should it be with us in these times we should be so forward to follow Christ by Faith and obedience and by Profession of the Gospell that we should strive every one who should be foremost in these duties and even violently Presse unto them Use Use This condemneth the great backwardness of the most in our times in following Christ How far short come we of the zeal of those in John Baptist's time who were so forward to believe and imbrace the Gospel that they even violently pressed to it every one desiring to be foremost in following Christ and the Gospell But alas it is now far otherwise the most do now rather draw back and care not who go before them in following Christ they are loath to seem forwarder then the common sort are yea some stick not to reproach and speak evill of those that are zealous and forward in following Christ and in Professing the Gospel Observ 2 Observ 2. They thronged him Here we
119. 51. Use Vse Let us Arm our selves before-hand to bear reproaches and scoffs at the hands of the ignorant and profane for well-doing that so we may not be daunted with them when we meet with them The rather because we must look for such reproaches and scoffs more or less in the world for speaking and doing well Heb. 11. 36. There will still be some Ismaels to scoff at Isaac If the Drunkards made songs of David and if the Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself were mocked at by the profane Then look not thou wholly to escape this kind of persecution as Paul calleth it Gal. 4. 29. But so long as thou art scoffed or scorned of the profane and ignorant for well-doing be not discouraged at all therewith but learn by the example of Christ and of the Prophets and Apostles and other Saints to despise and not regard such taunts and reproaches 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye c. Such reproaches and scoffs are but an easie and gentle Tryall and persecution in comparison of fire and faggot and sword which the holy Martyrs suffered If thou canst not bear the former how wouldst thou bear the latter if thou shouldst be put to it So much of the Antecedents of the Miracle Now followeth the Miracle it self Verse 41 42. Where consider 1. The manner of working it or the outward gesture and words used by our Saviour He took the Damosel by the hand and said unto her Talitha Cumi c. 2. The Effect which followed upon those words Straightway the Damsell arose and walked c. The Effect was the restoring of her to life which appeared by the outward signs of life 1. Arising 2. Walking And the reason of this walking is alledged because she was of the age of 12 years and therefore fit and able to walk He took the damsell by the hand He could have raised her to life only by his Divine power without using any such outward gesture and without speaking to her but he rather took her by the hand and spake to her thereby to testifie his Power and Will to restore her to life and that the Miracle might be the more apparently wrought and the more special notice taken of it Talitha Cumi The Evangelist doth mention the very words which our Saviour used thereby to confirm the truth and certainty of the Miracle And herein St. Mark is very accurate in setting down the very words used by our Saviour to those on whom he wrought Miracles as Mark 7. 34. he mentioneth the word Ephphatha which he used at the curing of him that was deaf and stammered in his speech The word Talitha is a Syriack word which was the Language in which our Saviour spake and the ordinary Language then in use among the Jews for they did not speak pure Hebrew but mixed with the Syrian or Chaldean Tongue And this word Talitha signifieth a young Maid or Damosel The other word Cumi is an Hebrew word or both Hebrew and Syrian as some think signifying Arise And the Evangelist mentioneth these Hebrew and Syriac words used by our Saviour not as if there had been any vertue in the words of themselves to raise the dead but to shew the wonderful Divine power of our Saviour being able to raise the dead only by speaking these words The words themselves did not work this by the bare sound of them but our Saviour accompanying them with his Divine power did make them effectual to raise the dead So much of the words which is by Interpretation This shews that the Evangelist wrote in Greek Observ 1 Observ 1. See here how powerful the Word of Christ is to work great and mighty Effects whensoever he pleaseth to shew and manifest his Divine power by it able to raise the dead yea those that are dead in sin See Joh. 5. 25. See this handled before Chap. 4. 39. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour by his Divine power did raise up from death this young Damosel we learn That he is absolute Lord over life and death Act. 3. 15. He is called the Author or Prince of life to shew that he hath power to give life and restore life to the dead when it hath been taken away by death Therefore also he is said to be a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. He is also Lord over death being able to vanquish and to abolish it both for himself as he did when he raised up himself from death as also for all the faithful for whom he hath vanquished death and swallowed it up in victory as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 15. 57. Object Object Yet bodily death seizeth upon the faithful as well as others Answ Answ 1. Not upon their whole man but only upon their bodies as for their souls they live in and after death with God 2. Though their bodies be subject to death yet it is but for a time only till the day of Judgment for then Christ shall raise them up to life and abolish death altogether so as it shall never have any more power over them Revel 21. 4. Then there shall be no more death c. Use Use This is matter of great comfort to the faithful Christ their Head being absolute Lord of life he can and will so order and dispose of life and death that both shall work together for good to them and help to further their happiness 1 Cor. 3. 22. Life and death are yours and ye are Christs c. So Paul Phil. 1. 21. To me Christ is life and death is gain Again this may comfort the faithful in midst of the greatest danger unto which their bodily life is subject for Christ having power over life and death is well able to keep them and to preserve their lives in greatest danger of death though they should be brought even to the graves mouth or into the valley of the shadow of death yet need they not fear for Christ Jesus their Lord is Lord of life and death able to deliver and save them from the greatest danger of death and he will do it if it be good for them Lastly this may comfort them even in death it self to consider That though death seize upon them as well as upon the wicked and unbelievers yet they shall not alwayes be holden under the power of death but shall at the last day be delivered from it and raised to life again Christ is able to do it as being absolute Lord of life and death and he will do it in due time Object Object The bodies of the wicked also shall be then raised to life Answ Answ Not to be partakers of eternal life as the godly shall but to the end that both their souls and bodies may be for ever separated from God and punished in Hell-Torments which is the second death Observ 3 Observ 3. Further in that it is said That the Damosel being raised to life did
anointing with oyl rather then any other outward sign to be a testimony of miraculous healing Answ Answ Because the use of Oyl was very common in that Countrey as for other purposes so for Medicine to cure and heal the body diseased Luke 10. 34. The Samaritan poured oyl and wine into the wounds of him that fell among theeves See also Eccles 10. 1. Therefore seeing oyl was used as a Medicinal thing this ceremony of anointing with oyl was fit to be used as an outward sign and testimony of the miraculous Cures which the Apostles wrought Quest 4 Quest 4. Whether they did anoint all whom they cured miraculously Answ Answ Not so For we read of some cured only by the shadow of Peter Act. 5. 15. some only by handkerchiefs and aprons which were brought to them from Paul's body Act. 19. 12. It is also likely that some were cured only by touching or laying of hands upon them as may appear Mark 16. 18. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover In these places we find no mention of Oyl or anointing the sick Therefore no doubt but this was a free Ceremony permitted to the Apostles to use sometimes when they saw it fit and expedient but not used alwayes or to all the sick whom they cured Quest 5 Quest 5. Whether all that were anointed did recover Answ Answ This seemeth doubtfull and uncertain yet it is probable that they did not all recover but onely so many as it pleased God to restore 1. Because then the cure might seem to be tyed to the outward anointing and to be wrought by it as by a natural means 2. Though the Apostles had power to heal the sick and to work other Miracles yet not when they would but when it made for Gods glory Therefore it may be they sometimes anointed the sick and yet no Miraculous cure followed Further we must know that the Papists do alledg this place in defence of their Sacrament of extream Unction as they call it which the Popish Priests do at this day use unto such as are dangerously sick Annointing them with Oyl that by this means they may be freed from the remainders of sin left in them and that they may be comforted inwardly and strengthened against the Temptations of Satan in the Agony of death Bellarmin de extrem Unct. cap. 8. Concil Trid. Sess 14. de extrem Unct. cap. 2. pag. 135. Now they teach that this Anointing used by the Apostles was a preparative unto the Sacrament of extream Unction and that the use of that Sacrament was afterwards more plainly taught and enjoyned by St. James chap. 5. 14. But this cannot be because there is no resemblance between this anointing used by the Apostles and that Popish anointing but great difference and contrariety in these respects 1. This which the Apostles used was a temporary Ceremony to continue but for a time onely so long as the gift of Miraculous healing continued in the Church whereas the Papists teach that their anointing is a perpetual Sacrament to continue in the Church 2. This anointing was used by the Apostles onely as a sign of the Miraculous cure of bodily diseases but the Papists use their anointing as a means to purge the sick from the remainders of sin and to give them Spiritual comfort and strength against Satan Let them if they can shew that this anointing used by the Apostles had any such use or end 3. This by the Apostles was used as a sign of the Miraculous curing of the sick and of restoring of their health But the Papists use it for the most part to such as are at point of death and past hope of recovery neither have they any such gift or power of Miraculous healing as the Apostles had Indeed they pretend and boast of such a power but are not able to shew or prove it So much in way of opening and clearing these words Doct. Doctr. In that the Apostles confirmed and sealed the truth of their Doctrine by so many and powerfull Miracles which the Lord wrought by them Hence observe the Divine truth and certainty of the Doctrine of the Gospell Preached by the Apostles and after left by them in writing unto the Church for that which they wrote is the sum and substance of that they Preached Now this Doctrine which they both Preached and wrote must needs be the Divine Truth and Doctrine of God because it was not onely Preached by them but also confirmed and ratified by such Miracles as none but God himself could work by them So Mark 16. ult They went forth and Preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with Signes following So also Hebr. 2. 3. The Apostle proveth the certain truth of the Doctrine of the Gospell by this That it was not onely Preached at first by Christ and the Apostles but also confirmed by Miracles God himself bearing witness to it with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles c. And it is a sufficient Argument if there were no other to prove the Doctrine of the Gospel to be of God and from Heaven seeing it was at first not onely Preached by Christ and the Apostles but also sealed as it were from Heaven by such Divine Miracles Use 1 Vse 1. See then also by this the truth and certainty of the Christian Faith and Religion which we profess and hold and by the Profession and practice whereof we hope and trust to be saved This must needs be the true Faith and the Religion of God himself because it is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospel and grounded upon it and therefore hath the Seal of God set upon it and the Testimony of God from Heaven going with it to confirm it Be thankfull to God that hath called us to the Knowledg and Profession of this true Religion in which alone Salvation is to be had for there is no name in Heaven or Earth by which we can be saved but onely by Jesus Christ Act. 4. 12. and Christ is the sum of the Gospell and the Gospell is the very foundation on which this Religion which we profess is built and it is such a Doctrine as hath bin confirmed from Heaven by Miracles to be the onely saving truth of God the onely word of life and Salvation Oh then how thankfull should we be unto God for revealing to us the Knowledg of this Doctrine Luther in his last Prayer upon his death-bed gave special thanks to God for revealing the Knowledg of Christ unto him So let us both in life and death shew thankfulness for this unspeakable benefit that God hath revealed to us the knowledg of Christian Religion and of the Gospel and that he hath suffered us to be born and to live where this Religion and Gospell is professed and established How if we had bin born among those Pagans in the West-Indies or among Turks and Jews or amongst the Papists who have corrupted and falsifyed the whole
discharge of their Calling and Ministry that they may approve their diligence and faithfulness unto Christ who hath called them to that Office This they are to aim at especially Isa 49. 4. The Prophet had so carried himself in his Ministry that he was able to say His work was with his God And though Israel were not gathered yet he should be glorious in the eyes of the Lord c. So Paul in his Ministry was most careful to approve himself to God 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of Sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 1 Thes 2. 4. As we are allowed of God c. not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth intangleth himself c. that he may please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier Quest Quest What must Ministers do that they may approve their Ministry to God so as to give a comfortable accompt to him Answ Answ They must above all other things seek God's Glory and the Salvation of the People committed to them not their own praise or profit or to please men c. Now as this is true of Ministers so of all Christias in their places they must in all duties of their Callings seek God's Glory and to approve themselves to Christ Use Use This reproveth such Ministers or other Christians who in discharge of their Callings and Duties make not this their principal care to glorify and please God and to approve themselves to Christ But they seek their own Glory or Gain and the pleasing of men But remember that of Galath 1. 10. Observ 2 Observ 2. Further observe here that Ministers ought so faithfully and conscionably to do the duties of their Calling that they may be able to give a good and comfortable accompt thereof unto Christ who hath en oyned them those duties Hebr. 13. 17. They watch for your Souls as they that must give accompt c. Therefore Paul charged Timothy before Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead to be diligent in Preaching 2 Tim 4. 1. And so he professeth of himself 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ c. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men c. And as this is true of Ministers so of all Christians that they must so faithfully and conscionably do the Duties of their Callings that they may with comfort give accompt thereof to God Eccless 12. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments c. For God will bring every work into Judgment c. So Job 31. 13. If I despised the cause of my Man-servant c. What then shall I do when God riseth up c Use 1 Vse 1. This reproveth such as seldom or never think of the Accompt they must give unto Christ for performance of their duties this makes them so negligent unfaithful and unconscionable in serving God in their places Use 2 Use 2. Let us often think of our accompt to be given for the faithful discharge of all duties of our Callings that this may make us faithful and conscionable in them Remember that as God hath enjoyned us good duties in our Callings so he will look for an accompt from us how we have performed them how diligently how faithfully c. Think often and seriously of this and let it move us so to do all good duties that we may have comfort in the performance of them and afterward and that we may be able with comfort to give accompt unto God of our faithfulness and sincerity in them Rest not in the work done but look that we so perform every good duty in sincerity and uprightness of heart as before God that we may hereafter comfortably give accompt to him how we have performed it It is not enough for a Servant to do his work enjoyned him but he must do it as his Master hath appointed and so as he may give a good Accompt of it to his Master So we must do Christ's work c. So much of the Apostles relating unto Christ their labours in Preaching and Working Miracles mentioned by the Evangelist as an occasion of Christ's withdrawing himself and his Apostles into the Desert to rest themselves Now the next thing in the words to be considered is Our Saviour's calling his Disciples apart into the Desert He said unto them Come ye your selves apart c. As if he had said I will not onely go apart my self but I think it fit also for you to go with me that ye may for a time rest your selves after your jourey and labours in Preaching c. Into a desert place What Desert this was St. Luke doth more plainly express Luke 9. 10. He saith it was the Desert of the City called Bethsaida so called as 't is likely because it was neer unto Bethsaida or because it did lye over against Bethsaida on the other side of the Water See Ver. 45. Somethink this Desert lay on the further side of the Lake of Gennesareth or Sea of Galilee that is on the East side of that Lake in respect of Galilee and that it lay over against the City of Bethsaida so as the Desert was at one side of the Lake and the City on the other side because Joh. 6. 1. it is said our Saviour going into this Desert went over the Sea of Galilee and because Ver. 45. of this Chapter he being in this Desert with his Disciples is said to constrain them to pass over by Ship to the other side unto Bethsaida Sic Jansen Lyser Adrichom Sed contr à Beza in Joh. 6. 1. et Casaub Annot. in Mat. 14. 22. et in Mar. 6. 45. quorum sententia verisimilior Observ 1 Observ 1. Here we see That the Lord Jesus doth not require of his Servants continuall and uncessant labour in the Duties of their Callings but doth allow them some times of rest and refreshing after labour and wearinesse Our Saviour knowing that his Apostles had now laboured and were much wearyed with their Journey and with preaching and working Miracles he willeth them to come a-part with him to rest themselves a while in the Desart For this Cause also our Saviour himself sometimes being much wearyed with the labours of preaching and working Miracles in Publick did use to withdraw himself that he might for a time be private to rest and refresh himself And Joh. 4. 6. being wearyed with his Journey he sat on the Well which shews that it is also lawfull for us after wearynesse and labour to take some times of Rest Therefore as God hath made the Day-time fit for labour so the Night for rest and sleep Psal 104. 23. The Sun ariseth c. Man goeth forth to his Work and Labour untill the Evening Therefore also God hath so ordained that there should be one Day in Seven in which both Man and Beast should rest from the ordinary labours which they indure upon the
Solomon How much more should we be content to go far to hear Christ in his Ministers c. 4. By being careful to come early and in due time to the Publick Ordinances and to this end rising early on the Sabbath-day especially the better to prepare our selves to come to the Church in time yea striving who shall be foremost If the wicked rise early to follow sin and strive who shall be foremost c. This People as we see here ran before on foot and made such speed that they came to the place where Christ was to come before him Use 1 Use 1. To reprove and shame the negligence and backwardness of many amongst us c. Vse 2 Use 2. To stir us up to more zeal and forwardness hereafter in resorting to the House of God to be partakers of his holy Ordinances the Word and Sacraments c. To this end 1. Consider the excellency and necessity of these Ordinances being the onely ordinary and principall means sanctified of God to work and encrease all Grace in us and to save our Souls c. 2. Labour for true love to these Ordinances such as was in David and in Job Chap. 23. 12. This will cause us to delight in them and to taste and rellish spiritual sweetness in them and then we shall hunger and thirst after them c. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere Milk of the Word c. If ye have tasted c. Hitherto of our Saviour's going apart with his Disciples into the Desert of Bethsaida and of the People's flocking thither to meet with him there Now in the next place the Evangelist sheweth how our Saviour was employed there for although it is likely that he withdrew himself thither to rest himself awhile as well as his Disciples as we have heard yet the People flocking thither to him so fast did not suffer him to rest or refresh himself long if he rested at all as appears by that which followeth Now the Employment of our Saviour in this Desert was two-fold 1. In preaching to the People which were assembled to him Ver. 34. 2. In confirming his Doctrine by the great Miracle of feeding so many thousands with five Loavs and two Fishes from Ver. 35. to 45. Touching the former consider three things 1. The occasion of his Preaching there When he came out he saw much People 2. The ground or cause moving him to preach to them which was his compassion with which he was moved towards them because they were as sheep without a Shepherd 3. The Preaching it self He began to teach them many things Touching the occasion it was the multitude of People which he saw to be assembled See ver 44. how many they were When he came out that is either out of the Ship in which he and his Disciples had passed over the Sea of Galilee or else out of some private House or other Place whither he had retired himself to rest Observ Observ See here that Ministers should take all good occasions and Opportunities of doing good to the People of God by their Ministry Our Saviour though he had now need of rest yet seeing much People assembled he takes occasion to preach to them yea to preach many things c. See this handled before Chap. 2. ver 2. I proceed to the ground or cause of his Preaching viz. That Pity and Compassion with which he was moved towards the People c. Where 1. Consider his Affection toward them He was moved with Compassion c. 2. The ground or cause of his Affection Because they were as sheep c. Moved with Compassion The word in the original doth signify great or tender compassion and pity when the Bowels do inwardly yearn with grief for others As sheep without a Shepherd This is spoken to shew the miserable condition of the People of the Jewes in our Saviour Christ's time that they were destitute of spiritual Pastors and Teachers which should have governed and fed them with spirituall food especially with the wholsome Doctrine of the Word of God Therefore our Saviour resembled them to silly sheep not able to govern themselves or to make shift for food or pasture for themselves and yet wanting a Shepherd to govern and feed them And in this comparison he seemeth to allude unto that place Ezek. 34. 5. where the Lord complaineth that his People were as sheep scattered because there was no Shepherd Quest Quest How is it said The People of the Jewes in our Saviour's time were Sheep without a Shepherd seeing they had many Priests Levites Scribes and Pharisees to be their Pastors and Teachers Mat. 23. 2. Answ Answ Though these did occupy the room and stood in place of Pastors having an outward Calling to be Teachers of the People yet our Saviour Christ accompts them as no Pastors for these Reasons 1. Because they were ignorant and unskilful to teach the People therefore our Saviour calls them blind Guides Mat. 23. and the blind Leaders of the blind 2. Because they were idle and negligent in feeding and teaching the People committed to them like those Shepherds Ezech. 34. who fed themselves and not the flock of God yea they rather devoured the flock like Wolves than fed them as good Pastors Mat. 7. 1. 3. Because though some did teach the People yet they taught them not the sound truth and pure Doctrine of the written Word but mingled it with their own foolish and superstitious Traditions Besides that they did corrupt and pervert the true meaning of the Scriptures with their false glosses and expositions as our Saviour sheweth against them Mat. 5. See also Mark 7. So much for Answer to this Question and in way of clearing the sense of the words Now to the Observations Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour was touched with the Affection of pity and compassion towards this People we gather that he was subject unto natural and humane Passions and Affections as Grief Sorrow Joy Fear c. He was not without such humane Affections but touched with them and sensible of them in Himself So Chap. 3. 5. He was moved with two Affections at once Anger and Grief So Matth. 26. His Soul was heavy c. and Hebr. 5. 7. the Apostle mentioneth his natural Fear of Death Use 1 Vse 1. This proveth unto us the truth of his humane Nature of which we have often heard before Vse 2 Use 2. It shews the lawfulness of these natural humane Affections and that it is not required of us to be without them as if they were in themselves sinful for then they should not have been in Christ but we are onely to look that we moderate our selves in them See Chap. 3. 5. Observ 2 Observ 2. See here the merciful nature and disposition of our Saviour Christ toward such as are in misery or necessity He is ready to pity them in their miseries and wants whether bodily or spiritual especially in their spiritual necessities as
orderly and in seemly manner 2. That the number of the People being orderly set might distinctly appear and so the greatnesse of the Miracle might be the more manifest 3. That by this means he might put both the Disciples and the Multitude in hope of a Miracle to be wrought in feeding so many with so small Provision of Meat and so by this means they might be prepared to profit the more by the Miracle Upon the green Grasse Joh. 6. 16. Much Grasse They sate down by Rowes Or Ranks as the Borders or Beds in a Garden For so much the words in the Originall do imply Object By Hundreds and by Fifties Object Luke 9. 14. Make them sit down by Fifties in a Company Answ Answ No contradiction in this for it was like that in some companies were but Fifty and in other a hundred so that Mark doth mention the manner of setting all the Companies And Luke mentioneth the manner of setting some Companies onely omitting the rest Hitherto in way of clearing the words Now to gather some Instructions from them First One or two generall Observations Observ 1. In that our Saviour by this conference doth prepare the minds of his Disciples and stir them up to think of his divine Power before the work of this great Miracle that so being thus prepared they might profit the more by it when they should see it wrought Hence gather that by Nature of our selves we are utterly unfit and unable to reap true fruit and profit by the means of Grace and Salvation which God bestoweth on us We are unfit of our selves to profit by the works of God or by his Word and Sacraments or any other means which he useth to work or increase Grace in us Hebr. 5. 11. We are by nature dull of Hearing that is unfit to conceive c. So also by Nature we are unfit to reap spiritual fruit by the Sacraments and by all other means used of God to further us in Grace unfit to profit by the Works of God Reason Reason By Nature there is in us a great deal of sinfull Corruption which hindereth the powerfull and effectuall working of the means of Grace Much Ignorance Unbelief Hardness of Heart c. Use 1 Vse 1. Labour to see and bewail our own natural Indisposition and Unfitness to profit by the meanes of Grace vouchsafed us of God We shall never be fit till we feel our Unfitness Vse 2 Use 2. Pray unto God to fit and prepare us to profit by his Ordinances and means of Grace before we come to be partakers of them There is great need so to do if we consider how unfit we are of our selves Be careful also to use all other good means of preparing our selves when we come to the Word and Sacraments Remove and cast off hinderances as worldly cares sinful lusts c. Observ 2 Observ 2. Our Saviour Christ hath much ado to bring his own Disciples to think of his Divine Power and Providence for the feeding of this great multitude when there was so little Provision for them therefore we see he useth many means to strengthen their Faith First he bids them give the People to eat Then he bids them go see what Provision they had And lastly he commands them to make all the multitude sit down Hence gather that it is a very hard thing for Christians to believe and rest upon God's Power and Providence for the maintenance of this life in the want of means or when they see small means This practise of Faith is very difficult even for the best Christians and much more for others we see how hard it was for the Israelites to rest upon God's Providence while they journied through the Wilderness and wanted Meat and Drink How often did they discover their Unbelief and Distrust by murmuring c. Psal 78. 19. They spake against God and said Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness So the Disciples of Christ could hardly believe that Christ would prepare a Table in the Wilderness their minds ran upon the small means which they had but five Loaves c. See Joh. 6. 9. Therefore they are very hardly brought to think of Christ's Power and Providence for the working of a Miracle to provide for the Multitude extraordinarily And so it is with us all by Nature our hearts are so much addicted and glewed to the outward means that we very hardly are brought to rely upon God in the want of them Vse Use See how needful it is for us daily to labour and pray unto God for strength of Faith whereby we may rest upon God even in the want of means if God shall try us therewith Now while we have sufficient Provision of Meat Drink Raiment c. it is an easy matter to trust on God's Power and provident care over us But if the Lord should leave us destitute of the means we should then find it a most difficult thing to rest on him and to trust him on his bare word without a Pawn as Luther speaks Therefore now while we have the means labour and pray for Faith and for encrease of it that if means shall be taken from any of us we may then be able to live by Faith in the want of means The more difficult this practice of Faith is the more we must labour to attain unto it and daily inure our selves unto it Helps to this practise of Faith 1. Think often of the Almighty Power of God farr above all means and therefore able to work without them He is able to do above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3. 2. Meditate of the Promises of God made to the faithfull depending on him for things of this life Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord and he shall sustain thee c. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast your care on Him for He careth for you Hebr. 13. 5. He hath said I will never leave thee c. Psal 34. The Lions suffer hunger c. 3. Remember the Examples of such as have been provided for extraordinarily in the want of means as the Israelites in the Wilderness fed with Quails and Manna from Heaven and satisfied with Water out of the Rock Elijah fed by Ravens So the Widdow of Sarepta c. 1 King 17. And this Multitude here fed by Christ miraculously Now the Lord's Arm is not shortned or weakned therefore though we are not now to look for Miracles yet we are by Faith to rest on God in the greatest want of things of this life c. Particular Observations from the words Observ Give ye them to eat Observ That it is not enough for us to be moved with pity towards such as are in necessity and want of things of this life and to take care that they may be relieved but we our selves must be ready to relieve and help them so far as we are able yea beyond our ability sometimes in extraordinary cases as when we see them in
and the three next following he proveth the Crime of which he accused them by an example or instance which he giveth of two particular precepts of the Word of God which they rejected and disannulled by their Tradition Where 1. Our Saviour layeth down or alledgeth the precepts of the Word of God which he chargeth them to abrogate Ver. 10. 2. He layeth down their contrary unwritten Tradition which they opposed against the written Word Ver. 11 12 13. Where he shews how they abrogate God's Word by that Tradition Touching the alledging of the precepts of the written Word of God in which our Saviour instanceth we are to consider two things 1. The manner of alledging them viz. the name of Moses the Pen-man of those Books of Scripture out of which the precepts are cited Moses said c. 2. The matter and substance of the precepts which are two in number The first Being a precept of the Morall Law even the Words of the fifth Commandement recorded Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Honour thy Father and thy Mother The second Being a precept or Ordinance of the Judiciall Law which was the Law of punishments for Breakers of the Morall Law enjoyning the penalty of Death to be inflicted on such Children as did break the fifth Commandement and that in a high degree by cursing or speaking evil of their Patrents in these words Whosoever shall speak evil c. which Judiciall Law is found written Exod. 21. 17. and Levit. 20. 9. First Of the manner of alledging these precepts of the Law of God Quest Quest Where did he say it Answ Answ In his written Books before mentioned Moses said So saith our Evangelist here Yet Matthew 15. 4. it is said God Commanded c. The reason is because Moses was imployed of God as his Instrument and Secretary in writing of the Law and whatsoever he wrote and in writing delivered to the Church in those Books of his before mentioned he wrote it by Authority received from God himself and that immediately St. Mark ascribeth that to Moses which St. Mathew attributeth to God that he might commend to the Church the Divine Authority of the Books of Moses Observ Observ Here take notice of the Divine Authority of the Books of Holy Scripture that though they were written by Men as Instruments imployed of God in that service yet they contain no other but the Divine and Heavenly Doctrine of God himself So that what Moses wrote in his five Books which we have it is the Doctrine and Writing of God Hos 8. 12. I have written to him that is to Ephraim the great things of my Law c. So all that is written in the rest of the sacred Books of the Old and New Testament is no other but the very Word and Doctrine of God himself Acts 1. 16. The Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David in the Book of Psalms The reason is because all the Pen-men of Scripture wrote those Books of Scripture by immediate extraordinary direction and assistance of the Spirit of God instructing them infallibly both in the matter and manner of Writing 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Quest Quest. How to know and be assured that the Scriptures were written by immediate Divine inspiration and consequently that they contain the Doctrine and the Word of God himself Answ Answ The main and principall means to be assured hereof is by the inward infallible testimony of the Holy Ghost in the consciences of Men especially of the Elect of God when they read the Scriptures or hear them read or preached This inward testimony of the Spirit is the onely means abled undoubtedly to perswade the conscience that the Scriptures are the Word of God If no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. Then much less can any come undoubtedly to be perswaded that the whole Scripture is the Word of God but by inward testimony of the Spirit sealing it to his heart Now this Testimony is especially found and felt in those that do unfeignedly desire and endeavour to obey the Will of God revealed in his Word Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God c. But besides this inward testimony of the Spirit there are also sundry other proofs and evidences which may be drawn from the Scriptures themselves which are sufficient to convince the conscience of any not willfully blind that the Doctrine of the Scripture is the Word of God so as they cannot in conscience deny it though otherwise they have not Grace to yield obedience to it as the Word of God I will not speak of all but of some of the principall of those evidences by which our consciences may be settled in the truth of this weighty Point and by which we may be armed against profane Atheists and all that deny or call in question the authority of the Scriptures The proofs are these which I will but briefly touch 1. The Power and Efficacy of the Scriptures in working on the inward Souls and Consciences of men both to humble them in the sight and sense of their sins and to raise them up and comfort them being humbled No Writings or Doctrine of Man hath like Power Hebr. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerfull c. See also 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2. The Antiquity of the Scriptures for the Books of Moses are more antient then any humane Writings setting down the Originall and first History of things done from the beginning of the World which other Writers either knew not at all or borrowed them from Moses and corrupted them with many Fables and untruths 3. The wonderfull Harmony and Consent that is found to be in the Books of Scripture among themselves though they were Written by sundry persons at sundry times and in different Ages of the World And though there be some shew of difference or contrariety in words sometimes yet all such places as seem to differ and to be at jarr are sufficiently reconciled by those of the Church who have laboured therein 4. The fulfilling of the Prophesies found in Scripture in their due and appointed times even unto this very Age in which we live For example The Israelites going into Aegypt and being delivered thence again and coming into Canaan The seventy years Captivity of the Jews and their deliverance by Cyrus who is also named by the Prophet above a hundred years before he was born Isa 45. 1. So also the time and manner of Christ's coming in the Flesh the calling of the Gentiles destruction of Hierusalem revealing of Antichrists c. All these and many other things foretold in Scripture are already fulfilled and other things are daily more
the good and benefit not onely of Jews but Gentiles to be a Temporall and Spirituall Saviour and Deliverer of the Gentiles as well as the Jews to deliver them from all misery especially from sin and from the power of Satan c. For this was implyed also by the deliverance of this Woman's Daughter from being possessed of the Devil Luke 2. 31. Christ is called the Salvation prepared of God before all People A Light to enlighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel For although Christ himself did not in his own person preach the Gospel to the Gentiles because the due time for calling them was not yet come neither did he as yet generally extend his saving Grace towards them yet by his mercy vouchsafed to this Woman he did before hand shew and declare That the Gentiles should afterward be more generally called and brought to believe in him and so reap the benefit of Salvation by him The like we may gather from the example of the Centurion Matth. 8. As the Sun before it arise in the Morning doth cast up some beams of his light above the face of the Earth so Christ Jesus the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. before he was to shine forth by the full brightness of his Grace to the Gentiles did first give some hope hereof by letting some beams of that his Grace shine to some few of the Gentiles Vse Use This is for the comfort of us who are of the Gentiles to assure us that if we labour by true Faith to imbrace and believe in Christ we shall be partakers of the saving benefits of his Incarnation and death as well as the Jews He hath broken down the partition-wall Ephes 2. 14. Yea these benefits of Christ do now more peculiarly belong to us than to them in that they are and have been a long time rejected of God and cast off for their infidelity and contempt of Christ and we which are Gentiles are by the unspeakable mercy of God ingraffed into the Church in their room and stead as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this Woman having formerly lived in profane Gentilism was by the Mercy of God called out of that blindness and profaness to believe in Christ and shewed her Faith thus by coming to Christ for her afflicted Daughter we may observe that the Lord doth sometimes effectually call and work true Faith and saving Grace in such as have formerly lived in greatest Ignorance Blindness and Profaness of life Thus Abraham was called to the true Knowledge of God and indued with Faith whereas before he and his Parents had lived in gross Blindness and Idolatry Josh 24. 2. And we have sundry Examples in Scripture of such as have been called out of heathenish Ignorance and Profaness and indued with true saving Faith as Rahab the Harlot of Jericho Naaman the Syrian Ruth the Moabitesse the Centurion mentioned Matth. 8. Cornelius Act. 10. c. To this purpose also is that Prophecy Isa 9. 2. The People that walked in Darkness have seen a great Light They that dwelt in the Land of the Shadow of Death upon them hath the Light shined Reason Reason The Lord doth this to magnify and set out the riches of his Grace in calling and shewing Mercy to such as are by Nature plunged in the deepest misery See Ephes 2. 4 5. Vse Vse To teach us not to despair of the Calling and Conversion of such as yet live in greatest blindnesse and profaness yea though they be such as live out of the visible Church as Jews Turks Pagans Hereticks Papists c. though they yet live in Aegyptian darkness of Ignorance and in grossest Profaness Superstition or Idolatry without God without Christ without the Word of God c. yet God may hereafter call them or some of them out of this their misery and shine to them by the light of his saving Grace in Christ He that at the beginning caused Light to shine out of Darkness is able to send the light of his Word and Spirit where yet there is nothing but black and thick darkness of Ignorance Sin and Profaness Therefore let us pity and pray for such People and Persons as do yet fit in spiritual Darkness and in the Region of Death desiring the Lord to shine unto them by the light of his Grace c. So much of the Description of the Person which made sute unto Christ In the next place I am to speak of the occasions or causes moving her to make her sute to Christ The first whereof was the great Affliction laid upon her Daughter being possessed with an unclean Spirit Where we have two things expressed 1. The Affliction it self Her Daughter was possessed of a Devill 2. A Description of the Devil by his Nature or Property An Unclean Spirit Whose young Daughter had an Unclean Spirit that is Was bodily possessed by a wicked Spirit or Devill which was entred into her body holding possession there and grievously afflicting and tormenting her as may appear Matth. 15. 22. Now this was a most heavy and grievous trial and affliction both to the Daughter and to the Mother for she could not but out of natural Affection be greatly touched with fellow-feeling of this misery of her Daughter and so much the more because her Daughter was young and little and so the more weak and unfit to bear so grievous an Affliction therefore her bowels of pity could not but yearn the more towards this her little Daughter And this is the more probable because naturally the Affection of Mothers to Children of their own Womb is known to be so exceeding great and vehement being greater usually than the affection of Fathers Besides this Affliction was in it self extraordinary and very heavy and grievous It had been a grievous thing if her little Daughter had been taken and visited with some dangerous Sickness or Disease in her body but for her to be possessed of a Devil yea to be grievously racked and tormented of the Devill in her body this was a far more grievous and heavy case yea this was no doubt more grievous to her than it would have been to see her Daughter taken away by death She might justly wish her rather dead and buried if it were the Will of God than to be so given up of God to the Tyranny of the Devil to be so tormented of him Observ 1 Observ 1. In that this Woman being a Believer in Christ was tried and exercised with this heavy Affliction we may learn that the Lord useth to lay very heavy and grievous afflictions and troubles upon his own Children and Servants Psal 34. 19. Many or great are the troubles of the Righteous Heb. 12. 6. The Lord scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth that Phrase implyeth a sharp and grievous Chastisement How many Examples have we of this in Scripture Time will not suffer to mention half of them therefore only to touch a few in
troubles if it be but to stir us up to this excellent Duty Our own experience will teach us that we never are so diligent or fervent in this Exercise as when we are under the Cross never pray we with such Faith Feeling c. On the other side when all goes well with us how dull negligent and careless are we apt to grow in Prayer Vse 2 Use 2. By this learn to know whether our afflictions be sanctified unto us or no viz. if they stir up and quicken us to more earnest seeking of God by Prayer if they drive us nearer to God it is a sign that we make some good and holy use of our troubles not otherwise Quest Quest. But may not Affliction drive a wicked manâ—t God by Prayer Answ Answ Extremity of trouble pain or grief may force him to cry out unto God in words it may wring from him words of Prayer but it doth not make him pray unto God conscionably with true Faith or any comfortable hope or assurance to be heard See Hos 7. 14. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that it is said This Woman's Daughter was possessed with an unclean Spirit We are taught That the Devil by God's sufferance may have power over the Bodies of Men and Women or Children to enter into them and being in them to afflict and torment them as he did this young Damsell yea he may have power over the Bodies of the Saints and Faithfull and of their Children as he had over Job and his Children and over this faithfull Womans Daughter But of this see before Chap. 1. Ver. 23. An unclean Spirit Touching this attribute given to the Devil See also Chap. 1. 23. Mark 7. 25. Heard of Him and came and fell at His feet June 30. 1622. THe second Occasion moving this Woman to come to Christ and to make this sute for her Daughter was the Fame which she had heard of Christ Heard of Him That is of the excellency of his Person and of his divine Doctrine and great Miracles which he had formerly wrought in other places and parts of Judea the Fame and Report whereof as it is likely was brought unto her by such as had formerly travailed from these Coasts of Tyre and Sidon into those parts of Galilee and Judea where our Saviour had preached and wrought Miracles there to hear him and to be partakers of his Miracles as may appear Chap. 3. 8. and Luke 6. 17. Now this Fame which she heard of Him moved her to believe that he was that Messiah promised and foretold in the Writings of Moses and the Prophets in the which it is likely she had bin before instructed in some measure by the Jews which lived amongst the Gentiles in these Coasts of Tyre and Sidon as hath bin before shewed Now being thus perswaded that he was the Messiah and that he was able and willing to cast the Devil out of her Daughter she was thereupon moved to come and sue unto him for help Observ 1 Observ 1. In that this Woman first heard of Christ and by hearing report of him came to some knowledge of him before she believed in him and testified her Faith by coming to sue unto him for her Daughter Hence observe that Knowledge of Christ must go before true Faith in Christ in order of Nature as the Ground and Motive of it See before Chap. 5. 27. Observ 2 Observ 2. That the knowledge and perswasion of God's power and goodness that he is able and willing to hear and grant our sutes must be the Ground and Motive of all the prayers we make unto Him This Woman by the Fame she had heard of Christ came to know and to be perswaded that He was the Messiah and therefore able and willing to hear and grant her sute and this moves her to come and sue to Him for her afflicted Daughter Therefore also in the Preface of the Lord's Prayer we are taught to use these words Our Father which art in Heaven which words do imply both our perswasion of the goodnesse and mercy of God in that we Call him our Father and likewise our perswasion of his Power in that we acknowledge him to be in Heaven so by this preface we are taught That in praying to God we must be perswaded of his Power that He is able to hear us and of his Grace and Mercy that He is ready and willing to hear us and the perswasion of both these must move us to pray to Him Reason Reason True prayer must be made in Faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed Now Faith perswadeth us both of God's power That He is able to do abundantly above all that we can ask or think and also of his goodness and mercy that he is willing and ready to give us those things we ask so far as stands with his Glory and our Good and Salvation Vse Vse Labour for this knowledg and perswasion of Faith touching the Power and Goodness of God that He is both able and willing to hear our prayers and to grant the Petition we ask of Him that so this may quicken and stirr us up to pray unto Him in our necessities Now of the first of these it is easie to be perswaded and every one will yield that God is able to grant our Requests but the difficulty is to be perswaded that He is also willing to grant them so far as is good for us This therefore thou must especially labour and strive by Faith to believe And to this end often meditate of the gracious promises of God which He hath in his Word made to such as call upon Him in truth of Heart and be assured that He will make them good unto thee if thou so pray unto Him See Hebr. 11. 6. So much of the Occasions moving this Woman to come and sue to Christ or her Daughter In the next place I am to speak of the manner of her coming to put up this her sute She fell at his feet This Gesture she used 1. In way of religious reverence and adoration of the Person of Christ whom she believed to be more then a Man even the Son of God c. 2. To testifie and expresse the inward Humility of her Heart and the sense of her own vilenesse and unworthinesse to receive so great a favour from Christ as she asked of Him See before Chap. 5. 22. Observ Observ Such as come to God in prayer must come in most humble and reverent manner before Him See Chap. 1. Ver. 40. Twofold humility requisite 1. Inward in Heart touched with lively feeling of our unworthiness c. 2. Outward in Carriage and Gestures of the Body It followeth She besought him that he would cast out the Devil c. By this sute she shewed her compassion of her Child being in this misery c. Observ 1 Observ 1. See here in the example of this Woman what Christians should do what
to help her we may learn this that the Lord doth sometimes shew himself strange toward his Children in their troubles making shew as if he did not regard them or would not help and deliver them when at the same time he is purposed speedily to help them See before Chap. 6. 48. Thus the Lord seemed not to regard the Israelites in their bondage in Aegypt but suffered it to grow greater and yet even then was he minded speedily to deliver them So David Psal 22. 1. compared with v. 22. c. So when Jonah seemed to be cast out from God's sight his deliverance was at hand Observ 3 Observ 3. See here how many wayes and how mightily the Faith of this Woman was tried and exercised This may appear by comparing this Verse with Matth. 15. 23 unto the 27th It was a great trial to her Faith to have her young Daughter possessed of a Devil But this made it much greater that when she came to Christ for hlep he was so far from hearing and granting her request that he vouchsafed not to answer her a word at first Yet was not this all for there are sundry other circumstances expressed by the Evangelists which do shew how wonderfully her Faith was assaulted for our Saviour did not onely refuse at first to speak to her but when he did speak he gave her none but words of great discouragement first telling her plainly that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel that is to the Jews therefore not to her being a Gentile and not a Jew Then when she further urged her sute in most humble and reverent manner he answered as we see in this Verse giving her no more comfort than before nay rather much greater discomfort in that he doth argue or plead against her shewing Reasons why he could not grant her Request and seeming withal to blame and reprove her for asking that which was not fit for him to give yea not onely so but reproaching her also with the name of a Dogg c. Hence observe That the Lord doth use to exercise the Faith of his Children in this life with many and great trials and oppositions And these are of two sorts 1. Outward Afflictions in Body Goods good Name Friends c. with these the Lord useth greatly to try and exercise the Faith of his Children as we see in the Examples of Job David and many others in Scripture See Heb. 11. 36. 2. Inward tryal which are of two sorts 1. Such as the Lord suffereth Satan to exercise the Faith of his Children with Luke 22. 31. Satan hath desired you to sift you as Wheat c. that is greatly to try and assault your Faith Thus the Lord tryed Paul's Faith by the Messenger of Satan buffeting him 2 Cor. 12. 17. 2. Such trials wherewith the Lord himself doth oftentimes immediately from himself exercise his Childrens Faith for thus he doth often oppose himself directly against their Faith and wrestle with it and with them inwardly as he did with Jacob Gen. 32. 22. causing them inwardly to feel the burden of their sins and the terrours of his wrath which is the greatest and most fearful of all trials Thus he tried David Job Hezekiah And thus our Saviour Christ here tryed the Faith of this Woman opposing it directly and fighting against it as it were by Reasons and Arguments pleading against her c. Reasons Reasons 1. That their Faith being thus greatly assaulted the soundness of it may more clearly shine forth to themselve and others 2. That this through-trial of their Faith may be found to their eternal praise honour and glory at the day of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 7. 3. That the wonderful Power of God may be glorified strengthning them to bear so great Assaults Vse 1 Use 1. To make accompt of this that our Faith must be greatly tryed and assaulted with many difficulties and oppositions outward and inward sometimes by outward crosses lying heavy on us sometimes by Satan tempting us to distrust c. sometimes by God himself wrastling with us and seeming to fight against our Faith yea sometimes we must look to feel all these assaults at once to be made against our Faith therefore prepare and arm our selves before-hand daily to fight this good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6. 12. As it is a good fight so it is a very great fight even the greatest that can be endured in this life Far more difficult and dangerous than any bodily fight or warfare against bodily Enemies Ephes 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers c. yea sometimes against God himself as Jacob did c. See how truly our life is said in Scripture to be a Warfare and we to be Souldiers c. Therefore look not for a life of ease nor think it an easy matter to be a good Christian no we must endure hardness as it is said 2 Tim. 2. 3. Our Faith must endure many and great combats outward and inward fightings within and terrours without as Paul felt Therefore daily prepare and arm our selves to fight this great fight of Faith lest when we meet with so great Enemies and Oppositions we be dismayed Quest Quest How shall we prepare and arm our selves Answ Answ 1. Pray unto God daily for more and more strength of Faith whereby we may be able to withstand so many and great assaults as we must look for Pray as the Apostles did unto Christ Lord increase our Faith and with him Mark 9. I believe Lord help my Unbelief Joyn also Prayer to the use of other good means for the strengthning of our Faith as diligent hearing of the Word reading of the Scriptures meditation on the Promises of the Gospel c. 2. See that our Faith be true and sound Faith not fained and counterfeit If it be true and sound effectually apprehending God's Mercy in Christ c. then it will be able to hold out and to endure all Oppositions But if it be a counterfeit Shadow of Faith if it be but a carnal Presumption or vain Imagination or a temporary Faith it will never hold out against so great trials as must be indured Ephes 6. 16. It is said to be our Shield whereby we must quench all the fiery darts of Satan Look therefore it be not a broken Shield but firm and sound such as may bear off the greatest blows which Satan can give us by his Temptations c. To this end often examine our Faith by the Word of God that we may know it to be a Shield of Proof Vse 2 Use 2. Comfort to the faithful meeting with great and manifold assaults made against their Faith when they are not onely tryed with outward Afflictions but also much exercised with inward trials and oppositions of Satan yea when they feel God himself wrestling against them and shewing himself as an enemy to them Yet let them not be dismaied
constancy and perseverance in Prayer though they do not at first or for long time perhaps find the fruit and confort of their Prayers This must be so far from discouraging them that it must provoke and excite them to perseverance in Prayer and cause them to be more and more instant and importunate with the Lord Luke 18. 1. for assuredly if they thus continue in Prayer and follow God with their earnest sutes from time to time though he long defer to hear yet he will hear at length though for a time he stop his ears and shut out their Prayers yet he will at length shew that his ears are open to them though for a time he seem to shut the door and gate of mercy yet he will at length set it wide open if thou continue knocking at it c. Yea the longer he defers to hear the more abundantly and liberally will he at length give unto thee that which thou hast long sued for he will even open the fountain and treasury of his Grace and Mercy to thee as he did to this Woman Observ 2 Observ 2. This faithful Woman was tried and exercised for a time with many and great trials and afflictions both outward and inward It was a heavy outward Affliction to her that her young Daughter was given over to the Devil's Tyranny to be possessed and miserably vexed of him And it was no less grievous an affliction to her mind and Conscience that when she came and prayed to Christ to help her he not onely refused to hear her but pleaded against her and seemed also to speak contemptibly and reproachfully of her as we have heard And yet here we see that in the end the Lord gives a happy and comfortable end and issue to all these her troubles for our Saviour assureth her that her Prayer is heard and her Daughter delivered from the Power of the Devil Hence then we learn that howsoever the Lord doth use to try and exercise his Children with many and great troubles inward and outward yet he doth in the end deliver them and give them a happy and comfortable issue out of their troubles Psal 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation make away to escape c. Jam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord c. 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations c. Many Examples of this we find in Scripture as in Joseph Job David Jeremy Daniel Jonah Paul c. All these greatly tryed with Affliction yet were all in the end delivered and found a happy issue c. Reasons Reasons 1. The Lord hath promised thus to deliver his Children in due time out of their troubles Psal 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him c. Psal 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee 2. It makes for the Glory of God even for the Glory of his Power Mercy and Faithfulness to give a comfortable issue to the troubles of his Servants according to his promise therefore his own Glory being most pretious unto him he cannot but deliver them 3. He hath also respect herein to his Children's Infirmity not alwayes holding them under the Crosse lest through natural Infirmity they should faint and be discouraged in their troubles or grow to Impatiency and murmuring or be moved to use unlawful means to help and deliver themselves Psal 125. 3. The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the Lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hands unto Iniquity See also 1 Cor. 10. 13. Vse 1 Use 1. Great comfort to the faithful in all trials and afflictions with which the Lord exerciseth them though they seem never so tedious and grievous for the present and though never so long continued this is their comfort that they shall not alwaies be holden under the Cross the Rod of God shall not alwaie rest upon them but they shall in time be delivered there is a time set and appointed of God for their deliverance and for the happy issue and end of their troubles and though this time be never so long deferred yet come it shall at length and they shall have deliverance Hebr. 10. He that shall come will come c. In the mean time we must wait upon God by Faith Hope and Patience resting and building upon his Promise which he is faithful to perform and will in due time perform sooner or latter by one means or another either by removing the cross it self or by mitigating the sharpness of it or by giving Strength and Patience to bear it For there are many wayes of delivering and many kinds of God's deliverance It is our Ignorance to dream but of one kind which is the removal of the Evil or Affliction it self which we suffer whereas the Lord hath other wayes to deliver which are or may be as good and better for us Though he take not away the cross it self yet if he deliver thee from the sharpness of it if he deliver thee from murmuring and impatiency and from fainting and sinking under the burden of thy Cross these are great deliverances and the Lord herein doth much for thee Besides he will also in the end take away the Affliction it self and free thee from it if not in thy life time yet at the end of life by death which shall put an end to all troubles and miseries of the godly Revel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead they rest from their labours c. This being so it should comfort us in all troubles and keep us from fainting and being weary in our minds and from casting away our hope and confidence in God Hebr. 12. My Son faint not when thou art rebuked of the Lord. There is no cause why we should faint or be discouraged no not in the most grievous trials and of longest continuance though the Lord should hold thee never so long under the Rod yet remember that he hath promised deliverance in due time and it makes for his honour and glory to deliver thee therefore he cannot but do it in due time though it be never so long first In the mean time live by Faith and make not too much haste out of trouble till the Lord please to make a way for thee Isa 28. He that believeth will not make haste Prescribe not God any time when to deliver thee or means or manner how to deliver thee but refer all this to his wisdom who knoweth the fittest time and the best way and means c. He knoweth when we have been exercised and tryed enough in the fire of Affliction As the Gold-smith knoweth best when to put in the Gold into the fining pot
be expressed by any visible shape neither ought we at any time to go about to express or resemble them by any such form or shape Object Object God hath appeared to men in visible forms or shapes as to Abraham in the form of a Man Gen. 18. and to Jacob when he wrestled with him Gen. 32. 24. So to Daniel in Vision he appeared in the form of an ancient King sitting on his Throne Dan. 7. 9. and Mat. 3. the Holy Ghost descended on Christ at his Baptism in the shape of a Dove Answ Answ 1. Those shapes or forms were not assumed or used to express the Nature and Essence of God or the Persons in Trinity but onely as symbolical Tokens of God's presence for that time in which he so appeared 2. Though God himself may appear in what form he pleaseth at some times and for special causes yet we may not so resemble or express him by any Image because he hath forbidden us so to do as in the second Commandment and else-where in his Word Vse Use See by this the gross sin of the Papists presuming to make and use Images and Pictures of the Trinity as of God the Father in the shape of an old man of the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove So also they make Images of Christ to express his Person and for religious Adoration Observ 3 Observ 3. This Cloud being sent to cover and hide the Divine Glory of Christ and the Glory of Moses and Elias from the Disciples sight and so to curb and restrain them from curious searching and prying into that Glory further than was fit for them This may teach us that we ought not curiously to search or pry into the Knowledge of those things which God hath hid from us and which are not fit for us to know and be acquainted with in this life but we must be content to be ignorant of them It is a learned Ignorance which becometh us For example We are not too curiously to search into the Nature and Essence of God or distinction of Persons or into the Decree and Counsel of God to find out the causes of it or into the Glory and Majesty of God or of Christ or into the Nature and Quality of that heavenly life to come c. I say we are not too curiously to search into these things or to desire to look or pry into them further than is fit for us that is to say further than we have light and warrant from the Word of God So far as we have ground from it we may and ought to search after these things but we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. We must not desire to understand above that which is meet to understand but to be wise unto sobriety Rom. 12. 3. To this end remember what is said Deut. 29. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever c. For this cause Exod. 19. 21. at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai the People were straitly charged not to come too near the Mountain to gaze that is curiously to pry or look into the Glory of God then appearing in the Mount No more must we come too near the Majesty of God to gaze or pry into those secrets which he hath hid from us but we must keep within the bounds he hath set us in his written Word Mark 9. 7. And there was a Cloud that over-shadowed them and a Voice came out of the Cloud saying This is July 2. 1626. my beloved Son hear him NOW followeth the special Adjunct or Circumstance which accompanied the former miraculous Apparition of the Cloud c. viz. The heavenly Voice uttered out of that Cloud Where 1. Consider the manner of uttering this Voice It came out of the Cloud 2. The matter it self uttered or spoken by it This is my beloved Son hear him Of the first A Voice This was the Voice of God the Father the first Person in Trinity as may appear partly by the words uttered in which he calleth Christ His Son This is my beloved Son c. and partly by 2 Pet. 1. 17. where it is said plainly That he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a Voice to him Came out of the Cloud that is It was uttered or sounded from Heaven through the Cloud and that in sensible manner so as it was plainly heard of the three Disciples unto whom it was especially directed 2 Pet. 1. 18. This Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount Now whether this Voice were uttered by the immediate Power of God or by the Ministry of some Angel as sometimes the Lord used to speak unto men is not expressed and therefore uncertain although it seems probable that it came immediately from God 2 Pet. 1. 17. it is said to come from the excellent Glory See Dr. Willet on Exod. 19. 19. Quest Quest Why was this Voice of God the Father uttered through the Cloud and not directly and immediately from Heaven Answ Answ That the Disciples might be the better able to hear it without being too much astonished and over-whelmed with fear Therefore the Cloud was caused to come between them and the glorious presence of God to mitigate the terrour of his presence and of the Voice which was uttered by him For if they were so astonished at the hearing of this Voice notwithstanding that it was conveyed to them through the Cloud that they fell on their faces to the ground Mat. 17. 6. how much more would they have been terrified if they had directly and immediately seen the Majesty of God and heard his Voice from Heaven without any Cloud coming between Observ Observ See here the goodness and mercy of God toward his Saints in this life in that he doth reveal and manifest his Will to them in such sort as they are capable thereof and by such wayes and means as they are able to bear Herein he graciously stoopeth to our Infirmity Hence it is that the Lord in revealing Himself and his Will to his Saints hath not used to appear and speak to them immediately and directly from Heaven for then they could not have endured either the sight of his Glory or to hear his terrible Voice but his manner hath been to instruct and teach them mediately that is to say by some instrumental cause or mean either ordinary or extraordinary coming between himself and them As for example either by the Ministry of Man as he doth ordinarily or else by the Ministry of Angels appearing and speaking in his Name as he did often both in the Old and New Testament or else by extraordinary Visions and Dreams sent unto men or else by manifesting his presence by some sensible Sign and Token and so speaking unto men as he did here unto the Disciples out
of the Cloud So at the giving of the Law he spake unto Moses and the People out of a thick Cloud Exod. 20. And though it be said Exod. 33. 11. that God spake to Moses face to face c. yet that is not so to be taken as if he had spoken to him directly and immediately or as if he had shewed him his immediate face and presence for no Man could see that upon Earth and live as the Lord himself telleth Moses in Ver. 20. of the same Chapter but it is meant onely of the familiar manner of God'â— speaking and revealing of himself unto him Now the Cause and Reason why the Lord hath used thus mediately to reveal himself to men and not immediately is this that so they might not be too much astonished with fear at the fight of his Glory or hearing of his Voice but that they might be able to hear and understand his Will revealed to them And by this he hath in all Ages shewed his great mercy and goodness toward his Church and People in the manner of revealing his Will to them in that he hath therein condescended and stooped to their weakness teaching and instructing them in such manner and by such means as they were able to bear And although the Lord did at some special times manifest himself more immediately and in more terrible and fearful manner than at other times yet it was alwayes in such sort as they were enabled in some measure at least to hear his Voice and to understand his Will Now as this mercy and goodness of God in stooping to our weakness hath alwayes appeared in the extraordinary and more immediate Apparitions of God and Revelations of his Will to his People so especially it doth appear in the ordinary manner and means of revealing his Will to us namely in the Ministry of his Word in which he doth so familiarly and plainly speak unto us not by Angels nor in extraordinary Visions or Dreams nor by miraculous Clouds appearing in terrible manner but by the Voice of mortall men like unto our selves which is such a kind of Teaching as is of all other most plain familiar and easy for us to conceive and understand and whereof we are most capable and best able to profit by it Therefore let us thankfully acknowledge this as a great and unspeakable mercy of God to us that he doth not onely teach us and reveal his Will unto us in the things which concern our Salvation but doth also apply himself to our Weakness in the manner and means of teaching us being such as we are best able to bear If God himself should come from Heaven and immediately appear to us in his infinite Glory and speak to us by his own immediate Voice it would strike us dead to the Earth See Exod 20. 19. Yea if he should but send his glorious Angels to speak to us how terrible would their Voice and Presence be unto us Or if he should appear in a miraculous Cloud and so speak to us as now he did to the three Disciples in Mount Tabor how would it astonish us But now seeing it is the Lord's Mercy to speak in so plain mild and familiar manner to us by the Ministry of men like our selves How thankful should we be and how gladly should we hear his Voice thus speaking to us for our good and how highly should we esteem of this Ordinance of God in the Ministry of his Word by men So likewise of Ministers c. Now followeth the matter it self which was uttered or spoken by the Voice which came out of the Cloud This is my beloved Son hear him General Observation That there is a distinction of Persons in the God-head though but one Essence God the Father the first Person did utter this Voice And Christ the Son the second Person being present also was that Person concerning whom the Voice spake In which words are two things contained 1. A special Testimony given of the Person of Christ This is my beloved Son 2. A speciall Precept or Commandment given unto the Disciples in respect of Christ To hear him Of the first This is my beloved Son Matth. 17. 5. these words are added In whom I am well pleased But my purpose is to speak onely of the words set down by Mark. Here note that this testimony of Christ's Person that he is the Son of God was given from Heaven not for Christ's own sake or in respect of him for he had no need at all to be taught this truth touching his own Person nor to be confirmed in it but this Testimony was given for the Disciples sakes being now present with Christ that by this means their Faith might be confirmed in the truth of Christ's Person that he was the Son of God So Joh. 12. 30. at another time a little before his Passion when the like Voice was sounded from Heaven touching Christ our Saviour himself tells his Disciples that the Voice came not because of him but for their sakes Object Object The Disciples did already believe Christ to be the Son of God and Peter in the name of all the rest had a little before confessed him so to be as we heard Chap. 8. ver 29. and as it appeareth Mat. 16. 16. Therefore this Testimony from Heaven may seem needless Answ Answ Though they did already believe Christ to be the Son of God yet it was no needless thing but very necessary for them to be yet further confirmed in this truth 1. Because their Faith was as yet but weak and so had need of further strengthning especially seeing they were appointed to be special Witnesses of this truth afterward to others 2. This truth of Christ's Person that he is the Son of God is a main and principal Point of Doctrine taught in the Gospel of great necessity to be known and believed unto Salvation and therefore they had need to be throughly stablished in the belief of it 3. Though they did already believe Christ to be the glorious Son of God yet because he was not long afterward to be greatly abased and to suffer death as a man yea the shameful death of the Cross Therefore lest when they should see this come to pass they should begin to doubt of his Person whether he were indeed the Son of God it was needful for their Faith to be yet further stablished herein by this Voice of God himself from Heaven that so they might be the better armed against that great scandal and offence which otherwise they would have taken at his Cross and Sufferings But to come to the words of this Testimony touching Christ's Person In them are two things contained 1. That he is the Son of God 2. That he is his beloved Son Of the first How Christ is said to be the Son of God see before Chap. 1. Ver. 1. viz. not by Creation as the Angels nor by Adoption as true Believers in Christ but by natural Generation
betray the Truth and professors of it into the hands of wicked Enemies and Adversaries What is this but to betray the cause of God yea what is it else in effect and upon the matter but secretly and indirectly at the least to deny the Truth of God when being called to profess it and to speak in defence of it and of the Professors of it they are silent and hold their peace See 2 Tim. 4. 16. Let every one take heed of such untimely silence in the cause of God and of his Truth remember that fearfull threatning of our Saviour Matth. 20. 33. Whosoever shall deny me before men c. Now this is one kind of denyall of Christ when we see his Truth and Gospel and the Professors of it opposed and disgraced by the Wicked and do not open our mouths in the just defence both of them and the Truth Take heed of being guilty herein and on the contrary pray for zeal and courage to stand for the Truth of God and to open our mouths in defence of it when we shall be called to do it Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour did thus expostulate with the Scribes not onely in way of defending his Disciples and the Gospel it self which the Scribes went about to disgrace but also for the better convincing and reproving of the Scribes and to stop their mouths Hence we may learn That it is our duty not onely to maintain and defend the Truth of God but also to use the best means we can for the convincing and stopping of the mouths of such as are Enemies to the Truth Especially this concerneth Ministers of the Word But of this see before upon ver 13. Mark 9. 17 18 And one of the Multitude answered and said Master I have brought unto thee my Son which Febr. 18. 1626. hath a dumb Spirit c. OF the two first occasions of the Miracle we have heard before viz. 1. Of our Saviour Christ's returning back and coming again to those nine Disciples of his whom he left behind him when he went into the Mount to be transfigured 2. Of his Question or Demand put unto the Scribes touching the matter or cause about which he found them disputing with his Disciples Now followeth the third occasion of the Miracle viz. The sure or supplication made unto Christ by the Father of the Child that was possessed with the Devil in behalf of his Child which sute and request he put up unto Christ in way of Answer to that Question moved by our Saviour unto the Scribes in the former Verse For he asking the Scribes what was the matter about which they were then reasoning or debating with his Disciples and both the Scribes and the Disciples being hereupon silent and answering nothing as it seemeth presently the Father of the possessed Child being much affected with his Child's case makes haste to speak and to make sute to our Saviour in behalf of his Child and withal by way of Answer unto Chriâ—t's Question moved to the Scribes doth imply what the matter was about which they disputed with the Disciples namely about the casting of the Devil out of his Child which he saith he had sought to the Disciples to do and they could not effect it Now in this sute or supplication put up here unto Christ by this party in the behalf of his afflicted Child two things are to be considered 1. The manner of his speaking In humble and reverent manner expressed by this honourable title which he gives to Christ calling him Master 2. The matter of his Speech or Supplication which consisteth of two parts 1. He doth acquaint our Saviour that he had brought unto Him his Son 2. He useth a two-fold Motive unto Christ to shew mercy on his Child 1. From the grievous Misery and Affliction of his Child which he layeth open unto Christ certifying him that he had a Devil and relating the pitiful manner of the Devil 's taking and tormenting him 2. From the unability of the Disciples to cast out the Devil in that he had sought to them to do it and they were not able Of the first The manner of his speaking Master or Lord Matth. 17. 15. A title of honour and reverence by which he testifieth his Humility and Reverence toward the Person of Christ Matth. 17. 14. it is said he fell upon his Knees before Christ which it is likely he did not onely in way of civil reverence but as a Token of some religious honour and worship which he shewed toward the Person of Christ For although it is probable that he was not yet throughly instructed in the God-head of Christ yet it is likely that he did in part believe it being perswaded that he was more than a meer man and that he had a Divine Power and Ability to work Miracles for otherwise he would not have thus made sute to Him for his Child Observ Observ In that the Father of this possessed Child though not as yet throughly instructed in the God-head of Christ but in part onely believing it and being perswaded of his Divine Power did nevertheless behave himself in such humble and reverent manner before Christ when he made sute to him for his Child Hence we may learn that we ought much more to carry our selves in all humble and reverent manner in time of Prayer whensoever we put up our sutes and supplications unto God and unto Christ being now in Heaven c. Our hearts must be inwardly affected with due reverence of the Majesty of God and of Christ in time of Prayer and we are also to expresse it by outward reverence in our words and gestureâ— c. But of this I spake lately upon the Preface of the Lord's Prayer See also before in Ver. 40. of Chap. 1. and Chap. 7. Ver. 25. Now followeth the matter or substance of the Speech and Supplication of this party unto Christ for his afflicted Child Wherein he acquainteth our Saviour that he had brought unto Him his Son I have brought unto thee my Son His meaning is that he had brought him to some place near to or not far off from the place where Christ now was for he had not yet brought him before Christ or into his sight and presence as may aappear by that which followeth Ver. 19 20. Luke 9. 38. he calls him his onely Child whereby he doth amplify the matter aggravating his own sorrow the more to move our Saviour to shew mercy to the Child being not only his Son but his onely Son yea his onely Child as is probable Matth. 17. 15. Lord have mercy upon my Son c. Observ Observ Parents ought not only to be affected with the outward bodily Afflictions and Miseries of their Children but also to take special care of them using the best means for their help and relief as in sickness pain necessity c. So did the Father of this possessed Child as he was much affected with grief
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
because of their unbelief So that the fault was in themselves not in him that they had no more benefit by his Miracleâ— Jam. 4. 2. Ye have not because ye ask not c. q. d. The fault is in your selves that ye want many blessings which ye might enjoy Jer. 5. 25. Your sins have with-holden good things from you Use Vse This must teach us in the want of any blessing or benefit which we desire to be far from blaming the Lord as if he wanted power or will to do us good and to lay all the fault upon our selves in regard of our unbelief negligence in prayer or other sins which hinder good things from us Think not that the Lord's arm is shortned or his bowels of mercy shut up but look into thy self what sin there is to hinder the Lord's Power and Goodness toward thee Observ 2 Observ 2. See here what condition is required on our part to make us capable and fit to be partakers of those benefits and blessings which we stand in need of and which the Lord hath promised or purposeth to bestow upon us viz. The condition of Faith that we do believe the Power and Goodness of God toward us and the truth of his Word and Promise made unto us Our Saviour here purposing and promising to the father of the Lunatick child this great benefit of the miraculous healing of his child doth first require Faith on his part that he should believe and rest upon the Power and Goodness of Christ for the obtaining of this which he desired So at other times he used in like case to require Faith of such as were to be partakers of the benefit of his Miracles as Matth. 9. 28. of the two blind men Believe ye that I am able to do this So when the Lord promiseth any special benefit to his Church or People he requireth Faith on their part to believe it 2 Chron. 20. 20. Jehosaphat to his People Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established c. On the contrary Isa 7. 9. If ye will not believe ye shall not be established Now as this is true of outward and Temporall benefits of this Life so much more of Spirituall blessings which concern the Life to come as remission of Sins Justification and eternall Life that as God hath promised these unto us in Christ So â—e requireth the condition of Faith on our part that we should believe and rest upon his Word and Promises and upon his Power Goodness and Truth for performance of his Promises and without this Faith we are not capable of the blessings promised Hence it is That all such Promises of Spirituall blessings in Christ are made upon condition of our Faith Acts 13. 38. Paul tells those of Antioch That through Christ was preached to them forgiveness of Sins And by him all that believe were justified c. And Joh. 3. 16. God gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. So Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized c. Acts 16. 31. Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy House Use 1 Use 1. See that such as want Faith are not capable of any blessings or benefits which God hath promised in his Word neither have they any right or title to them no not to the Temporall blessings of this Life as Health Wealth Prosperity c. for though they enjoy these yet not as blessings but as curses rather much less have they any right or title to any spirituall or saving benefit of Christ as pardon of sins God's favour c. nor any part in these nay they are not so much as capable of any of them which therefore shews the misery and wretched estate of all Unbelievers which are yet destitute of true Faith Vse 2 Use 2. See what to do if we would be partakers of those benefits both Spiritual and Temporal which we desire and stand in need of and which the Lord hath in his Word promised to his Elect. Labour to perform the condition required on ourpart viz. by true Faith to believe and rest upon the Word and Promises of God and upon the Power and Godness of God for the receiving and enjoying of all such blessings and good things as he hath promised and we stand in need of This is the condition that must qualify us and make us capable of all the blessings of God Spirituall and Temporall and without it we are not fit to receive or enjoy any of them no not the least of them as they are blessings much less those great and inestimable blessings which concern Salvation we are by Nature as empty Vessels and infidelity stops us up that which cannot receive any Grace Faith opens our mouths c. Therefore as thou desirest to be a partaker of these and all other blessings of God which he hath made promise of so look thou have some measure of true Faith to believe and apply his Promises and to rest on his Almighty Power and Goodnesse for the enjoying of all blessings needfull for the Soul and Body Never rest till thou feel this Faith begun in thy heart use all means to attain to it Labour first to feel thy want of Faith by Nature and how miserable thou art without it having no true communion with God or Christ nor any true title to any blessing promised of God in his Word c. Then get a hungring and thirsting desire after this Faith for God will powre his Spirit upon the thristy Esay 44. 3. withall see thou attend conscionably upon the principall means sanctified of God to work Faith viz. The ministery of the Word Rom. 10. 17. Be a frequent and diligent Hearer of this Word of Faith then God will bless his own Ordinance to thee for the working of Faith in thy heart This also concerneth such as have Faith already to stirr them up to labour for further growth and increase thereof that by this means they may become more and more capable and fit to be partakers of all blessings which God hath promised and they stand in need of But of this growth of Faith we shall have occasion to speak more upon the verse following It followeth All things are possible c. Observ Observ The great Power and Efficacy of true Faith that it is a means to procure and obtain all good things at the hands of God which stand with his Will and do make for the benefit and good of the Believer It prevails with God to set on work his Power for the doing and effecting of whatsoever makes for his own Glory and for the Good and Salvation of the Believer There is nothing so hard to be done but Faith is able to procure it to be done by the Almighty Power of God for the Believers sake no blessing so hard to be obtained at the hands of God but Faith can obtain it for the Believer so far as
consequently the true and onely Messiah promised to be our Redeemer and Saviour But of this before Observ 2 Observ 2. From the manner of his going out in that he shewed such unwillingness by crying out and renting the body of the child c. we are taught That where the Devil hath once gotten hold or possession for a time he is very loth and unwilling to be dispossessed or cast out thence and therefore striveth all that he can to keep his hold See before chap. 1. 26. and chap. 5. 8. Observ 3 Observ 3. The property of Satan That being resisted and perceiving that he must shortly be cast out of his hold and possession he useth to shew his malice and tyranny so much the more against such as are under his power See before ver 20. Observ 2 Observ 4. The extream cruelty and tyranny of the Devil which he doth exercise against such as are under his power in that he did not only torment and afflict this child but with most bitter and grievous pains even unto Death it self if the Lord had not hindred and prevented it by his Power But of this before ver 18 22. It followeth ver 27. Jesus took him by the hand c. Though our Saviour did suffer the Devil so grievously to afflict and torture the child in going out that he was even at the Point of Death yet he did not suffer him to have his will in murdering the child as he desired but the child being in this extremity he presently affordeth his help by restoring the child to his former strength and soundness of body and that not by degrees but suddenly and miraculously as appeareth by the words for he did but take him by the hand and lift him up and presently he arose being perfectly whole and sound Matth. 17. 18. The child was cured from that very hour Now in that he took him by the hand c. whereas he could have healed him by his bare word spoken this he did the more to presse his goodness and mercy toward the child and the more to strengthen the weak Faith of the father of the child Observ Observ That when we are in greatest extremity and misery then oftentimes the Lord's help and deliverance is nearest at hand when it seems to be farthest off c. Our greatest extremity is his best opportunity to save and deliver us out of any trouble misery or danger whatsoever either bodily or spirituall When this child was so grievously afflicted by the Devil that it was at very point of Death then presently doth our Saviour Christ restore him to health and strength of body When the bondage and affliction of the Israelites in Aegypt was greatest then did the Lord visit them in mercy and deliver them When Jonah had been three dayes in the Whale's belly and there appeared little or no hope of deliverance but it seemed farthest off then was it nearest So before Mark 6. 48. when the Disciples were rowing on the Sea in a storm by night and in greatest danger then Christ shewed himself suddenly present to help and save them 2 Cor. 1. 10. when the Apostle was pressed out of measure in Asia so that he dispaired of Life c. then God delivered him from so great a Death c. As a little before break of Day in the Morning it useth many times to grow very dark and then when the Day-light seems to be farthest off then it is nearest So here c. Psal 112. To the Righteous ariseth Light in Darkness Use Use To comfort and stay our minds from fainting or being discouraged in our greatest extremities and distresses of mind or body or both when our troubles and miseries grow greatest and most heavy and grievous upon us and when in the Judgment of reason there seemeth least hope of deliverance then may it be nearest yea then it is most likely to be near at hand For God useth to suffer his Childrens miseries and troubles to come to the highest pitch and extremity oftentimes before he help and deliver them Therefore labour in this case by Faith to depend and wait on God for deliverance even then when thou art in the greatest darkness of affliction and be perswaded That comfort may be then nearest when in reason it seemeth farthest off c. Mark 9. 28. And when he was come into the House his Disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him June 10. 1627. out HItherto of the Antecedents of the Miracle wrought by our Saviour upon the lunatick and possessed Child as also of the Miracle it self Now followeth the Event or Consequent of it viz. The Disciples questioning with our Saviour in private afterward touching the cause why they could not cast out the Devil from this Child as they had assayed to do together with Christ's Answer to their Question Ver. 28 29. First of their Question When he was come into the House that is Into some private House where he was noâ— alone or private with his Disciples What House or whose it was is not expressed by the Evangelists They took this opportunity of time and place as fittest to move this Question to their Master when he was in private being then free from the publick employments of his Ministry at which time also they might most freely and boldly propound their doubt unto him Why could not we c The extraordinary gift or power of casting out Devils and of working other Miracles being formerly conferred upon the Disciples by our Saviour Christ as appeareth Cap. 3. ver 15. supra and they having also formerly exercised this power and gift and finding themselves for the present to be deprived of that gift or at least disabled from the exercise of it they could not but mervail much hereat and withal were very doubtful and suspicious what should be the cause and not being able to resolve themselves herein they now seek to Christ their Lord and Master for resolution And although they could not move this Question to our Saviour without acknowledgment of their own weakness in not being able to work the Miracle which might seem to be a disparagement to them yet this hindred them not from propounding their Doubt unto him In the words consider two things 1. The Question moved by the Disciples unto Christ touching the cause c. 2. The time and place when and where it was moved In a private House Observ 1 Observ 1. That in all Doubts and Questions or Cases of Conscience wherein we are not able to resolve our selves we should carefully seek to such as are able to resolve and teach us as to the faithful Ministers of God or other able Christians See before Ver. 11. hujus Capitis Observ 2 Observ 2. See how forward we should be when occasion is offered to propound our doubts and cases of Conscience to others and to seek resolution from such as are able to inform us better so forward should we be
doth make all things work for their good and to further their happiness and salvation Rom. 8. 28. all crosses troubles miseries of this life c. By this he doth strengthen them to perseverance in grace till at last he bring them through all dâ—fficulties to his heavenly Kingdom 1 Pet. 1. 5. kept by the power of God through faith c. See Joh. 10. 27. 17. 11. Vse 3 Use 3. To strengthen our faith in prayer considering that God is not only willing and ready to hear us as being our Father in Christ but also able to give us that we ask as being Almighty with whom all things are possible even those which seem to us most hard and difficult to be granted Ephes 3. 20. Able to do above all things we ask or think Matth. 8. 2. Thou canst make me clean Yea Christ himself Mark 14. 36. Abba Father all things are possible to thee c. In the conclusion of the Lords Prayer For thâ—ne is the Kingdom power c. Great comfort in our Prayers Vse 4 Vse 4. To strengthen our faith touching performance of all Gods Promises made to his Church and Children in Christ whether of temporal or spiritual blessings To consider that he who hath promised is able to perform and make good his Word So Rom. 4. 21. Abraham staggered not c. but was strong in faith being fully perswaded c. So we must by this almighty power of God labour to have our faith confirmed in Gods Promises for performance in due time yea in such Promises as seem most hard to be performed and most unlikely to reason c. as the promise of forgiveness of sins resurrection of our bodies and life everlasting Promise of strength in temptation that he will be with us in trouble and that we shall not be tryed above our strength c. but delivered Labour to believe this in greatest extremity when we see no means of deliverance then by faith rest in Gods power to whom all things are possible who can raise up means or deliver without means Dan. 3. 17. The three children c. Vse 5 Vse 5. For Instruction in some speciall duties 1. It must teach us to humble our selves under his mighty hand as we are exhorted 1 Pet. 5. 6. The consideration of Gods Almighty power must cause us to cast down our selves before him in sight of our sins at all times when we have occasion to think of his power Especially when his hand is upon us by any cross or affliction chastising us c. 2. It must teach us truly to fear God being of such wonderful power able to do all things now the true fear of God is so to stand in awe of him at all times as to be afraid to offend him by sin yea by the least sin Psal 4. 4. Tremble and sin not Jer. 10. 6. Thy Name is great in might Who would not fear thee O King of Nations How are earthly Princes feared because of their great power to punish offenders though they be but mortal men whose breath is in their nostrils How much more ought we to stand in awe of God's almighty power c. Luke 12. 4. Fear not them that kill the body c. Though we are not to fear God only for his power but chiefly for his mercy and goodness as it is Psal 130. 4 Yet c. Make not leight of any sin but fear and tremble at the motions of it arising in our heart c. 3. It teacheth us what to do at such time as we feel weakness and unability in our selves to do or to suffer any thing in obedience to God which he requireth of us Seek to him that is Almighty and All-sufficient to whom all things are possible Pray to him to help and enable us by the power of his Spirit to do those duties which we cannot of our selves to enable us for every good thought word and work To this end labour to see and feel our unability in our selves for these things 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not sufficient of our selves to think any thing c. but our sufficiency is from God Therefore go out of our selves and seek to him that is all power and whose power is perfected in weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. Esay 40. 29. He gives power to the faint c. Seek to him for help in performance of all duties which he requireth of us without which we can do nothing especially in holy and religious duties of his worship publick and private as Prayer hearing of his Word Sanctification Salvation c. So in all other Christian duties required especially in such as are most hard and contrary to nature as in the practice of Repentance and mortifying our lustâ— denyal of our selves and taking up the Cross c. Pray with Paul Col. 1. 11. That we may be strengthened with all might uccording to his glorious power unto all Patience c. So in duties of our particular Callings when we find weaknesse to go through them Look up to God by Faith and seek to him to whom all things are possible c. Mark 10. 28. Then Peter began to say unto him c. Nov. 23. 1628. THe fourth part of this Chapter which contains our Saviour's answer to Peter making mention of his own and his fellow-Disciples obedience formerly shewed in forsaking all they had and following Christ when they were at first called to be his Disciples from ver 28. to ver 32. Where 1. Consider Peter's mentioning or making profession of their former fact or obedience shewed Peter began to say c. Lo we have left all c. ver 28. 2. Christ's answer made hereunto which consisteth of two parts 1. A gracious promise of a rich reward to be given to all such as had forsaken any thing that was dear to them in this world for his sake and the Gospells they should receive a hundred fold more in this life c. and in the world to come eternal life ver 29 30. 2. An admonition or caveat to his Disciples touching the future Apostacy of some Hypocrites which had made fair shew and bin forward Professors of Christ and the Gospell for a time as also touching the Calling and conversion of others who had bin gross offenders and seemed farthest off from the Kingdome of Christ This admonition or caution is delivered in that general sentence uttered ver 31. Many that are first c. Of the first The end of Peters mentioning of this matter at this time was to demand and know and be better resolved of Christ what recompence they were like to have for their obedience shewed in forsaking all and following him Matth. 19. 27. What shall we have therefore The occasion was the former conference between our Saviour and the young Ruler touching the way of obtaining eternall life in which conference our Saviour willed him to sell all and give to the poor and then promised him treasure in heaven
Christs person that he did believe him to be the true Messiah and Saviour of mankind promised in the old Testament and foretold by the Prophets and consequently that he was both able and willing to help and relieve him in his present misery by restoring his sight unto him Further it is probable that this was the common title by which the Messiah was usually called and known amongst the Jews in our Saviours time as may appear by comparing this place with other places of the Evangelists where the same title is given unto him as Matth. 9. 27. and Matth. 15. 22. The reason is because he was to be born of the seed and posterity of David as was foretold by the Prophets Jer. 23. 5. Behold I will raise unto David a righteous branch c. Quest Quest How came this blind man to know and believe that this Jesus was the Messias Answ Answ 1. By the fame of his Doctrine and Miracles which he had heard of 2. By the special motion and instinct of the Spirit of God working this faith in his heart Observ 1 Observ 1. This poor blind beggar knew more of Christ's Person than the Learned Scribes and Pharisees and other great men amongst the Jews did at that time viz. that he was the true Messias c. Which teacheth us That God doth sometimes reveal the mysteries of faith or doctrine of Christ and of the Gospel to poor and mean men and hideth it from the great men of the World yea he doth often and usually thus Luke 10. 21. I thank thee O Father sayes our Saviour Christ that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes c. This the Lord doth to shew that he is no respecter of persons in revealing the knowledg of his Will unto men Use 1 Use 1. See the reason why a poor or mean Christian may sometimes see more of the truth in matters of Faith and Religion than others that are great men of the World It is because the Lord doth often reveal the mysteries of his Will to such mean persons and doth hide the same from great ones c. Vse 2 Vse 2. Teacherh us not to despise or reject the judgment of the poorest or meanest Christian in matters of Faith and of Religion but to embrace and esteem well thereof seeing God may and doth-sometimes reveal more to such a one than he doth to men of great learning and accompt in the World Observ 2 Observ 2. Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is the Christ or true Messiah and Saviour of the World promised of God and foretold by the Prophets in the Book of the Old Testament in that he was born of the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. as it was foretold by the Prophets that the Messias should be This we may learn here of the blind beggar who truly believed and confessed him to be the Son of David in this sense And this is the very summe of the History of the Gospel for proof whereof the four Evangelists have severally written the same for confirmation whereof all the Miracles of Christ were wrought Joh. 20. 30. Many other signs truly did Jesus c. which are not written But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ c. Vse Vse To confirm our Faith in this truth touching the Person and Office of Christ that he is the true Messias and only Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind and to cause us to seek salvation in and by him alone renouncing all other means there being no Name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved but only the Name of Jesus Act. 4. 12. But of this often before Observ 3 Observ 3. In that he calleth Christ the Son of David thereby professing his faith in him That he believed him to be the true Messiah and consequently such a person as was both able and willing to grant his Petition hence we may learn That in all prayers which we make to God we must have faith to believe and be perswaded of God's power and goodness that he is such a God as is both able and willing to hear and grant our requests so far as is good for us Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Therefore in the Preface of the Lord's Prayer we are taught to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. By which words we profess our faith both touching the power of God tâ—at he is able to hear us as being in Heaven and touching his goodness or mercy that he is willing and ready to hear us as being our Father in Christ c. This faith and perswasion of Gods power and goodness we must labour to find and feel in our selves in all our prayers which we make to God or else we can never pray with any true comfort or confidence to be heard and to receive the things we ask Now that we may believe the power of God that he is able to hear us we must consider that he is All-mighty and therefore able to do above all that we ask or think as it is Ephes 3. And that we may believe his goodnesse and mercy that he is willing and ready to hear and help us we must meditate of the greatness and riches of his mercy and of his gracious promises which he hath made to such as call upon him in truth as also touching the Merits and Worthiness of Christ for whose sake he hath promised to hear us Now followeth his Petition Have mercy upon me He doth not at first express his particular Request which was to have his sight restored to him as he saith afterward Verse 51. but he doth first in general intreat Christ to have mercy on him that is to shew his free and gracious pity and compassion on him in helping and relieving him in his present misery He doth not plead any merit or worthiness of his own but acknowledging his misery flyeth unto the mercy of Christ for help grounding his faith hereupon Observ 1 Observ 1. The first and principal thing to be desired and sought of us in all afflictions and miseries is God's free and gracious mercy that we may be partakers of it and that it may be extended toward us The first thing which this poor blind man craves of Christ is his mercy So the Saints of God in their afflictions and miseries have used in the first place to sue to God for his mercy David Psal 4. 1. Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer and Psal 57. 1. Be merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee c. till these calamities be over-past Reason Reason God's free mercy is the ground and cause of all help comfort and deliverance which we desire or expect from him in our troubles and miseries As
or ad salutem Hence it is that we are so often in Scripture exhorted to diligence and constancy in this exercise as Ephes 6. 18. Pray alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit c. Use 2 Use 2. This should also move us to desire and crave the faithfull Prayers of Gods servants for us seeing the Prayer of Faith is so effectual to prevail with God Paul doth often desire the Churches to pray for him yea to strive with God by Prayer for him Rom. 15. 30. Now if he had need of the Prayers of others much more We c. Now followeth the second effect or consequent And they call the blind man c. Some think this to be understood of the twelve Disciples or Apostles of Christ which were present that they onely did call the blind man and encourage him to go to Christ in hope of obtaining his sute but nothing hinders but that we may understand it also of the multitude or common-people which were now with Christ at least of some of them that although at first they went about to discourage the blind man in his sute yet now perceiving that our Saviour stood still and began to hearken to him and gave command that he should be called to him they change their minds and do presently call and encourage him to go to Christ c. Observ 1 Observ 1. Though the Lord do for a time suffer the Faith of his Saints and Servants to be tryed and exercised with great difficulties and discouragements which discourage them in the practice of Faith and in Prayer to God c. yet he will not alwayes suffer this but will in due time remove and take away those discouragements and in stead thereof send means of great comfort and incouragement to confirm and strengthen their Faith 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is Faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape c. yea the Lord can and will if he see it good turn and change those things which before were means of discouragement to them to become means of comfort and encouragement to them As here he so provided that those who at first did hinder and discourage this blind man by forbidding him to cry unto Christ for mercy should soon after comfort and encourage him to go to Christ c. Like Job's friends who at first discouraged him were afterward a comfort to him Job 42. 11. Use Use This must teach us not to be dismayed or to cast away our Faith and confidence in Gods mercy in time of tryal nor to faint in Prayer though we meet with never so great difficulties and discouragements but to persist and persevere still in the practice of Faith and Prayer to God knowing that he will at length and in due time remove all difficulties and discouragements which hinder our Faith and will send means of comfort to us to strengthen our faith so much the more by how much the more it hath bin for a time opposed Observ 2 Observ 2. Such as have bin a means to discourage and hinder others in good duties when they come to see their fault and offence in so doing ought to be so much the more carefull for time to come to encourage and further those in well-doing whom before they have hindered So here those who at first did forbid the blind man to cry unto our Saviour now they comfort and encourage him c. Paul having before his Conversion Persecuted the Church and so hindred men from believing and professing Christ afterward was the more zealous in Preaching Christ c. Now followeth the third consequent The ready obedience performed by the blind man to the command of Christ calling him unto him Casting away his Garment he rose c. He cast off his garment that it might not hinder him in making speed to Christ which shews his readiness and forwardness and what haste he made to Christ out of the earnest desire he had to obtain his sute that is to have his â—ight restored to him Observ 1 Observ 1. How ready and forward we should be in going to Christo for help and relief in our necessities and miseries whensoever he calls us to come unto him We ought most readily and willingly to go unto him by Faith and by Prayer for help and relief in all our necessities and that without delay even then when he calleth and requireth us to come unto him Thus did this blind man and thus ought we to do after his example Now Christ doth call us to come unto him at all times whensoever we are in distress or misery outward or inward of mind or body whensoever we stand in need of help and comfort from him but especially then when we are in greatest necessity or misery when our necessities and miseries do most of all press us then especially doth Christ Jesus the Son of God call us to come unto him for help comfort and deliverance So when we are inwardly distressed in Conscience feeling the burthen of our sins and Gods wrath Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour c. And I will give you rest c. So in outward troubles and necessities he calls us to come to him by Faith and Prayer for help and relief promising to give it us Matth. 7. 7. Ask and it shall be given you c. Therefore at all such times we are most readily to go unto him by Faith and Prayer for help and relief yea to make haste unto him as this blind man did with the feet of his body so we with the feet of our hearts and affections c. Use Use For reproof of such as are slack and negligent in going to Christ by Faith and Prayer for help and relief in their necessity Being in misery they use other means for help and comfort they seek to men they send for their friends or to the Physitian in sickness c. relying upon these means but have not hearts to go and seek to Christ at least they are not so ready and forward to do this as they should be they do not make such haste to God and unto Christ by Prayer as they should doing this in the first place but they delay and put off this most necessary duty of Prayer by which they should go to Christ for help relief and comfort in all necessities and miseries of Soul and body Though he graciously call and invite them to come unto him at all times and in all their wants c. yet they are slack and negligent in going and seeking to him delaying time and neglecting opportunities of seeking and finding help and comfort in their miseries c. Oh how great enemies are these unto themselves who being called by Christ the Son of God to come unto him for help in all necessities and troubles refuse to go unto him c. As he saith in another
after a sort viz. in their causes See Mr. Perk Treatise of Witchcraft pag. 617. And thus not only the Devil but men ordinarily may and do know and foretell some things which are to come viz. such things as are already present in their causes Thus Astronomers do foretel the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon and thus our Saviour sayes of the Phariseâ—s Matth. 16. that by the face of the Sky they could foretell what Weather would be c. Of the second The Divine power of Christ This he shewed here 1. In making choyce of a young Asse or Colt to ride upon which never had been rid upon before He sends his Disciples for a Colt for him to ride on upon which never any man had sate before and upon the same he did afterwards ride into Hierusalem as appeareth Verse 7. He sate upon him Now by this he shewed his Divine Power which he had over all the Creatures even over the brutish and unreasonable Creatures to rule and over-rule them and to make them serviceable to his Will and that miraculously and contrary to the ordinary course of Nature for so was this that a young untamed Colt which had never been ridden upon before should now suddenly become fit for him to ride upon c. The like Divine power over the Creatures in causing them to be subject and serviceable to him against the course of Nature our Saviour manifested at other times as when he did walk upon the waters causing them to bear up his body contrary to nature c. So when he suddenly and miraculously turned water into Wine at the Marriage-Feast Joh. 2. 2. He shewed his Divine Power in causing the owner of the Asse and Colt to let them go But of this afterward Verse 6. Thus we see these two Divine Properties of the Godhead amongst other which were in Christ being on Earth viz. his Divine Knowledg and Power c. Now as these were in him being on Earth in state of humiliation so much more now he is exalted to the right hand of God in Heaven Now he doth much more clearly manifest the same General Use To strengthen our faith in the Person of Christ assuring us that he was and is true God as well as Man in one Person and consequently that he is a most Powerful and All-sufficient Saviour Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save them to the uttermost which come unto God by him c. But of this often before More Particular Uses from the particular Properties of the Divine Nature in Christ mentioned before Vse 1 Use 1. In that Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour whom we serve and by whom we hope to be saved is such a Person as doth know all things even things done in his absence and in places far remote and distant from him I mean from his humane Nature which is now in Heaven only yea he knoweth what is done in all places though never so private or secret This must teach us to look to our selves and to our carriage in all places wheresoever we live or become that we walk holily uprightly and conscionably in all our wayes watching over our thoughts words and actions at all times and in all places though never so secret knowing and remembring still that we are in the sight and presence of Christ Jesus the Son of God who seeth all our wayes and what our carriage is in all places in publike and in private at home and abroad in our beds at our tables c. Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit c. and Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Vse 2 Vse 2. To comfort us in all afflictions and miseries which we suffer at any time or in any place where we live In that Christ Jesus the Son of God seeth and taketh notice of all we suffer of all our troubles c. Though we suffer in private and so as men take no notice yet Christ the Son of God doth and is ready to help comfort and deliver us c. Use 3 Vse 3. Seeing Christ Jesus our Saviour had this Divine Property being on earth and hath still to foreknow things to come and that of himself and by his own Divine Spirit yea most certainly and infallibly to know and foretell such things as are to come this seemeth to strengthen our faith touching the truth and certainty of those Prophecyes which are revealed in the New Testament in the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists and are yet unfullfilled to assure us that they shall all be fullfilled in due time For example the Prophecy of the Calling of the Jews of the destruction of Antichrist of the general Resurrection and last Judgment and of the Life to come c. These things are foretold in the Writings of the Apostles who received them by revelation from Christ the Son of God and he being God as well as Man had a Divine and Infallible knowledg of things to come yea of all things to come and therefore of these which are thus foretold in Scripture which must cause us undoubtedly to believe the same as if we saw them already fullfilled Vse 4 Use 4. From the second Property of the Godhead or Divine Nature in Christ which is his divine power in that he hath absolute power over all Creatures even over the sensless and unreasonable creatures to rule and make them subject to his Will and that contrary to the course of Nature This serveth partly for the terrour of wicked men being enemies of Christ and of his Church And partly for comfort to the godly c. 1. For terrour of wicked men c. In that Christ Jesus having such absolute power over the creatures both can and will employ them as Instruments of his wrath against his enemies c. 2. For comfort to the godly assuring them That he having such power over the Creatures will cause them all to work and conspire together for the good and comfort of his Saints yea contrary to their nature Rom. 8. 28. Mark 11. 4 5 6 7. And they went their way and found the Colt tyed c. Sept. 20. 1629. IN the three first Verses of this Chapter we heard of Christ's preparation to his riding into Jerusalem in sending forth two of his Disciples to a Village over against them to fetch from thence a young Colt never ridden upon before c. together with the particular charge and Instructions which he gave them at the time of sending them forth Now followeth the obedience of the two Disciples to Christ's charge and commandment given them Their obedience consisteth in a threefold action performed by them 1. In going to the place whither he appointed them ver 4. They went their way Where also is mentioâ—ed the event or consequent which followed That they found the Colt tyed by the dore without c. 2. In loosing the Colt which
in prayer to believe that our Petitions shall be granted of God Answ Answ Not simply and absolutely but with some limitations or exceptions 1. So far forth as our Petitions for the matter of them are grounded upon the Word of God so far as we ask things lawfull and agreeable to the Word of God and particularly to the Lord's Prayer which is the perfect pattern for the matter of all our Prayers For we are not to ask we care not what or whatsoever pleaseth our own fancy or carnal minds and wills much less are we to believe that God will give us such things upon our asking of them 2. Even in asking such things as are lawful and warrantable by the Word of God we are not absolutely to believe we shall obtain them but so far forth as standeth with the Will of God that is to say not only with his revealed Will but also with his secret Will and Counsel unknown to us till it be manifested by the event 1 Joh. 5. 14. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his Will he heareth us Now our Petitions stand with the Will of God when they are such as make for his glory and are fit and expedient for us to receive For the conceiving whereof know That the things we ask of God in prayer are of two sorts 1. Spiritual Graces and Blessings needful to salvation as Faith Repentance Forgiveness of sins c. strength against Temptations c These we are absolutely to believe we shall receive and obtain of God at least so far and in such a measure as is necessary for our salvation 2. Temporal Blessings of this life as health wealth outward peace deliverance from outward afflictions c. Now these we are also to believe we shall receive yet not absolutely but so far only as stands with the Will of God and so far as he doth see them to be good and fit for us Vse 1 Use 1. See again the necessity of Faith in all such as desire to pray to God aright and that none can truly and acceptably pray to God or call on his Name but such as have faith to believe and be perswaded that God will grant their Petitions so far as stands with his Will c. without this Faith how can they look to be heard or accepted Nay on the contrary they dishonour God by doubting and not believing that he will grant their Petitions yea this is a mocking of God to come and ask those things which they do not believe he will give unto them If one of us should thus go with a Petition to the King or some great Man telling him at first that we do not believe he will grant our Sute c. would it not be taken as an indignity c Use 2 Vse 2. Labour for this perswasion of Faith in all our prayers that God will hear and grant our requests at least so far as stands with his blessed Will and makes for his glory and our good and salvation This is the way to prevail with God and to obtain our desires c. Grounds of this Faith and Assurance in Prayer 1. Gods Wisdom and Providence knowing and taking special notice of all our wants even before we ask Matth. 6. 8. Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him 2. His Almighty Power being able to give us whatsoever we ask and stand in need of though never so hard and difficult to be obtained as may seem to us Ephes 3. 20. Able to do abundantly above all we ask c. This our Saviour Christ looked at in his prayer Mark 14. 36. Abbâ— Father all things are possible to thee And in the Lord's Prayer we are taught thus to conclude For thine is the Kingdom and the power c. 3. His gracious Promise to hear and grant our requests Matth. 7. 7. Ask and ye shall have c. Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee c. Joh. 16. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive And in this place we have in hand Yea further there is a Promise that God will hear us even before we ask so ready is he to grant our petitions Esay 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whilest they are yet speaking I will hear 4. The Merits and Mediation of Christ who maketh continual intercession for us in heaven to his Father yea he is gone of purpose into Heaven that he may there appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Rev. 8. 3 The Angel that offereth incense with the prayers of the Saints Now followeth the fourth and last thing in this Verse which is the Reason by which our Saviour enforceth this Exhortation of his Disciples to faith in prayer from the Promise annexed That if they pray in faith they shall obtain the things they ask in these words And ye shall have them Observ Observ Such as pray in faith believing and being perswaded that God will grant their requests are sure to obtain the things they ask This our Saviour here promiseth to his Discipes And the like promise we have elsewhere Jam. 1. 5. If any lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally c. and it shall be given him so that he ask in faith as is required Verse 6. So Jam. 5. 15. Hence is that 1 Joh. 5. 15. If we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him viz. if we pray in faith Reas 1 Reason 1. God hath promised to hear such prayers as are made in faith and he is true in his Word and Promise Ergo c. Reas 2 Reas 2. By believing that God will grant our Petitions we honour God and he will honour us by granting them 1 Sam. 2. 30. Reas 3 Reas 3. They pray in the Name of Christ c. Object Object Gods Children do not alwayes obtain those things which they ask of God in prayer though they pray in faith 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Paul prayed thrice for removal of that thorn in his flesh c. and yet it was not removed at least not at first or so soon as he desired Answ Answ 1. God's Promise to â—ear and grant our Petitions when we pray in faith is not absolute but with limitation viz. so far as stands with Gods Will and as he sees that good and fit for us which we ask no farther 2. Though he do not alwayes give those things we ask yet something else which is as good yea better for us Though he hear us not alwayes ad voluntatem nostram yet alwayes ad salutem See this in Paul's example before alledged Though he did not grant the very thing he asked viz. the removall of that temptation yet he gave him grace and strength to bear and stand against
Synagogues are called houses of God Psal 83. 12. And although God hath not now in these times of the New Testament tyed his presence in the same manner to the publick places of his worship as he did to the Temple in times of the Old Testament yet he hath also now made a special promise of his gratious presence in all such places where his people do assemble for his publiâ—k worship Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name c. The place of Gods publick worship is called the face of God Gen. 4. 14. Vse Use This should cause us to love and esteem highly of such places appointed for the publick worship of God where the people of God do assemble and meet to perform such solemn worship Seeing they are the houses of God where he dwelleth we should love and desire to be in them and to joyn there with the people of God in his publick worship Thus did David Psal 26. 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and place where thine honour dwelleth So else where as Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord c. that I may dwell in the house of the Lord c. And Psal 84. And Psal 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. So should we be shewing our forwardness on all occasions to frequent such publick places of Gods worship See Act. 2. 46. Luke 2. 37. which shews the sin of those who are so negligent and slack in comming to these publick places of Gods worship who shew so little love to Gods house and to the place where his honour dwelleth that a small matter hinders them from comming to it to joyn in publick duties of Godâ— worship A shower of rain c. which would not hinder them from a Feast or merry-meeting yet hinders them from Gods house where they should enjoy his presence in his Ordinances c. See Heb. 10. 25. Mark 11. 17. My house shall be called of all Nations c. Janu. 24. 1629. OF the second The end and use for which the house of God or Temple at Jerusalem was ordained viz. to be a house of Prayer that is a place peculiar for Gods publick worship to be performed in which is also Typically to be understod of every other publick place of Gods worship in these times of the New Testament Observ 1. The true end and use for which all publick places of Gods worship are ordained viz. that they may be houses or places of Prayer that is peculiar places for the performance of Gods publick worship To this end they are ordained and to this use they ought to serve This was the only use and end for which the Temple was ordained and to which it served by Gods appointment viz. to be a peculiar place for performance of the publick and solemn duties of Gods Service as Prayer Sacrifices Reading and Hearing of the Law read and expounded to the people 2 Chron. 7. 12. Therefore doth the Lord hereby his Prophet call it an House of Prayer and saith it shall be so called and accounted of all Nations And to this very end doth our Saviour here alledg these words of the Prophet to shew the true use for which the Temple at Hierusalem was ordained and ought to serve viz. to be a peculiar place for performance of holy and Religious duties of Gods publick worship For which cause it was also called a Sanctuary and holy place because it was ordained for a holy and Religious use to be employed in publick and solemn duties of Gods Service See Act. 2. 46. So likewise the Synagogues of the Jews which they had in Hierusalem and other Cities were ordained to this holy end and use viz. to be peculiar places for performance of Gods publick Worship as Prayer Reading and Hearing of the Law and Prophets read and expounded c. Therefore our Saviour Christ when he entred into any Synagogue of the Jews it was still to perform some such Religious duty of Gods worship So also the Apostles used to perform such duties in the Synagogues where they came as we read in the Acts of the Apostles The same may be said of all such publick places of Gods worship in our times they are ordained to be houses of Prayer Preaching and Hearing of the Word c. Vse 1 Use 1. See the sin of those who abuse the publick places of God's Worship to other unlawful ends As 1. The Papists employing Churches to Idolatry as to worshipping of Images Prayer to Saints saying or singing of Masse c. These turn the houses of God which should be houses of Prayer and places for Gods true worship into houses of Idolatry superstition and false worship and so of houses of God they make them Synagogues of Satan 2. Such as turn Churches or such like places consecrated and appointed for Gods service to common or profane uses and so hinder the publick worship of God by taking away the places in which Gods people should assemble for that end Thus some have done See Psal 83. 12. 3. Such as come to Church for profane and common ends c. not to serve God religiously in the Congregation but rather to sleep there or to spend time in talking or prating and laughing in time of Divine Service or to fit gazing about upon others Such also as come to shew their vanity and pride in apparrell or to talk with their Neighbours about worldly business c. or to censure or carp at their Minister These turn the house of God which should be a house of Prayer and Religious Worship into a house or place to sleep in or to be vain and idle or into a Common-Hall or Market place to do worldly business in Such also abuse the publick place of God's Worship who make it a place for strife and debate a place to wrangle or fall out in or to revile one another These turn the house of Prayer or worshipping of God into a place of strife and debate with men Great is the sin of all such as do thus profane and abuse the house of God Use 2 Vse 2. See we be careful to employ and use the publike places of Gods Worship to that right end for which they are ordained seeing they are houses of Prayer that is of Divine and Religious Worship see we so use them making conscience to come and repair to them duly to perform publick duties of God's worship as Prayer Preaching and hearing the Word administring of Sacraments And not only to perform them but in due manner not for fashion and custom but of conscience to God in faith and obedience to his Will who requireth of us these Services Also with due fear and reverence of the Majesty of God before whom we stand and in whose sight we are when we come to serve him in his house of Prayer Levit. 26. 2. And to