12. c. Acts 14. 15. So also in Preaching the Word they sought the Glory of Christ not their own 2 Cor. 4. 5. We Preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake Reas 1 Reas 1. Ministers are Ambassadours of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 20. Therefore they must procure honour to him that sends them and not to themselves Reas 2 Reas 2. They are servants of Christ and therefore ought to seek the Glory of their Master not their own Use Vse This is for the reproof of such Ministers who in their Ministry seek themselves and not Christ their own glory not His Such are they who in Preaching make vain shews of humane Learning Wit Eloquence c. to breed in the Peoples minds an opinion of their great parts This is to preach themselves and not Christ and to prefer their own Glory before his A stronger than I cometh c. Obser 2 Obser 2. In that John saith of Christ that he was mightier than himself in respect of his person Hence we gather that Christ is not a meer Man but also very God equal with his Father therefore called Immanuel Math. 1. And Isa 9. 6. The Mighty God Revel 1. 8. The Almighty John affirming him to be stronger than himself doth imply that he is also stronger than all other men and so that he is more than a Man even God himself Therefore also he is said to be stronger than the Devil Luke 11. 22. That Christ is God as well as Man was more at large proved Ver. 1. Use 1 Vse 1. To confute all Hereticks that have denied or do at this day deny the God-head of Christ as the Arrians Turks and Jews Use 2 Vse 2. Hence gather that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour able perfectly to save c. Hebr. 7. 25. He is able to merit salvation for us in that he is God as well as Man the Dignity of his Person gave vertue and efficacy to his Blood because it was the blood of him that was God Act. 20. 28. Again he is able actually to confer and bestow salvation upon the faithful Joh. 10. 28. I give eternall life to my sheep and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hands Again Christ being God Almighty is stronger than all our spiritual enemies as Satan Hell Sin the World and he is well able to vanquish and tread them under foot for us Revel 12. 7. Michael and the Dragon fought but the Dragon prevailed not but was cast out c. This is matter of great comfort to all Believers to assure them of their salvation if they be once ingrafted by faith into Christ they cannot miss of salvation nothing can hinder them from it not their sins not the World not Hell-gates What if thou have many enemies to oppose against thy salvation Christ is stronger than all that are against thee What if Satan be strong to tempt thee to sin and to draw to destruction Christ is stronger than he able to restrain his power and malice so that he shall not hurt thee or hinder thy salvation Learn then by faith to rest and rely on Christ Jesus as our powerful and all-sufficient Saviour trust perfectly on him for salvation c. It followeth Whose shoo 's Latchet c. Obser 3 Obser 3. Here we learn that Christ Jesus is a person of great dignity honour and excellency for John Baptist was the greatest among them that were born of women Matth. 11. 11. yet he doth here acknowledge himself unworthy to do the basest service unto Christ unworthy to stoop down and unloose his shooe This shews the excellency and dignity of Christ's person And indeed he was the worthiest person that ever lived upon Earth even in that state of humiliation when he lived on earth he was more excellent than all men and Angels much more therefore now since he is exalted to God's right hand c. Hebr. 1. 4. He hath obtained a more excellent name than the 〈◊〉 Cant. 5. 10 c. the Church at large describeth the excellency of 〈…〉 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand See also Esa 9. 6. Now this Excellency and Dignity of Christ's Person may be considered three ways 1. In respect of his divine Nature in that he is the Son of God equal to God the Father and the Holy Ghost in respect of his God-head Phil. 2. 6. Of this we heard before 2. In respect of his humane nature also in that it is united into one Person with his divine nature and so advanced by union with his divine nature above men and Angels and all creatures 3. In respect of his whole Person as he is Mediator God and Man especially now since his exaltation to heavenly Glory Ephes 1. 20. and Phil. 2. 9. Vse 1 Vse 1. This teacheth us to yield all due honour and reverence to Christ's Person now sitting in heaven If in the daies of his Flesh he were so honourable and excellent a Person How much more is he now being advanced to the right hand of God far above all principality and power c. Ephes 1. 21. See then that we yield due reverence to the person of Christ Psal Kiss the Son c. Phil. 2. 10. At the Name of Jesus shall every knee bow c. Not that the outward bending of the knee at the very sound of the Name is required but the meaning is that every creature should yield subjection and reverence unto Christ's Person Now the reverence to be yielded unto Christ is two fold 1. Inward in the heart by thinking and conceiving of him in our minds with all due reverence of so high a Majesty 2. Outward in our words and behaviour by speaking reverently of Christ and of his Person as also by carrying our selves reverently at all times and in all places as in the presence of Christ especially we are to shew this reverence towards Christ at such times as we come before him in special manner to perform special services to him as to hear his Word to pray to him c. 1 Cor. 11. 10. Paul will have women behave themselvee decently in the Congregation because the Angels are present there to behold them much more should we use all reverent carriage in the Church because of the presence of Christ Use 2 Vse 2. Christ being so excellent a Person Hence we may gather the dignity and excellency of every true Christian that is a member of Christ and a believer in him The Members partake in the dignity of the Head and the Wife in the dignity of the Husband so it is with us in respect of Christ our spiritual Head and Husband Again every Believer is of spiritual kindred and alliance with Christ having Christ to be his elder Brother and being a Son of the same heavenly Father Therefore as it is with natural Brethren if the eldest be advanced to honour the rest do in
observe His kind and mercifull nature and disposition He is such a Saviour as is ready and willing to help and succour those that are in affliction or misery whether outward or inward of body or mind Hebr. 2. 17. A mercifull High Priest And Hebr. 4. 15. Not such a one as cannot be touched with a feeling of our Infirmities When he was upon Earth he shewed himself very compassionate and helpful to such as were in bodily misery as we see here and Ver. 24. He healed many c. and Ver. 41. it is said He was moved with Compassion towards the Leaper c. And now that he is in Heaven he is no lesse mercifull and compassionate towards such as are in outward misery of affliction as sickness or the like especially toward the Faithfull So also in â—ime of inward distresse of mind by reason of our own sins and Satans temptations Christ is ready to succour and help us See Heb. 2. 18. Isa 42. 3. Use 1 Use 1. Comfort to us in all our miseries which we suffer in this Life in outward or inward distresses Think of the mercifull and kind nature of our blessed Saviour being so ready to help and succour and support us in our troubles and to free us from them if he see it good for us He is a most kind and compassionate Physitian who is able and willing to help and cure us of our Bodily and Spirituall Maladies so far as is good for us Go to him by the prayer of Faith in our bodily sicknesses and pains and much more in the sicknesses of our Souls when we feel our sins lying heavy upon us c. It may be truly said of him Psal 103. 3. He forgiveth all our iniquities and healeth all our Diseases Use 2 Use 2. Imitate Christ in shewing mercy to others in their afflictions of body and mind Col. 3. 12. Put on Bowels of Mercy c. shew all readiness to help such as are in misery and distress of mind or body c. Observ 2 Observ 2. See Christ's Divine Power manifested in this miraculous cure which he wrought He no sooner took the party by the hand lifted her up and rebuked the Feaver but presently it left her This is an evidence of his Divine Nature and God-head in that he shewed himself to have absolute Power over Diseases to cure them without means So Ver. 34. He healed many that were sicâ— of sâ—â—dry Diseases and cast out many Devils c. These and all other his Miraclâ—◠〈◊〉 to prove and manifest him to be true and very God and consequently 〈…〉 true Messiah See Joh. 20. 31. and Joh. 2. 11. Christ shewed forth his Glory that is his Divine Power by that Miracle of turning Water into Wind. See also Joh. 11. 4. And it is one speciall use which we are to make of Christ's Miracles by the consideration of them to labour to have our Faith strengthened in the belief of Christ's Divine Nature or God-head and consequently to be moved to embrace him as the true Messiah and to rest our selves upon him alone for our Salvation as being most powerfull and able to save us perfectly in that he is not onely Man but God And she Ministred unto them Helped them with necessaries in the House as Meat Drink c. And this she did in way of thankfulness to Christ for his mercy shewed in restoring her to Health And it shews also how perfectly she was cured in that she became suddenly strong enough in Body to minister unto them whereas immediately before she lay sick This doth more set forth the greatnesse of the Miracle See Luke 4. 39. Observ 3 Observ 3. Hence observe That such as have received any blessing from God ought to shew their thankfulness by imploying it to God's Glory This Woman having now received bodily health and strength doth presently use it to the Glory of God in Ministring to Christ and his Disciples which was a Work of love towards them by which she shewed her thankfulness for the great benefit of health which Christ had bestowed upon her So Luke 18. ult That blind man having recovered his sight employed it in following Christ So Acts 8. 3. The Creeple being restored to the strength of his Limbs used them to the Glory of God entring with the Apostles into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God This he did in token of thankfulnesse for that blessing received So it must be with us Whatsoever blessing we receive from God we must shew our thankfulness for it by the good employment of it to God's Glory This is that true thankfulness which God requireth for all blessings bestowed on us that we should honour him with them Prov. 3. 9. Honour God with thy Riches It may be applyed to any other blessing of God as Health Strength Liberty Outward Peace and the like We must honour God with them all 1 Sam. 1. 28. Hannah having obtained a son at the hands of God lent him again to the Lord in that she did in speciall manner consecrate him unto God's service in the Tabernacle Vse Vse This reproveth the unthankfulnesse of those who abuse the good Blessings of God unto his dishonour using them as Instruments or Occasions of sin Thus many abuse their health and strength of Body to the following of sinfull profits or pleasures In time of Sickness they promise fair that if God restore them they will use their strength of body to his Glory in serving him more conscionably but being once recovered they return to their old sins abusing their health and strength that way as much or more then ever they did in times past Others having received Wealth and Prosperity from God in stead of being thankfull for it do abuse it to security or else to covetousness oppression usury c. Others abuse their Apparel to Pride their Meat and Drink to Intemperance c. Such must know that God will be honoured with his Blessings which he bestows on us Therefore not to honour him with them is a grievous sin for which he may justly take away his Blessings from us Thus he dealt with the Israelites Hos 2. 8 9. Besides the Lord will one Day call such to a strict accompt for the abuse of his Blessings and will severely punish this sin if it be not repented of in time Mark 1. 32 33 34. And at Even when the Sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them Jan. 31. 1618. that were possessed with Devils And all the City was gathered together at the Door And he healeth many that were sick of divers Diseases and cast out many Devils and suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him THe Evangelist having before particularly recorded two speciall Miracles of Christ namely the casting out of a Devil from one possessed and the curing of Peter's Mother-in-Law of a Feaver He now in these three Verses doth generally and briefly touch sundry other
28. 16. He that believeth will not make haste He will stay the Lord's leasure c. Use 2 Use 2. See also how great need we have of Christian patience Hebr. 10. 36. yea not onely of patience but of long patience whereby to submit obediently and constantly to the bearing of every Crosse and Tryall sent on us of God though he hold us never so long under it An easie matter to be patient for a little while in trouble but when trouble continueth long when the Lord doth long hold us under the Rod and doth nor remove or mitigate his hand here is the patience of the Saints that is the greatest tryall of their patience Here it is a most difficult thing to continue our patience and obedience and not to repine grudge murmur or use any unlawfull means to help and ease our selves Oh therefore let us in this Case labour for constant patience Let it have Her perfect work c. Jam. 1. 4. Use 3 Use 3. This is for the comfort of God's Children when they are long holden under a Crosse or Tryall before God come unto them by deliverance Let them not think this strange nor be at all discouraged much less cast away their confidence in God's promise of deliverance nor their patience but remember that God doth often thus deal with his faithfull Servants letting them alone very long in the midst of their troubles not coming to them by deliverance but seeming to forget them c. And this he doth for speciall reasons as we have heard before both in respect of his own glory and of their good and profit that being long trained up in the School of affliction they may profit the more in sound knowledge of God Faith Repentance Patience and all saving graces Therefore no cause for us to faint or be dismayed though God should long deferr to help and deliver us in our troubles outward or inward though he tarry never so long yet come he will at length most certainly to give deliverance in the due appointed time when it shall be best for us Hebr. 10. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Though he may tarry a while or long yet not alwayes c. In the mean time we must live by Faith and Hope and Patience not limitting God any time for our deliverance but leaving that to his wisdom c. So much of the Circumstance of Time Now to speak of the miraculous Act of Christ in walking on the Sea to his Disciples Walking upon the Sea Quest Quest How could this be seeing his humane body being naturally heavy as the bodies of other men are must needs be apt to sink of it self Answ Answ The Divine Power of Christ's God-head did bear up his body miraculously above the Waters not suffering it to sink and withal the same Power of Christ did alter the nature and property of the waters that whereas naturally they are apt to swallow up and sink all heavy bodies they did now on the contrary help to bear up the body of Christ so as he walked as safely on the top of them as if he had walked upon a way paved with stone Here the Papists and Lutherans the better to establish their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation and to prove that his body may be miraculously in diverse places at once do affirm that Christ in walking on the Sea did miraculously change and alter the natural property of his body making it of a heavy body to become light c. Now if Christ could do this then say they by the same reason he can make his body be present in divers places at once contrary to the natural property of it But this is easily confuted For 1. We deny this that Christ in walking on the Sea did alter the natural condition or property of his body for then it should not have remained a true humane body but the Miracle consisted partly in the bearing up of his body by the Power of his God-head that it should not sink and partly in making the waters firm and solid underneath his feet to bear him up so that the change and alteration was in the waters and not in Christ's body Observ 1 2 Though we should grant that Christ did here work a Miracle in changing the naturall Property of his body which is false yet let them prove if they can that he doth the like in the Sacrament Observ 1. See an evidence of Christ's God-head bearing up his humane body that it did not sink and causing the waters to be as firm land underneath his feet Object Object Peter also did walk on the waters to Christ Mat. 14. Answ Answ Not by his own power but by the Power of Christ commanding him to come to Him on the Sea This appears in that so soon as Christ began but a little to withdraw his powerful help Peter began presently to sink c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that Christ walked on the Sea as upon the Land causing it to bear him up We learn that he is absolute Lord over the dead and sensless Creatures such as the Sea is he hath absolute Power over such Creatures to command and over-rule them and to make them obedient to his Will See this Point spoken of before in Ver. 39. of the fourth Chapter where Christ rebuked the Wind and Sea shewing his Power over them c. This Power of Christ is manifested sundry wayes 1. By altering the natural properties of the insensible Creatures and causing them to work against Nature when it pleaseth him as here he changed the nature and property of the waters causing them to bear up his body So at his death he caused the Vail of the Temple to rent the Earth to quake the Rocks to cleave asunder and the Graves to open Matth. 27. 51. See also Luke 19. 40. and Joh. 20. 19. The doors opened c. 2. By making even such dead Creatures obedient to his Word and Command and to his Will as in the fourth Chapter He rebuked the Wind and the Sea and made them still So afterward in this Chapter Ver. 51. when He came into the Ship to his Disciples he made the storm of Wind presently to cease 3. By turning one Creature into another as Water into Wine Joh. 2. 4. By multiplying the Creatures extraordinarily without means as he multiplied the five Loavs and two Fishes as we heard before 5. By employing them as Instruments and Means of effecting His Will either in punishing the Wicked or in comforting and doing good to the Godly which fear his Name See Chap. 4. Ver. 39. 6. Lastly in changing the quality and condition of these insensible Creatures at the last day from Corruption to Incorruption for there shall be new Heavens and a new Earth Christ shall at that day manifest his Dominion over the Heavens and Earth and Sea and the other insensible Creatures by purging them with fire
blind man c. April 24. 1625. IN the History of this Miracle there are five principal matters set down by the Evangelist 1. The Occasions of it Ver. 22. Our Saviour's coming to Bethsaida c. 2. A Preparative used before it by our Saviour viz. his taking the blind man by the hand and leading him out of the Town in the beginning of Ver. 23. 3. The Manner and order of his working the Miracle He spit on his eyes and put his hands c. 4. The Miracle it self in the end of the 25th Verse He was restored and saw every man very clearly 5. The Consequent Ver. 26. He sent him away to his House c. Of the two first of these I have before spoken Now followeth the third which is The manner and order of Christ's working this miraculous cure on the blind man Concerning which two things especially are to be considered of us 1. That in working it he used certain outward actions and gestures as spitting on his eyes and touching or putting his hands on him twice c. 2. That He did not work this cure all at once or on the suddain as his usual manner was ar other times but by degrees For upon the first touching of his eyes and putting of Spittle on them he began in part to recover his sight which afterward upon our Saviour's second touching was perfectly restored to him Of the first When He had spit on his eyes that is put Spittle upon his eyes with his hands as the next words do imply And put his hands upon him that is Touched the eyes of the blind with his hands Quest 1 Quest 1. Why did he use these outward actions seeing he could have cured him without them onely by his word spoken yea without speaking any word onely by his immediate Power Answ Answ That by these outward Actions he might the more plainly and sensibly declare and shew both his Power and Goodness that he was able and willing to cure this blind man And herein he had respect to the weakness of the Faith of the blind man and of those that brought him unto Him therefore he uâ—ed these outward actions and gestures as special signs testimonies and pledges of his Divine Power and Goodness for the greater confirmation of their Faith Quest 2 Quest 2. Was there any natural Vertue or Power in the Spittle of Christ or in his hands to give sight to the blind Answ Answ Not so but he used Spittle and Imposition of his hands onely as outward signs and tokens of his Power and Mercy shewed in curing the blind As for the Power and Vertue of the miraculous curing it was not in the humane Nature of Christ nor in any part of his humane Body much less in the Spittle proceeding from his mouth but it was wholly and onely in the Divine Nature or God-head of Christ Quest 3 Quest 3. Why did He use so weak and unlikely a means as the Spittle of his mouth in curing the eyes of the blind Answ Answ The more to set forth the greatness of his divine Power being able to work so great an Effect by so weak means yea to work above and contrary to ordinary means Observ 1 Observ 1. That by nature we are very slow and hard to believe and rest on Christ's Power and Goodness for help and deliverance in our Necessities and Miseries Thus it was with this blind man and those that brought him to Christ else our Saviour needed not to have used these outward helps to strengthen their Faith as outward touching and putting spittle on his eyes Thus also it was with the Father of him that was possessed with a Devil Chap. 9. 24. he was said to believe and rest on Christ's Power and Goodness for the curing of his son and therefore as he professed his Faith so withall he complained of his unbelief Yea thus it was with Christ's own Disclples many times when they were in trouble or danger they were very hard to believe and rest upon Christ's Power and Goodness to help them So Mat. 8. when they were in danger of drowning c. So Mat. 14. when Peter was bid to come upon the Water to Christ and the Wind began to be boystrous he was afraid c. So the Israelites Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table c. Vse Use Labour every one to see and feel this natural corruption and unbelief which makes us so slow and hard to believe and rest on Christ's Power and Goodness to help and relieve us in our Necessities and Miseries Experience may teach us this how hard we find it in our times of trouble or danger or necessity and want to rest on the Power and Goodness of God and of Christ for help and deliverance How apt are we then to distrust and doubt hereof As every other practice of Faith is hard to our corrupt nature so this to rest throughly perswaded of God's Power and Mercy to help and relieve us in our Necessities and Distresses Labour to see and bewail this our naturall infidelity and be humbled for it and let it move us daily to pray against it c. Observ 2 Observ 2. The Goodness and Mercy of Christ Jesus our Lord toward such as are yet but weak in Faith that he doth not onely bear with their weak Faith not rejecting and casting them off for the same but is also careful to use means to confirm strengthen their weak Faith So here he useth this outward touching of the eyes of the blind and the putting of spittle on them as outward Signs and Pledges of his Power and Will to cure him that by these outward means his Faith and the Faith of those that brought him unto him might be strengthened See before Chap. 7. 33. Observ 3 Observ 3. The great Power of Christ being able to work great matters and wonderfull effects by weak means To cure the blind man by putting spittle c. So in his other Miracles 2 Cor. 12. 9. By poor unlearned Fishermen he converted the World c. Vide pag. sequent 1 Cor. 1. 21. By foolishness of preaching he saves us So the Sacraments are weak means in appearance yet in them Christ's Power is manifested Vse 1 Vse 1. Terrour to wicked enemies of Christ He can confound them by weak means 1 Cor. 1. 27. As Pharoah plagued by Frogs Lice c. Psal 3. 9. Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Vse 2 Vse 2. Comfort to the godly at all times specially in Troubles and Distresses when most weak and unable to help themselves then flye to Christ's Almighty Power c. Though we be weak to bear Crosses to resist Temptations c. Use 3. Despise not the Word preached or Sacraments c. Phil. 4. 13. Mark 8. 24. And he looked up and said I see Men as Trees walking May 1. 1625. NOw followeth the manner of Christ's proceeding
the greatest that ever was in that he being the Son of God equal with the Father and Holy Ghost and being the Lord of Glory from everlasting did in time so far abase himself as to become Man by taking on him our vile and base Nature and that into the unity of his Person that so in this our Nature he might dye and suffer for us c. That he should come from Heaven and be made Flesh and live upon Earth as Man in the true shape and fashion of a Man yea in the form of a Servant as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2. and yet all the while be the Son of God and Lord of Glory Behold here is the greatest humility and abasement that ever was of any person which is for our Example to teach uâ— to humble our selves before God and one towards another as the true Disciples of Christ Phil. 2. 5. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ c. Labour therefore for this Grace of true humility after Christ's Example Matth. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart The more humility the more like we are unto Christ The very character and mark of a true Christian as on the contrary Pride is the mark of a wicked Man and a Hypocrite such as the proud Pharisees were yea it is the character of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6. Therefore pray and labour for true humility that thou mayst be like unto Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. Cloath or deck your selves with humility c. This Grace should adorn the whole life and behaviour of a Christian strive therefore to shew it forth in all our carriage before God and one towards another abase your selves for the good of others Gal. 5. 13. The rather because it is a Grace so necessary for a Christian that without it a man is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 3. Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 3. 5. Every Mountain and Hill must be brought low c. Humility is all in all in a Christian The first second third thing c. as Austin saith Use 3 Use 3. By this we may see how and by what means we that are by nature so far separate and estranged from God by our Sins may come to have accesse unto God and Communion with him namely by means of Christ's humane Nature which he hath taken upon him to the end that he might in it dye and suffer for our Sins and so reconcile us to God Ephes 2. 8. By him we have access unto the Father that is by Christ incarnate or made man 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediatour between God and Us even the Man Christ Jesus that is Christ the Son of God being made true Man that in our Nature he might reconcile Us to God This he could never have done if he had not become true Man and the Son of Man as here he calls himself Therefore without this humane Nature of Christ we could never have had fellowship with God or peace with Him For by nature we are enemies to God and he to us and our sins are as a Wall of separation to keep us from him Onely by Faith in the mediation of Christ incarnate and made Man we come to be reconciled and to have entrance to God and into his favour By nature God and We are far estranged and divided asunder yea there is an infinite distance between Us But in Christ's humane Nature we meet together and have near Communion Of our selves by Nature we dare not so much as look towards God and his Majesty who is a consuming fire to Sinners yet in Christ being made Man we may by Faith behold the Face and Glory of God with unspeakable joy and comfort Let us then labour thus to do In our prayers let us set the Man Christ Jesus or Christ the Son of Man before us and between God and us and through him alone look at God and call upon him with confidence to be heard yea in all our thoughts of God set Christ incarnate between Him and Us Look at God through the Humane Nature of Christ in which we come to be reconciled to God and without which there is no comfort to be found of us in God but the least thought of him out of Christ God and Man breeds horrour and amazement Use 4 Use 4. Comfort in all afflictions and miseries of this life which our nature is subject to in that Christ partaking in the same Nature and having had experience of the Infirmities of it is the more able and willing to help and succour us Hebr. 2. 17. Hebr. 4. 15. If one come to visit a man that is sick of a grievous disease who hath himself formerly been afflicted with the same disease he will shew more compassion than 20 others who have not felt the like So here c. Observ 2 Observ 2. That although Christ Jesus was the Son of God yet he dyed and suffered for us not as God but as Man or in his Humane Nature Therefore himself saith here The Son of Man must suffer c. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ suffered for our sins being put to death in the Flesh Phil. 2. 8. Being found in fashion of a man He humbled himself and became obedient unto death c. For this cause it was necessary as we heard before that he should become Man that he might in this our Nature dy and suffer and that God's Justice might be satisfied for sin in the same Nature which offended Note two things here for the understanding of this Point 1. That though Christ died and suffered according to his humane Nature onely yet this his humane Nature was personally united with his God-head and so remained at the very time of his death and sufferings whence it follows that though he did not suffer as God yet he that dyed and suffered was God at the very instant of his death and sufferings 2. That though He suffered onely in his humane Nature yet He is our Mediator according to both his Natures as God and Man in one Person In his Humane Nature He dyed and suffered and wrought the Work of our Redemption But his God-head did sustain his Man-hood in all his Sufferings and gave vertue and efficacy to the same to make them meritorious for us See Heb. 9. 14. and Act. 20. 28. Use 1 Use 1. To strengthen our Faith in the merits and vertue of Christ's Death and Sufferings assuring us that God's Justice is satisfyed and we are thereby justifyed and freed from our sins and the Curse of God due unto them in as much as Christ hath not onely suffered the wrath of God and punishment of sins but hath suffered it in our Nature which He took upon him that is in his humane Soul and Body So that now the price of our Redemption is paid and God's Justice
also the substance of this Divine and heavenly Doctrine of Salvation Therefore if we would willingly dye for Christ's sake let us as willingly dye for the Gospel's sake and for the profession of it Remember how Christ doth in this place promise the Reward of eternal Life not onely to such as lose this Temporal Life for His sake but also to such as lose it for his Word and Gospel's sake And let this move us to be willing to part with our Lives not onely for Christ's sake but also for the Gospel's sake especially seeing it is so that in suffering for the Gospel we do suffer for Christ also c. Now that we may be able and willing thus to lay down our lives if need be in defence of the Gospel of Christ we must daily prepare and arm our selves for the practice hereof To this end 1. Labour to be well grounded in the sound Knowledge of this Doctrine of the Gospel using all good means to this end as diligent hearing of this Doctrine preached to us diligent searching of the Scriptures that the Word of Christ may dwell in us richly Col. 3. 16. 2. Labour by true Faith to believe and be perswaded of the divine truth and certainty of this Doctrine of Christ and not onely so but to apply the same unto our selvs particularly for our comfort Then we shall be moved to stand out unto the death in defence of it 3. Labour to entertain the true love of the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ in our hearts else we shall never be content to lay down our lives in the defence and maintenance of it c. Such as esteem so little of this Word and Doctrine of Christ and have so little love and desire to it how would they be content to dy in defence of it Mark 8. 36 37. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or Jan. 1. 1625. what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul IN the beginning of the former Verse our Saviour shewed the great hurt and danger which cometh of seeking to save the temporal life of our bodies by denying Christ or his truth and Gospel or by not confessing the same when we are thereunto called That such as so do shall forfeit or lose the eternal Life and Salvation of their own Souls and Bodies And this he used as one Reason to perswade Christians to part with their bodily lives for Christ's sake and the Gospel's Now in these two next Verses he confirmeth his Reason by shewing further how great a loss and dammage it is for a man to lose or be deprived of the eternal Life of his Soul which he sheweth 1. By comparing this losse with the gain of the whole World and shewing it to be greater in the 36th Verse What shall it profit a man c. 2. By shewing the irrecoverableness of this losse or the impossibility of redeeming the losse of a man's Soul by any way or means in the 37th Verse Or what shall a man give in exchange c. What shall it profit a man What good shall it do him What benefit shall it be to him q. d. None at all This Interrogation hath the force of an earnest Negation If he shall gain the whole World This is not so to be taken as if it were possible for any one man to gain the Right and Possession of all the World but it is an Hyperbole by which more is spoken than is to be understood q. d. If he shall gain or get unto himself never so much even the whole World if it were possible By the World understand metonymicè all temporal good things in this present World which may be any way helpful to a man or do him any good as profits pleasures honours c. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the World nor the things that are in the World c. Ver. 16. All that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life And lose his own Soul that is If he shall be deprived of the eternal Life and Salvation of his Soul in God's heavenly Kingdom or if he shall fail or come short thereof Note here also that the Soul being the principal part of man is by a Synechdoche named for the whole Person consisting of Soul and Body Therefore Luke 9. 25. it is said If he lose himself Doctr. 1 Doctr. 1. That the eternal Life and Salvation of Man's Soul in God's heavenly Kingdom is a matter of great worth and excellency A Blessing of great value and price if it be rightly estimated This appears here in that our Saviour doth prefer it before the gain of this whole World and of all the good in it affirming that the gain of all that is in the World will not countervail the loss of one Soul 1 Pet. 1. 8. This is reckoned as the greatest Blessing which the Faithful have by believing in Christ that by this means they receive the end of their Faith even the Salvation of their Souls Therefore also the Apostle the more to set forth the excellency and worth of this benefit doth call it there the end of our Faith For if Faith be a precious Grace as it is called 2 Pet. 1. 1. being but the means of attaining to Salvation how much more precious is Salvation it self being the end of our Faith Now the Worth and Excellency of the Salvation of Man's Soul may further appear by these following Reasons 1. By the excellency and dignity of the Soul of man in its own Nature in that it is a spiritual Substance and immortal never dying or perishing as the Souls of Brute-beasts do but living for ever even after the death of the body And this excellency of the Soul is confirmed by the manner and order which God himself observed in creating the Soul of the first man in that he did not make it of the dust of the earth as he did the Body but made it of nothing breathing it immediately from himself to shew that it is of a more divine Nature than the Body Gen. 2. 7. Vide Chrysost in Psal 48. pag. 668. 2. By the excellency of that estate and condition whereof the Soul of Man being saved is made partaker after this life in Heaven which is an estate of perfect happiness Set forth in Scripture by most excellent Names and Titles it is called a Crown of Life and a Kingdom 1 Pet. 1. 4. An Inheritance immortall undefiled c. 2 Cor. 4. 17. An eternall weight of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard c. 3. By the excellent and precious means ordained of God for the procuring and working of the Salvation of Man's Soul viz. The precious Blood of Christ the Son of God that is to say his precious Death and Sufferings 1 Pet. 1. 18. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver
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
But of this afterward This malice of the Devil against the Souls and Bodies of Men hath bin ever since the Beginning and it is not abated but increased in time so that it is now greater then ever it was Rev. 12. 12. Vse 1 Vse 1. See God's goodness and mercy in limiting and restraining the Devil's malice against us so as he can do no more than the Lord permits him to do If God did not restrain him he would not onely hurt but utterly destroy the Souls and Bodies of all Men and Women in the World Such is his malice that if the Lord did not bridle him and as it were put his hook into his Nostrils to hold him back he would not onely murder our Souls by drawing us into all kind of sin but he would also in a short time murder our Bodies by some means or other he would find wayes enough to do it either by overthrowing our houses down on our heads as upon Job's Children or by setting fire on them and so burning up them and us together before we be aware of it or by conveying poison into our meat and drink c. Any of these wayes the Devil would soon make away with us if the Lord did not hold him in and restrain his malice against us Let us think well of this mercy of God shewed to us daily and hourly and be stirred up to shew true thankfulness for the same It is his mercy that we are not destroyed of Sathan every Day c. Vse 2 Vse 2. Remember this when the Devil tempteth us to any sin under pretence of friendship or kindnesse promising much profit or pleasure by it if we will yield to his wicked suggestions be assured That howsoever he pretend our good and proffer us kindness as he did to Eve promising that she should be like God if she would eat of the forbidden Tree yet the truth is he alwayes intendeth hurt and mischief to us whatsoever he makes shew of he seeks our destruction Believe not then his deceitfull perswasions when he would draw us to commit sin If a man knew one that carries malice in his heart against him he will not believe him though he speak him fair and promise him many good turns so the Devil being a deadly professed enemy to our Bodies and Souls seeking the murder of them Let us not believe him or yield to his suggestions though he promise never so much profit or pleasure by sin The Devil's kindnesses are viscata beneficia Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this unclean Spirit entred into the body of this man and possessed it abusing it at his pleasure We see that the Devil by God's permission may have great power over the bodies of men to abuse them and to afflict and torture them with pains diseases c. And this he doth sometimes by conveying himself into the bodies of men which he can the more easily do being of a spirituall nature and substance and so possessing the bodies of those in whom he is he doth move them and often put them to great pain torture Thus he abused the body of this party here mentioned and of many others that were possessed in our Saviour's time So Stagirius a Monk was possessed in Chrysostom's time Sometimes again he doth by God's sufferance afflict mens bodies without possessing them or entering into them So Act. 19. 16. as when he useth means to strike them outwardly with some disease distemper or infirmity as he smote Job's body with boyls and Luke 13. 16. He bowed the body of a Daughter of Abraham that is a believing Woman for the space of eighteen years together nay he may be permitted of God to kill the bodies of men as of Job's Children Quest Quest. Why doth the Lord permit the Devil to have such power over mens bodies Answ Answ For His own Glory 1. To shew his Power in over-ruling Sathan and using him as an Instrument by which to work his own Will 2. To shew his Justice the wicked men punishing them by this meanes for their sinnes Thus Cyprian Serm de lapsis writeth of some in his time that were possessed with Devils for prophaning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Jansen Harmon Evangel pag. 161. Col. 1. C. Tertullian mentions one taken with a Devil at a Stage-Play Centur. Magdeb. Cent. 3. Col. 142. 3. He may do it also sometimes to shew his Mercy in chastising his own Children for their sins that he may by this meanes humble them and cause them to renew their Repentance Vse Vse See what cause we have daily to pray unto God for his Protection against the power of Satan that he may not have his will to tyrannize over our bodies 〈…〉 Let us not forget daily to commend not onely our Souls but our Bodies to 〈◊〉 protection and defence intreating him in mercy to keep and preserve us from the power of Satan and not to suffer him to abuse or afflict our bodies at his will Mark 1. 23. And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean Spirit and he cryed out c. Dec. 20. 1618. Observ 3 FRom the Attribute given to the Devil in that he is called an unclean Spirit we further learn this that those Wicked Spirits of Hell are most impure and filthy Creatures therefore they are so often in Scripture called unclean Spirits as Matth. 12. 43. When the Vnclean Spirit is gone out of a man c. and in many other places Now they are unclean in three respects 1. In regard of that great corruption and depravedness of Nature wherewith they are now tainted by reason of their apostacy from God Jude v. 6. They kept not their first Estate but falling from God they were justly deprived of all that purity of Nature which they had by Creation and in stead thereof they are now defiled with a most impure and sinful nature and disposition therefore the Devil is called The evil One Mat. 5. 37. yea Wickednesse it self Eph. 6. 12. 2. In regard of actuall sins with which they daily and continually pollute themselves as malice lying murder and the like John 8. 44. 3. In regard of their continuall desire and endeavour to pollute and defile all the other Creatures of God especially to infect mankind with the contagion of their own sin this they do by continuall tempting and entising men unto sin Use 1 Use 1. See then whom they do resemble who live in the 〈◊〉 of sin defiling themselves with impure and filthy sins as pride covetousness adultery drunkenness and such like the more they defile themselves with these or the like sins the more like they are unto the Devil himself that impure Spirit See Zach. 13. 2. They bear his Image not the Image of God which stands in holiness Take heed then how thou live in any known sinne lest defiling thy Soul and Body with it thou become like the Devil that unclean Spirit Use 2 Use 2. See the foul
the state of Humiliation how much more now he is exalted to the right hand of God See Eph. 1. 21. and Phil. 2. 9. Here two things are further to be shewed Quest 1. How he comes to have this Authority over the Devils Answ Answ 1. By right of Creation because they were at first created by him as Christ is God 2. By right of free gift and donation from God the Father so this Authority is given to Christ as he is Mediator and Head of the Church Phil. 2. 9. He hath given him a Name above every Name c. and Matth. 28. 18. All Power is given to me c. that is all Authority over all Creatures and consequently over the Devils So Joh. 5. 22. The Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son that is Power and Authority to Rule and Govern all Creatures yea the very Devils themselves Quest The second thing to be shewed is How Christ doth exercise this Authority over the Devils Answ Answ 1. By using them as Instruments to execute his Will 2. By limiting and restraining their Power and Malice so as they can do nothing against Man or any other of the Creatures further then Christ gives them leave Thus they could not continue in the Bodies of those that were possessed any longer then Christ suffered them and when they were cast out they could not so much as enter into the Swine without leave from Christ as we see Matth. 8. 31. See also Revel 20. 1. 3. Christ shall at the last Day shew his Authority over them by giving finall sentence of condemnation against them and by adjudging them to their full and perfect torments Use 1 Use 1. See the Dignity and Majesty of Christ's person having absolute Authority and Command over Hell it Self and all the Devils in it to master them as his Vassals and Slaves See Revel 20. 1. No Man or Angel hath such Authority as this over the Devils but onely Christ Satan is called the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. and the Prince that Ruleth in the Ayr Eph. 2. 2. in regard of his great Power yet Christ is absolute Lord over him having Authority to command and over-rule him as he list This shews the Divine Majesty and Excellency of Christ's person And it must move us to yield him all due Reverence and Obedience and that willingly not by compulsion as the Devils obey him Psal 2. Kisse the Son lest he be angry c. that is yield all Homage and Subjection to Christ c. Use 2 Use 2. Comfort to the Faithfull against all the power and malice of Satan though he shew never so great power and malice in tempting and molesting them yet he can never prevail to hurt them or to hinder their Salvation because Christ hath power over him to bridle his force and to restrain his malice so as he can do no more against the Faithfull than Christ gives him leave Though the Devil be as a roaring Lyon in regard of his strength and malice yet Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah is stronger then he and able to bind and curb him at his pleasure See Luke 11. 21 22. Let â—his 〈◊〉 â—s against all the Violent assaults of Saran that greater is He that is in us the◠〈…〉 is in the World as St. John speaketh 1 John 4. 4. Christ shall tread Satan under 〈…〉 Joh. 12. 31. The Prince of this World shall be cast out Observ 3 Observ 3. In that the unclean Spirit doth so struggle against Christ and is so loath to be cast out Hence we may gather That where the Devil hath once gotten a hold and settled himself for any time he is very hardly removed thence If he once get possession of the Bodies of men he striveth with the uttermost of his power to hold it Therefore we read Mark 9. that the Apostles could not cast out that dumb Spirit and our Saviour tells them Ver. 29. that that kind of Devils could come forth by nothing but by Prayer and Fasting shewing how hard a matter it is to cause the Devil to forgo his hold in mens Bodies when once he is entred It is a great torture and vexation to him to be cast out and therefore we heard before that so soon as he began to feel Christ's Power going about to cast him out he cryed out Art thou come to destroy us And if he be cast out he desires still to re-enter again as Luke 11. 24. Now as the Devil is unwilling to leave his possession of mens Bodies so also he is as unwilling and loath to be cast out of the hearts and minds of those in whom he hath once gotten possession by his wicked suggestions When he had entred into David's heart causing him to yield to that foul sin of Adultery How hardly was he cast out It was almost a whole year before David could be throughly dispossessed of that Devil I mean of that foul sin by which the Devil had entred into his heart So it cost Peter bitter tears to cast out that sin of forswearing Christ which the Devil had fastened on him And some there be out of whose hearts the Devil can never be cast as Judas c. Use 1 Use 1. See how needfull it is to go to God by prayer in such Cases c. Use 2 Use 2. Beware how we give the least entrance to Satan into our hearts by his wicked motions but reject them when they are first offered to us that they may not settle in our hearts nor take any hold of us for if they do they will hardly be shaken off Give no place to the Devil suffer him not to enter into thy heart as he did into Judas for if he once get in he will not easily be thrown out again And if he do get entrance yet above all take heed of harbouring him long in thy heart by custom and continuance in any sin lest thou find it exceeding difficult and almost impossible to cast him out See Jer. 13. 23. Observ 4 Observ 4. We see here that so soon as our Saviour begins to set himself against the evil Spirit to cast him out presently he begins to rage the more both against the party possessed in tearing his Body and against our Saviour Christ in withstanding his Power Hence we may observe the nature and property of the Devil that when he is resisted and opposed he doth rage the more and shew the uttermost of his malice So long as our Saviour let him stay in the party possessed he spake well of Christ and did not hurt the body of the possessed but when our Saviour sets his divine Power against him and forceth him to go out then he beginneth to struggle against Christ and to rage against the party possessed And this is the Devils usual manner So long as he is not resisted he is quiet but if he be withstood he growes the more outragious and violent against such as
Miracles wrought together by our Saviour before the Door of Peter's House where now he was In the words consider four things 1. The time when these Miracles were wrought At even when the Sun did set 2. The occasion of working so many Miracles The Peoples bringing unto Christ all that were diseased and possessed with Devils Ver. 32. 3. The witnesses of these Miracles in whose presence they were wrought viz. All the People of the City gathered together before the Door of the House Ver. 33. 4. The Miracles themselves Ver. 34. Which were of two sorts 1. Healing of many that were Diseased 2. Casting out many Devils which latter sort is amplyfied by one Circumstance touching the manner of casting them out viz. That he did so cast them out as that he suffered them not to confesse him of which we heard before Ver. 25. where I shewed the reasons why our Saviour would not have the Devils confess him At Even when the Sun did set Quest Why did they not bring their sick and those that were possessed unto Christ in the Day-time but deferred it till the Evening Answ 1. Some think it was because our Saviour spent the whole Day in teaching both publickly in the Synagogue and privately in the House of Peter Therefore the People could not have opportunity to present unto him so many sick persons untill the Evening after he had done Teaching 2. Others think that because it was the Sabbath day therefore they did forbear to bring their sick and such as were possessed untill the Evening because the Jewish Sabbath ended at Even and the Jews in our Saviour's time had this erroneous conceipt of the Sabbath that it was not lawfull to have the sick cured on that Day See Mark 3. 2. Therefore they would not bring any to Christ to be cured till the Sabbath was ended lest they should break the Sabbath And this is most likely to have bin the reason of their forbearance to bring them till the Evening And herein their superstitious conceipt of the Sabbath is to be blamed in that they thought it unlawful to do works of Mercy on that Day contrary to the expresse Doctrine of our Saviour Matth. 12. yet their care in 〈…〉 â—he Sabbath and not to profane it is commendable and to be imitated of us Quest. They brought to him all that were possessed c. Quest. Why do we read o◠〈…〉 possessed with Devils in our Saviour Christ's time whereas in these times there are but few in comparison Answ 1 Answ 1. It is likely that Satan perceiving the Messiah to be come in the Flesh who should destroy his Kingdom therefore about this time of Christ's coming did rage the more and shew the more malice against Mankind as knowing that the end of Christ's coming into the World was to destroy his Kingdom Vide Winkelman in locum 2. This also came to passe by the speciall providence of God permitting Satan at that time to possesse so many that so our Saviour Christ might have occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting out so many Devils and withall that by such Miracles he might win Authority and Credit to his Doctrine And all the City was gathered together c. The great fame of Christ's former Miracles being spread abroad throughout the City of Capernaum moved such a multitude of People even the whole City to flock together before the Door And of this People a great number no doubt came either to be cured or to bring others to be cured by our Saviour and others came to be Beholders of his great Miracles and some to hear his Doctrine And he healed many c. Matth. 8. 16. It is said He healed all that were sick He put back none that were brought to be cured which shewed his wonderfull readinesse to shew mercy and to do good to all sorts that were in bodily misery He might have made excuses for putting back some as that it was now near Night and therefore an unseasonable time to bring so many to him or that some of their Diseases were Noysome or Infectious or that he was now wearied in body with Preaching that Day c. But he maketh no such excuses to send away any uncured but readily shewed mercy to all So much in way of clearing the sense of these three Verses Now because some of those Instructions which arise from these Verses have bin allready observed in handling the former Miracle Therefore here I will passe them over and briefly speak of such onely as have not bin before touched Observ 1 Observ 1. Whereas this People upon an erroneous conceipt that it was unlawfull to cure the sick upon the Sabbath did forbear the bringing of them to Christ on that day till the Evening lest they should profane the Sabbath this may teach us to be carefull of not profaning the Sabbath by doing needlesse works upon it If they upon a false ground did forbear a necessary Duty namely the helping of the Sick upon the Sabbath lest they should as they thought profane the Day much more ought we to forbear needlesse works upon it namely such works of our Callings as may well enough be deferred till another time and much more all vain sports and recreations See Psal 58. 19. The care of this People to keep the Sabbath and not to profane it though it were grounded upon an erroneous opinion of the Sabbath may serve to condemn the great carelesness and profanesse of many amongst us who are able so apt to take unlawful liberty on that Day Observ 2 Observ 2. See the forwardness of these Capernaites to come to Christ and to bring so many sick Folks and such as were Possessed to the end that they might be cured in their Bodies Yet there is no mention of any that came to him or brought others to be cured in Soul of their sins neither did they so flock to hear him Preach in the Synagogue as they did to Peter's House to have their sick healed This shews what is our disposition by nature viz. To preferr Temporall and Earthly Blessings before Spirituall and Heavenly and more to seek after the good of the Body then of the Soul So did those that followed our Saviour for the loaves c. Joh. 6. 26. whom therefore he reproveth This is a most preposterous and contrary course to be so forward in seeking those which concern the Body and neglecting such as concern the Soul Yet thus we are apt to do by nature even to mind Earthly things more then Spirituall and Heavenly Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh So we do all naturally of our selves till we have our hearts renewed and changed by God's Spirit to affect Heavenly things chiefly Let us here take notice of the depravedness of our nature in this particular and be humbled for it and strive against it And let us on the contrary seek Spirituall Blessings before Temporall and
preferr the good of our Souls before the good of our Bodies remembring that Matth. 16. 26. What is a man profitted if he gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or Matth. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdom c. And John 6. 27. Observ 3 Observ 3. Ver. 34. And he healed many that were sick c. In that here is mention of so many Diseases cured by our Saviour we have good occasion to take notice of one speciall part of that misery which sin hath brought upon us viz. That it hath made our Bodies subject to such sundry kinds of Diseases So Matth. 4. 24. The Diseases of mans body are more in number then all the Physitians can reckon up The eye is one of the smallest members of the Body yet is it strange to consider how many Infirmities and Diseases it is subject unto How many then are the Diseases of the whole Body These manifold Diseases are a part of that punishment threatned against Adam if he sinned Gen. 2. 17. Thou shalt dye the Death By Death there we are to understand not onely the separation of Soul and Body but all miseries unto which man's nature should become subject by reason of Adam's Fall among which miseries the Diseases of the Body are to be accounted Therefore these Diseases are one part of that misery which Adam's sin hath brought upon himself and us As Death So all Diseases also entred into the World by sin Rom. 5. See afterwards Chap. 7. Ver. 31 c. Use 1 Use 1. To humble us by the consideration of this misery unto which our Bodies are lyable by reason of sin There is small reason for any to be proud of the beauty and good complexion or comely feature of their Bodies seeing the best complexioned and best featured bodies are subject to so many noysome Diseases Use 2 Use 2. See the cursed fruit and effect of Sin bringing so many noysom and contagious Diseases upon man's Body It shews also the foul nature of sin infecting our bodies with such Maladies Well therefore is sin called filthiness in Scripture seeing it thus polluteth not onely the Soul but the Body filling it with so many loathsome Diseases Let this consideration make all sin odious unto us As we abhorr the most loathsome Diseases of the Body so much more should we have in utter doâ—â—station all kind of sin yea hate and shun the very occasions of sin as 〈…〉 Use 3 Use â— To put us in 〈◊〉 oâ— our Mortality and of the frail and brittle condition of our Bodies seeing they are subject to so many griefs and maladies These Diseases are the badges and symptoms of Death and the fore-runners of it making way for it yea every disease is a little Death Therefore from the diseases of our Bodies let us take occasion seriously and often to meditate of Death and to prepare for it In vain it is to reckon upon long life seeing the manifold diseases to which our bodies are subject do manifestly shew That these our Earthly Tabernacles and Houses of Clay must perish and reurn to dust whence they came Observ 4 Observ 4. Our Saviour healed many c. That is all that were brought to him though they were many in number Hence observe That we should be ready to do good and to shew mercy to all that are in misery if it lye in our Power Gal. 6. 10. Reasons of this 1. We have God's example for it Matth. 5. 45. 2. All Men bear God's Image in some sort in that they are created with reasonable and immortall Souls 3. All are partakers with us in the common nature of Men. 4. We would be glad to receive help from any in our necessities and to taste of their mercy in our miseries Quest Quest What if they be profane and wicked ones that are in misery or want Answ Answ Yet if their necessity or misery be extream we are to relieve them rather then they should perish for want of help Onely in relieving such we are to take heed so to do it that we give them no incouragement in their sins as common Beggars in their idlenesse c. Vse Vse To confute such as think it enough to do good to those unto whom they are bound in speciall manner as to their Kindred Friends Acquaintance near Neighbours c. and especially to the houshold of Faith True it is That our goodness and mercy ought chiefly to extend to these yet so as we refuse not also to afford help and relief even to strangers or enemies yea to the profane and wicked if they stand in present need of our help This the example of our Saviour Christ here may teach us who cured all the Sick that were brought to him Sequitur He suffered not the Devils to speak c. Of this before Ver. 25. Mark 1. 35 c. to the 40. Ver. And in the Morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed Feb. 7. 1618. into a solitatry place and there prayed And Simon and they that were with him followed after him And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek for thee And he said unto them let us go into the next Towns that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth And he Preached in their Synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out Devils THe Evangelist having laid down the History of Christ's Preaching and Miracles wrought in Capernaum the chief City of Galilee Now he setteth down his Preaching and Miracles wrought in other Villages or smaller Towns in Galilee And 1. he mentioneth his Preaching in those Towns unto the latter part of the 39. Ver. 2. His Miracles in the end of that Verse Concerning his Preaching he relateth two things chiefly 1. The Antecedents or Preparatives unto it from this 35. Ver. to the 39. 2. The Preaching it it Self The Antecedents are 1. His sequestring of himself into a private Place and Praying there Ver. 35. 2. His Disciples carefull following after him to find him out being gone a-part Ver. 36. 3. The mutuall Speech or Conference had between Christ and them after they had found him Ver. 37. 38. Touching the first Viz. His sequestring of himself unto prayer Here consider 1. The Circumstance of Time In the Morning c. 2. The Place whither He retired Himself Into a solitary Place 3. The Duty there performed He prayed there Object 1 In the Morning a great while before Day Object Luke 4. 42. It is said When it was Day He departed c. Answ Answ 1. It might be after the dawning first appeared and yet a good while before the clear and perfect day-light 2. Or else we may think that he arose very early before day yet did not go forth of the House untill the clear day-light began to appear Now this early rising and going forth to prayer doth shew the great care and diligence of our Saviour in the execution of his
those that hear the Word outwardly there are mentioned three sorts which though they hear it yet receive no Fruit by it See Ezek. 33. 31. Reas Reas The Fruit and Efficacy of the Word preached depends upon the Blessing of God and upon the operation of his Spirit accompanying the outward Ministery in the hearts of the Hearers 1 Cor. 3. 6. Therefore where these are wanting Men may be outward Hearers and yet not profit by the Word nay they may grow worse by it and become more hardned in their sins as there is no doubt but these Scribes and Pharisees upon hearing Christ grew more malicious against Him and his Doctrine Vse Vse Let none think it enough that they come to the places where the Word is taught and vouchsafe their presence to hear it outwardly It is a foolish conceipt of some whereby they delude their own Souls to think that this is Religion and Christianity good enough if they come to Church and vouchsafe their bodily presence here and have their ears open to the externall sound of the Word But this may Hypocrites and wicked Men do nay thus may Reprobates do and such as shall never be saved such as Herod and Felix c. Luke 13. 26. Content not thy self with outward hearing rest not in that but come to the Word with sincere affection and with a mind to profit by it in Knowledge Faith and conscionable obedience Labour in hearing to find thy heart changed and thy Life reformed more and more Jam. 1. 22. Be doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your Selves Now I proceed to the Exception it self which the Scribes took against Christ And first of the manner of their excepting They reasoned in their hearts Observ Observ See here from whence every sin takes the beginning even from the heart The malice and envy of the Scribes against Christ began in their hearts causing them inwardly to conceive ill of Him and there is no doubt but afterwards they uttered this their malice inwords by speaking evil of Him when they were gone out of his presence But first They think evil of him in their hearts before they utter it to shew us that all sin begins originally at the heart There it is first conceived and hatched Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart come Adulteries c. Psal 14. 1. The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God The reason why profane Athiests live so as if there were no God is because they first conceive such thoughts in their hearts Jam. 4. 13. If ye have bitter envy and strife in your hearts glory not c. So Theft begins at the heart Josh 7. 21. and Oppression Mich. 2. 2. The Devil put it into the heart of Judas c. John 12. 2. Vse 1 Vse 1. Prov. 4. 23. Keep our hearts with all diligence As we have cause to watch over all our wayes so chiefly over our hearts that sin enter not there for if it do it will soon break out into evil Words and Actions That which the Apostle speaks of the Tongue Jam. 3. 6. is much more true of the Heart That it desiles the whole Body and sets on fire the course of Nature Above all therefore look to thy Heart to keep sin out thence that it take not rooting there Be carefull to resist it in the first motions of it arising in thy heart pray unto God that thou mayest have grace to abhor the first motions of envy malice pride uncleanness covetousness rash anger c. See 1 Pet. 2. 11. Slay sin in the first conception This is a Point of speciall Christian wisdom which if we will carefully practise would keep us from falling so dangerously as many do to the dishonour of God and wounding of their own consciences Use 2 Use 2. See where to begin the practise of Repentance and to reform sin in our Selves First get our hearts renewed and changed praying to God to give us new hearts as David Psal 51. 10. else in vain do we go about to reform our Words and Actions How should the Stream be stopped till the Fountain be first dammed up how should the Tree dye till the Root be killed Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Mark 2. 7. Why doth this man speak Blasphemies Who can forgive sins but God onely May 7. 1619. IN the end of the former Verse we heard of the manner of the Scribes excepting against our Saviour Now in this Verse is set down the matter of their exception which is this That they accuse Him of the sin of Blasphemy because he had pronounced forgiveness of sins to the sick of Palsie and of this accusation they yield a reason because it is proper to God onely to forgive sins therefore none that is a meer man may take it upon him without being guilty of Blasphemy Why doth this man speak Blasphemies The word Blasphemy doth signifie any hurtfull or reproachfull speech against God or Man Sometimes it is referred to Man and then it signifies any evil speech whereby the good name of another is hurt So Tit. 3. 2. Blaspheme or speak evil of no Man And Eph. 4. 31. Sometimes again and that most usually it is referred to God and so it notes out any speech tending to the reproach of God And of this Blasphemy there are especially three kinds 1. When anything is ascribed or given to God which derogates from his Glory or tends directly to his dishonour as to say He is the Authour of sin or that he is mortall or changeable or finite c. 2. When that which is proper to God is denyed Him or taken from Him as if one should deny God to be Almighty Just Creator and Governour of the World c. 3. When that which is proper to God is given to Man or to other Creatures And this is here meant by the Scribes They perceiving Christ who as they thought was but a meer Man to take upon him to forgive sins which is proper to God accused Him of Blasphemy And this they did the rather as is likely that they might bring Him in trouble and danger of His Life because by the Law the Blasphemer was to be put to Death Levit. 24. 14. And we must note the manner of their speech or reasoning within themselves they do not barely say or affirm in their hearts he Blasphemed but they thus question within themselves Who is this c Thereby shewing their great dislike and detestation of the sin of Blasphemy which they surmized him guilty of quasi dicerent Who is this that is so wicked and profane as to utter Blasphemies This is a Crime not to be suffered or born withall And note withall that they speak in the plurall number charging Him not with one but with many Blasphemies to aggravate the matter Who can forgive sins but God c Q. D. This
Sin in others 1. This is a Duty of Love and Mercy to their Souls in that we shew our selves careful and desirous to do good unto them by reclaiming them from their sin and so keeping back their Souls from the Pit of Destruction So Jud. 22. Have Compassion on some c. that is in reproving them gently that are tractable It is therefore a work of Compassion See Levit. 19. 17. 2. By this we shew our zeal for God's Glory when we shew our dislike of sin by reproving it in those that dishonour God by it Use Vse Let us make Conscience of this Duty of Love to the Souls of others that is of reproving sin in them with meekness and discretion especially Ministers of the Word must look to this Isa 58. 1. So also Parents Masters Husbands c. not to suffer sin unrebuked in their Children Servants and Wives Pull them out of the fire of Hell by Christian Reproofs And not onely such as have special charge of others must see to this but every private Christian as occasion serveth and in case he see hope of doing good upon his Brother that offendeth he is not to forbear reproving him in Christian sort We are apt in this case to make many excuses but remember that Eccles 11. 4. If we should see another running wittingly into the fire or water Would we not quickly blame him and hold him back And shall we see others endangering their Souls by sin and not reprove them and seek to reclaim them Ver. 9. Whether is it easier c. Observ Observ That the same Divine Power of God which is shewed in curing the Soul of sin is also manifested in the miraculous curing of bodily Diseases whence it follows that as none but God hath power to heal the Soul of sin by pardoning it so none but God hath power to cure bodily Diseases miraculously that is without ordinary means When the Prophets and Apostles cured some miraculously it was by the Power of God Act. 3. 12. The Devil himself and such as work by his help as Witches Wizzards and the like though they may work strange cures upon the bodies of others yet they cannot work a true Miracle in curing a Disease they cannot perfectly and truly cure such Disease as is simply incurable in nature The Devil may cure a Disease which men cannot cure but he cannot cure such a Disease as is in its own nature simply incurable as to restore one to sight that is born blind But I will not insist upon this Mark 2. 10 11 12. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on Earth c. VVEE have heard of the Antecedents or Preparatives that went before this Miracle of curing the sick of the Palsy Now followeth the Miracle it self by which our Saviour doth really prove unto the Scribes that he had power to forgive Sins As before ver 9. he proved it by Word so now He gives a reall proof of it in Deed. In the setting down of this Miracle consider two things 1. The manner of working this miraculous cure This is set forth by the words which he used at the time of effecting this Cure which words are spoken partly to the Scribes which sate by as also to the rest of the People that were present and partly to the sick of the Palsy The words used to the Scribes are those But that ye may know that the Son of man hath Power on Earth to forgive sins The words directed to the sick are these I say unto thee Arise and take up thy Bed and go thy way unto thy House The second thing to be considered is The miraculous cure it self effected by Christ's Power and manifested by certain outward Evidences in the sick party As 1. His rising up 2. His taking up his Bed 3. His going forth before them First to cleer the sense of the words briefly That ye may know c. These words were directed to the Scribes by our Saviour Christ for they are not the words of the Evangelist And in them our Saviour sheweth the Ground or Reason of his working of this miraculous cure namely that by this he might prove unto the Scribes and to the rest of the People that he was God and consequently had power to forgive sins The Son of Man Thus he calleth himself in respect of his humane Nature yet not excluding his Deity q. d. That Person who being God from Aeternity was in time made Man Vide infra Ver. 28. On Earth That is even in that state of Humiliation whilst he lived upon Earth q. d. I had not onely Power to forgive sins before I was Incarnate and came down from Heaven but also now since my coming in the Flesh and even in this low and mean condition of a Servant in which now I live I do still retain this Power I say unto thee Arise c. Our Saviour did not use these words as a means whereby to effect the cure but to testify his Will to cure him He effected the Cure by His Divine Power accompanying His Words And immediately he arose c. These words shew the Effect which followed upon the words of Christ or rather upon the Power of Christ accompanying his words the Effect was that the sick of the Palsy was immediately made whole and sound and was perfectly cured this appeared by his rising taking up his Couch and going forth before all the People All which Actions and gestures served to set forth and to prove both the Certainty and Truth of the Miracle as also the greatness and strangeness of it For it must needs be granted to have been a great Miracle that he which before by reason of his Disease was not able to go alone of himself nor fit to be led but was carried by four is now suddenly become so sound and strong in body that he can both rise up and walk and also take up his own Couch or Bed and carry it away from the place Note here that when it is said He took up his Bed it is to be understood of a small Bed or Couch as it is called Luke 5. 19. which was sufficient for one man onely to rest himself upon and therefore he might the more conveniently take it up and bear it And by this place it appears that in those times they used such small Beds or Couches which they might carry from place to place as occasion served Vide Danaei Quest in Marcum So much of the sense of the words Observ 1 Observ 1. First we learn here that our Saviour Christ in the state of his Humiliation on Earth had absolute Power and Authority to forgive sins Therefore Luke 7. 48. he pronounced Forgiveness of sins unto that sinful Woman which had washed his feet and wiped them with the haires of her head Now our Saviour Christ hath this power to forgive sins 1. As he is God it being the Property and peculiar Prerogative of
with his sickness it brings the whole body out of due frame so it is with sinners in their natural estate lying in their sins all the powers and faculties of soul and body in them are distempered and brought out of that due frame and order in which they should be and in which man's Nature was at first created And sin is the cause of this Distemper 2. A sick Person is disabled and made unfit by sickness for Action and Employment especially when the Disease continueth long so the sinner by nature is unfit and unable to perform any spiritual Action in right manner unable to pray to meditate to hear the Word c. 3. A sick man is not able by his own power to cure himself or to give health to himself but God onely can do it so much less can the sinner cure himself of sin or raise himself out of that sickness to spirituall health See Psal 103. 3. 4. Lastly sick Persons are in danger of death Sickness it self if it continue will ar length cause death and the dissolution of soul and body so is it with all sinners in their natural estate if they continue so they are sure to dye eternally and therefore they are said to be already dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. And sins are called dead works because they bring forth death in the end if they be continued in Vse 1 Use 1. See the misery of all unregenerate Persons in their natural estate being yet uncalled they are dangerously distempered and infected with the Disease of sin yea with many sins Many that have sound and healthy bodies yet have sick souls even sick unto death Such must think of this and be humbled and labour speedily to come out of this fearful estate Use 2 Use 2. See the Nature of sin It is the spiritual sickness of the soul which distempereth and hurteth it more than any Disease doth the body yea it causeth a spiritual Distemper in the whole man It disableth a man for all spiritual Actions and Employments and which is worst of all it causeth eternal death and destruction of soul and body if it be not repented of in time This should move us to abhor all sin and to take heed of it as we do of the worst and most dangerous sicknesses of the body Vse 3 Use 3. Have pity on such as lye and live in their naturall estate uncalled being dangerously sick of sin Afford them the best spiritual help and Physick that we are able for the healing of their Souls Shew them the danger of their sickness that is of their sins and the Remedy against it which is Repentance and wish them to use it perswade them especially to go to Christ by Faith who is the onely Physitian to cure sin But of this more in the next Observation Observ 2 Observ 2. Christ Jesus is a spiritual Physitian to cure men of their Sins therefore he calls himself by the name of a Physitian in this place by way of resemblance unto bodily Physitians and the like resemblance is made elsewhere as Luk. 4. 18. He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted c. Isa 53. 5. With his stripes we are healed And ver 4. He is said to have born our griefs or Sicknesses that is our Sins which are our spiritual Sicknesses See also Revel 3. 18. Here consider two things further 1. How Christ doth heal and cure sinners 2. Whom he doâ—h heal Touching the first Christ healeth and cureth men of their sins two wayes or by a twofold spiritual remedy or Medicine The first is his own pretious bloud that is the merit and vertue of his death and sufferings by which he making satisfaction to God for our sins did free us from the guilt of them thus he cureth us of them in respect of the guilt and this is done perfectly in this life The second spirituall remedy is the powerfull and effectuall operation of his Spirit by which he killeth and weakneth the corruption of sin so that it raign not in us Thus he cureth us of the corruption of sin but this is not done perfectly in this life but in part onely for the corruption of sin doth still remain in us in some degree during this life onely it is so subdued and mortified in us by the Spirit of Christ that it cannot so raign and bear sway as it doth in the wicked Touching the second thing to be shewed namely What persons they are whom Christ cureth Answ Not all sinners but first Such onely as have Faith to apply Christ and the merit of his death and suffering to themselves by which Faith also they receive and apply to themselves that Spirit of Christ by which the corruption of sin is mortified in them 2. Such as feel their Spirituall Diseases So Luke 4. 18. Use 1 Use 1. Matter of great comfort to such as feel their sins and do unfeinedly desire to be eased of them let them know that there is a Spirituall Physitian that is both able and willing to cure these their Spirituall Diseases if they seek to him It is a great comfort to a sick person to know of a good and able Physitian near at hand so as he may be had and procured to cure him Much more is it a comfort to the humbled sinner to know that Christ is sent of God to be our Spiritual Physitian to heal us of our sins and that there is no Spirituall sickness or disease of sin in us but he is well able to cure and heal us of it Besides he knows all our diseases c. Vse 2 Vse 2. Seek to Christ Jesus in the spirituall sickness and diseases of our Souls to be healed of them all Labour by true Faith to apply to thy self the bloud of Christ and the merit and vertue of it which is as a soveraign salve or Medicine to heal thy Diseased sick Soul and Conscience of the guilt of all thy sins withall pray unto him to heal the Corruption of thy Nature and to mortify and kill it in thee more and more by the work of his Spirit So much of the first reason by which our Saviour Christ proveth against the Scribes and Pharisees that it was lawfull for him to company with publicans and sinners Namely because they being Spiritually Diseased with sin had need of the Society and help of the Spirituall Physitian Now follows the second reason drawn from the end of his comming into the World set down 1. Negatively where he shews to what end he came not Not to call the Righteous 2. Affirmatively shewing to what end he came viz. To call sinners to Repentance I came not to call There is a twofold calling of Christ with which he calleth men The first outward onely by the Ministery of the Word by which he inviteth men to come out of their sins and to turn unto him offering Grace and Salvation unto them in the outward menas The second is When
which is fitly resembled by the Union that is between Man and Wife And this Resemblance stands in sundry things but chiefly in these 1. As the Union between man and Wife is between two onely and no more according to that Matth. 19. 5. Two shall be one Flesh So the Union between Christ and his Church is between two and no more for there is but one Christ and one true Church though that one Church have many particular Members 2. As the Union between Husband and Wife is made by a mutuall consent of both parties given each to other so in the Mysticall and Spirituall Union of Christ and the Church there is a mutual consent between both parties for the making up of this Spirituall contract and Marriage Christ gives his consent and shews it two wayes 1. By his readiness to take our Nature upon him and to be made Man to the end that there might be a correspondence and likeness of nature between himself and his Spouse or Wife the Church See Hebr. 2. 11. He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of one c. 2. He shews his consent to this Marriage by giving and imparting his Spirit unto his Church and to every faithfull member of it by which he testifyeth his Love to them and therefore this Spirit is called a Seal and earnest-penny Ephes 1. And 1 Joh. 3. 24. it is said Hereby we know that he dwelleth in us by his Spirit which he hath given unto us The Church gives her consent by Faith c. 3. The Union between Husband and Wife is a true and reall Union not imaginary onely they are truly and really united both in respect of their Bodies and in respect of their Hearts so also is there a true and reall Union between Christ and his Church whereby every faithfull member of it is really joyned and knit unto the whole person of Christ first and immediately to his humane nature and so by his humane Nature unto his Divine Nature or God-head See 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 1 Cor. 6. 17. 4. The Union between Husband and Wife is very strait and near they are said to be two in one Flesh so the Spiritual union between Christ and the Church is a most near and strait conjunction Whence the faithfull are said to be members of his body of his Flesh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. 5. By reason of the Union betwixt Husband and Wife the Wife comes to partake with her Husband in all that is his viz. in his body in his goods in his Honour c. so by reason of the strait union between Christ and the Church it comes to passe that the Church is partaker not onely of Christs person but also of all that is his of all Spirituall benefits which he hath by his death and obedience purchased for it as forgiveness of sins Gods favour and Salvation it self 1 Cor. 1. 30. Use 1 Use 1. See by this the great happiness of true Believers in that Christ is their Bridegroom or Husband and they his Bride or espoused Wife they are as nearly united to him as man and Wife yea much more nearly How great an Honour is it Marriage in it self is Honourable much more to be Married to some great and Honourable person as to a King but this is above all Honours to be Married or Espoused unto Christ by Faith This may comfort the Faithfull against all reproaches and disgraces which they meet with in the World Besides as it is an honour so is it also a wonderfull Priviledge in other respects to have Christ our Bridegroom or Husband for he being so will protect us and take care of us in all Estates and times as the loving Husband doth for the Wife yea which is more he being our Husband we have right to be partakers of all Spiritual benefits which he hath purchased at the hands of his Father for us Labour then for true Faith whereby thou mayest be married unto Christ c. Use 2 Use 2. This also must teach the Faithfull to carry themselves towards Christ so as becommeth a good Wife towards her own Husband especially to be carefull of yielding unto him the duties of true love and Loyall obedience c. Observ 4 Observ 4. It is said ver 20. When the Bridegroom shall be taken from them then they shall fast that is When Christ should be taken from them in regard of the presence of his humane Nature the reason is because that should be a time of great Affliction and trouble unto them not onely in regard of the losse of his most sweet and comfortable society but also in regard of the grievous Persecutions which should be stirred up against them immediately after Christs Ascention as may appear in the Acts of the Apostles Now then from hence we may gather that the time of great Affliction is one fit time for the use and exercise of Religious Fasting We have examples in Scripture of the use of it in such times Judg. 20. 26. when the Israelites had bin twice put to flight in battell by the Benjamites and two great slaughters were made of them they came all to the house of God and wept and Fasted till evening 2 Chron. 20. 3. When Jehâ—saphat and his people were in a great strait by reason of the great Army of the Moabites and Ammonites comming against him he proclaimed a Fast c. So Hest 4. 16. when the Jews were in danger to be cut off and slain Hester and they gave themselves to Fasting So the Ninevites Fasted when they feared the Destruction of their City â—onah 3. See also Joel ch 1. 2. So then in times of great and extraordinary calamity affliction or danger Fasting is an exercise fit to be used The reason is 1. Because it is a means in that Case to Testify our extraordinary Humiliation before God for our sins which are the procuring causes of such great troubles and Afflictions Joel 2. 12. 2. It is a means to quicken and stir us up to more earnest Prayer and supplication unto God for mercy and pardon of our sins and for the removall of his Judgments and chastisements therefore Prayer and Fasting are often joyned together in Scripture because the latter is a speciall help and furtherance to the former So much of the first Reason used by our Saviour to prove that it was not fit for his Disciples to be tyed to Fasting as the Disciples of John and the Pharises were Now to speak something also of the second Reason taken from their Infirmity and weakness Verse 21. and 22. No man also seweth a peice of new Cloath c. The purpose of our Saviour in these two comparisons is to shew that it is not onely unfit and unexpedient but also hurtfull and dangerous to urge or tye his Disciples being as yet but young Christians to a strict course of Fasting even as it is a thing not onely unfit but hurtfull also to piece an
Sicknesse neglecting the means of Physick and yet perswading themselves that God will give them health c. This is a tempting of God to pretend that we rely upon his Providence and yet to use no means whereby to serve his providence for preservation and safety of our Bodies It is also a breach of the sixth Commandement and a degree of murther to neglect the means of preserving our bodies and bodily lives our chief care indeed should be for the Salvation of our Souls yet may we not be careless of the good and safety of our bodies Excessive care of the body is forbidden in the Word of God but not all care thereof So understand that Matth. 6. 25. Mark 3. 10 11 12. For He had healed many c. Octob. 10. 1619. IN the former Verses the Evangelist shewed that a very great multitude of People flocked unto our Saviour Christ being by the Sea of Galilee together with the cause moving them to flock unto him as also a remedy used by him to prevent their thronging of him namely the hearing of the great things which he had done Now in these three next Verses he sheweth more at large the cause both of their great concourse and also of his using that remedy to prevent their thronging of him the Cause was for that he had there wrought many Miracles by reason whereof the People pressed upon him c. Now these Miracles are of two sorts 1. The miraculous curing of many that were Diseased Ver. 10. 2. The powerfull mastering or subduing of the Devils in those that were possessed Ver. 11 12. Touching the former the Evangelist setteth down 1. The miraculous Cures in these words For he had healed many 2. A consequent which followed thereupon The People pressed upon him to touch him as many as had Plagues He had healed many The Evangelist meaneth that he had miraculously cured them without ordinary means onely by his Divine Power for so he used to cure the Diseased either onely by touching them or by speaking the word barely commanding them to be whole as we have heard before Observ Observ Here we see that our Saviour Christ is not onely a Spirituall but also a Bodily Physitian He came into the World not onely to cure the Spirituall Diseases of Mens Souls that is their Sins but also to heal the Sicknesses and Diseases of their Bodies by his Almighty Power Therefore being upon Earth he did not onely forgive Sins and suffer for Man's Redemption but also cure many of their bodily Diseases miraculously a◠we have heard in the former Chapters That which is spoken of God Psal 103. 3. may be applyed to Christ He forgiveth all our Iniquities and healeth all our Diseases both Bodily and Spirituall And it was necessary that our Saviour Christ should miraculously cure the Bodily Diseases of Men whilst he lived on Earth thereby to shew and prove that he was that Person who was appointed and sent of God to take away Men's Sins which are their Spirituall Sicknesses as is shewed Matth. 8. 17. out of the Prophet Esay Vse 1 Vse 1. See then that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour Able perfectly to save such as come to God by Him as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 7. 27. He is able to save us both in Soul and Body and to cure the Diseases of both most perfectly and as he is able so he is willing and ready to cure the Faithfull not onely in Soul of their Sins by the merit of his Blood and efficacy of his Spirit but also to cure their Bodily Diseases so far as is good for them And though he be not now on Earth to cure Bodily Diseases miraculously neither must we look for this yet his Power is still as great as ever it was over all Bodily Diseases to cure them without means or with means yea his Power is now rather greater then it was on Earth Use 2 Use 2. Therefore seek to Christ not onely for Spirituall Health though chiefly for that but even for Bodily He is the best Physitian for Soul and Body Though he be not now on Earth and so thou canst not go to him with the feet of thy Body nor speak to him nor touch his Body or Garments as these diseased Persons here mentioned yet go up to Heaven to Him with the feet of thy Heart and Affections and speak to him by thy prayers and touch him and lay hold on his Power and Mercy by Faith do this in all Bodily Sicknesses and Griefs Thou must not neglect other outward helps and means of Physick and the like but above all forget not to seek to Christ Jesus the best Physitian for Soul and Body to blesse the means to thee It followeth Insomuch that they pressed upon Him c. This shews what was one end for which so great a multitude came to Christ at this time even to have their bodily Diseases cured miraculously And it is likely to have been the fault of many that they sought to Him more for the cure of their Bodies than to have their Souls benefited by his Preaching yet no doubt but some also came for this end To touch Him By this it seems they had heard of some that had been before cured by Touching our Saviour Christ's Body or Garments And it is likely that hereupon they had some superstitious conceipt as if the bare touching of him had vertue to heal them whereas all the vertue came from his Person as he was God or from his Godhead and not from his Body or Garments See Mark 5. 30. But yet withall this pressing to touch him doth shew their Faith at least the Faith of some of them that they were perswaded of Christ's Power and Mercy that he was able and willing to cure them if they came unto him So many as had Plagues Or Scourges as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth So he calleth those Disenses of the Body with which they were afflicted to shew the grievousnesse of them and the nature of them that they were sent of God upon them as Scourges and Punishments for sin So much of the Words Observ 1 Observ 1. By example of these pressing upon Christ to be healed of their Bodily Diseases we learn What to do in all Miseries and Afflictions even to seek unto Christ Jesus for help and relief yea to be forward and earnest in seeking to Him pressing unto Him as this People did Thus we should do both in outward and inward afflictions both of Body and Mind 1. In outward and bodily Afflictions as Sickness Pain Poverty Want c. The bestway to find help and ease and relief is to go unto Christ by prayer yea to make haste and to presse unto Him by the earnest prayer of Faith intreating Him to give us strength patience and deliverance in the due time appointed Herein we are to imitate the Diseased People in our Saviour Christ's time who pressed unto Christ to be
it may not be plainly conceived of the hearer And so we are to take the word in this place Our Saviour used comparisons taken from earthly things to resemble Heavenly and Spiritual but he propounded them not in a plain but after a dark manner Quest Quest Why did he use such dark Parables or similitudes in Teaching Answ Answ A generall reason see Matth. 13. 35. It was a peculiar kind of Teaching proper to our Saviour above all Teachers The more particular reasons moving him hereunto were different according to the difference and diversity of his Hearers which were of two sorts 1. Some were tractable and teachable willing and desirous to be taught and to learn of him In this number and rank were his twelve Apostles and other Disciples which were already Called effectually and not onely these but others also who though they were yet un-called yet they followed him and were willing to be taught The second sort were obstinate and unteachable hearers and these were especially the Scribes and Pharisees who did obstinately and willfully refuse to be taught of Christ and not onely so but did also most maliciously and blasphemously slander and speak evil of him and his Doctrine and Miracles as we heard upon the former Chapters Now in respect of the first sort of hearers who were teachable our Saviour used dark Parables for these reasons 1. To stir them up the more earnestly to enquire and search after the meaning of those Parables therefore ver 10. we find that the Apostles and other Disciples that were with them came to our Saviour to know the meaning of the Parable of the Sower 2. To the end that when once they should come by search and Inquiry to know the meaning of those Parables those things which were intended by them might seem the plainer to them for although these Parables being at first nakedly propounded did seem dark yet being afterwards Interpreted by our Saviour unto them they became very plain and served to explain that Doctrine which was taught by them 3. He used such similitudes taken from things familiarly known that he might the more affect and move their minds and hearts with a serious consideration and meditation of those things which were taught when they should come to know and conceive them the nature of most men being apt to be much moved with such things as are best known unto them Lastly He used such similitudes to the end that the things taught by them being afterwards explained to them might make the deeper impression in their memories we being most apt to remember such comparisons as are drawn from things familiar and well known to us Now for the second sort of hearers which were obstinate and unteachable viz. the Scribes and Pharisees the reason in respect of them moving our Saviour to Teach by Parables was this that by this means those Heavenly Doctrines which he taught being covered and hid from them the just Judgment of God might be executed upon them by giving them over to further blindness and hardness of Heart But more of this ver 11. Thus we see the reasons why our Saviour taught by Parables Observ Observ Hence gather that it is a profitable course and way of Teaching in the Church to teach by comparisons and similitudes resembling Heavenly and Spiritual matters unto earthly things that are familiarly known unto us This manner of Teaching was much used by our Saviour Christ as we see in this Chapter and Matth. 13. and in many other places of the Evangelists And we are to observe that the similitudes which he useth are drawn from things well known and in common use amongst men as in this Chapter from Husbandry and sowing of Seed and from the growth of Mustard-seed So Matth. 13. from leaven hid in three pecks of Meal from a Treasure hid in the field c. from a Draw-net cast into the Sea to take Fish c. The like manner of Teaching is used by the Prophets in the Old Testament Esay 5. 1. under the similitude of a Vineyard the estate of the Church of the Jews is set out chap. 1. ver 3. He draweth a comparison from the Oxe and Ass to convince their ingratitude So Jerem. 8. 7. The Stork in the Ayre knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle Crane and Swallow observe the time of their comming but my People knoweth not the Judgment of the Lord. The like manner of Teaching is also used by the Apostles So Paul 1 Cor. 12. 12. compareth the Mysticall body of the Church to the natural body So 1 Cor. 15. 36. under the similitude of Seed sowen in the Earth he sets forth the Estate of mens bodies dying and rising again and ver 41. by a comparison from the Sun Moon and other Stars he sets out the Glory of the Saints after this life So Jam. 3. the Apostle by sundry comparisons setteth out the nature and properties of an evill Tongue By all this we may see that it is good for Ministers of the Word to use this kind of Teaching by similitude as occasion serveth therein following the practice of our Saviour Christ and of the Prophets and Apostles This kind of Teaching by Comparisons is very profitable for the hearers in sundry respects 1. To explain things that are otherwise hard to conceive 2. To help the Memories of the hearers every one being more apt to bear away such comparisons as are taken from things commonly known 3. To affect and move the people the more willingly and readily to Believe and embrace that which is taught when it is delivered in such an easy and familiar manner Quest Quest Whether is it fit for Ministers now to propound their similitude in dark manner as our Saviour did Answ Answ Not so because he had a special Calling and Warrant so to do Matth. 13. 35. which ordinary Ministers now have not Our Saviour also in his Teaching had to do with the Scribes and Pharisees whom he knew to be obstinate Reprobates of whom there was no hope to do good on them by his Teaching and therefore he purposely used dark Parables that he might conceal and hide from them those heavenly Mysteries which he delivered But it is not so with ordinary Ministers in these times they have no extraordinary spirit to discern who are Reprobates and therefore they are not in their teaching to use dark and obscure Parables as our Saviour sometimes did but rather to use similitudes that are most plain and to propound them after the plainest manner that they may be better conceived of the hearers So much of the manner of our Saviours Teaching Now follows the matter or substance of the Doctrine which he taught contained in certain Parables which he uttered And first of the first Parable ver 3. Hearken behold There went out a Sower to Sow c. Touching the Preface in the word Hearken we shall have occasion to speak by and by upon the ninth verse And touching the
should be meditating of the doctrines delivered when they should be casting and devising how to lay up the Word in their hearts and how to practise they are plotting and hammering in their heads how to compasse such a worldly business how to lay up money for such a purchase or bargain c. How is it possible that these should give attention to the Word or conceive and remember what is taught So afterwards when they are departed from the Church presently their minds are upon the World which is a means to thrust all that hath been taught out of their minds and to make them as utterly to forget it as if they had never heard it As for obedience to the doctrine taught how should they yield any being so possessed with cares about earthly matters that they have no leisure to set themselves about the practise and performance of good duties commanded in the Word or about the mortifying of their corruptions c. No marvail if being much and often invited by the Ministery of the Word to come to the Lord's Banquet yet they come not but make excuses so long as their hearts are taken up with cares about Farms Oxen c. Use 2 Use 2. Labour to root these thorns of worldly cares out of our hearts and to keep them from growing there Matth. 6. 25. Take no thought no immoderate care for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Remedies against these immoderate cares for temporal things 1. Consider the nature of the things cared for as meat drink apparel wealth c. they are vain transitory and perishing things subject to decay our bodily food is but perishing meat as it is called Joh. 6. 27. so our apparel is subject to decay and to be moth-eaten so all worldly wealth is perishing substance subject to many casualties as Riches quickly take them to their wings and fly away as Solomon sayes of them And as these things are in themselves transitory and of short continuance so they serve onely to maintain this our short and perishing life which we live on earth which cannot alwayes continue but must have an end we know not how soon 2. Consider That by all our care we cannot help or profit our selves without the blessing of God upon the means we use We cannot with all our care profit our selves in our outward Estate in the world nor in furthering the good of our bodies nor in prolonging our life without the blessing of God Matth. 6. 27. Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubit unto his stature Psal 127. 1. Except the Lord build the house c. In vain to rise early c. 3. It is a heathenish practise thus to vex and trouble our selves with immoderate cares for earthly things and therefore not fit for Christians which profess faith in Gods providence Matth. 6. 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek 4. Remember that we are commanded to cast our cares upon God and withall that he hath promised to care for us and to provide for us all things necessary for this life as well as for that which is to come it we depend on him by faith 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care on him for he careth for you Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord and he shall sustain thee c. Strive therefore by faith to rely upon Gods speciall providence for things of this life using the means and seeking a blessing from him upon the same 5. Consider how God provideth for other Creatures of less value and worth than our selves without their care Matth. 6. He feedeth the Fowls of the ayr and clotheth the Lilies of the field though they neither labour nor take care how much more will he feed and cloathe his Children without their immoderate carking and caring 6. Consider that immoderate cares for this life do oppress the heart and mind exceedingly taking them up so that they cannot be free to meditate of spiritual and heavenly things hindering men also from daily preparing themselves for death and for the day of Judgment Luke 21. 34. Take heed lest your hearts be at any time oppressed with cares of this life and that day come on you at unawares This were enough to make us abandon these distracting cares if there were no other reason to move us 7. Let our chief care be for Heavenly and Spiritual things which concern God's Glory and the Salvation of our Souls This will moderate and slake our care for temporall things Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth c. Matth. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdome of God c. The more we seek and care for Heaven the less shall we care for Earth and Earthly things One thing is needfull as our Saviour told Martha Luke 10. This one thing needfull is to seek Heaven and Salvation with the means of it Let this be our main care then shall we not turmoile our selves with cares of this life Object Object The great charge of Wife and children engageth us sometimes to delay the means of Salvation to take worldly care in providing for them Answ Answ We may use moderate care submitting to the Will of God who can aswell provide for many as few So much of the first sort of thorns which choak the Word Mark 4. 19. And the deceitfullnesse of Riches and the Lusts of other things entring in choak the Word May 28. 1620. and it becommeth unfruitfull THe second is the deceitfullness of Riches That is the love of Riches which are deceitfull Doctr. 1 Doctr. 1. Here then we first learn that covetousness or the inordinate love of Riches is a great Enemy and hinderance to the profitable hearing of the Word Now that is an inordinate love of Riches 1. When worldly wealth is too highly esteemed as if it were the best good or could make those happy that have it 2. When men desire and seek Riches too eagerly and earnestly especially if it be by unlawful and sinister means 1 Tim. 6. 10. They that will be Rich c. 3. When men seek or desire abundance and superfluity of Wealth more then is necessary for them either in respect of their persons to maintain the health and strength of their bodies or in respect of their particular calling and condition of life to maintain them according to the dignity thereof We have no warrant to pray or seek for more than daily bread therefore to desire or seek more then necessary wealth for our persons and callings is an inordinate love of it Now it is a hinderance to the fruitful hearing of the Word two wayes 1. It keeps the Hearers from being so affected in heart with the Word as they should when their Hearts and Affections are set upon worldly wealth this steals them away from the Word of God and suffers them not to be so
we may be inabled to stand fast in the evill day and to bear the brunt of those troubles we shall meet withall and not to be dismayed by them Use 3 Use 3. Comfort to the Faithfull meeting with such troubles c. Mark 4. 38. And he was in the hinder part of the ship asleep c. July 30. 1620. OF the first of the more near and immediate occasions of this Miracle we have spoken namely the arising of the great and dangerous storm of Wind ver 37. Now follow the other two occasions of it mentioned in ver 38. Namely our Saviour Christ's sleeping in the hinder part of the ship on a Pillow in the time of that storm And the great fear which the Disciples discovered by awaking him and crying out to him for help First to speak of the former of these He was asleep Some think as Calvin noteth that he did not truly sleep but onely feigned himself to be asleep at this time when the storm arose that so he might make tryall of their Faith and courage in time of trouble and danger But there is no doubt but this sleep was true and naturall and not feigned 1. Because it was in the night which was a fit time for sleep 2. It was immediately after that our Saviour had much wearied himself with Preaching the day before therefore being weary it is not likely that he feigned a sleep but that he truly slept 3. It is said he slept on a Pillow which shews that he had composed himself purposely to rest after his great wearinesse and that for the refreshing of himself and therefore he used this Pillow that his sleep might be the more comfortable to him Therefore we are not to doubt but that he slept for the refreshing of his wearied body and for the comforting of nature And yet withall there is no doubt but he did am at a further end beside the refreshing of nature in betaking himself to sleep at this time namely at this that he might make tryall of the Disciples Faith and so make way for the working of this Miracle to confirm their Faith Further note That this sleeping must be understood of his humane nature not of his God-head for by that he watched over his Disciples at the same time Observ 1 Observ 1. In that our Saviour being weary had need of rest and therefore betook himself to sleep thus on a Pillow in the ship we see the truth of his humane nature and not onely so but that together with our nature he took on him the infirmities of our nature as weariness pain hunger thirst c. Joh. 4. 6. Being wearied with his Journey he sate on the Well of Jacob. Matth. 4. 2. Having fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights he was afterwards an hungred So Mar. 11. 12. And being upon the Crosse Joh. 19. 28. he said I thirst He was also subject to natural passions of sorrow fear c. Heb. 5. 7. Here remember two things for the right conceiving of this Doctrine 1. That he took on him onely such infirmities as were free from all corruption of sin they were mere natural infirmities and not sinful infirmities Such were the affections of sorrow fear c. which were in him See Heb. 4. 15. 2. That he took upon him onely such infirmities as do pertain to mans nature in general but not such as pertain to all and every of the persons of men As for example such bodily diseases as are incident to the persons of men as the Gout Stone Consumption c. These our Saviour took not on him The reason is because he took not on him the person of any man but the nature of man in general with all things that belong to it except sin Use Use This affords special comfort to the faithful against the infirmities and miseries incident to mans nature whereof they as well as others partake in this life let them in the midst of these remember That Christ Jesus himself did partake in the same and that therefore there is no doubt but he having had experience of such infirmities as hunger thirst pain weariness c. He will therefore shew himself a merciful high Priest towards all his faithful members that do taste of the like infirmities See Hebr. 2. 17. and Hebr. 4. 15. We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities c. A merciful man if he see another in such misery as himself hath had experience of will be moved with compassion and will be ready to help such a one How much more will Christ Jesus pity us in those infirmities whereof himself tasted Think of this and it will exceedingly comfort us in this case if we be such as belong to Christ Let us therefore in our hunger and thirst remember his hunger and thirst in our pains and sorrowes and heaviness of spirit remember that he was a man of sorrowes and that his Soul was once heavy unto death So in our weariness and want of sleep remember his weariness c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour knowing that this storm would arise did notwithstanding betake himself to sleep in the Ship even at the time when it was at hand and seemed not to take care of his Disciples in this their trouble and fear but suffered them to be brought into present and imminent danger of their lives before he doth deliver them Hence we learn That the Lord doth sometimes seem not to regard or remember his faithful Servants in their great troubles in which they are but doth suffer them to be brought into great distress and imminent danger before he do deliver them Thus when the Israelites the people of God were in bondage under the Egyptians for many years together the Lord might seem to have forgotten them and not to take care of them in that he suffered them to be oppresssed with vile slavery under Pharaoh and to come into so great danger even of their lives by that cruel pression So when they were brought into so great danger at the red Sea the Lord might then seem to have forgotten and not to take care of them So in the time of the 70 years Captivity of the Jews in Babylon the Lord then seemed to forget and to take no care of them in that their grievous affliction So when David was so long pursued by Saul who sought his life and was sometimes in such danger that he told Jonathan there was but a step between him and death 1 Sam. 20. 3. then the Lord seemed not to regard the safety and life of David because he suffered him to be in so great danger So when Jonah the Prophet was 3. dayes and 3. nights in the Whale's belly the Lord seemed not to regard or remember him This also we may see in the Examples of Daniel and of the 3. Children in the fiery furnace and in Paul whom the Lord suffered to be in
unfeignedly unthankfull unto him for this his mercy and goodness Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Devill 's being in this party possessed did cause him in his mad and frantick fits to cut wound his own body with sharp stones We may hence observe That it is the Devil's property to cause men to offer violence and to do hurt and mischief to their own bodies Thus he tempted our Saviour Christ to cast himself down headlong from the Pinnacle of the Temple that he might hurt and mayhm his own body Thus also it is the Devill that tempteth some desperate persons to lay violent hands upon themselves and wilfully to take away their own bodily lives as did Saul Ahitophel and Judas Hence the Devill is said to be a murderer Joh. 8. 44. And Abaddon and Apollyon that is a destroyer Revel 9. 11. because he seeks the hurt and destruction not only of the souls of men but also of their bodies Use 1 Use 1. Let this unnaturall sin of hurting and shewing cruelty to our own bodies be far from us yea let the very thought of it be far from us Remember who it is that tempteth men to this sin of self-murder and of hurting and mayming our own bodies It is the Devill that murderer of souls and bodies who thrusteth men forward unto it Learn therefore to detest all kinds and degrees of self-murder And consider that it is the worst of all kinds of Murder The light of nature abhorreth it Ephes 5. No man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it c. And Solomon saith A good man is mercifull to his Beast How much more to his own body Use 2 Use 2. See what to judge of the practice of Popish Fryers cruelly whipping and scourging themselves in way of satisfaction for their sins This practice is from Satan not from God who never required it at their hands Observ 3 Observ 3. Observe here the woful and miserable condition of this party possessed with Devils in that the Devils being entred into him and having gotten possession in him did abuse him in such vile manner not only torturing his body with pains but also terrifying his mind and distempering it with frenzy causing him to behave himself as a mad-man in going naked in crying out day and night and cutting himself with stones Now this teacheth us That it is a great and fearfull misery for any to be subject to the power and tyranny of the Devill He is a most cruell and unmercifull Tyrant to those over whom he hath any power and the case of such as are in bondage under him is most wretched and miserable worse then the case of the Israelites being in subjection under Pharaoh's Task-Masters and worse than the case of those that are in bondage under the Turk at this day or under any other cruel Tyrant upon Earth This is true both of those that are in bodily subjection and of those also that are in spiritual bondage under the Devil Touching the first sort which are those over whose bodies the Lord suffers the Devil to have power whether it be to enter into them and to possess them or otherwise to afflict them we see how miserable their case is and how unmercifully the Devil tyrannizeth over them This is plain by this example which we have in this Text and Mark 9. 18. in him that had the dumb spirit of whom it is said that the Devill did tear him and make him foam and gnash his teeth and pine away And Verse 22. oft-times he cast him into the fire and water to destroy him c. This also we see in Job over whose body so soon as the Devill had power given him of God he presently smote him with boyls from the sole of his foot to his crown Job 2. 7. Touching the second sort namely such as are in spirituall bondage under the Devill as all wicked men are their case is much more wretched and miserable For the Devill hath them and holds them as in a snare and leads them captive at his own will 2 Tim. 2. ult He entreth into their hearts by his wicked suggestions as he did into the heart of Judas and he worketh in them effectually and powerfully by his temptations Ephes 2. 2. thrusting them forward into all kind of fearful and dangerous sins thereby seeking as a roaring Lion to devour their souls that is to bring them to utter destruction yea causing them to destroy their own souls by such sins so far as lyeth in them And in so doing he doth them much more hurt and dealeth much more cruelly with them than if he did afflict and torture their bodies never so much or cause them to hurt or wound their own bodies as he did here to this party possessed Thus then we see what a fearfull misery it is to be subject to the power of Satan Vse 1 Use 1. This should move us to pity those that are in subjection and slavery under the Devil whether it be in bodily or spiritual subjection Have compassion on them in their misety as we pity the gally-slaves and prisoners living in slavery under the Turk Such as are under Satan's power are much more to be pitied Who could have looked on this party possessed without pity And we are not only to pity them but to shew our pity by using the best means we can to have them delivered from this miserable servitude especially by praying earnestly unto God to set them free Use 2 Use 2. Such as are under Satan's power and tyranny either in their bodies or in their souls and consciences must use the means to come speedily out of their misery and woful estate If God should give power unto the Devil over the bodies of any in these times to possess them or otherwise to afflict them as he may do and doth sometimes in this case they ought to seek to God by prayer that they may be delivered from the Devil's power and not only to use their own prayers but to crave the extraordinary prayers of the Church in their behalf So also those that are in spiritual thraldom of soul conscience under the Devil they must use all means to be delivered they must cry unto God by prayer to deliver them even as the Israelites did being in bondage under Pharaoh And they must diligently frequent the publick Ministery which is the ordinary means to deliver them If one be taken prisoner by the Turks What means and friends are used to ransome him How much more shouldst thou use all possible means to be delivered from the power and tyranny of the Devill which is far more fearful and cruel then the Turkish tyranny Labour therefore to see and feel thy wofull bondage under Satan and use all means to be freed from it Cry unto God day and night to set thee free and to assure thee by faith that thou art redeemed and delivered by Christ Jesus from this spiritual bondage
chap. 1. 42. See for proof of it Joh. 10. 25. and Matth. 11. 4. Vse 1 Use 1. This confuteth the Jews who at this day continue obstinate in denyal of this that Jesus is the Christ and do expect another to come which shall shew himself to be the true Messiah But this and all the rest of Christ's Miracles are so many Arguments to confute them See then the fearfull obstinacy and blindness which is come on that Nation for their hainous sin in rejecting Christ and in Crucifying him that was and is the Lord of Glory See Rom. 11. 25. Vse 2 Vse 2. This must teach and move us to seek Salvation in and by this Jesus alone and by no other name in Heaven or Earth Act. 4. 12. Doctr. 3 Doctr. 3. As our Saviour being on Earth had power to cure incurable diseases Miraculously that is without ordinary means So he hath still the same power over all bodily diseases to cure them either with or without means whensoever he will Though he be no longer on earth to cure diseases Miraculously yet being now in Heaven he hath as great power as before over the diseases of mens bodies to heal them even without means Vse Vse This may comfort us in time of dangerous sickness though our disease be incurable and such as cannot be healed by means of Physick or by any Art of man yet in this case remember the absolute power of Christ Jesus our Lord who can cure and heal us without means if he see it good for us Where man's help faileth there Christ's help beginneth Seek to him therefore by prayer in this case and rest on him by Faith and he will do that which is for our good Though we are not now to look that Christ should by his absolute power heal us Miraculously without means neither are we to neglect the ordinary means yet this iâ— our comfort that Christ's power is not tyed unto means but is far above them and able to help without them whensoever he pleaseth See before chap. 2. ver 10. Doct. 4 Doctr. 4. Lastly in that our Saviour did by his Divine power Miraculously heal this Woman of her bodily Disease drying up the fountain of her bloudy Issue by this he shewed himself to be such a person as is able to cure and heal the Spiritual diseases of our Souls that is our sinâ— by taking away the guilt of them by the merit of his bloud and by mortifying the corruption of sin in us by his Spirit The same power of Christ which was shewed in his Miraculous curing of bodily diseases is also seen in curing us of our sinâ— whence is that speech of our Saviour before to the Scribes chap. 2. 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the Palsy thy sins are forgiven thee or to say Arise take up thy bed and walk And therefore also Matth. 8. 17. the Evangelist from our Saviour's Miraculous curing of bodily diseases doth gather that he was that person who was foretold by the Prophet Esay 53. 4. That he should bear our Spiritual sicknesses that is our sins and that with his stripes we should be healed that is by the ment of his sufferings our Souls should be healed of the guilt of our sins Use Use Seek then unto Christ Jesus as the onely Spiritual Physitian able to heal us in Soul of our sins if we do but come to him by Faith as this Woman did c. But of this before upon the two former Verses So much of the Miracle it self Now it follows to speak of the amplification of it 1. By the speediness straightway 2. By the certainty She felt in her self c. Observ Observ In that our Saviour did suddenly and instantly cure and stop this Issue of bloud so soon as she touched him This shews the greatness of his Divine power being able in so short a space of time even in a moment to work so great a Miracle So before chap. 1. 31. so soon as he took Peter's Wives Mother by the hand and lift her up immediately the Feaver left her And ver 42. assoon as he said to the Leper I will be thou clean immediately the Leprosy departed from him c. And this shews plainly that this and other like cure wrought by our Saviour were truly Miraculous that is such as were not wrought by any natural helps or means but onely by his Divine power above and beyond the power of nature the reason is because our Saviour wrought these cures suddenly in an instant whereas in such cures of Diseases as are wrought by natural means there is alwayes some competent space of time required for the effecting of them So much of the speediness of the Miracle Now followeth the certainty of it She felt in her body c. Observ 1 Observ 1. In that she did sensibly perceive and feel her self to be cured this teacheth us the truth of this Miracle that it was not a delusion but a work really and truly done above and beyond the power of nature See Joh. 9. 25. Of this see before chap. 2. ver 12. Observ 2 Observ 2. The disease of this woman is here called a Plague or a scourge to teach us that the diseases and sicknesses which are incident to men and womens bodies are fruits of sin and of themselves so many scourges or punishments inflicted on man for sin See this before chap. 3. ver 10. Mark 5. 30 31. And Jesus immediately knowing c. Dec. 17. 1620. NOw the Evangelist setteth down the consequents of this Miracle which are two 1. The manifestation of the Miracle which as yet was known onely to Christ himself and to the Woman cured ver 30 31 32 33. 2. Our Saviour's comforting and incouraging of the woman being stricken with fear and much humbled ver 34. Touching the first the manifestation of the Miracle to the people this is set forth by the means whereby it came to be made known The first means was Christ's enquiry made touching the person which had touched him ver 30. The second was his looking about to see her ver 32. The third was the Womans comming and relating the whole matter unto Christ before the people ver 33. Touching the first means which was Christ's enquiry after the Woman the Evangelist mentioneth 1. The occasion or cause moving Christ to enquire and ask of her viz. The knowledg which he had in himself that vertue was gone out of him 2. The manner of his making enquiry He turned about and asked after her 3. The matter enquired Who had touched his Clothes 4. The impertinent answer of the Disciples to his question or demand not understanding his meaning and therefore seeming to marvail and think strange of his enquiry as appears by the words of their answer ver 31. Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou Who touched me Immediately So soon as the woman was made whole and felt her self to be so
Ver. 20 c. Touching the first our Saviour doth first propound and lay down the Matter or Doctrine it self in the end of the 18th verse 2. The proof and confirmation of it Ver. 19. Whatsoever from without entreth c. This is to be understood of Meats and Drinks which being from without a man are said to enter into him when he doth by eating and drinking receive them into his mouth and stomack for the nourishment of his Body That this is the sense of the words doth plainly appear by the words following in the next Verse as also by the scope of our Saviour which is to confute the grosse error of the Scribes and Pharisees who taught that eating with unwashen hands doth defile a man before God because the hands being unclean or not duly washed did as they thought make the Meat which they did eat unclean and that being unclean did pollute the person and make him unholy before God Contrary to this our Saviour affirmeth That whatsoever Meat enters into a man's body it cannot defile him that is make him spiritually unclean or loathsome before God There is a twofold uncleanness 1. Outward and Bodily 2. Inward and Spirituall of the Soul caused onely by sin here spoken of Quest 1 Quest 1. How doth our Saviour affirm this seeing some kinds of Meat were forbidden by the Ceremonial Law which was yet in use being not abrogated till the Death of Christ See Levit. 11. Now to eat such meats forbidden was a sin Ergo c. Answ Answ 1. Some think that our Saviour here speaketh onely of such Meats as were permitted by the Ceremoniall Law 2. But the words may be understood of all Meats which are now lawfull and fit to be eaten For howsoever some were then forbidden yet this made them not all unclean in their own Nature but onely in respect of the prohibition laid upon him Quest 2 Quest 2. Some eat and drink excessively unto Gluttony and Drunkennesse Are not such defiled by the Meat and Drink which entereth into their Bodies Answ Answ Not simply by the Meats or Drinks considered in their own nature but by the abuse of them unto such sins c. Doctr. Doctr. Here then we are taught That Meats and Drinks received and taken into the Body do not of themselves pollute those before God who receive and use them they do not of themselves make the person which useth them Spiritually unclean unholy or sinfull before God I say of themselves in respect of their own nature or in respect of the simple and naked use of them though otherwise in respect of the abuse of them unto sin as hath been said they may be said to pollute such as so abuse them As 1. When they are abused to excesse in Gluttony c. or to make us unfit for good Duties 2. When used unseasonably when God calls to Fasting Isa 22. 3. With Scandall of the Weak 1 Cor. 8. Reason Reason All Meats and Drinks are of themselves pure and clean in the sight of God being well and lawfully used Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self c. 1 Tim. 4. 4. Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure 1 Cor. 10. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles eat c. Object Object Acts 15. 20. The Apostles determined that the Christian Gentiles should abstain from things strangled and from Blood Answ Answ This was not a perpetuall Ordinance to continue for ever but onely for a time neither did they forbid the eating of Blood and things strangled simply as unclean before God of themselves but onely in respect of the offence which the weak Jews being then newly converted to Christianity were like to take at the Gentiles if they should have eaten such things as had been formerly forbidden to the Jews by the Ceremoniall Law Vse 1 Use 1. This manifestly overthroweth the Popish Doctrine and practise of abstaining from some kinds of Meat as Flesh c. at some set times holding it a sin before God to eat or taste such Meats at such times as if in themselves they were unholy and unclean and did defile the conscience before God This is a Pharisaicall Doctrine directly contrary to the Doctrine of Christ in this place Contrary also to that Acts 10. 15. yea it is a Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1 3. Object Object They say they do not hold any Meats unclean of themselves as the Manichees did but onely in respect of the Churches prohibition c. Answ Answ 1. The like may be said for the Jewish opinion of unclean Meats For it is most likely That they did not judge the Meats forbidden in the Law to be simply unclean of their own nature but onely in respect of the prohibition of the Law c. 2. Let them shew what Authority the Church hath from the Word of God simply to forbid the eating of certain kinds of Meat at certain times as evil and sinfull before God Quest Quest Hath not the Christian Magistrate Power to restrain the eating of Flesh on certain Dayes Answ Answ Yes for a civil end and respect tending to the good of the Common-wealth as for the maintenance of the breed of Cattell and of the Fisherman's Trade c. but not for any Religious end or respect as if Flesh were at any time unclean or unlawful before God to be eaten Use 2 Use 2. If the bare use of Meats and Drinks do not make the person unclean before God then on the contrary the forbearing or abstinence either from all Meat and Drink for a time or from some kind of Meat or Drink doth not make any more holy before God 1 Cor. 8. 8. Meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not Meat or Drink c. See then by this That the outward exercise of Fasting though it be an excellent religious Work and Duty and of great necessity to be used in some extraordinary Cases yet the outward abstinence of it self alone doth not commend the person to God but only so far forth as it is holily and conscionably used in due manner and to the true and right end c. The Pharisees fasted yet never the holier before God c. Use 3 Vse 3. If Meats and Drinks which are from without and enter into man's body do not defile him before God then by the same reason no other outward thing being in it self lawfull or indifferent can defile such as use the same not Apparrel not lawful Recreation not Physick c. Therefore we may lawfully use all these in due time and place moderately and without offence of the weak neither are we rashly to censure others for the use of such outward indifferent things or judge
sin we may so judge of their practise as there is apparant cause So much of the place whither the Meat which is eaten goeth not viz. That it entreth not into the Heart Now to speak of the place whither it goeth 1. Into the Belly Which is as we know that part of the Body which contains the Bowels and Entralls of Man which are the Receptacles or Vessels receiving the gross superfluous and impure part of Meats which being there turned into Excrements are from thence purged into the Draught Observ 1 Observ 1. The wisdom of God shewed in the frame of Man's Body ordaining every part for necessary ends and uses as the Belly to receive the Meats which are eaten and to purge away the superfluities of them into the Draught 1 Cor. 6. 13. Meats for the Belly and the Belly for Meats There is not the meanest or basest part of the Body but is created for necessary use and such as tends to the good of the whole 1 Cor. 12. 21. The Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet c. Nay much more those members which seem more feeble are necessary c. Use 1 Vse 1. Admire and magnifie this wisdom of God shewed in the very naturall frame of our Bodies and in the necessary ends and uses for which every part and member serveth Vse 2 Use 2. See how it should be in the body of the Church there should be no unprofitable Member but even the meanest should so live as to further the good of the whole See 1 Cor. 12. 25. Observ 2 Observ 2. See here that howsoever the Belly serveth for necessary use in Man's body yet it is for such use as is base and vile in comparison of most of the other parts of the body for the Belly is as it were the Sink of the body which receiveth the impure and gross superfluities of our Meat and turneth that to Excrements and so purgeth them away into the draught Therefore in this respect it is one of the basest and most contemptible parts of the body which I note to shew the vile and base sin of such as serve their own bellies as all intemperate Gluttons and Drunkards do whose chief care and study is to please and satisfy their bellies with Meats and Drinks and for this end will spare no time cost or pains Phil. 3. 19. Whose End is Damnation whose God is their Belly c. See also Rom. 16. 18. These serve and worship as their God one of the basest and vilest parts of their own bodies as if they were born for no other end but to eat and drink c. which is a most brutish kind of life Use Use Learn to detest such swinish Intemperance Gluttony Drunkenness Remember how base a thing it is to serve the belly and to make it our God which of it self is the sink and puddle of the whole body c. It was a base kind of Idolatry in the Aegyptians to worship brute Beasts as Oxen Goats Crocodiles yea Cats and Doggs as it is reported of them by learned Writers So for a man to make his Belly his God c. So much of the first and immediate place within the body whither the Meat which is eaten goeth viz. To the belly Now to speak somewhat also of the more remote place without the body to which the Meat goeth From the belly into the draught Observ Observ See here the end and issue of all Meats and Drinks received into the body As they pass to the Belly first so they stay not there but are from thence expelled into the Draught or place of Excrements This is the end and issue of all Meats and Drinks though never so delicate and costly c. yet they come to the Belly and from thence are sent out into the Draught though not the whole substance of Meats and Drinks for some part turns to Nourishment and is united with the Substance of the whole body yet a great part of all Meats and Drinks have this end Joh. 6. 27. Meat that perisheth Vse 1 Use 1. This discovers the folly of Papists putting Holiness in some kind of Meats above other as in Fish above Flesh and putting difference in Meats in regard of Religion and Holiness as if one kind were more holy than another whereas all Meats though never so different in kind or nature when they enter into the body yet in their issue go to the same place even to the Draught Vse 2 Use 2. See also how foolish and base a thing it is for any to set their heart upon Meats and Drinks taking thought what to eat what to drink c. Mat. 6. making this their chief care or one of the chiefest how to please and content their intemperate appetites with delicate Fare costly Wine c. All which though not wholly yet in a great part must go out into the Draught and Dunghill Let this move us to moderate our selves in the use of Meats and Drinks putting the Knife to our throat c. as Solomon adviseth Prov. 23. 2. and take heed of setting our heart upon such perishing things Though we may use them as good Creatures of God in themselves for our Nourishment and moderate refreshing yet if we consider the base and loathsom end and issue of them as they come from our bodies how great madness is it to be in love with them c. It followeth Purging all Meats In the original Text this is directly spoken of the Meat it self which entreth into the body but it is to be understood with relation to the passage or conveyance of Meat out of the Belly into the Draught and so the sense is that this is a means serving to purge the Meats themselves and consequently the body also into which they are received from that impure and gross part of them which is turned into Corruption and Excrements that so this foul Corruption may not be a burden or annoyance to the whole body Observ Observ See here the natural Impurity and Uncleanness of our bodies being not onely impure in themselves but also turning part of the Meat we eat into Corruption and filthiness which must be purged into the Draught or else the health and life of the body cannot be maintained The cause of this natural Uncleanness of Man's body is Sin the Corruption whereof being in every one by Nature is such and so foul that it doth pollute and infect not onely the Soul but the Body as we shall see afterward more plainly For before that sin entred into the World by Adam's Fall there was no such foulness or corruption in Man's body c. Vse 1 Vse 1. This may teach us how unfit it is to pamper and make too much of our bodies being so impure and loathsom within as they are turning the very Meat we eat into filthiness and corruption c. Vse 2 Use 2. This should pull down all
things are true whatsoever things are honest c. think on these things Especially give our selves to meditate on spiritual and heavenly things upon all good occasions Lift up our hearts often unto God as David Psal 25. 1. Have our conversation daily in Heaven by holy and heavenly Thoughts Meditations and Affections This will be a singular means to withdraw our hearts and minds from evill and sinfull Thoughts yea to expel such Thoughts out of our minds c. 4. Keep diligent watch over our outward senses as our Eyes Ears c. which are as Windows and Doors by which evill Thoughts enter into our hearts Job 31. 1. I made a Covenant with mine Eyes c. So much of the first sin which comes out of the heart The second is Adulteries Sometimes put for all sins of the Flesh as in the seventh Commandment The word doth properly signify that sin of Incontinency which is committed by Persons that are marryed or betrothed for Marriage at least one of them I say married or betrothed because the Law of God appoints one and the same punishment of death to be inflicted on him that defileth a betrothed Damosel and upon him that defileth a married Wife Deut. 22. 22 23. Now Adultery is of two sorts 1. Inward of the heart when the heart mind or will is delighted with adulterous thoughts or yieldeth consent to them Mat. 5. 28. Whosoever lusteth after a Woman c. 2. Outward which is expressed in outward speeches gestures or practice 2 Pet. 2. 14. Having Eyes full of Adultery c. Now both these kinds of Adultery may here be understood yet most properly the latter because it is said to proceed out of the heart General Remedies against all sins of the Flesh First Avoid all occasions of these sins As 1. Idleness This occasioned such filthy sins in Sodom See Ezek. 18. 49. And it was the occasion of David's Fall into this sin of Adultery 2 Sam. 11. 2. 2. Pampering of the body with intemperate and excessive Meats annd Drinks This also was in the Sodomites Ezek. 16. So Prov. 23. 31 c. Look not on the Wine in the Cup c. Thine Eyes shall look upon a strange Woman c. Jer. 5. 8. They were as fed Horses in the Morning every one neighed after his Neighbour's Wife 3. The Company of unchast Persons Joseph would not be in the company of Potiphar's Wife Gen. 39. Prov. 5. 8. Remove thy way far from the strange Woman and come not nigh the Door of her House 4. Garish and wanton Attire 5. Obscene and filthy Communication 6. Wanton Gestures Eyes full of Adultery c. The second generall Remedy against sins of the Flesh Get the true fear of God in our hearts and make Conscience of all our wayes before him Then he will keep us from such sins See Eccles 7. 26. Thirdly Love and Delight in the Word of God Prov. 2. 10. compared with the 16th Verse When Wisdom enters into thy heart and Knowledge is pleasant to thy Soul Discretion shall preserve thee c. to deliver thee from the strange Woman Fourthly Be diligent and constant in all spiritual exercises of Prayer Meditation in the Word Hearing Reading c. These are the means to nourish the graces of God in us and to quench and kill unclean Lusts Fifthly Beat down our bodies as Paul did his 1 Cor. 9. ult and bring them in subjection by sparing diet yea if need be by fasting and extraordinary humiliation Sixthly and lastly Joyn Prayer unto God to give us chastity of mind and body that we may possess our Vessels in Sanctification and Honour as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Thes 4. 4. Particular Remedies against this sin of Adultery First Consider the grievousness of this Sin which may appear 1. By the nature of it in it self being a breach and violation of the solemn Covenant of Marriage Prov. 2. 17. called The Covenant of God both because it is made before God solemnly and also unto God as well as to the Yoke-fellow If therefore it be a great sin to break an ordinary Covenant Promise or Vow c. 2. By the grievous Punishment appointed by the Law of God for it which is the penalty of death See Deut. 22. and Levit. 20. 10. and Joh. 8. The Pharisees knew this 3. By the dangerous Effects of it being hurtful and mischievous many wayes and to many Persons at once For the Adulterer sinneth against many at once 1. Against himself and hurts himself most of all pulling down the heavy Curse and Judgments of God upon himself and all that belongs to him and that both in this life and after this life In this life he brings the Curse of God 1. Upon his body and goods Prov. 5. 11. He consumeth his Flesh and Body This Sin breedeth noisome and incurable Diseases in the body oftentimes and that even in great Personages and Job 31. 12. it is a fire to root out a man's encrease yea it brings one to a Morsel of Bread Prov. 6. 26. 2. Upon his good Name great Infamy c. Prov. 6. 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get and his Reproach shall not be wiped away 3. Upon his Soul and Conscience hardning his heart exceedingly and taking away all feeling of Grace breeding also great terrour of Conscience c. Hos 4. 11. Whoredom and Wine take away the heart Therefore 't is hard to repent of this sin See Prov. 2. 19. After this life he pulls down the everlasting Curse of God upon himself for ever in Hell Hebr. 13. 4. Adulterers God will judge 1 Cor. 6. 9. They shall not inherit God's Kingdom See also Prov. 6. 32. 2. He sins against the Soul and Body of the Party with whom he commits Adultery 3. Against the other Parties Yoke-fellow and his own if they be both married breaking the Covenant of Marriage with the one and offering great injury and wrong to the other for which he can never make satisfaction 4. Against the Child begotten in Adultery bringing perpetuall Reproach upon it See Deut. 23. 2. 5. Lastly Against all his own and the other Partie's Children if they have other Children bringing in a bastardly brood among them Let these considerations move every one to an utter hatred of this so foul a sin The second Remedy Let all married Persons labour to preserve and encrease true Marriage-Love between themselves and their own Yoke-fellows This will shut out all unchast adulterous Love to others c. Prov. 5. 18. Rejoyce with the Wife of thy youth let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe let her Breasts satisfy thee at all times and be thou ravished alwayes with her Love To live in state of Marriage will not keep from Adultery if there be not true Marriage-Love Mark 7. 21 c. For from within out of the Heart c. May 19. 1622. THe third Sin to be spoken of is Fornications which word is in Scripture used diversly 1.
good and shall have a happy and comfortable issue Then we shall be in some measure able to hold out in time of trial Hab. 2. The just live by Faith especially in time of trial and under the Crosse This is our Victory which makes us more than Conquerours c. By Faith the Saints have endured the greatest trials Heb. 11. 4. Daily pray unto God to fit and prepare us for the evil day and time of trial seeking to him for spiritual strength courage patience c. as Paul for the Colossians Chap. 1. v. 11. Observ 4 Observ 4. See here the Wisdom of our Saviour in dispensing the mysteries of Faith in that he doth herein apply himself to the ability and capacity of his Disciples not plainly telling them of his Passion and death which was yet a great Mystery to them and very hard to be conceived and believed until such time as he had first confirmed their Faith touching his Person that they might be the better able to hear of this strange and mystical Doctrine of his Death and Sufferings The like is noted of him before as we heard Chap. 4. 33. that He preached the Word to his Disciples as they were able to hear it This Wisdom of our Saviour is to be imitated of Ministers of the Word in their Teaching They are to apply themselves unto the ability and capacity of their Hearers both in the manner and matter of their Doctrine not teaching high and difficult mysteries of Faith at the first to such as by reason of their Ignorance and weakness of Judgment are uncapable of them but first labouring to inform their Minds and Judgments with easier and more plain Points of Faith that so they may afterward be more fit to hear and understand higher and harder Doctrines Thus Paul 1 Cor. 3. 2. I have fed you with Milk and not with strong Meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able So Hebr. 5. 12. When for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you again the first principles and are become such as have need of Milk and not of strong Meat Mark 7. 31. And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of July 3. 1625. the Elders c. NOW followeth the Person whose Sufferings our Saviour here foretelleth viz. Himself described by this Title The Son of Man Touching which Title see before Chap. 2. 28. It is a title which our Saviour doth often give unto himself in the History of the Evangelists thereby to note out unto us his humane Nature and to distinguish it from his God-head Quest 1 Quest 1. How doth he call himself the Son of Man seeing he was not begotten of Man but conceived and born of a Virgin without the knowledge of a Man c Answ By Man we are to understand Mankind indefinitely and so this Word implyeth both Sexes as well the Woman as the Man And so Christ being conceived and born of a Woman though a Virgin and not knowing Man is neverthelesse truly called the Son of Man because he was conceived and born of Mankind that is of the Race and Stock of Adam Quest 2 Quest 2. Why doth our Saviour in this place call himself by this title implying his humane Nature Answ Answ To teach his Disciples that although he was indeed the Son of God as they had now newly confessed him to be yet he was not to suffer as he was God but as he was Man in his humane Nature Observ 1 Observ 1. The truth of Christ's Man-hood or humane Nature that as he is the true and eternal Son of God so also true and very Man partaker of the same Nature with us Called here the Son of Man to shew that he was conceived and born of Mankind that is of the Virgin Mary and consequently was true Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. He is called the man Christ Jesus Hebr. 2. 14. He took part of Flesh and Blood with the rest of the Children of God Quest 1 Quest 1. How did Christ being the Son of God become true Man Answ Answ By assuming or taking unto himself the Nature of Man and by uniting it with his God-head in one and the same Person Joh. 1. 14. Hebr. 2. 16. He took on him the Seed of Abraham Phil. 2. 7. He took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in likeness or habit of Men c. Touching Christ's Incarnation See Mr. Perkins on Gal. pag. 315. Here we are to note two things 1. That he took not a part but the whole Nature of Man that is a true humane Soul and Body together with all the essential properties and faculties of both 2. That he took not onely the substance of our Nature but also the infirmities thereof as to be Hungry Thirsty Weary to suffer pain grief of mind c. Yet not any sinful Infirmities but such onely as were meerly Natural or Consequents of man's Nature and not tainted with sin Quest 2 Quest 2. When did Christ the Son of God become Man Answ Answ When the Humane Nature was perfectly conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary Then began this great work of Christ's Incarnation Quest 3 Quest 3. Why was it needful that Christ should be true Man as well as God Answ Answ 1. That in man's Nature he might dye and suffer the Wrath of God and whole Curse due to our Sins which otherwise being God onely he could never have done Hebr. 2. 14. 2. Because it was requisite that God's Justice should be satisfied for Sin in the same Nature which had offended 3. It was fit that the Mediatour who was to reconcile God and Man should pertake in the Natures of both Parties to be reconciled Use 1 Use 1. To confute such as deny or any way corrupt this Doctrine touching the truth of Christ's humane Nature As 1. Those old Hereticks which opposed this Doctrine and troubled the Church with their Errours For Example Apollinaris who held that Christ took not the whole Nature of Man but a humane Body onely without a Soul and that the God-head was instead of a Soul to the Man-hood Also Eutyches who confounded the two Natures of Christ and their properties c. Also Apelles and the Manichees who denyed the truth of Christ's humane Body and held him to have an aerial or imaginary Body c. 2. All corrupt Teacherâ— of late Times and at this Day who by their Doctrine do any way oppose this Truth as the Papistâ— who by their Doctrine of the real presence of Christ's Body in the Sacraments do overthrow one of the properties of his humane Nature which is to be but in one place present at once So the Lutherans or Ubiquitaries teaching Christ's humane Nature to be in all places by vertue of the personal union c. Use 2 Use 2. See here in Christ a wonderful pattern of Humility even
to be understood of his humane Nature for his God-head could neither dye nor rise again Therefore as he dyed according to his humane Nature as we heard before so he rose from Death according to the same Nature Neither is it to be understood of his whole humane Nature but of his Body For his Soul dyed not and therefore did not rise from Death Now for the further opening of the words and of the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection certain Questions are to be Answered Quest 1 Quest 1. By what power Christ's Body was to be raised from Death Answ Answ By the power of his God-head 1 Pet. 3. 18. Quickened by the Spirit that is by his God-head Joh. 10. 18. I have power to lay down my Life and power to take it up again This was the power of his God-head Object Object God the Father is said to have raised up Christ Ephes 1. 20. Answ Answ It is the same Divine Power which is in the Father and Son by which Christ was raised Joh. 5. 19. Whatsoever the Father doth the same doth the Son also The raising of Christ is the Joynt-work of all three Persons though sometimes attributed to the Father as being the first Person in order of Beeing and Working Quest 2 Quest 2. With what Body was Christ to be raised from Death Answ Answ With the same Body for substance which died and was buried Luke 24. 39. Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self c. I say with the same Body for substance because it was alâ—ered in quality from what it was before For whereas before it was a meer natural Body now it was become a spiritual Body as the Apostle calleth the bodies of the Saints in the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 44. that is a supernaturall or heavenly Body which was now freed from all naturall Infirmities as from pain weariness hâ—â—ger and thirst c. and was withall endued with more heavenly qualities and properties than before yet so as it was still a true Body c. Object Object Acts 10. 41. He did Eat and Drink with his Disciples after his Resurrection Answ Answ Not for the necessity of Nature but to confirm the Faith of his Disciples and Us in the Truth of his Resurrection Quest 3 Quest 3. Why was it needfull for Christ to rise again from the Dead Answ Answ For these Reasons 1. That the Scripture might be fulfilled which foretold this 1 Cor. 15. 4. He rose again according to the Scriptures His Resurrection was foretold Psal 16. 9. My Flesh shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell or in the Grave or among the Dead c. That as by his Death and Sufferings he made satisfaction to God for our sins and so freed us from the guilt and punishment of them and from the power of Satan So by his rising again he might openly declare and manifest the vertue of his Death that by it he had fully satisfied for our sins and procured pardon and reconciliation with God for us Rom. 4. ult He was delivered for our sins and rose again for our justification that is to declare that we were justified and reconciled to God by his Death Therefore Contra 1 Cor. 15. 17. If Christ be not raised we are yet in our Sins 3. To declare himself to be the Son of God Rom. 1. 4. He was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead 4. That his Resurrection might make way to those other degrees of his Glorification which followed namely to his ascension and sitting at God's right hand c. Use 1 Use 1. To prove unto us the Truth of Christ's God-head and to confirm our Faith therein Rom. 1. 4. He was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead To this very end our Saviour here foretelleth his Resurrection to confirm the Faith of his Disciples touching his God-head Ut suprà dictum Use 2 Use 2. To be matter of unspeakable comfort to the faithful having part in Christ's Death and Resurrection in that He was not onely to dy and suffer for them but also to rise again by the Power of his Godhead thereby to declare and manifest the vertue and efficacy of his Death and Sufferings that thereby He had made full satisfaction to God for all their sins and so freed them from the Guilt and Punishment of the same As if one be Surety for another's debt and be cast into Prison for it if afterward he be let out of Prison this argues that he hath paid the debt or some way made satisfaction to the Creditor So here Christ being our Surety and being cast into the Prison of Death and the Grave for our debt of Sin and Punishment when afterwards He came out of this Prison by rising again the third day hereby He declared and shewed to all the World that he had fully discharged our whole debt to God by his Death and Sufferings even to the uttermost Farthing and so had fully satisfied for our sins and freed us from the Guilt and Punishment of them all For if any one of the sins of the Elect had not been satisfied for Christ could not have risen again but must still have been holden in the Prison of Death and the Grave But now by coming out of this Prison He declared that all our sins are taken away and we justified from them and reconciled to God so that now we need not fear the Guilt of our sins or the Wrath of God due to them nor the sting of bodily death nor the Power of Satan c. but in Christ's Resurrection we may triumph over all these Enemies of our Salvation as the Apostle doth Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again c. Use 3 Use 3. To confirm our Faith touching the certainty of our own Resurrection unto life eternal at the last day to assure us that though our bodies dy and come to the Grave and to dust and rottenness yet shall they be raised again to life yea to a better life which is everlasting in Heaven and that by vertue of Christ's Resurrection For as he that is our Head was not onely to dy but to rise again from death for us so we that are his Members though we dy yet shall we at the last day be most certainly raised to life again by vertue of Christ's Resurrection He was to be raised as the first-fruits of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20. therefore He being now actually risen we and all the whole Harvest of God's Elect and faithful People shall follow in our time For Christ did not rise again as a private but as a publick Person as our common Head and Saviour to draw all us up from the Grave after him at the last
manner of life and practice having no likeness or resemblance to the practice and behaviour of Christ Jesus when he lived on Earth but being quite contrary to the same He walked holily uprightly and unblamably before God and Men they walk profanely unconscionably c. He shewed himself most humble and meek in his carriage they discover Pride and Wrathfulness c. Use 2 Use 2. To exhort us every one who profess Christ to make his excellent Example and practice the Rule of our life striving to imitate and follow the same in all the course and carriage of our life Set his Example before us daily to imitate Look at the Holiness Uprightneâ—s and Innocency of his whole life and actions striving to follow him and to tread in his holy steps Look at those excellent heavenly Graces of Love Humility Meekness Patience c. which shined forth in all his carriage and labour to express and shew forth the like graces and vertues in our carriage Labour more and more to be like unto Christ and conformable to him our Head and Saviour to resemble him in the manner of our life and carriage and our thoughts words and actions We must endeavour so to live that Christ may appear to live in us so to carry our selves that the Image of Christ may appear in our behaviour that it may appear whose Disciples we are In the Primitive Church the Christians were known by mutual loving c. Whom should the Servants and Disciples imitate but their Master Whom should Souldiers imitate but their Captain c. Great benefit will come of this by propounding to our selves Christ's example to follow for by this means we shall still see how short we come of our pattern and so be humbled for our wants and provoked and stirred up daily to labour to grow in all heavenly graces and vertues Use 3 Vse 3. See by this how needful it is for us to know and be well acquainted with the life and actions of Christ our Saviour and with his manner of carriage and conversation amongst men while he lived upon Earth For else how shall we follow his Example and conform our life unto his Therefore search the Scriptures which testify of Christ and especially the History of the four Evangelists in which the whole course and tenure of Christ's life is recorded and set before us We willingly read the lives of the Saints and Martyrs that we may be stirred up to imitate them How much more the life of Christ Jesus the Son of God Mark 8. 34. He said unto them Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and Octob. 23. 1625. follow me OF the general and principal duty enjoyned here by our Saviour to all Christians ye have heard viz. That they should come after him or follow him Quest 2 Now I am to speak of the more particular and less principal duties which he requireth of every Christian as helps to the former which duties are two 1. The denial of our selves 2. The taking up of our Cross Answ Of the first Let him deny himself The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies utterly to deny or renounce Now this is not so to be taken as if our Saviour required that a man should in words deny himself to be that he is or feign himself to be another Person than he is for this cannot be done without lying or dissembling which being a Sin our Saviour was far from enjoyning any to practise it But it is a figurative Speech implying nothing else but an utter contemning rejecting and forsaking of a Man's self The like Phrase is used Tit. 2. 12. it is said The Grace of God teacheth us to deny Ungodliness c. that is utterly to reject forsake and cast off Ungodliness and worldly lusts Quest Quest How can a man be said to reject or forsake himself This seemeth impossible Answ Answ It is not to be understood of contemning rejecting or forsaking a Man's own Person or Nature simply considered but in comparison of following Christ and so far forth as himself or his own Nature may be a hinderance to him in the Duty of following Christ There are two things to be considered in the Person of a Man 1. The Substance and Being of his Nature viz. His Soul and Body with the Union of them and all faculties 2. The Corruption of his Nature which is in every power and faculty as in Mind Will c. Both these here comprehended under this word Himself are to be renounced though not in like manner The corruption of Nature simply and the Substance in some sort that is in comparison of the Duty of following Christ c. as we have heard before Doctr. Doctr. So many as will be Christ's Disciples and followers must utterly contemn reject and forsake themselves that is their own nature and the corruption of it so far forth as it is or may be any hinderance to them in following Christ and yielding obedience to his Will 1. They must in some sort deny and forsake the very Substance and Being of their Nature that is contemn neglect and not regard their natural Life and Being in comparison of their duty to Christ in following him c. yea they must hate their own Souls and Bodies in this respect Luke 14. 26. If any come to me and hate not his Father Mother Wife c. yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple 2. They must deny and renounce the Corruption of their Nature yea of their whole Nature as being a main enemy and hinderance unto them in following Christ As 1. Their own carnal Reason and Understanding This they must renounce and forsake captivating and subduing it to the Word of God 1 Cor. 3. 18. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this World let him become a Fool c. 2. Their own corrupt Wills being opposite to the Will of God These they must also utterly deny and renounce that they may become subject to the Will of God If Christ Jesus did deny his Humane Will though not tainted with Sin submitting it to the Will of his Father Luke 22. 42. much more ought we to renounce our corrupt Wills c. 3. All sinful Lusts and Affections of their own Flesh as Pride Self-love Ambition Covetousness carnal Love of earthly things sinful Wrath Envy c. Tit. 2. 12. The Grace of God teacheth to deny worldly Lusts c. Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts 4. Their own bodies and the several parts and Members of them so far as they are tainted with sin and weapons of niquity by curbing and restraining them from the practice of Sin Rom. 8. 13. If ye mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit ye shall live Quest Quest How are Christians to renounce and forsake this corruption of their Natures Answ Answ This is to be done three
wayes especially 1. In Opinion and Judgment by condemning it and themselves for it as guilty of God's Wrath and Curse Rom. 7. 24. Paul calls it a body of Death 2. In Heart and Affection by hating loathing and detesting this natural corruption of the whole Man Rom. 7. Paul hated the evill which he did therefore much more his natural corruption being the cause and fountain of that evil 3. In life and practice by labouring daily to have this corruption mortified in us as by Prayer and by the Word of God applied Col. 3. 5. Mortify your members which are on Earth c. and Eph. 4. 22. Put off the old Man which is corrupt c. Reasons Reasons 1. Christ Jesus our Head and Saviour did deny himself for our sakes He contemned and rejected his own life and laid it down for us He renounced also his own humane Will so far as it differed from the Will of his Father submitting it wholly to the Will of God in the Work of our Redemption therefore all that will be his true Disciples must herein follow him 2. Nature is a great enemy and hinderance to every Christian in doing the Will of God and consequently in following Christ especially corrupt Nature Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God c. 3. Such as will be Christ's Disciples must wholly give up themselves in obedience to the Will of Christ But this they cannot do unless they first renounce and forsake themselves and their own Will Use 1 Vse 1. See by this how hard a matter it is to be a good Christian and true Disciple of Christ in practice Though it is easy to make Profession hereof yet how hard and difficult to be such a one indeed Esse Christianum grande non videri Hieron This may appear by the difficulty of this one Christian Duty here required of all that will be Christ's true Disciples viz. The denial of themselves that is the utter contemning rejecting and forsaking of themselves and their own Nature and of all that is in them by Nature so far as it may be a hinderance to them in following Christ How hard and difficult a thing is this to practise So difficult that it seems to the natural man impossible and so it is indeed without the Grace of God enabling us to do it It is a hard matter for a Christian to renounce the World with the profits and pleasures of it hard to forsake Houses Lands Goods Wife Children c. hard to leave a Man 's own Country as Abraham did But this is above all difficulties for a man to deny and forsake himself and to go out of himself to hate his own life to put off himself and his own Nature to renounce his own Reason Will and Affections and to crucify them c. Oh how hard a thing is this to practise It is a hard duty which our Saviour enjoyneth Matth. 5. 29. that if our right Eye offend us we should pluck it out if our right hand we should cut it off and cast it from us c. But this is much more difficult for the whole Man to be cut off from himself for a man to forsake and part with himself c. If we were onely to put off and change our Skin with the Snake yet this were both difficult and dangerous How much more then to put off and change our whole Nature How hard for the Black-moor to change his Skin and the Leopard his Spots much more for a natural man to deny himself and his own Nature c. Never can he do it of himself without the speciall Grace of God See then that it is not as some think an easy matter to be a Christian as if no more were required but to be outwardly baptized to make outward Profession to come to Church c. Do not so deceive thine own Soul Thou must deny thy self thou must utterly renounce and forsake thy self c. And if this one duty be so hardly practised How hard is it to perform both this and all other required Therefore make off security and work out Salvation with fear c. Vse 2 Use 2. To convince many not to be Christ's true Disciples what ever they professe because they never yet practised this duty of denying themselves that is of rejecting and forsaking themselves and their corrupt Nature c. So far are many from this That they know not what it meaneth but it is a very Riddle and a Mystery to them Others are so far from renouncing and forsaking themselves and their own Nature that they highly esteem of themselves and are in love with their own Natures pleasing themselves therein puffed up with pride because of natural parts c. So far also from mortifying and crucifying their sinful Lusts that they take care to satisfy them So far from denying and renouncing their own carnall reason and corrupt wills that they are wholly wedded and addicted to them c. How unfit are these to be Christ's Disciples How far from following him by true denyall of themselves Some again deny their corrupt Nature in some things but not in all Some carnall Lusts they renounce but not all c. Contra Col. 3. Mortifie your Members c. that is all the parts of the old man and body of sin Use 3 Use 3. To stir up all that profess to be Christ's Followers to the conscionable practise of this Christian Duty of contemning renouncing and utter forsaking of our selves and our corrupt Nature and all that is pleasing to it so far as it is or may be any hinderance to us in following Christ and in seeking his Glory and being obedient to his Will A duty hard and difficult but most excellent and necessary so necessary that without it impossible it is to be a good Christian impossible to follow Christ as a true Disciple without this denyall of thy self The first Lesson to be learned in the School of Christ If thou wilt follow him and serve him and be obedient to his Will thou must forsake not onely the World and thy Goods Friends c. but thy Self and go out of thy self thou must renounce thy own Reason Will Affections and crucify them Thou must contemn and despise thy self and be out of love with thy self and thine own Nature yea thou must hate thy self and thine own Life yea thy own Soul and Body in comparison of doing the Will of Christ Labour every one to practise this excellent Duty in some measure The more hard it is the more care and pains to be bestowed in it The difficulty must not discourage us but quicken our diligence and pains c. Helps to the practise of it 1. Labour to see and feel the corruption of our own Nature how great it is and how opposite and contrary to the Will of God hindering us from obeying it and from following Christ This will humble us and teach us to deny and renounce our selves
hinderances but also to use all helps and means to further us in the performance of holy and spiritual exercises as Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing c. Our Saviour here did not onely withdraw himself from company but made choice of the fittest and most convenient place where to pray with his Disciples and to manifest his Glory to them that the opportunity of the place might be a furtherance to himself and them in those heavenly exercises Now if our Saviour had need thus to do much more we c. to take the fittest time and place also to use due Preparation before we set about such holy duties and Watchfulnesse in performing them See before on the Ver. 46. of the 6th Chapter Reason Reason We are of our selves very unfit and untoward to all spirituall Duties and therefore had need to use of all good helps to further us in performance of them Use See the cause why many perform holy and religious Duties with so little fruit and comfort because they are not carefull to use all good helps and means to further them therein c. Mark 9. 2 3. And he was Transfigured before them And his Raiment became shining c. April 23. 1626. NOw followeth the Transfiguration it self 1. Generally and briefly propounded together with the persons before whom or in whose sight it was done He was Transfigured before them 2. More particularly amplified by one speciall Adjunct or Circumstance of it The shining and perfect whiteness of his Garments which whiteness is amplified 1. By comparison to Snow 2. By comparison to Cloth purged and whited by the Fuller's Art He was Transfigured Or transformed and changed in the figure or shape of his Body the former shape which he had before was altered and changed into a far more excellent and glorious shape or figure Luke 9. 29. As he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered And Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun Now touching this Transfiguration or change of his shape some things are to be remembred for the better conceiving of it 1. That it happened while he was at prayer Luke 9. 29. 2. That it was not a change or alteration of the nature or substance of his Body as if that were turned into a Spirit or spiritual substance for it remained still a true humane Body with the same nature and essentiall properties which it had before but it was onely an alteration of the outward quality and condition of his Body that is of the colour shape or outward form and visage of it from that which it was before that whereas before it was of an ordinary colour and outward shape like the bodies of other men now it became most excellent bright and glorious to behold even as bright as the Sun c. 3. That although this change was not in the essentiall form or substance of Christ's body yet it was a true real and sensible change and alteration of the quality of his body and not in imagination or in shew and appearance only Luke 9. 29. It is not said The fashion of his countenance seemed to be altered but it was altered And ver 32. The Disciples saw his Glory Therefore it was visible c. 4. That although this wonderfull change and alteration appeared chiefly in his face as being the most conspicuous part of his body yet it is probable That it was more or less throughout all the outward parts of his Body and from thence the brightness and glory was derived to his Garments shining through the same as is said afterward 5. That this change was not perpetual or long to endure but for a short time onely though it is not expressed how long that is to say during some part of that time in which Christ and his three Disciples were abiding in the Mount for this Glory ceased before they came down again from the Mount Object Object Matth. 17. 9. Called a Vision Answ Answ Yet it might be really done as Acts 10. 3. Before them That is in the presence and sight of those three Disciples before mentioned c. viz. Peter James and John It followeth Ver. 3. And his Raiment became shining c. This is added the more to amplifie and set forth the excellent brightness and heavenly Glory of Christ's body in which he now appeared to the three Disciples Brightness and Light are in Scripture put for heavenly glory and happiness 1 Tim. 6. 16. So also the colour of white Therefore the Angels used so to appear Contrà blackness and darkness signifies misery of Hell which was so great that it shined through all his Garments making them also to shine most bright and to appear perfectly white as the Snow and whiter than any Fuller upon Earth can make any Cloth with Water and Fulling-Earth Note that this perfect whiteness and glittering was not in the Garments of themselves but in the body of Christ and thence derived to his Clothes c. As the Sun which enlighten the Ayr. Quest 1 Quest 1. How or by what means was this perfect whitenesse and brightnesse caused in the Body and Garments of Christ Answ Answ By the divine Power and Majesty of his God-head now manifesting it self extraordinarily for the time not onely in his humane Soul as at other times but also in his Body and Garments Before this time the Glory of his God-head did hide and cover it self under the vail of his humane Flesh or Body even as the brightness of the Sun beams is sometimes covered under a dark Cloud but now this Glory of his God-head did for a time extraordinarily and wonderfully shew and manifest it self outwardly even to the bodily sight and view of the Disciples Object Object 2 Pet. 1. 17. He received this Glory from God the Father Answ Answ As he was Mediatour he received it from the Father but as God he had it in himself c. Quest 2 Quest 2. Whether did the Disciples now see the God-head it self or divine Nature of Christ Answ Answ Not so for the God-head cannot be seen with bodily eyes Joh. 1. 18. but they saw an outward sensible effect of the God-head or a true symbolicall Sign and Representation of it viz. the outward brightness and glory which appeared in his Body and Garments and especially in his Face A symbolicall sight like that of Moses when he saw the back parts of God Exod. 33. 23. Quest 3 Quest 3. Wherefore or to what end was Christ now transfigured and the shape of his Body and Garments thus gloriously changed before his three Disciples Answ Answ 1. To prove and manifest the Truth of his God-head and that he was the Messiah and to confirm their Faith therein For which cause also that heavenly Voice was uttered from God the Father at the time of this Transfiguration of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him ver 7. 2. The better to arm them against that scandall or offence which they might take
to Law for trifles taking malicious courses against others Again Christ commands them to seek God's Kingdom and Righteousness in the first place Matth. 6. 33. On the contrary they seek this World and the profits and pleasures of it first He commands them to deny themselves and to take up their Cross willingly c. Contra their care is to satisfy their corrupt lusts and as for the Cross they abhor and shun nothing more shewing nothing but unwillingness and impatiency Use 2 Use 2. To exhort and stir up all that profess to be Christ's Disciples to make Conscience of Obedience to his Commandments His Servants we are to whom we obey as the Apostle saith therefore if thou be a true Servant of Christ shew it by thy Obedience to his Will and Commandments by doing what he commands thee in his Word and by forbearing to do what he forbids thee Else never profess to be Christ's Disciple or Servant It is gross Hypocrisy to call him Lord and not to do what he commandeth Take heed of this therefore and as we call Christ our Lord and Master so be careful to shew our selves to be his true Servants by obeying his Will and Commandments Now further in this our Obedience to the Commandments of Christ some special properties are requisite that it may be such as it ought to be 1. It must be a free and voluntary Obedience not forced or by compulsion for that is not accepted of Christ Now that it may be free and voluntary it must proceed from true Love to Christ himself it must be the Obedience of Love Joh. 21. 15. Peter lovest thou me Then feed my Lambs c. 2. It must be an entire or universal Obedience to all the Commandments of Christ even to such as are most hard and difficult to such as are most contrary to our Nature and to our corrupt Wills and Affections as in denying our selves and mortifying our lusts in taking up our Cross in forgiving and loving Enemies c. The three Disciples here obeyed Christ's Command though in a matter hard and difficult for so it was as we heard before to conceal and keep to themselves the glorious Vision of Christ's Transfiguration and that for so long a time even till after his Resurrection Vse Use See how needful it is for us to be well-instructed in the Word of Christ that we may know what he commandeth us else how can we yield Obedience unto him Therefore search the Scriptures which testify of Christ and come diligently to the publick hearing of his Word Now followeth the amplification of the Disciples Obedience in concealing the matter by a speciall Circumstance accompanying the same viz. Their questtoning one with another c. Questioning one with another or Debating or disputing the matter between themselves by mutual Questions and Conference What the rising from the dead should mean This is not to be understood of the general Resurrection from the dead at the last day for it is not likely that the Apostles were ignorant of that seeing that other ordinary Disciples of Christ did know and believe it as Martha Joh. 11. 24. but it is to be restrained to the Resurrection of Christ whereof he made mention to them immediately before About this they questioned and reasoned together what it should mean whereby is discovered their great ignorance and dulness to conceive this Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection notwithstanding that he had so plainly foretold them of it as we heard Chap. 8. ver 31. Quest Quest What was the cause or reason of this their dullness and harduess to conceive this matter of Christ's Resurrection Answ Answ Because his Resurrection did presuppose his Death for he could not rise from Death unless he first Dyed now they could not yet conceive or comprehend how it was possible or likely that he who was the Son of God and true Messiah that must save others should himself suffer Death at the hands of Men. Besides that the Death and Resurrection of Christ could not stand or agree with that Earthly and Temporall Kingdom of the Messiah which the Disciples as yet erroneously supposed and dreamed of which made the matter so much the harder for them to believe Observ 1 Observ 1. In that the Disciples were so hard to conceive the Truth and Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection we may learn this That even the best Christians are by Nature and of themselves hard to conceive and understand the Mysteries of Faith and Doctrines of Christ taught in the Gospel See before Chap. 8. ver 32. and ver 16. Luke 18. 34. Though he plainly foretold his Disciples of his Passion and Resurrection yet it is said They understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken See Hebr. 5. 11. Reas 1 Reas 1. The Doctrines of Faith touching Christ and our Salvation by him are above humane reason and therefore hard to be conceived of us by Nature Such are the Doctrines of Christ's Incarnation Death Resurrection c. Hence the Gospel is called a Mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. Reas 2 Reas 2. There is much ignorance left in the Saints of God in this Life after their effectuall calling and enlightning by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know but in part Use 1 Use 1. To move the best Christians to labour to see and to be humbled for this their Naturall dulness and hardness to conceive the Doctrines of Christ taught in the Gospel c. Vse 2 Use 2. See what need for us to pray unto God for his Spirit to enlighten our minds to conceive the mysteries of Faith revealed in the Gospel c. Vse 3 Use 3. See how needfull for Ministers of the Gospel to strive unto plainness and evidence of the Spirit in teaching the Doctrine of Christ Observ 2 Observ 2. That true Faith and sanctifying Grace in this Life may stand with ignorance in some Points of Christian Faith at least for a time The Apostles of Christ though effectually called and sanctified yet were ignorant for a time of some main and necessary Points of Christians Faith as of Christ's Death and Resurrection as here we see and in this ignorance they continued till the Death and Resurrection of Christ were fulfilled So those Women who came to imbalm Christ's Body c. they were also ignorant of the nature and quality of Christ's Kingdom as He was the Messiah supposing it to be an earthly Kingdom c. as appeareth Acts 1. 6. Ignorant also they were of the Calling of the Gentiles and that the distinction of Clean and Unclean was taken away by Christ's coming as we see in Peter Acts 10. 14. Acts 18. 25. Apollos was a Believer and a sanctified Person and yet was ignorant in some Points of the Doctrine of Christ having need to be more fully instructed therein by Aquila and Priscilla Use Vse To comfort such Christians as are weak and defective in
and compassion toward his Child as appears by his manner of speaking to Christ so he shewed his care in bringing him to Christ and making sute to him to dispossess and heal him See before on the 26th Verse of the 7th Chapter Use 1 Vse 1. For reproof of such unnatural Parents who are not so affected with the outward miseries of their Children as they should be neither are they careful in using means for their relief and help but let them alone in their miseries neglecting the means appointed of God for their Childrens good Some are so hard-hearted as to see their Children lye sick and in pain and will scarce be at the trouble and cost to send to the Physitian for them nor to the Chirurgion when their Children are lame or impotent c. Others can see their Children to be in want of necessary Food or Rayment and have little care to provide for them as is fit and according to their ability and means Yea some Parents are worse who in stead of using means for the help and relief of their Children in such miseries do add affliction to the affliction of their Children by unjust provoking and grieving their Children in their sickness weakness c. How unnaturall are such Parents Worse than brute Beasts in this respect Let such know that this want of natural Affection is condemned by the Apostle Rom. 1. 31. among the sins of the profane Heathen and therefore should be far from Christians Vse 2 Use 2. If Parents ought to be affected with the bodily Afflictions of their Children and to use the best means for their help and relief therein then how much more in their spiritual Miseries and Necessities c. Se chap. 5. 23 24. Now followeth the Motives and Reasons which the father of this child useth to move our Saviour to take pitty of his child And 1. He alledgeth the lamentable affliction and misery in which his child now was being possessed with a Devil which misery of this child he further amplyfieth and layeth open to Christ in the verse following by relating the particular manner of the Devils taking and tormenting of his child by fits and at certain times Who hath a dumb Spirit His meaning is That he was bodily possessed with an evil Spirit or with a Devil which was entred into him and held possession of the powers of his body See before chap. 1. 23. how the Devil is said to enter into Men Which also had stricken the child with dumbness depriving him of the use of his Speech for which cause he was called a dumb Spirit And ver 25. he is called a Dumb and Deaf Spirit which shews That this evil Spirit being entred and having gotten possession in the body of the child had also stricken it both Dumb and Deaf Matth. 17. 15. He is said to be lunatick now lunatick persons are such as are stricken in their senses or taken with some kind of frenzy or madnesse at certain times of the Moon whence they are called Lunaticks from the latine word Luna signifying the Moon and such lunatick fits do proceed from the distemper of the blood and naturall humours of the Body Hence therefore it may be gathered That this child was not onely possessed with a Devil which made him both Dumb and Deaf but also that he was distempered with a lunacy or kind of madness which took him by fits at certain times of the Moon and was caused partly by the distemper of the natural humours of the hody and partly by the Devil's power stirring up and working upon those humors of the Body Now followeth the Points of Instruction in which as also in those that are to be gathered from the residue of the History of this Miracle I purpose to be the more brief because many of them I have had occasion before to speak of in handling the like Miracles of our Saviour Observ 1 Observ 1. That the Devil by God's permission hath Power really to enter into the Bodies of mankind that is to say into the bodies of Men Women or Children and to hold possession in them working and moving in them at his Will and Pleasure yea in the Bodies of good men and women and of the children of such So he entred into the body of this child and held possession in it So in the bodies of many others especially in our Saviour Christ's time and in the dayes of the Apostles in which times the Lord did permit and suffer the Devil to have this Power more commonly and ordinarily than now he doth and that for speciall cause that there might be the more occasion for our Saviour Christ and his Apostles and some others also who had the gift of working Miracles to exercise shew forth the same in the casting out of Devils from such as were possessed and that for the confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel And although this possession of mens bodies by the Devil was most frequent and usuall in those times of our Saviour Christ and the Apostles yet in the Times and Ages succeeding even unto this Day the Devil hath sometimes had and exercised this Power over the bodies of men by God's permission as may appear in Histories of the Church See before upon chap. 1. ver 23. Use Use See what cause for us to be thankfull unto God for that he hath appointed us to live in this age of the Church in which this Power of the Devil is much restrained so as he doth not so commonly exercise and shew it as heretofore and for that the Lord hath hitherto kept us and ours from this Power of the Devil not giving up our bodies to be possessed of him Especially we shall find cause to be thankfull to God for â—his mercy if we consider that our sins do deserve that he should even now give up us and ours to this Power of Satan as he did so many of the Jews in our Saviour's time our sins as are great as theirs c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this evil Spirit which was in the Child is called a dumb Spirit because he had stricken the Child with dumbness depriving him of the use of his Speech Hence we learn That the Devil hath Power by God's permission not only to enter into the bodies of men or children and to possesse them but also being in them to annoy and hurt the powers and faculties of nature in them hindring the operation and working of them he hath power to strike them in their bodily senses and to deprive them of the use of them and their Speech c. But of this there will be more fit occasion to speak afterward ver 25. It followeth Ver. 18. And wheresoever he taketh him c. Here the father of this possessed and lunatick child doth further lay open unto our Saviour the wofull misery and affliction of this child by relating the particular manner and circumstances of the Devil 's taking and
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
and destruction Now as this Love and Mercy of Christ doth in some sort extend to Mankind in general so more especially it reacheth to his Saints and faithful People for whose sakes especially he doth use to rebuke Satan their Enemy for his malice against them Zech. 13. 1 2. when Satan stood at the right hand of Joshua the High-Priest to resist and hinder him in the execution of his Office it is said The Lord said unto Satan the Lord rebuke thee c. that is Christ as Mediatour prayed unto God to rebuke or reprove the Devil for his malice shewed against the Lord's faithful Minister And this shews the singular Love of Christ to his faithful Servants and care which he hath of their good in that he shews himself such an Enemy to the Devil being their main Enemy And if it be mentioned Psal 105. 14. as a Token of God's special Love to his Church that He reproved Kings for their sakes much more is it an evidence of his Love and Mercy to his Saints and Servants that he doth reprove and rebuke the Devil himself for their sakes who is a far more potent and dangerous Enemy to the Church of Christ than any Kings of the Earth can be Use Vse The consideration of this special love and goodness of Christ toward Mankind especially to his Church and faithful Servants testified by his rebuking of Satan their Enemy and shewing himself grieved and offended at him for his malice against them I say the consideration hereof is matter of great comfort to us all times but especially in such miseries and troubles as are stirred up against us either by Satan or his Instruments For we may assure our selves that Christ Jesus our Saviour is affected with our miseries and much offended at Satan and his Instruments for his rage and malice against us and he will in due time shew himself so to be by rebuking both Satan and his wicked Instruments though not in words as he did now rebuke the Devil in this possessed Child yet really by curbing and restraining their power and malice yea by executing his just wrath and vengeance upon them for the same Mark 9. 25 26 27. Saying unto him Thou dumb and deaf Spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more June 3. 1627. into him c. NOW followeth the matter of the Charger or Commandment which our Saviour now laid upon the foul Spirit which was in the Child He said unto him Thou dumb and deaf Spirit I charge thee come out of him c. Where 1. Consider the Names or Titles of reproach which he giveth to the Devil by way of upbraiding or reproving of him calling him the dumb and deaf Spirit 2. The Charge it self Of the first Thou dumb and deaf Spirit These Titles he giveth unto the Devil in regard of those malicious and cruell Effects which he had wrought in the Child not onely entring into his body and possessing it by fits and at certain times but also striking the Child and disabling him in his outward Senses and natural Powers of his body so as he had no use of them bereaving him both of the faculty of Speech and of the sense of Hearing Observ Observ That by God's permission the Devil hath Power not onely to enter into the bodies of Men Women or Children and to holy possession of them but also to annoy and hurt the powers and faculties of Nature in them and to hinder the operation of them He hath power to strike men with the loss of their bodily Senses as Hearing Seeing c. and to take from them the faculty of Speech as here he did unto this Child Matth. 12. 22. They brought unto him one possessed with a Devill blind and dumb and he healed him c. Luke 11. 14. He was casting out a Devill and it was dumb And when the Devill was gone out the dumb spake c. which shews plainly that the Devil was the cause of that dumbness in the party that was possessed So Luke 13. 11. mention is made of a Woman which had a Spirit of Infirmity and was so bowed and made crooked in her body by Satan for eighteen years that she could not stand or go upright notwithstanding the use of means Use Use See how we are bound to bless God and to be thankfull for his mercy in not suffering Satan to have this Power over us or ours to strike us in our senses or in other naturall powers of our bodies and to take from us the use of them as he would do if the Lord did not restrain him If he might have his will he would strike us deaf that we should not hear the Word of God to our comfort or edification or dumb that we be not able to speak a word to God's Glory or Edification of others in Prayer Thanksgiving or otherwise or he would strike us blind that we might not behold the Glory of God in his Creatures to our comfort Therefore seeing it is by God's mercy that we do enjoy the benefit of our senses and that we are not by Satan's malice bereft of them let us be truly thankful unto God and shew it by using our senses and all the powers of our bodies to his Glory in the practice of those holy Duties which he requireth of us Now followeth the Charge or Commandment it self which our Saviour layeth upon the Devil which is two-fold 1. To come out of the Child 2. To enter no more into him I charge thee Or straightly Command thee By this our Saviour testified his absolute Power and Authority over the foul Spirit And enter no more c. Because the Devil had formerly used to take the child by fits at certain times as we have heard entring into him again and again and that sundry times after he was departed out of him therefore our Saviour not onely chargeth him to depart out but withall forbiddeth him to enter any more into him Observ 1 Observ 1. That Christ hath absolute Power and Authority over the evil Angels or Devils to command and over-rule them as he pleaseth This Power he shewed even while he lived upon Earth in state of Humiliation by commanding or charging evil Spirits to go out of such as were bodily possessed by them as here we see he did and at other times The same Power of Christ over the Devils doth further appear by this That when they were cast out they could not enter into the herd of Swine without his permission chap. 5. Now if while he lived on Earth in state of Humiliation he had this Power and Authority over the Devil then much more now that he is exalted to the right hand of God in Heaven Phil. 2. 9. God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow c. Col. 2. 10. He is called the Head of all Principality and Power viz.
ye not carnall and walk as men Quest Quest By whom and into whose hands or power was Christ to be delivered or given up as a Malefactor c. Answ Answ 1. By Judas one of his own Disciples betraying him into the hands of the Jews for thirty pieces of Silver Matth. 26. 14. Judas went and covenanted with the Chief Priests to betray him for thirty pieces of Silver 2. By the Jewish Officers and Rulers who having him in their hands delivered him up unto the Gentiles that is to the Power and Authority of the Romans to be crucified Matth. 20. 18. The Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the Chief Priests and Scribes c. And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock scourge and crucify him And Mat. 27. 2. They having bound him led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilare the Roman Governour Observ 1 Observ 1. In that Christ Jesus the Son of God was thus to be delivered into the hands of men as a Malefactor to be condemned and put to death and all for our sakes and in our room and stead This teacheth us what our estate is by Nature and in our selves in regard of our sins viz. That we are all Malefactors guilty of such Crimes and Offences as do deserve death yea eternal death of Soul and Body and therefore that we are worthy to be given up and delivered as Malefactors not into the hands of men but into the power of the Devil himself the Executioner of God's Wrath and Justice to be for ever punished and tormented in Hell Ephes 2. 3. by Nature we are said to be Children of Wrath that is such as have by our sins deserved the Wrath and Curse of God and to be delivered up into the hands of Satan as the Executioner of God's Wrath. If it were not so Christ should never have been given up as a Malefactor into the hands of men to be condemned and punished with death This he suffered not for himself for he was guiltless and innocent but for us and in our room and stead In all this he was our Surety or Pledge taking upon him by God's Appointment and his own free Will the Guilt of our sins and so bearing our sorrows and the whole Punishment due to our sins Therefore when we hear that he was thus delivered as a Malefactor to be punished c. we are in him to consider and behold our selves and the desert of our sins and in the sight and feeling hereof to be truly humbled before God mourning for our sins which were the cause of Christ's being delivered into the hands of men c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that it is mentioned here as one special part of the Sufferings of Christ our Saviour that he was to be delivered into the hands and power of wicked men his enemies to be abused by them at their pleasure that is to be unjustly accused condemned punished as a Malefactor And we may learn That it is a great affliction and tryall to be delivered or given up into the hands of wicked men to be abused at their will and pleasure For this cause David desired That he might not fall into the hand of man that is into the power of wicked men his enemies to be vanquished and put to the sword by them 2 Sam. 24. 14. And our Saviour Matth. 10. 17. warneth his Disciples To beware of men because they would deliver them up to the Councills and they would scourge them in their Synagogues c. And 2 Thess 3. 2. Paul desires them to pray for him That he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men Better it is in some respects to be given up to the teeth of wild Beasts as Daniel and Ignatius were and as the antient custom was to deal with some Malefactors than to be given up into the power of wicked men For wild Beasts are less malicious and cruell in their kind than wicked men are Prov. 12. 10. The tender mercies of the Wicked are cruell Homo homini lupus Vse Vse See what cause for us to pray unto God if it be his will to keep from us this grievous affliction and tryall and not to bring it upon us not to give us up or to suffer us to be given up into the hands of wicked men to be abused or to be unjustly and cruelly dealt withall by them at least not to leave us absolutely to their will and pleasure but to curb and restrain their power and malice against us The more cause have we thus to pray at this time considering that our sins and the sins of this Land do justly deserve this heavy punishment and affliction to be delivered into the hands of wicked men our enemies and the enemies of God and of his Church and the Lord seemeth to threaten us at this time with this Judgment c. Observ 3 Observ 3. See what we may look for if we be Christ's true Disciples even to be thus dealt with as he was to suffer this which he suffered before us viz. To be betrayed and delivered up into the hands of our malicious and wicked enemies if God see it good thus to exercise us yea not onely so but to be betrayed and perfidiously dealt withall even by such as are near or dear unto us and do professe love and friendship to us If this were done to Christ our Head then may it be done to us his members yea much more to us and we may look for it The Disciple is not herein above his Master Luke 21. 16. Ye shall be betrayed both by Parents and Brethren and Kins-folks and Friends and some of you shall they cause to be put to Death And this was verified in sundry of the blessed Martyrs both of antient and latter times who were thus betrayed and delivered into the hands of their cruell and malicious Persecutors and that by their own Friends Kindred and near Acquaintance The like may be our case if the Lord see good thus to try us which therefore must move us before hand to prepare and arm our selves with faith patience and Christian courage to bear this grievous Tryall as we shall find it to be no doubt if ever it happen unto us as it hath done to Christ and to many of the Saints and Faithful that have lived before us Pray therefore unto the Lord to furnish us with such Graces whereby we may be inabled to bear this Tryall that we may not be dismayed by it in our Christian profession Observ 4 Observ 4. Here is also matter of comfort for Us and all the Faithful if at any time this do befall us that we be betrayed or delivered up into the hands of men yea of wicked men and our malicious enemies and that by such as profess outward friendship to us In this case let us remember the example of Christ himself our Head and Saviour not thinking much to be so perfidiously dealt withall in this kind as
many such Observ 2 Observ 2. See the special care and Providence of the Lord over his true Saints and Servants in that he takes notice of every one of them in particular and of the particular wrongs and abuses offered unto them threatning to punish such severely who offer wrong or give offence but to one of them which shews how dear and pretious they are unto him in that he takes care of every one of them in particular and not onely of them all in generall that they may not be wronged or abused but that every one of them may be loved and honoured He is carefull of the good of every one of his Saints and to preserve and keep them from evill See Joh. 17. 12. Luke 15. 4. compared to one that having a hundred sheep if he lose but one c. As he knoweth them every one severally and that by name and where they dwell and abide at any time as we see Act. 10. 5 6. so he takes particular notice of their estate and condition of all their Afflictions Miseries and necessities being ready to help and comfort them therein and to deliver them in due time Psal 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings c. yea the very hairs of their heads are numbred by him Matth. 10. 30. He takes notice of all abuses and wrongs offered to any of them and will right their causes and punish their enemies Use Use Great comfort to the godly at all times and in all estates to consider this special and Fatherly care which the Lord hath of every one of them in particular taking notice of them and of their estate of all their miseries and necessities and ready to help and comfort them Of all wrongs and abuses offered to them being ready to right their cause and to punish such as wrong or offend them any way Think of this at all times if thou fearest God and art his true servant Especially in time of trouble and distress and when thou dost meet with wrongs and abuses in the World and at the hands of the wicked Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour calleth his true Disciples by the name of little ones in regard of the Grace of true Humility in which they resemble little Children Hence we learn that it is one special property of good Christians and of true Saints of God to resemble and be like unto little Children in the Grace of true Humility and lowliness of mind Therefore our Saviour calls them here by this title of little ones So Matth. 18. 10. to shew that they are such as do resemble little Children in humility Such a little one was David Psal 131. 1. Lord My heart is not haughty c. I have behaved my self as a Child that is weaned from his Mother And thus it is with all true Christians more or less they have this property in them to resemble and be like to little Children in respect of the Grace of true Humility That even as little Children though they be not perfect in Humility nor yet wholly free from all corruption and stain of Pride yet they are much more humble and lowly in mind and in their carriage and more free from Pride than elder persons are for the most part Even so it is with all true Christians they do resemble little Children in the Grace of Humility and in being free from that degree of Pride which so much reigneth in others Reas 1 Reas 1. All true Christians have in them the sanctifying Spirit of Christ which doth mortify in them the power of all sinfull lusts and in particular the sin of Pride that it reign not in them and on the contrary worketh in them the Grace of Humility and so maketh them like little Children Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh c. Reas 2 Reas 2. True Christians do in some measure resemble Christ in those Graces which shined forth in him when he lived on earth Now he was most humble and lowly in mind and in his carriage even as a Child in Humility yea more perfect in humility then any child can be Therefore every good Christian being like unto him must needs be as a child in humility Use 1 Use 1. To convince many not to be good Christians whatsoever they profess or think of themselves because they are not like unto little children in humility not truly humble and lowly in heart as little children neither do they express this humility in their outward carriage looks gestures behaviour they do not by their carriage shew themselves to be in the number of Christ's little ones that is of his true Disciples who resemble little Children in humility but on the contrary are full of Pride haughtiness of Spirit and Self-conceipt of themselves and their own gifts shewing it in their proud and lofty carriage of themselves before God and towards men These are not small ones or little ones but rather great ones in their own conceit and opinion Use 2 Use 2. For examination to try and know whether we be indeed good Christians and in the number of Christ's true Disciples and Servants as we profess to be Look whether we have this property in us to be like unto little Children in true humility whether we be humble in heart and mind and whether we shew it in outward behaviour resembling little children in lowly carriage If it be thus with us this shews us to be good Christians and not otherwise Therefore let us every one try our selves by this property of good Christians whether we do truely resemble little children in humility More particularly consider some special marks or propertâ—es of humility which are in little Children by which we may the better try and know whether we do resemble them herein or not 1. Little Children are sensible of their own weakness and unability to go of themselves or to help themselves when they are very small and young and therefore they seek to their Parents and depend on them for help Examine whether it be so with us whether we be touched in heart with feeling of our own Spiritual weakness and unability of our selves to walk in the wayes of God and to do any good duty and whether we be sensible of our sins and corruptions the cause of our Spiritual weakness c. and whether this feeling of our sins and infirmities do drive us out of our selves unto God for help and assistance in all our wayes 2. Little Children are not puffed up with high conceipts of themselves or of their own gifts or good parts as Beauty Comeliness of body c. they think not the better of themselves for these but are low in their own conceits Examine whether it be so with us Do we think meanly of our selves notwithstanding the gifts of God bestowed on us either gifts of nature or Grace yea the more gifts we have received the more humble are we and low in our eyes This shews humility
5. 28. So ought men to love their Wives as their own bodies c. that is most entirely and inwardly as being a part of themselves The like may be said of the Wife that she is to love her husband as her own body The love between man and Wife ought to be such for quality as the love between Christ and the Church as the Scripture teacheth Now the love between Christ and the Church is a most near and entire kind of love Ephes 5. 25. Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved the Church c. So great was the love of Christ to his Church that he gave himself to death for it to shew how dearly the Husband should love his Wife So it may be said Wives love your Husbands as the true Church loveth Christ which is with a singular love Cant. 2. 5. She is sick of love to him So dearly should the wife love her husband Prov. 5. 19. The husband should be ravisht with the love of his Wife at all times So also should the wife with the love of her husband Now this special entire and singular love between married couples ought to appear and shew it self by the effects of it one toward another As 1. By giving special honour and respect to each other The husband is to yield a kind of honour and good respect to his wife 1 Pet. 3. 7. and much more is the wife to yield special honour and reverent respect to her husband as Sarah did to Abraham calling him Lord c. See Ephes 5. ult 2. By a special and most tender care of each others good being most desirous ready and forward to seek and procure the good of each others Soul and body For thus it is between such as love dearly Ephes 5. 29. Every one by nature nourisheth and cherisheth his own flesh even as Christ doth the Church So should the husband tenderly cherish his wife and the wife her husband 3. By taking special comfort and delight in the society of each other So Prov. 5. 18. Rejoyce with the Wife of thy Youth c. let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe let her Breasts satisfy thee at all times c. So also ought the wife to rejoyce in the society of her husband at all times Use 1 Use 1. For reproof of such married couples as do fail and come short of this entire and singular affection of love which they should bear and shew to each other Many husbands and wives are so far from it that they scarce shew ordinary and common love to their Yoke-fellows in Marriage they shew as much or more love to other friends or kindred then to their own wives and husbands flat contrary to Gods ordinance who will have the husband and wife to be beloved of each other above all other friends whatsoever yea above their own Parents c. with a peerless love Vse 2 Vse 2. See how great is the sin of such husbands and wives who in stead of bearing such entire and singular love to each other do on the contrary conceive and bear hatred against each other and shew it by malicious or despightfull carriage one against another in word or deed as by reviling words or strokes c. shewing bitter wrath and malice in stead of entire and most dear love to each other How great is the sin of such and how much have such husbands and wives to answer for unto God how contrary is this to Gods Ordinance who commands the husband to love his wife and not to be bitter to her Col. 3. 19. And by the same reason also requires and charges the wife to love her husband and not to be bitter to him What a wicked thing is it there to shew bitter hatred where God commands the highest degree of Love let such repent c. Use 3 Use 3. To stir up all married couples to labour for this most near and entire affection of love to each other and to shew it by all fruits and effects of it before mentioned The husband and wife must not think it enough to love one another but must strive to imbrace and mutually to affect each other with a speciall and singular love so to love each other as in comparison of this love to forsake all other friends yea their own Parents though never so dear unto them Now that the husband and wife may thus love each other they must pray unto God daily to work and increase this entire love between them and to unite their hearts most nearly together withall they must often meditate and think of that most strait bond and union which is between them by Gods Ordinance being two in one c. They must also inure and accustome themselves to shew and express this entire love one to another daily by the effects and tokens of it especially by rejoycing in each others society and above all by being carefull daily to joyn together in the Religious duties of Gods worship in the family as Prayer reading the Scriptures c. Use 4 Use 4. See how needfull it is for single persons being to enter into the married estate to make choice of such husbands and wives as they may affect and love with this entire and dear affection even above their Parents c. and that not for a time onely while it is honey-moneth as we say but constantly even untill death which therefore shews how dangerous it is for any aiming at wealth or Parentage or other by-respects to match themselves with such whose persons they cannot truely and entirely affect above all others The cause of great discontentments afterward in the married estate yea upon this oftentimes followeth a most uncomfortable and hellish life between the husband and wife Observ 3 Observ 3. In that married persons are to forsake their Parents in comparison of their husbands and wives in respect of that subjection unto the power of Parâ—nts whereunto they were tyed before Marriage Hence we may gather that Parents ought not to tye or bind their children after Marriage to such a strait kind of subjection obedience oâ— service to them as they were tyed unto before Marriage so as thereby to hinder them in Matrimonial duties toward their husbands or wives but they are freely to acknowledg such Children to be by Marriage exempted from that subjection under their power unto which they were tyed before I say to be exempted and freed from that subjection though not wholly or absolutely for they are still bound to obey their Parents in all lawfull things yet so far forth as that subjection is any hinderance to them in the performance of Marriage duties toward their husbands or wives It is therefore a sin in Parents to tye their children being married to any such subjection or service to them whereby they are hindered in performance of marriage-duties toward their husbands or wives Neither can Parents tye or force their children after Marriage to live still with them
Christ wrought in his Disciples Their question or doubt hereupon moved amongst themselves Who then could be saved Saying among themselves That is speaking thus one to another in private conference by themselves and out of the hearing of Christ Though they do not reject the Doctrine of Christ yet they are troubled at it and thereupon move this doubt Who then can be saved q. d. If it be so hard a matter for rich men and especially for such as are covetous and do repose confidence in wealth to be pâ—rtakers of eternal life as our Saviour had before affirmed and avouched again and again then who can be saved which is not so to be taken as if they hereupon concluded that none at all could then be saved but that it was likely then that very few could be saved So Esay 53. 1. Who hath believed our report not that none believed but that very few Who Some think they speak here of rich men onely q. d. what rich men c But the words run generally in all the Evangelists and therefore it seems fittest to understand them generally and indefinitely of all men and not of rich men onely though principally of rich men Quest Quest. Why do they speak generally of all men seeing our Saviour before spake onely of rich men especially of covetous rich that it is hard for such to enter c. seeing the number of the rich is less than of the poor Answ Answ Because that although all men are not rich but many poor yea the greater part yet all men are by nature covetous and apt to set their hearts on wealth reposing trust in it c. Observ 1 Observ 1. The sins of covetousness and carnal confidence in riches are common to all men by nature more or less not to rich men onely though especially to them but even to the poorer and meaner sort Touching covetousness Jer. 6. 13. From the least to the greatest they were every one given to covetousness c. The commonness of the sin shews how natural it is to all sorts Phil. 2. 2. and Col. 3. 5. It is reckoned as one of the members of the body of sin which is in all men by nature and hath need of mortifying Therefore also Luke 12. 15. when one of the company requested our Saviour to speak to his brother to divide the inheritance with him thereby discovering a covetous mind our Saviour took occasion from thence to give a general admonition to all the company to beware of covetousness thereby shewing that it is such a sin as all sorts are apt to be tainted with by nature The same is also true of carnall confidence and trusting in worldly wealâ—h which is the very ground and cause of covetousness and therefore must needs be natural to all men even as the sin of covetousness is Though the seeds of all sins are in all men by nature yet some sins are more natural then others Such are these of covetousness and trusting in Riches c. Reason Reas All men by nature are earthly minded that is apt to love and affect the things of this World and such as are enâ—oyed here on earth Joh. 3. 31. He that is of the earth is earthly c. So we are all by nature and therefore all by nature are apt to the sin of covetousness and to carnal confidence in earthly goods and substance Object Object Some good men have been thought to be free from the sin of covetousness at least they have thought themselves to be so as Luther who in hiâ— writings speaking of the manifold temptations which he had doth acknowledg that he was tempted to all sins except covetousness c. Answ Answ His meaning not his wordâ— in strict sense is to be taken not that he was not at all tempted to that sin or had no natural inclination to it but that he was not so much inclined to it or tempted to it as to other sins Use 1 Use 1. See the ignorance of such as think none covetous but rich men So the poor are apt to think and themselves to be free c. but here we are taught the contrary c. Vse 2 Use 2. See how needfull it is for all sorts to repent of these sins of covetousness and carnal confidence in worldly wealth not onely for rich men but even for the poor c. seeing all are tainted with them by nature yea seeing they are more natural to most men than many other sins are therefore this should move all to repent of these sins in special c. How needfull for every one to examine his heart and conscience to find out these sins in himself and to be humbled with godly sorrow for them How needfull to crave and sue earnestly for pardon of them in Christ that they may be forgiven and not imputed unto him How carefull should every one be to mortify these worldly lusts of covetousness and trusting in riches using all good means to have the power and strength of them subdued in himself So every Christian is exhorted to do Col. 3. 5. Mortify your members which are on earth c. amongst which covetousness is one of the chief and principal Seeing this is a sin so natural to all and such as all men are very prone and apt to be tainted with therefore all and every one high and low rich and poor must strive against it in themselves by all means as Prayer Meditation of the Word and hearing of it c. especially such as find themselves most inclinable to this sin and most of all rich men and those that grow in wealth remembring still and never forgetting that admonition Psal 62. 10. If riches encrease c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples by this question moved among themselves do shew themselves sollicitous and carefull for the Salvation of others and desirous of it aswell as their own and therefore are troubled to think how few are like to be saved especially of the richer sort if it were so as our Saviour before avouched that it was easier for a Camel c. Hence we learn That Christians ought not onely to be sollicitous and carefull about their own Salvation but also for the Salvation of others So earnestly should we desire the Salvation of others as well as our own that we should take thought for it c. This was in Moses Exod. 32. 32. In Paul for the Jews Rom. 9. 3. So desirous and carefull was he of their Salvation that if God might so be glorified he could wish himself separate from Christ for them and chap. 10. 1. his hearts desire and Prayer to God for them was That they might be saved The like care of others Salvation should be in every Christian Phil. 2. 4 Lock not every one on his own things c. Be not onely carefull of your own Salvation but also of the good and Salvation of others Now further this sollicitous care about the
the blessed Martyrs c. Vse 1 Vse 1. Teacheth us not to mervail or take offence at it if at this day we see or hear of the like examples of such as are falsly accused and unjustly condemned and that by publike authority for such crimes as they are not guilty of or to such punishment as they have no way deserved c. This is no new thing but that which hath been often heretofore practised by Satan and his instruments against the true Servants of God c. Vse 2 Vse 2. To comfort us if it should come to be our own case at any time to be thus falsly accused and unjustly condemned by others for such crimes or offences as we are not guilty of yea though we should be so censured or condemned by such as are in publike authority no cause for us to be dismayed but to remember the examples of the true Saints of God yea of Christ himself c. Observ 2 Observ 2. Here in our Saviour Christ's example being condemned to death by sentence of the chief Priests and Scribes and by the rest of the Council of the Jews we may see our misery by nature in regard of our sins that by our sins we have deserved to be condemned of God as guilty of death as it is the curse of God that is not only of temporal but of eternal death For Christ when he was condemned to death by the sentence of the chief Priests and Scribes and by the rest of the Councel of the Jews did stand in our stead as our pledg and surety He suffered this for us and not for himself for he was innocent Therefore in Christ's Person we are to behold our selves and in his condemnation by the Councel of the Jews we are to behold the desert of our sins and what is due to us by nature and by the Justice of God viz. eternal condemnation of soul and body Ephes 2. 3. we are by nature children of wrath liable to the curse of God c. Vse Vse To humble us before God in the sight of our sins by which we have deserved thus to be condemned of God as guilty of eternal death How should this humble us and break our hearts with godly sorrow for our sins causing us truly to mourn for them as also to judge and condemn our selves for them that we be not judged of the Lord especially now before we come to the Lord's Supper as the Apostle warneth the Corinthians to do 1 Cor. 11. 31. To this end remember now wherefore Christ the Son of God was condemned to death as a guilty Malefactor viz. to shew our guiltiness before God c. We are the Malefactors who have deserved death c. Observ 3 Observ 3. Hence also Believers in Christ may gather great comfort to themselves and assurance touching the pardon of their sins and freedom from eternal condemnation in that Christ the Son of God was condemned to death for them For to this end was He condemned as guilty of death by wicked men to shew that all the Elect and faithful people of God should for the merit of his Death and Sufferings be for ever absolved by the Sentence of God from the guilt of all their sins and from eternal death So that now there is no condemnation to them being in Christ c. Rom. 8. 1. Mark 10. 33 34. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles And they shall mock him and shall scourge him April 12. 1629. and shall spit upon him and shall kill him and the third day he shall rise again IT followeth And shall deliver him to the Gentiles The meaning was shewed before Observ 1. That both Jews and Gentiles had a hand in the death and sufferings of Christ being instrumental causes and means of the same See Act. 4. 27. which came to passe by God's special providence and permission to the end it might appear that both Jews and Gentiles being by nature wicked and sinful as they shewed themselves to be in putting Christ the Sonne of God to death have need of salvation by Christ and that the salvation of all the Elect whether Jews or Gentiles is free and of the meer grace of God and not at all procured or deserved by any goodness in themselves c. To stir up all to thankfulnesse c. Other Points of Instruction see before Chap. 9. Verse 31. upon those words The Some of Man is delivered into the hands of men Now followeth the persons by whom he should be condemned to death and delivered To the Gentiles viz. The chief Priests and Scribes together with the rest of the Councel of the Jews assembled in the High Priests Hall as hath bin before shewed Here observe sundry points the most of which are against the Papists Observ 1 Observ 1. That such as for their high place and calling in the Church should be greatest friends of Christ and should stand most for him and his Doctrine are oftentimes the greatest enemies he hath So here the chief Priests and Scribes c. See before chap. 8. ver 31. Observ 2 Observ 2. That no calling or office in the Church though never so high or excellent can or doth priviledg men from errour in matters of Faith or practice c. The Calling and Office of these chief Priests Scribes and other Rulers of the Jews was high and excellent in it self yet they erred damnably in condemning Christ to death c. Therefore it is a fond conceit of Papists to hold the Pope or Bishop of Rome to be priviledged from error by his Papal office c. See before chap. 8. 31. Observ 3 Observ 3. That a general Council may err yea such a Council as is gathered and confirmed by lawfull Authority as this whole Council of the Jews consisting of the chief Priests Scribes c. though gathered and confirmed by Authority of the High Priest himself yet erred c. How much more may a Council gathered and confirmed by the Popes Authority err And it is clear that generall Councils even such as have bin confirmed by the Bishop of Rome have erred de facto and the decrees of former Councills have bin condemned by latter Vide Whitaker de Concil pag. 614. c. Observ 4 Observ 4. Personal succession of Pastors and Ministers of the Church is no infallible mark of the true Church For these chief Priests Scribes and other Church-Officers assembled in this Council which condemned Christ had personal succession The High Priest and other chief Priests were the successors of Aaron and of the other ancient Priests and the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses his chair succeeding him outwardly in place and office of teaching in the Church and yet these were not the true Church but the enemies of Christ and of his true Church at that time c. Now followeth the third part of branch of our Saviour Christ's sufferings which he foretelleth to his Disciples viz. Those which he was
our Saviour drew to his death the more diligent and frequent was he in Preaching Now followeth the second occasion His being hungry by the way as he was going back from Bethany to Jerusalem Now some think that this was not a true natural hunger but rather feined or voluntarily assumed by our Saviour to the end he might from thence take occasion to seek fruit from the Fig-tree and finding none to curse it But we are rather to think that it was a true and natural hunger because the Evangelists do plainly affirm that he was hungry and not that he feigned himself hungry or made shew of hunger or voluntarily take on him this hunger without any natural or ordinary cause foregoing Now we are not to depart from the proper and usual sense and signification of the words of Scripture when there is no just or urgent cause so to do Therefore seeing the word hunger doth properly and usually signify a true and natural hunger we are so to take it in this place Quest Quest How came it to pass that our Saviour was hungry in the morning of the day Answ Answ 1. It is most probable that he being much imployed the day before partly in his journey or riding to Jerusalem and partly in the labour of teaching in the Temple had little time that day to eat much if any thing at all 1. It is likely that he now came forth early in the morning from Bethany and so was fasting as yet so that he might well be hungry Observ Observ The truth of Christs humane nature in that his body was subject to such natural infirmities as ours are subject to as to suffer hunger thirst weariness c. But of this in part before ver 11. Joh. 4. 7. He was weary and thirsty in his journey Matth. 4. After he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights he felt hunger Joh. 19. 28. Being upon the Cross he thirsted He took upon him not onely the substance of our nature that is a true humane Soul and body but also the infirmities of our nature while he was on earth in state of humiliation viz. such as are meerly natural and not sinfull Hebr. 4. 15. In all things tempted as we are yet without sin And Hebr. 2. 14. He took part of flesh and bloud Vse 1 Use 1. To confute those Hereticks which deny or oppose the truth of Christs humane nature c. Use 2 Use 2. See by this how far Christ Jesus the Son of God abased himself for us and our Salvation not onely to take our nature upon him but also the infirmities of our nature as to suffer natural hunger thirst weariness pain of body grief of mind c. In a word so made like us in all things except sin c. The greatest humility and abasement that ever was set forth by the Apostle Phil. 2. 6 7. as a singular and most eminent pattern of humility for us to follow which must therefore move every one of us to labour that the same mind may be in us which was in Christ that is an humble and lowly mind and heart abased in ourselves before God and submitting our selves in all humility towards our Brethren carrying our selves humbly towards them abasing our selves to any the meanest Office of love for the good of others Gal. 5. 13. By love serve one another Not to carry our selves so proudly and disdainfully towards our Brethren as many do but in all humble manner as becommeth us Matth. 11. Learn of me saith our Saviour for I am lowly c. And 1 Pet. 5. 5. All of you be subject one to another and be cloathed with humility for God resisteth the proud c. Vse 3 Use 3. To comfort us in such infirmities and miseries as our nature is subject to as bodily hunger thirst weariness pain of body grief of mind c. when we feel these then to remember that Christ Jesus our Saviour in time of his humiliation on earth felt and had experience of the same and that to this end that he might be the more ready and willing to help and comfort us and to shew pitty on us being pressed with such infirmities c. as Hebr. 2. 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like his brethren that he might be a mercifull High-Priest c. A man that comes to comfort his friend in sickness if himself have had experience of the same grief is so much the more willing and fit to comfort his friend c. So here c. This therefore serves to strengthen our Faith in the mercy of Christ Jesus our Saviour assuring us that he being now in heaven at Gods right hand and so free from all infirmities yet because he had heretofore experience of our natural infirmities and miseries in time of his humiliation on earth therefore he cannot but be the more pittifull towards us c. Use 4 Use 4. A ground of patience also to us willingly and contentedly to bear such infirmities and afflictions when God calls us to it as to suffer hunger thirst pain weariness c. Seeing Christ suffered these before us Now followeth the third occasion of our Saviours cursing the Fig-tree viz. his espying of the tree afar off having leaves upon it It is likely that although our Saviour espyed the Fig-tree as he went by the way as Matth. 21. 19. yet that the Fig-tree grew somewhat out of the way which led from Bethany to Jerusalem because it is said He saw it afar off yet was it not so far off but that he could see and discern it and the leaves upon it as he went by the way Now followeth the motive or impulsive cause moving our Saviour to curse this Fig-tree viz. his going to seek fruit upon it and finding none but leaves onely He came if haply he might find c. where also is added the reason why he found no fruit because the time for Figs was not yet The end of his going to seek fruit on it was 1. To refresh himself in his hunger if there had bin any fruit upon it 2. That finding none upon it he might hence take occasion to shew his Divine power in cursing the tree and causing it suddenly to wither and dry up by the roots Quest Quest Did not our Saviour know before he went to the Tree that there was no fruit c Answ Answ Yes He could not be ignorant hereof as he was God for so he knew all things as Peter truly acknowledged Joh. 21. 17. but as man or according to his humane nature simply considered he might be ignorant hereof and that without sin for seeing the tree afar off he discerned it to have leaves but could not as he was man with bodily eyes discern whether it had any fruit or no upon it Quest It followeth For the time of Figs was not yet Quest Why then did our Saviour seek fruit upon it and curse it for bearing none Answ Answ 1. Some
Nature of sin which makes the Devil such a foul and unclean Spirit called filthynesse 2 Cor. 7. 1. It defileth Soul and Body it makes men like Sathan yea very Devils in carnate as Judas Joh. 6. penult How then should we hate and avoid all sin yea tremble at the motions of it arising in our Hearts and how carefull should we be not to defile our selves with the practise of it Use 3 Use 3. It must teach us to a abhorr all fellowship and communion with Satan to have nothing to do with that unclean Spirit lest he pollute us with the contagion of his own filthinesse Object Object God forbid we should have any dealings with the Devil we are far from it Answ Answ Whatsoever thou sayest or thinkest yet if thou hearken to his perswasions or be delighted with his wicked suggestions or dost yield to them then the truth is thou hast fellowship and dealings with the Devil though he do not appear to thee in bodily shape Learn then above all to detest his wicked motions and to resist them and cast them out of thy mind at rhe very first offering of them desiring of God to give thee grace so to do Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will fly c. Eph. 4. 27. Give not place to the Devil do not parley with him as Eve did least thou be taken as she was Beware of having the least dealings with that unclean Spirit least he infect thee with his filthiness We would not come near one that hath a Plague-sore upon him much less entertain him in our House or lodge him there How much less should we come near the Devil that foul Spirit or suffer him to enter into our hearts and lodge there c So much of the first thing by which the Person upon whom this miracle was wrought is described his present afflicted estate in that he was possessed with an unclean Spirit Now followeth the second which is the place where this party now was In their Synagogue Viz. at Capernaum where our Saviour now was and Preached there See before Ver. 21. Quest Quest How came this possessed Man thither at this time Answ Answ It may be he was brought thither by his Friends to the end he might there be cured by our Saviour as we read the like hath bin done by others at other times as Ver. 32. and Matth. 4. 24. But I rather incline to their Judgment who think that the Devil in this man was now forced by the secret divine power of Christ to come in the person of this man to the Synagogue and there to present himself before our Saviour Compare Mark 5. 6. with this Place No doubt but the Devil came to this place unwillingly and was unwilling also that this man whose body he possessed should come to the Synagogue to hear our Saviour's Doctrine or to be healed by Him yet our Saviour by his secret power forceth him to come that he might take occasion to work his miracle of dispossessing him in that publick place Observ Observ Christ hath absolute Power over the Devils or wicked Spirits of Hell He can rule and over-rule them as he pleaseth and force them to do that which they are most unwilling to do in obedience to him as here he forced the wicked Spirit which was in this man sore against his will to come to the Synagogue in Capernaum there to present himself to Christ that he might be dispossessed by him At other times our Saviour shewed his power over the winds and Sea c. Now over the Devil himself a most powerfull Creature yet forced to yield to the Power of Christ in coming now to the Synagogue c. Our Saviour did now as it were put his hook into the jawes of this Leviathan and drew him by force whither he pleased which was as great a matter or greater rather as a learned Interpreter upon this place saies than if a Fisher with a small fishing-line should pull a great Whale out of the Sea c. But of this power of Christ over the Gospel there will be occasion to speak more afterward I proceed now to the third particular to be considered in the words of the Text viz. The carriage or behaviour of the party possessed or rather of the Devil in him when he came to our Saviour This carriage of the Devil in the possessed party is expressed in two things 1. In his crying out 2. In those words which he spake to our Saviour Ver. 24. Touching the first He cryed out Viz. The Devil in the man Possessed As Gen. 3. 1. the Serpent is said to speak to Eve when it was the Devil in the Serpent Quest Quest What moved the Devil now to cry out Answ Answ The apprehension of the Divine Power of Christ who was now about to dispossesse and cast him out of his Hold. This no doubt did strike terror into this wicked Spirit and so much the Words following do shew Observ Observ This greatnesse of the Power of Christ the Son of God is terrible to the Devils themselves whensoever Christ doth put forth his Power against them and make them feel it It was terrible to them even while our Saviour lived on Earth in the state of Humiliation as here we see and in many other places of the Evangelists how the wicked Spirits in such as were possessed did tremble at the Power of Christ as soon as they did but begin to feel it when he was about to cast them out This made them to intreat so much that he would not torment them as Mark 5. 7. and Luke 8. 28. Much more is the Power of Christ now terrible to the Devils when he is exalted to the right hand of God in Heaven Jam. 2. 19. As they do believe the Divine Power of Christ so they tremble at it But most terrible of all shall his Power be to them at the last day c. Use Use If the Power of Christ be so terrible to the Devils and wicked Spirits then much more to wicked men who are weaker then the Devils whensoever Christ shall but begin to shew his Power against them in punishing them for their sins especially at the last day when he shall come in flaming fire to render Vengeance to them The apprehension of Christ's power joyned with his wrath against them shall then force them to cry out to the Mountains to cover them c. Rev. 6. The consideration of this should now move such wicked ones who have hitherto bin enemies to Christ and of his Church to turn to him by true Repentance and to submit themselves unto him Psal 1. Even Kings and Rulers are admonished so to do Now follow the words which the Devil in this party possessed did utter to our Saviour Ver. 24. Let us alone c. Here observe in General That the Devil by God's permission hath Power not onely to enter into the bodies of men and to hold possession of them
is satisfyed in the same Nature in which we have sinned and offended God Therefore there is now no Condemnation to us being in Christ Rom. 8. 1. Christ having in our Nature suffered the whole Curse and Punishment due to our sins God cannot but accept of these his Sufferings as a full satisfaction for all our sins so that now there remaineth no more Curse or Punishment properly for us to suffer in our Souls or Bodies in this life or after this life but we are delivered and freed from all not onely from the eternal Curse and Punishment of Hell but also from the Curse and sting of bodily death and from all temporal Afflictionsas as they are Curses and Punishments of Sin In Christ the nature of them is changed to us that of Curses and Punishments they are become Fatherly Chastisements and Trials for our good Vse 2 Use 2. Christ having suffered in his Humane Nature Hence we may gather that He will shew himself a merciful High-Priest to us in our Sufferings ready to help and succour us in all our afflictions and miseries which we suffer in this life in as much as himself had experience of Suffering the like in our Nature Heb. 2. 17. It behooved him to be made like unto his Brethren in all things that he might be a mercifull High-Priest For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted He is able to succour them that are tempted Here is great comfort to us in all our necessities and miseries Mark 8. 31. The Son of Man must suffer many things c. NOW followeth the necessity of Christ's Sufferings which he foretelleth in these words The Son of Man July 10. 1625. must suffer This necessity is to be understood in three respects Vide Paraeumin Matth. 26. 54. 1. Of God's eternal decree and purpose ordaining it Luke 22. 22. Truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined c. He is said to be delivered to death by the determinate Counsell and fore-knowledge of God That this Counsel of God might be fulfilled He must suffer 2. Of the Predictions of the Prophets in the Old Testament foretelling the Death and Sufferings of Christ therefore He must suffer that those Prophecies might be fulfilled Luke 24. 46. Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer c. 3. Of the Work of our Redemption which could by no other means be effected but by the Sufferings of Christ Joh. 3. 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent so the Son of Man must be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him shoul not perish c. For though it be granted that God by his absolute Power could have saved us by some other means yet this was the onely means which in his eternal wisdom he saw to be best and fittest to declare at once both perfect Justice and Mercy Quest 1 Quest 1. If there were such a necessity of Christ's Sufferings then how is it true that he suffered willingly as before we heard Answ Answ This necessity was onely of Consequence in respect of God's Decree and the Prediction of the Prophets and of Man's Redemption as we have heard but no necessity of Compulsion in respect of Christ who as He knew before-hand what was the purpose of God and the Predictions of the Prophets concerning his Sufferings so he was most willing to have the Counsel of God and Word of the Prophets to be fulfilled in him Quest 2 Quest 2. Doth not the necessity of Christ's Sufferings excuse the sin of those that were the instrumental causes of his Sufferings as Judas Pilate the Jews the chief Priests c. Answ Answ Nothing less Because they herein had no respect at all to God's Decree or the Predictions of the Prophets or the Work of Man's Redemption to be effected by Christ's Sufferings but for sinister causes and ends they sought his death Judas betrayed him for love of Money the Jews out of envy and malice proceeded against him Pilate to please the Jews condemned him c. Therefore Act. 2. 23. Peter tells the Jews that though Christ were delivered up to death by the Counsel of God yet they had by wicked hands taken and crucified and slain him Observ 1 Observ 1. That all things decreed or purposed of God from everlasting and foretold in his Word must of necessity be fulfilled So here it is said that Christ must suffer because so God had appointed and so it was foretold by the Prophets That all things decreed of God must come to pass is proved Isa 46. 10. My Counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Eph. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the Counsell of his Will So also whatsoever he hath in his Word foretold must of necessity come to pass Mat. 24. 35. Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not pass away Reasons Reasons 1. God is unchangeable both in himself and in his Decree and Word Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Therefore whatsoever he hath decreed in his Counsel and foretold in his Word must of necessity come to pass God is Almighty and therefore able to effect whatsoever he hath purposed in his Decrees or foretold in his Word Vse 1 Vse 1. Terrour to the wicked living in sin without Repentance God hath decreed from everlasting to execute his fearful wrath upon such in which reâ—pect they are said to be ordained to Condemnation Jude Ver. 3. And he hath also in his Word threatned and foretold those heavy Judgments which shall come upon them as that he will rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest upon such Psal 11. 6. Now therefore God having both decreed these Judgments and ordained them in his eternal purpose to come upon all impenitent Sinners and having also in his Word foretold and threatned the same Hence it followes that all such Judgments decreed and threatned must of necessity be fulfilled upon such wicked and impenitent Sinners going on and living and dying in their Sins See the certainty of the condemnation of such wicked ones if they do not speedily repent and flee from the wrath to come In the mean time their Judgment slumbreth not Vse 2 Use 2. Matter of great comfort to the godly in that all Blessings and good things which God hath purposed in his eternal Counsel and forâ—â—old and promised in his Word must of necessity come to pass He having decreed to give them eternal 〈◊〉 after this they cannot miss or be deprived of it in which respect iâ— is said that the Crown of Righteousness is laid up for them and that heavenly Inheritance is said to be reserved for them 1 Pet. 1. So He having in his Word promised many other blessings and good things unto them as forgivness of Sins comfort and deliverance in troubles stength against temptations protection in all dangers c. therefore all these must be fulfilled to them So He hath promised and foretold in his Word the