^
PRINCETON, N. J.
5^r/?V;/ . . . .•.J-J..(o.O. .Tl..^ ^h.'If. Numiu- ¥..:,. fr.
j
DISCOURSES
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
Bleffed LORD and SAVIOUR
JESUS CHRIST.
BY,
The Revd. WILLIAM D 0 D D,
Lecturer of Wejl-Ham^ EffeXy and St. Olave's Hart-Street^ London^
ne fame came to jefus hy night '^ andjaid unto him^ Rabbi y we know thai thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do thefe miracles which thoii doeft except God were with him. Johniii. 2.
Jefus of Nazareth^ a r/ian approved of God among you^ by miracles^ and wonders^ and Jig'ns, which God did hy him in the midjl ofyou^ as ye yourfelves alfo know. A6ls ii. 22.
VOL. IL
LONDON:
Printed for W. FA DEN, in Wine-OiKce-Court^ Fleet-Street, MDCCLVIL
CONTENTS
O F T H E
SECOND volume:
DISCOURSE XI.
On the Marriage of Cana in Galilee. Part I. John lu 1,2. page i
Part II.
27
DISCOURSE XIL On the Pool of Bethefda, John v. 4. 68 >/
DISCOURSE XIII,
T\it Thankful Penitent, Luke y'l'i. 47. gy q
DISCOURSE XIV.
On the Woman with the hloody IJfue, Part I. _ Luke viii. 42, 43, 44. 133
Part 11. Luke viii. 47,48. 159
DISCOURSE XV.
On the Faithful Canaanite, Part I. Matt, xv. 22 ^
PartIL ^^""
The CONTENTS.
DISCOURSE XVI.
/ or the Loaves and Fijhes, Part I. Matt, xiv. 19 — 21. ^5^
Part II. 280
DISCOURSE XVII.
g On the Buyers and Sellers driven out of the Temple. Matt. xxi. 12, 13. '^^7
DISCOURSE XVIII.
On the barren Fig- Tree. Matt. xxi. 18, 19. 34^
DISCOURSE XIX.
On the Man born Blind. Part I. Jobiiix. 30—33
Part II. 431
DISCOURSE XX.
On the dcatli and refurredlion of Lazarus. Part I. Jcbnxl I, 461
Part II. 491
Part III. 5^9
DISCOURSE XL
On the Marriage in Ca7ia of Galilee^
Being the Substance of Two Sermons.
PART I.
John ii,
I, 2-
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee ; and the Mother g/^ Jefus was there.
And both Jefus -was called, andhii Difciples, to the Marriage.
g)«()^^J Tdeferves remarking, that the/r/ y^ I ^ miracle which Jefus Wrought was w w^NAT^ ^^ ^ marriage, thus adorning, beau- ^^^^-^ tifying and bleffing that holy and honourable tikzit i?i/iituted of God in the time of man's * innocency, as well as pointing out to
• * Seethe beginning of the matnmomai (qivigq accord* ing to our Church. .. y. . . ,» yi r /
Vol. II. No.ii/J^/^^fe^^^ us
2 On the Mar^i A GE
us the excellent fnyjlery\ whereto he hath confecrated it, even to reprefent and fignify that fpiritual marriage and unity, which is betwixt Cbrijl and his Church, betwixt the Eon of God and human nature-, which divine and ever bleffed union is the foundation of all our hopes, and the fountain of all our comforts. — And I know not when we can more properly dwell upon the fubjedl of this great miracle wherein Chriji 7nanijejled forth his Glory, than at the prefent feafon "* of the year, when we are about to commemo- rate the myftery of our Lord's birth and in- carnatioUj thofe heavenly nuptials to which a fhining choir of the angelic hofts fung that delightful. bridal-fong, Glory to God in the highefi, and on earth peace, good-will to men. And to ihew her fenfe of this matter, our church hath appointed, amongfc the proper pfahns for Chrijl?nas-Day, one of the mofl beautiful epithalamiums, the fweeteft and di- vined marriage hymn that perhaps the whole fripture affords : I mean the xlvth Pfalm.
Though Chrif was long betrothed to his
fpoufe, ihtfleP:, even from the day of the
fall\ though the confummation of his nuptials,.
his appearance in the flefli, was earneflly ex-
* Sunday before Chrijhnas-Day,
pedled
/;? C A N A ^ G A L t L E l!i j
pefted and defired by patriarchs, prophets, priefts, and kings, and all his faithful fer- vaats, the friends of the bridegroom ; yet ht long delayed his much expeded advent and fent not the glad tidings of his approach to the favoured virgin, till things were reduced almoft to the lafl extremity : his peculiar peo^ pie well nigh deprived of all their power and privileges, nay and indeed their faith, and with the gentile woj'ld overwhelmed with thick darknefs,, yea covered with the fl-i.iow of death. In this gloomy night the \}^.^ of righteoufnefs arofe from the eaft, difpelling the fhades, and enlightening the world : He delights to fave and afTift when matters are come to the lafl: criiis, and human powers! are unavailing: when the fhip is finking, he fpeaks the word: Men muft be heavy-laden before they can come to him: and he oftimes in love reduces them to ftraits and neceffities for this bleffed purpofe. While there was plenty of wine at this marriage in Cana^ even his mother fought not to him: for where there is no need of him per- ceived, his help will never be called in : but foon as the wine was out, foon as they be^ gan to want, then they bethink themfelves what a gueft was prefent, and his mother propofes their deficiencies to him. This is
B 2 the
4 On the Makki AG "R
the way of human nature : and thefe exam- ples of our Lord's readincfs to fave, are a fingular blefling to us, apt as we are, while we want not his aid, to forget that GOD, who yet in our wants, if we cry to him, will ne- ver forget us. — But I will not anticipate any ufeful remarks which may arife from this firft difplay of our Lord's glory, intending, Ifl: of all, to explain the literal hiftory, and to obviate feme difficulties, which men willi?jg and izuffAng to be hijidch have raifed againft it, which done, I will, Ildly, remark what practical improvements may be made hereof, and Illdiy, in general diredt you to the fpiri- tual ufe and application of this miracle. And may the divine author of it blefs our prefent refledions upon it in the fame manner to our fouls as he did the performance of it to his difciples; for x\\Qn he 7nanifejied forth his glory y and his difciples believed on him.
m^And the third day , fays the evangelift, there was a marriage in Cana ^Galilee, the third day, as it is fuppofed after Chrifi'^ coming into Galilee^ of which defpifed country Cana was an obfcure town, in the tribe of AJJjer, whereof it was foretold, by the patriarch "^acob, that he Jlrndd yield royal dainties *,
* Genefis xlix. 20.
Thus,
//^ C A N A (?/^ G A L I L E E. j
Thus^ as well as in his birth, his parents, and his difciples, ^ejus chofe the weak, the humble, and the defpifed things of the earth to confound the great and the wife, to manifejl forth his glory. In this fame village there was a marriage-feaji *, for fo the original word imports, and we know that the Jewi/Jj folem- nities of this kind continued for many days. And the mother of Jefus was there y flie was there as a perfon concerned, not called or invited: from whence it is prefumed, and tra- dition confirms it -f-, that this was the mar- riage
^^^e^yudges x\v. ii. zn^ Genffis xx'.-x. 27, 28. Fap.o; VGcant autem yaftov Gnsci inierpretes^ ait Cheninitius^ Ge- nefis xxlx. 22. Efther ii. t8, corwivlum nuptiak^quando JpO''fa ad fponjum introducitur ^ fponjus ad fponjam ir.gre- ditur^ ficut fcr'tptura folet congrejjiim co^jngaltTii honefic cir- cumloqui. Alterum enim vocabulum^ quod Hehree'n fignificat dr.fponfatiomm^ feu ipfum conjugium Graci reddidrrimt^ Joihua xxiii. 12. e9riyaj%tav Cant. iii. U. rjy^(pivaw. Hoc ohjervandum eji ideo^ quodChr'iftu^^ nonjam privaius vivcns fid in ipfo officio M^ffi^^ non tantum dcfponjatiom^ fed i^ illi convivio intcrejfe voluit^ quando fponjus ad fponfam iri' greditur : ^ hinc Heb. xiii. 4. dicitur, ipfum cidule in con* jugio ejfe immaculatum.
f And this may be confidered as the more probable, fays Doddridge^ as Mary was not only prefent at thefciilt, but was concerned about fupplying them with wine: and when the t'ead was over, we are told at verfe 12 that Je^ fus was attended at his leaving Cana pot only with his own difciples, but with his brethren, or his nearcft kinf-. men, who probably came thither as relations to be prefent &t the mairiage. As Mary here is (poken of alone, it
B 3 may
6 On the Ma r r i a g e
riage of fome near relation: It has been fald that St. Joh?i the beloved difciple was one of the parties : but it feems more generally fup- pofed, that the pcrfons were Alpheus or Cleo- ^^as^ and that Mary, who in the fcriptures is called the Jijler of Jefus' his mother, jfefus^ however, and his difcipleSy thofe few, who already followed him^ were invited to the marriage; and as he was now entered upon his miniftry, and adled in a public ca- pacity, wherever he went or whatever adion he did, it was with one and the fame view, namely, to perform his Father's will : Jor he had meat to eat, that no man knew of-^ his meat was to do the will oj him that fent hi?n^ and to fnijld his work. ^ Wherefore knowing that his attendance at the marriage would be for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be 'glorified thereby -f-, to the intent that his dif- ciples might believe 3 he complied with the requeft of his friends, and graced the mar- riage feaft with his holy prefence : Not to countenance light intemperance, much lefs the
may be reafonable to coHclude, that J^'feph was now dead, ;ind that he lived not to the time, when Jefus entered on his public miniflry, efpecially as he is.no where mentioned \ti the gpfpel afterwards. See Dr. l,ightjoot\ Harmony in
I.QC.
* John iv. 3^, *(• Johnxi. /^»
?;? C A N A «?/ Gal I L EE. ^
inordinate excelTes frequent on fuch occafions', but by manifcfling forth his glory, to direft their view to a better, even an eternal mar- riage, a holy and infeparable union, of which divi?2e love is the fare and indifputable ce- ment.— And it was not long before their neceffities required his gracious aid; his mo-' ther — provident for the young couple and hav- ing conceived great expedlations (as fhe had good grounds) of her wonderful fon, whofc miraculous conception fl)e could never forget, and who, we are told, kept all the remarka- ble circumflance>-attending his birth, &c. •and pondered them in her heart, and whofe entrance on his public miniftry fhe now per- ceived with joy, witneffed as it was by the voice from heaven * : when the wine began to faily and was ahnofl out^ v(7Tspvi(7ciVTo;, but a fm all flock poffibly having been at firfl provided,
* Thefe remarks are made by Tlieophy^a,^. ^apaxa^« ^s auTov » frtjjT»3p &c. His mother exhorts him to work a mira- cle, as fhe had conceived a great opinion of his power, as well from his conception as his birth. For (he kept all thefe things in her heart, and concluded from them, that her fon could do fomething above the power of man. For fhe was not induced to afk this of him from any former miracle that fhe had feen him work, for when a child he did not work any miracles, which if he had done, it would have been well known by all : but (he had heard the teftimony oi John^ and. faw his difciples now follow- ing him; and from all thefe (he conjectured the power of her ioa.,
B 4 by
8 On the M A R R I A G b,
by reafon of the meannefs of the pcrfons; and that failing the fooner, as greater num- bers of guefts attended than was expedted, probably on account oi Jefus^ whofe fame began now to be fpread abroad : — In this fitu- ation of things the mother of Jefus faith unto him, they have no wine: hinting, as our Sa- yiour*s anfwer fliews, her defire, that he would afford fome miraculous fupply *. Where- fore to teach her, that in the exertion of his divine power fhe muft by no means take upon her to diredl or aflame any authority over bim — who though her [on in the hu^nan^ was yet her Gcdzvi'i her Lord in the divine nature^ David'x hord as well as David's Jon "f-, — he faith unto her, Woman^ what have I to do with thee ? mine hour is not yet come. In which there is nothing, as fome have impioufly fup- pofed, t\i\iQt oi difrefpeS ox moroftnejs: io fup^ pofe either in the blefled Son of God is blaf- phemy. The term woman appears a little harfti to us, only from our manner of ufing it: but the very bell and mofl polite heathen writers ufe it as an honourable title, and
* Some have fuppofed that Mary fpoke this to her Ton, as a reafon why they fhould depart; but it appears to me quite foreign to the fubjedi:, as well as to the anfwer which Jefns gave.
\ y^fi^^ *^ ^^ ^^^^ the raot and the offspring of Davids See ReveL Jcxii. i6.
when
i?r C A N A ^/ G A L I L E E. 9
when the higheft mark of refpedis intended * nay indeed, our Lord himjelf ufed it to his mother at a time and upon an occafion, when his bowels jounded f with the tenderefl af- feaion towards her, even when he hung bleeding on the crofs for her as well as fo'r all the world, nailed by that almighty love, which caufed him not to abhor this virgin mother ^s v^omh-Wornan, faid he to her in that bitter hour, commending her to the dif- ciple whom he loved, njooma?:, behold thy [on J. Then indeed the hour was come when he had to do with her— vjhtn that nature, which he took from her, was for her and all the world, enduring the moft bitter paffion, when indeed fhe had a part with, yea dominion over him ; and when it was that all mankind had to do with him, were mine^ed and concerned with him in the higheft degree : when he might well fay, h it nothing to you, all ye that "pafi by, behold a?idfee ij ever jor row was like unto myforrow I— my for row which is all for you, O ye fons of men, which is fomething to you all. wherein you have all to do with me, wherein all your neareft and deareft interefts are in^ feparably, eternally united.
* See BlackwaWsficredCioJtcs, vol. i. p. 206. f See Ifaiah, xvi. 1 1 , ;!: John xix. 26. II Jvament. \. 1%^
Then
10 On the Ma 'SiKi AG -R
Then his hour was come^ and then he had to do with his mother -^ h\xX,now^ when he adted as God^ fhe was by no means to prefcribe to him in any of his mighty works : and there- fore upon her attempting to do fo, he fays, What have I to do with tbee^ t/ t^oi nut croi, which is an Hebrew phrafe, and, in whatever part of fcripture it occurs, is apparently ufed in the fenfe of our tranflation, what have I to do with ihee^ what right, rule or authority doft thou claim over me ? what concern haft thou with me and my mighty works? * Tho* fhe might claim an authority over him as a Son, yet in his public capacity, as the Mejiaby the Son of God, fhe had no right over him,- there all relationfhip in the flefh ceafes : as he abund- antly declared, when they faid unto him, be- hold thy mother and thy brethren without, feek for thee: and he ajifwered them, faying, who is my mother and my brethre?i ? and he looked round about on them which jat about him, and faid, behold my mother and my brethren: for whofoever jhall do the will of God, the fame is my brother and myffier and my mother, -j In this re- ply then to his mother, he fully declares his
* For a proof hereof conrult the critics — and thefe texts of St. Matthew viii. 29. Judges xi. I2. 2 Sam. xvi. IQ. 4 Kings x\'\u 18. 2 Kings iii. 13. ix. 19. Sepiuag,
f See Ada It. x\L 48. com p. Lid-e x,i> 27.
I divine
?;^ C A N A ^ G A L I L E E, II
divine power, and to our comfort affures us
that we may all have to do with him by
a rclationfhip in the fpirit, fince in the hour
of his paffion we ail had to do with him, we
all v/ere concerned and interefted in him. We
have in the viith chapter of St. John ver. 3, an
account of a converfation between Jefus aiid
his brethren in Galilee^ which feems to me
greatly to confirm the explication above given
of the prefent palTage. His brethren faid ufito .
him, depart hence, and go into Judaea that thy dif-
ciples alfo may fee the works that thou doji : for
there is no man, that doth any thing infecret, and
he himfelffeeketh to be known openly : if thou do
do thefe things, fhew thyfelf to the world. For
neither did his brethren believe in him, To which
Jefus replied. My time is not yet come, but yours
is always ready. And that by his time and hit
hour, he meant the hour of his paffion, is
manifeft from various places of facred fcrip-
ture. No man laid hands on him, we read, for
his hour was not yet come, — "Then they fought
to take him, but no man laid hands on him, for
his hour was not yet come.^^My time is not yet
full come, ^
Thus Jefus declared to his mother, that in matters pertaining to the divine natui^e ilie muft not take upon her to diredt or think to
* John vii, 6. viii. 20. Uz,
influence
12 0^2 de Marriage.
influence him : there flie was alfo a woman, only a human creature, that wanted his atone^ ment as well as the reft : then (lie would have to do with him as zfoUy when his hour of fuf- fering was come, and he was manifefting by his bitter death the reality of his relationfhip to her, the reality of that human nature, which he took from her.
The generality of writers upon this fubjed have obferved, that this rebuke was intended by our Lord in his prophetic fpirit, as a ftand- ing teftimony againft that, idolatry which he forefaw after-ages would fuperftitioufly beftow upon his mother, even to the robbing him of the right and honour of his alone mediator- fhip and interceffion: " Oh blefled virgin, if in that heavenly glory, where thou art, thou canft take notice of thefe earthly things, with what indignation doft thou look upon the prefumptuous fuperftition of vain men, whofe fuits make thee more than a JoUcitor of divine favours ? Thy humanity is not loft in thy mo- therhood, nor in thy glory : the refpefts of nature reach not fo high as heaven : It is far from thee to abide that honour which isjlolen from thy Redeemer/' ^
Be
* Bifhop Hall. Bede \n 2in(^tv to Erafmus hath the confidence to aflert, that Chriji even now at the right
hand
?;Z C A N A ^ G A L I L E E; 1 3
Be this obfervation as it will, it is very plain that Mary did not underftand this anfwer as a denial, but, as I conceive, rather an encou- ragement to her requeft, as being better in- formed hereby of her fon*s divine power: for (he faith to the fervants, Whatfoever he faith unto you, do it — hereby fully declaring her ex- pedlations of fome mighty work to be done by him, as an anfwer to what ihe hadfuggefted to him : and prefcribing a rule to the fervants, 'which it would be happy if every fervant of Chriji would invariably obferve, Whatfoever he faith unto you, do it, not entering into the reafonablenefs of the command, or the improbability of the means to the end pro- pofed, but implicitly obeying whatever is a plain and clear command of Chriji, DO this-, and how any, who call themfelves chriftians, can dare to difobey any fuch plain commands, is wonderful and fearful to think, and what it would be almoft impoffible to believe, if it were not more impoffible to dilbelieve it. The way of duty is the way of mercy, and-
hand of his father, czves obedience to his mother, according to the human nature f And the Roman Cathah'cs in their prayers, intreat the virgin to command her Ton to perform their petitions ! Thus is fhe more than 2i folicitor indeed ! The reader defirous to fee an excellent fermon on the true honour due to the ever blefled virgin, will be very well en- tertained by confulting Bifhop jB«//'s fermons, vol. i. p 135.
2 bleffed
14 On the Ma liKi AG-E
bleffed are they who walk even on, without going to the right hand or to the left, either by a bold, a proud, and afelfifh prefumption of duty, wher^ no command is given ; or by a bolder omiffion of duty, where a plain com- mand is written in the eternal word of God. . The fervants at this feaft affgrd us a better example : the Jews were very much in out- ward and ceremonial wafhings: fuperftitious to a Grange d(?gree : for which purpofe, even at this humble dwelling, three v/cre fet Jix water-pots ofjhne, after the manner of the pu^ rifying cj the Jeu^s, containing two or ^thr€e Jirkins apiece : a con fiderable quantity, tho* a6 prefent not very eafy to be afcertained with any degree of exadlnefs *. As it was known to all the guefta, that thefe water-pots never contained anything but water, y^j therefore chofe to mak,^ ufe of them, for the more un- deniable proof of the miracle •|', which vyas about, to be wrought : and accordingly he
■ * See Dr. Li^htfo^'s Harmony in Loc. and Godwyn's Mofes and Aaron, Jib. vi. c. 9. ad finem.
t All thefe tetid to the certainty of the miracle. Iff, Changing the wine in pots into which nothing but water" ever entered. 2. filling them afrefh. 3. Drawing out inftantly. 4. Bearing to the governor what the fervants thought water. 5. The ignorance of the governor concerning filling the pots and drawing out thence : 6. The natural furprife vi'hi*. h we muft fuppofe in the fervants on hearing what the governor faid. 7. The governor and not the guefts lading and applauding this Wine, ^^.
orders
/;2 C A N A C/ G A L I L EE. I^
orders the fervatits to Jill thefe ^water-pots ivith water. The reafon of which though they could not underftand, yet following Marfs admonition, they obeyed, 2x\di filled them up to the brim, JefuSy having no doubt of the ex- tent and efficacy of his divine power, orders the fervants forthwith to draw cut from thefe pots even now filled with water, and to bear to the governor of the feaji^ a perfon ufually appointed amongfl the Jews to faperintend, dired: and manage fuch folemnities *. He, not being ignorant of the deficiency of wine at the feaft, according to his place, tafted this which the fervants bore to him, to fee if it were proper for the guefts : but upon tailing it he was furprifed, fo exquifite was the fla- vour, ib uncommon the delicacy of its re- lifti : and not knowing whence it was^ (though the fervants which drew the water knew) he called the bridegroom^ and ' admiring the un- common excellence of his wine, faid, It is ufual with moft men to fet forth at the be- ginning the good wine ^ tcv KaAov o/vov, and when men have drank plentifully^ then that which is
* To this governor of the feaft it belonged to blefs what was prepared, and having drank of the cup thus blefled, to fend it about to the whole company, whence Chriji faith to the fervants, Drcnv out and bear to the go-- vernir of the feajf, Whitby.
worje:
l6 On the yiA'RKi AG^
worfe: thou haft proceeded in a different manner, thou hafi kept the good wine until now. In which words every difcerning reader will fee that there is no room at all for thofc many blafphemous remarks, nay and daily in- fults upon the pure and fpotlefs character of the holy Jefus^ the only begotten of the moft high, as if he were indeed a wine-bibber^ a friend and encourager of revelry, drunken- nefs and debauchery.
For in the firft place, the governor of the feaft doth not fay even fo much as that the prefent guefts had drank pkntifully : he only urges the common proceedings in fuch feftivals as thefe, and the words rather countenance a contrary opinion : for he faith " every man fets forth good wine at the beginning, and when it may happen^ that rcitn JJmU have drank plentijully * then that which is worfe : thou (without any con- nefting particle) thou haji kept the good wine until now y thou haft not done as others do^ the beft wine comes laft/* Herein is the whole of the comparifon : he, by no means faith that they had drunk plentifully or to excefs: it is more than probable, as will appear by and by, that there was no ap- pearance of any fuch irregularity or excefs:
* This Is the import of orav ^\%vQ^u(rs^ cum affaiim lihe* rint, Beza.
feeing
/« G AM A e?/ G AL 1 LE E. 17
feeing the governor was thus capable of dif- tinguifhing the relifli of the good wine fo in- ftantly, which when men have well drunk is not the cafe ; and therefore it is, that, as he fays, bad wine is brought laft.
But however allowing, 2dly, that the words when men have well drunk^ did refer to the pre- fent guefts, yet the true meaning of the ori- ginal word fjtgOucQwo-/, and its ufage in fcripture, ftiews that it fignifies not criminal drinking or drinking to excefs: its proper and immediate fenfe is to drink after facrijicing *, and fo it is ufed in a religious import ; and in fcripture it is applied to drinking wherein there could be no excefs: it is ufed Gen, xliii. 34. then, when yofeph's brethren were admitted to him, be-, fore he had difcovered himfelf, and whea they were under too great terrors and ap- prehenfions to fall into any criminal exceffes i they drank, we read, and WERE MERRT with him. It is ufed for fpiritual drinking, Cant^ V. i» / have drunk my wine with my milk :
* Mt^vaci {AiTu fivfty, and The LXX in that pafiage render the Hebrew word by g/»£0t;«7S»3o-av — and It is well known that the original word *^*123Si^* Js ufed frequently for drinking without cxcef?, r\7\y and for fpiritual drinking, as in the text from the Cantiilfs, Beza obferves that "y^V v/hich anfwerb to ih^ Greek word fttfivwj, is frequently not ufed in a bad fenfe, but ibmetimes fignifies the liberal ufe of wine, without deviating into any excefs. Ssc Dr» Winiby\ nore on the place.
Vot, II. C drink
1 8 0;^ //:>^ M A R R I A G E
drink yea DRINK ABUNDAJSlTLT, O be- loved. This is that fpiritual drinking, of which we can never drink too ahiindantk : And hence St. Faul exhorts, he not drunk "with wine wherein is excefs : but htji/led with the Spirit *. And for this fpiritual and blefled inebriation it is, that Chri/l offers us the wine of his gofpel, of which bleffed is he that drinketh it 72ew in his kingdom^ for his blood is drifik indeed! " His love is what we are to drink of, and that largely, it being preferable to wine, and may be drunk of without danger' plentifully : we ?72ay driijk, yea be inebriated with love, as the words may be rendered 3 for here is enough of it, and no fear of receiving any danger by it : and all this together makes up that feaft of fat things, oj wines on the lees well refined^ of which the Lord's fupper is a reprefentation f .
But
* Ephefians. v. 18.
\ See G/V/'s expofitlon of the Caniides on the place above quoted. Erjkine in his pretty paraphrafe of the Canticles^
iiath thefe lines on this text
Eat, drink, O friends, whom I approve,
I alfo welcome you : Yea drink abundance of my love.
Full freedom 1 allow. Your fainting fpirits here refrefh,
With plenty fpread abroad : The grace and love, the blood and flefh Of your incarnate God !
Not
/V C A N A 9^ G A L I L E E. 1 9
But, 3dly, aHowiiig both thefe objedions to be true, namely that tkefe guefis had already drunk ^ivell^ and that the word, fo rendered, doth import criminal drinking^ yet it would by no means follow, that the miracle which Chriji now wrought was intended to encou- rage any vice of this fort: far from the mouths of chriilians, far from the hearts of men, be the lead furmife or fuppofition of fuch a fadt : moft reafonable it is to conclude, that the change of the water into wine drew ofFtheir attention wholly from the feaft, to this divine and wonderful perfon who thus mamfe[ied forth /'%/cr)', and obtained ih^faith of thofe whofaw it: moft reafonable it is to conclude, that this was a great means of fobriety and ferioufnefs, bringing the beholders to the ufual admira- tion— What manner of ?nan is this? And more- over,— not to infift upon a remark, which an able writer * makes, that it feems likely from the text, *' that the cup only which was borne to the governor was changed into wine" — I fay, not to infift upon this, to which, I muft own, there feem many objeclions, yet to ufe the emphatic words of the fame writer, " it
Not ele£l angels ever fhr.re
Such ftrange and matchlefs food : They feaft on their creator's care,
Not your redeemer's blood. * Mr. Lnv^ in his anfwer to Dr. Trapp.
C 2 fhould
20 0// //&^ Mark I A Gffi
ihould be remembered that the wine here fpoken of was not common wine, and there- fore has not the leaft relation to our com- mon drinking: that it was not wine from the juice of the grape: that it had nothing in it but what came from a heavenly hand : that it muft have in it the purity and virtue of him that made it : that it had as good qua- lities in it, and was fitted to have the fame effeds upon fome that drank it, as the clay which he moiflened with his fpittle had upon the eyes of the blind ! It fhould be remem- bered, that it was water only, fo altered, and endued with fuch qualities as he pleafed to put into it: and therefore we may be fure, that it was water, as highly bleft for their ufe, as they were capable of: we may be fure it was fitter to allay the heat and dif- order of drinking, than if it had been water
unaltered by our Saviour *. Well might
it be faid of this miracle, that he thereby manijejled forth his glory, &c. O holy Jefus^
* I omit a fcntence here, becaufe it fecms to be ex- tremely exceptionable, and becaufe the reft of this X^Tttcr's obfervations on this fiibjc£t are fo refined and noble. What he fays of this wine chano;ed by our Sa- viour, finely illurtrate^ the'original tov *:a^o> e»*ox. " With- out all doubt, fays a!i ancient writer, the excellence ot this wine was fuch, that the like to it was never drawn from be grape', nor made by any art."
thou
/wCanao/ Galilee. 21
thou didft nothing of thyfelf, thou foughteft only to manifeft thine and thy Father's glory from the beginning to the end of thy life : thou fpenteft whole nights in prayer, in moun- tains and defart places : thou hadft not where to lay thy head : thy common poor fare with thy difciples was barley-bread and dried fiflies : thy miraculous power never helped thee to any dainties of refrefliment, though ever fo much fatigued and fainted with labour : but yet becaufe this holy Jejiis came into the world tofave all forts of finners, and to fhew, that every kind and degree of fin could be taken away and forgiven by him, therefore he came into all places, and entered into all forts of company : he did not, as the bap- tift, tie himfelf to one fort of food, for he came eating and driiiking : but why did he fo ? it was that he might reprove and convert finners at their own tables j became not to indulge himfelf, or to find fuch gratifications as the baptift abftained from : but to work miracles, to awaken and aftonifh finners iii the midft of their indulgences/' — And to teach us that the wifdom of the prudent fliould ra- ther be employed in fi:udying how to improve and amend converfation, than to decline it ; for it is a much leis virtue to fly from and bid adieu to the world than to live ufefully, C 3 godly,
22 0« /^^ M A R R I A G E
godly, righteoufly and foberly in the chearfiil difcharge of all thofe fecial duties for which man is made and fitted.
Wherefore as even in the letter of this mi- racle there Is nothing to countenance the wicked fancies of thofe, who are fo weak and deftitute of common fenfe, as to {uppofe 'Chn/i difplaying his glory only to prolong a drunken revel, — let them take heed how they draw any arguments for intemperate feftivity from hence, while they are flrangers to the fpiri- tual ufe and application of fuch divine myfte- ries and know not any thing of that holy re- joicing to which the bridegroom invites the bride, drink abundantly^ yea drink^ O beloved-^ and which St. P^^/ recommends to all chrif- tians, rejoice in the Lord ahvays, and again I fayy rejoice, -f-
The confequences and fruits of this mi- racle were the manifejlation of the glory of 'J{fiiSy and faith in his difciples. — He rnaiii" fejied forth his glory ^ his own glory ^ w^hich was never faid of any miracle, wrought either by Mofes^ the prophets or apofllcs, and is a proof of Chrijl'^ true divinity : for the word GLORTy air through the fcripturcs, is ufed for the di- innity of the fecond perfon in the ever blefled Trinity; that glory which united to the man- i Phil. iv. 4.
kood
/;2 C A N A ^ G A L I L E E, 23
hod gives weight, an exceeding weight of glon^ to the light fcale of human vanity *. So that the expreffion is to the fame purport, as if St. "John had faid, majiijefted jorth bisdivijjity : for you will find, by carefully comparing the texts through the old and new teftament, that the glory of the Lord which manifcfted itfelf in tht tabernacle^ temple ^ &c. is the fame with th'^t glory which manifefted forth itfelf in the temple of a human body: which GLO- RY Mofes defired to fee, and could not, but which the apoftles and difciples of our Lord faw fully manifefted in the life and marvellous works of the Son of God. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father : which g/<9;;y,letus remember, was therefore manifefted that it might produce the fame fruits in all, as in the difciples -f*, — might caufe us to be- lieve in him — might raife in our hearts that di- vine faith which apprehends fefiLS as the glory of the Father, and fo our only glory ^ full of Qirace and truth,
* Dr. 5/.<?;2/:'«'j)^ exprefles himfelf extremely well on this head — " The word glory then applied to Chr'ijl^ denotes the fame God to have exhibited himfelf to us in this perfon, who formerly exhibited himself to the Jews in their tem- ple. And Vy manifffling forth his glory^WQ are to under- hand that Chriji did fomething which plainly proved his power to be divine and argued tlie adual prefence of God with and in his human body. See Epijilcs and Gofpcls. Vol. IK p. 75. t John i. 14.
C 4 Happy
^4 0/2 //6^ M A R R I A G E
Happy will it be for us, if thefe difplays of his divine power bring us to a full refigna- tion of ourfelves to him, that his infinite and exceeding glory may add weight to our in- finite lightnefs and deficiency, that his divine merits may counterpoife our numberlefs wants and great worthleffnefs, and that faved by his fulnefs, and made free by his truth, we may for ever extol the riches of the one, and for ever be ruled and direded by the didtates and authority of the other.
Having thus explained the literal ftory, I fhould now proceed to fhew you the prafti- cal and fpiritual improvement, which you fhould make hereof: but my prefent time prevents : Look however, till we meet again, through the letter of this ftory to that mar- riage feaft, to which "Jefm calls all and every one of you here prefent : and if you have any de- fire to fit down with the Lamb in his glorious kingdom, comply here upon earth with his command, Dothis in rcmemb-rance of me — drink of his wine freely offered to you, drink of that blood and eat of that body, of which whofoe'ver eateth and drlnketh^ he fiall never fee deathy but enjoy an eternal marriage feaft, and live in love and peace unfpeakable, with a bridegroom, who is fairer than the children of tnen^ 'who is altogether lovely. Be no longer
in-
/w C A N A of G ALILEIEI. 2;
intent on indulging your tafte or any of your fenfual appetites : the kingdom of God is 7iot meat and drinky but right eeufnefs and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghofl : * to attain which, purfue thofe intelledual and devotional pleafures, which were the meat and drink of our ce- leftial bridegroom while on earth, that fo you may patiently wait for, and at length drink of that good wine which he referves to the laji for his people, and for thofe richer dain- ties with which he will feaft thofe, who fliall drink it new with him in his kingdom of un- fading glory, &c.
* Rom. xiv. 17.
(5^'v^
s^^
0
^3^^
On
"tW * ^'*<^ 0$3r»,<S50 J^g??^ C$3^0«0 ,^ * G>
On the Marriage in Caria of Galilee. PART ir.
St. j^(?>5-?^ ii, II.
Tl6/i beginning of miracles did Jefus //? Cana ^ Galilee, and m am fefied forth his glory ^ and his difciplei believed on him,
FMM!^"^i N the former fermon on the fub- S I S jedl of this firft and great miracle 5^ )^ which Jefus wrought, I endea-
k.^)3CMjiJ voured to explain to you the lite- ral ftory in as full and clear a manner as I was able, obviating fuch difficulties as the cor- ruption of human nature and the perverfenefs of evil imaginations are willing to raife againft it : foolifli and blind, to cavil with the works of omnipotence ; weak and impious to refleft upon the facred charader and divine
reve-
On the Marriage, Gft. 27
revelation of a holy and undefiled Saviour, Tjho gave himfeIfov\\y for this blelTed purpofe, to deliver fallen mortals from the tyranny of fin, to redeem us from all iniquity, to purify to himfelf a peculiar people zealous of good works, to teach us to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world.
To this end it v^as that he went about doi?2g good^ having only this fingle point in view during the time of his public miniftry, to do his Father s work, to call finners to repentance and hfe. And upon this he was equally in- tent, and to this every place was equally fitted by him," whether it were at a weddirig or a/^- neral, whether he were called to Ca?7a in Ga^ like, or whether to Bethany, where Lazarus lay dead. At either he could equally manifeft his glory, and have the fame caufe of rejoicing for the fake of his difciples ; Jieverthelefs, faid he, / am glad for your fakes, that I was not there to the intent that TE MJT BELIEVE f . For this he main fe [ted forth his glory, in raifing Lazarus from the dead ; for this he mani- fejied forth his glory, by changing the water into wine: for we read hereupon, that his dfciples believed on him. This v/as the grand end and chief purpofe of all his mighty works,
t John ii. 15.
fo
28 On the Mark t A G-E
fo to manifeft his glory in and by them, as to obtain the faith of the beholders as well as of the hearers of them: for this end pertains to us alfo, and with this view we fliould al- ways reflect upon every manifeftation of the glory of Jefusy that our faith may be thereby increafed; for blejjed are they who have not feetiy and yet have believed *.
The prefent was fuch a manifeftation of his glory, fuch a proof of his divine power, as we are aflured is infinitely beyond the reach of all human abilities, and which was con- duced in fuch a manner as to be incapa- ble of any fraud or deceit 3 for which pur- pofe he chofe to change the water in thofe water pots, which were ufed for the purpofe of purifying only, and into which, as was obferved before, no wine ever entered j where- in every gueft prefent had wafhcd themfelves, and fo were convinced of what they con- tained, and which for the fulleft proof were now, by his command, filled with water even to the brim, that every beholder might be a witnefs of their contents, and that all might come and fee the great quantity of wine transformed by his fecret and wonder-
* John XX. 29.
ful
?« Can A ^ Galilee.' zg
ful power. Though nothing lefs than ow;//- potence could do this, yet as St. Aufiin beau- tifully obferves, it was as eafy for that omni- potence to do it now without the ufe of means, as to do it every year by means of moifture extracted from the earth, filtered through the branches of the vine, and having paffed through its feveral ftages, fwelling in the full ripe grape on the ftalk. This> is equally miraculous, and equally fuperior to all the united power of mankind, who can no more form one ripe grape on the vine, than they could change into wine many firkins of water. But as the fame father * continues to obferve, *' Becaufe this hath loft its wonder
* m^ p<:'itvinum in illo die in nuptiis in/ex illis hydriii quas impleri aqua pracepit ; qui cmni anno hoc facit in vitibus. Sicut enim quod miferunt in'mifirl in hydrias in vi- nu?n converfum eji^ opere Domini : fic iff quod nuhes fundunt in vinum convert'itur ejufdem opere Domini, lllud auiem non miramury quia omr.i anno Jit : ajfiduitate amifit admi- rationem. Nam ^ confuUrationcm 7najorem invenit, quam id quod factum eft in hydriis aqua:. ^is enim ejl qui conftderat opera Dei^ quibis rcgitur ^ adminijhatur totus %ic mundi'S, ^ non objiupefciiy otruiturque 7niraiulis? fi confideret lim unius grani^ cujujlihei feminis magna qucs- dam res 'ft^ horror eft confiderami. ^ed quia homines in al'iud intentiy perdiderunt confideret: c::em operum Dri^ in qua darent laudem quotidie creatori^ itaque fervavlt fibi Deus inufitata quadam^ qua faaret^ ut tanquam dormien- ies homines ad fe colendum mirabilius excitaret, Auguft* Tradl. viii. in Joan, Tom, ix. p. 30.
in
JO On the Mar 'R t AG -^
in the fight of men, by reafon of its fre- quency and repetition, therefore God re- ferv'd to himfelf an unufual way of working, to ftir up and awaken, as it were, the fleep- ing attention of mortals to the uieful con- templation of his mighty w^orks in the creation;'' and to fhew us what we owe to that almighty and beneficent creator, who, 5n a natural fenfe, maketb ail things "work to- gether for our good: giving us all things richly to enjoys fending us rain from heaven^ and fruit- ful feafons^ fi^^^^^'^^g ^"^^ hearts "with food and gladnefs^: and in return for all this bene- ficence requiring only of men Jo to ufe thefe bleflings, as not to abufe them, to receive them with thankfgiving, and to afcribe the glory and favour of them to the bountiful giver ! And yet fee the vile ingratitude of the human race ! how are thefe bleflings abufed, yea de- fied and polluted to the vileft ends ; how is the Creator not only forgot^ but fhamefully and fcandaloufly reviled and affronted even in and by thofe very gifts, which he himfelf hath bellowed -, how doth the whole creation groan and travail in pain together until now -f-/ You need not look far for proofs -, epicures, gluttons and drunkards, pamperers of the flefli, and lovers of the wine, when itfparkleth
* A(5^s xi\^. 17. + Rom. viii. 22.
in
/;2 C A N A ^ G A L I L E E. 3 1
in the glafs, are not rare to be met with : temperance and abftemioufnefs, though the greateft bleffings, even in a worldly fenfe, are very fcarce and hard to be found. We abhor the name of an atheift, of a man who is without God in the world ; but, I pray you, what is this but atheifm, atheifm of the very worfl: kind, being without God in the world indeed, and a fure way of being without God in the world to come ? let us, my bre- thren, ad: more wifely; and through the glafs of the creatures behold and magnify the glory of the Creator : that (o we may ufe them with thankfgiving, returning all the praife to him for the merciful ufe of his good creatures, and fanEiifying them to ourfelves by the word of G^d and by prayer * ; bearing always in mind, that we are not born and do not Ihe to eat and to drink, but only eat and ^ drink to Irce ; a good rule and always to be obferved by us.
This is the firft practical remark, which I would recommend to you from the general fubjedt of this miracle. The honour and dig- nity of the marriage ftate, is the fecond thing, which we are taught from hence, and which our church advifes, as an ufe to be made of this miracle: and that more particularly
* I Tim. iv. 4, 5.
when
32 On 2f^^ M A R R I A G E
when we confider it, in a fpiritual fenfe, as fignifying the myftical union betwixt Cbrijl and his church. The honour, dignity and happinefs of the marriage-ftate is fufRciently fhewn by the firft inftitution of it in para* dife, in the time of man's innocency \ but an additional bleflednefs is given to it by the great honour which Chrijl hath done it, in beau^ tifying and adorning it "with his prefencCy as well as the firft miracle that he wrought ; but more efpecially by that high myftery, which through his union with our nature, it now reprefents and Jignifies : ftriking admonitions to us, what they fhould think of themfelves, who difhonour that which God hath deter- mined to honour, forbidding to marry\ and commanding to abftain from an holy ordi- nance of God. St. Paul hath direfted us what to believe of fuch and their dodlrines j that they are themfelves /educing Jpirits^ and their dodlrines, doBrines of devils *.
But there are other ways of difhonouring this holy eftate, upon which fo much of the prefent comfort, fo much of the future hap- pinefs of fociety depends : and thefe are, Ift, entering into it, upon wrong, bafe, and worldly motives, which, alas, is but too commonly done every day, and which is a fountain of perpetual
* I Tim. iv. I, 2, 3.
bitter-
in CAna of Galilee. 33
bitternefs: 2dly, by living in it without that love and afFedlion, which is effential to the true happinefs of the ftate, in continual brawls and difquietude, that render it very unlike the love and union it is intended to reprefent, even the love of G^n// and his church: 3dly, by breaking the marriage contract, which is the highfcft offence poffible,and the greateft af- front to God, diflionouring his ordinance in the lafl: degree, and big w^ith innumerable evils. For the adulterer not only breaks thro' the laws and fandions of fociety, not only tranfgrefles a plain command of the eternal king of heaven, but is guilty of the higheft profanation and irreligion, profaning a temple of God, even his own body, for our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghoft, and irre- ligioufly defiling a facred myftery which is the fource and fubftance of all our future hopes: cutting himfelf off from that bleffed and future union with Chriji, the true bride- groom, who gave himfelf for his fpoufe^ for every foul! and yet the adulterer horribly dif- claims all union with him, and joins himfelf to that flelli and that fin, which hath for its marriage portion and its marriage joys nothing but flames of hell, and beds of everlafting fire. Thus every aft of adultery " defecrates Vol. II. D a
^4 On the Marriage
a temple and deflours a myftery :*' -f- and as being the moft hainous fin, is alfo the great- eft dilgrace and difhonour poflible to God's holy ordinance of matrimony. But there are, 4thly, who no lefs diflionour it 3 thofe, I mean, who, in contempt both of the inftitutor and his inftitution, live in fornication and unclean- nefs, and inftead of making themfelves mem- bers of Chriji^ make their bodies members of an harlot I * St. Faul puts a God forbid X.o this: and indeed we may well do fo to thofe, who are baptized and call themfelves chrifti- ans : and yet alas how doth thisiniquity abound through thefe chriftian realms^ men fo madly d 'hiding their own fouls, as to efteemifUif/^/W/ If to defile and defecrate a temple be efteemed fo horrible a thing that we look upon the wretch who doth it, with the greateft abhor-
f To break faith with a wife or hufband, fays Bl [hop Taylor^ is a divorce from Jefus^ and that is a reparation from all poffibilities of felicity. In the time of the Mofal- cat flatutes to violate marriage was to do injuftice and dif- honour, and a breach to the fanaions of nature and the lirfl conllitutions; but two hands more are added in the gofpel to make marriage more facred : for now our bodies are made temples of the Holy GhoR, and rhe rite of mar- riacre is made ftgnificant and [acre mental^ and every acf of adultery is profanation and irreligion : it defecrate) a temple and dejicnn a my fiery. See his Great Exen^flar^ page 219.
* I Cor. V'. 15.
2 rence
in Can A of Galilee. 3^
rence and abomination, and would fcarce bear to be prefent with a man who fhould do any ad: of wickednefs and uncleannefs in the church or on the aUar 5 why fliould we look upon thofe guilty of this vice, or why fhould they who are guilty of it look upon them- felves with lefs abhorrence and abomination ? for they do dejecrate a temple, they do defile the members of Chriji, they crucify him afrefh — Jo?^ wbat^ faith the apoftle, know ye ?iot, that y cur body is the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghojiy which is in you, which ye have of Gody and ye are not your own ? For ye are bought with a price^^ a price ineftimable indeed, even the pure and precious blood of Jefus Chrifl ! Are ye then not fhocked to think, that ye fhall not only defile this tem-r pie of the Holy Ghoft, but make thefe mem- bers of Chri/i, for which he flied his moil: pre- cious blood, the members of an harlot, and all for a little filthy luft, for a mom.entary joy, which will torment your fouls with everlaft- ing pain in the burning and bottomlefs pit ? — Were this vice lefs common I fhould not dwell fo particularly upon it, and more efpccially when, through the iniquity of our times, and the prevalence of the fin. it is become almofl ridiculous to fpeak otherwile than with a kind of approving fraile of adulterers and fornica-
* i Ccr. vi. 19.
D 2 tors ;
36 On the Marriage
tors ; when modeft cheeks fliould rather glow into a flame, and true zeal fire the indig- nant tongue, as afhamed at once both to hear and to [peak of thcfe things that are done of them in fecret. — But I have good hope through the grace of God, and therefore I have fpoken, that, if any guilty of this vice hear me, con- fidering its hainous nature, confidering that it defiles and pollutes the temple of God, even the fpirit of holinefs, that it abiifes thofe mem^ bers^ which the Son of God redeemed, by fuch unfpeakable fufierings, and which he now claims for his own, and will have ufed to his glory, that confidering it crucifies afrefli the Son of God, and puts him to open fhame> that refleding upon thefe things, they will not madly deftroy their own fouls, and run headlong into everlafting mifery, but fol- low the fame apoflle's advice^ flee fornication - for every other fin that a man doth is without the hody^ but he that committeth fornication fin- neth againft his body, which yet is not his own but the temple of the Holy Ghoft: where- fore glorify God in your body, and in your fpi- rit,' which are Gods.-^
Thefe are the principal ways by v/hich God is abufed in his holy ordinance of matrimony :
f I Cor. vi. i8«
the
in Cana ^/'Galilee. 38
the beft means to reform all which, and to honour him therein, is to do, thirdly, as this couple at Cana of Galilee did for our exam- ple, invite Jefus to the wedding. This is a ^certain way to fecure happinefs : to have all the water of earthly troubles and afflidlions rhanged into wi?7e, into comfort, peace and fe- renity. Mofl chriftian writers have been par- ticular in their advices upon this fubjed:, fol- lowing St. Pauly who gives it as a command, Be ye ?70t U7ieqiially yoked together with un- believers,'^ But in truth his command, as well as examples in abundance of the fatal confequences of neglecting it, avail very little in the world, where intereft and fecular mo* tives are the chief things conlidered in con- trading marriages, and where Chr'ift is ge- nerally the only perfon left out of the invita- tion : or at ieaft, if other conveniencies fuit, it is not efteemed of immediate confequencci whether he be prefent or not : This feldorti breaks off matches. How well doth our ex- cellent church advife all her members not, to enterprife or take in hand fo momentary a change of circumftances, unadvifedly, light- ly, or wantonly to fatisfy mens carnal lufts and appetites, like brute beads that have no
* ?.. Cor. vi. 14.
D 1 under-
38 On the Marriage
underftanding : But reverently, difcreetly, advifedly, foberly, and /;/ the fear of God.'*^ There can be no doubt of felicity, when, in the fear of God^ this holy eftate is entered into, when Jefus is called to the wedding: Holy love and heavenly peace will abound in the dwellings of fuch, and while the mutual love of C/3r//^/ and his church is made the pattern of their affedion, they will go on hand in hand in the chearful difcharge of their duty, and part only for another and a better meet- ing, a meeting in the kingdom of their hea- venly Bridegroom, never, never more to part, but to live through endlefs ages in the mutual enjoyment of his love and grace unfpeakable.
If you defire this prefent, as well as future happinefs, inmte Jefus to your wedding ^-^ feek and fue to him by fervent prayer for a bleff- ing; live in his love and favour, and then be affured, no worldly things fliall ever moleft your peace, or deftroy your quiet > for you build on a rock. The evil and fatal confer quences of omitting fo to do, are too plain and obvious in the world to need infifting on ;
* The homily of our church on matrimony well deferves a ferious perufal.
, f It is never too late to invite him, and if you fhoiild have been fo unhappy as to have contra£led a marriage, forgetful of Chrift^ now remember to invite him, now fee to engage him, and intereft him in your favour.
whence
/;z Canac/ Galilee. 39
whence proceed thefe frequent and numberlefs breaches and the marriage-contrad, this flood of adultery, this coldnefs and difregard, this want of affection and efteem, thefe frequent breaches and difquietudes, thefe quarrels and divifions, '' fcandalous feparations, and more fcandalous cohabitings, by which fo many families are undone in their fortunes, diflio- noured in their blood, tainted with difeafes, corrupted in their education, ruined by do- meftic patterns of vice ? Thefe are confe- quences which no wife man can think ftrange, where fo many matches are made, in which the true ends of them are never confulted : where wifdom and virtue and religion, and agreeablenefs of tempers, and modefty of be- haviour are wholly overlooked, and the beau- ty and fortune are the only inducements. This may be to Q2i\\Mainmon and Venus, h\it it is per- fe(ftly to fhut out Chrift and his difciplcs from the marriage."* And, if they be excluded, as two fallen children of fallen Ada772 meet to- gether, their paffions and evil tempers unfub- dued and unmortified by grace, they mufl and will break out into flames ; and the evil con- fcquences enumerated above will enfue. And ^s nothing but grace can fubdue thefe tempers
* See S:r,nhope'*s EpijUfs andGofpehy vol. 2. p. 77.
D 4 ana
40 On the Marriage
and paflions, whatever moral qualifications, out of Cbri/}^ we look for and exped:, they will be found utterly infignificant, too weak to bind, too impotent to reftrain, the evil na- ture will betray itfelf. Nothing but Chrift^ by his divine love and powerful word, can drive out the legion^ and fpeak peace to the winds arid florms. But if he be called, if he be a delired and welcome gueft, his love will fo fubdue all evil paffions, fo incline each one to bear gladly with the other, and fo fweeten and foften the unavoidable imperfedions of human nature, that they will foon become, as if they really exifted not, that they will foon really not exift : — For in this refped: al- fo he v/ill change the water into wi?ie : The water of earthly paffions into the chearing wine of heavenly affedions. Would God the coniideration hereof might incline us all to defire his divine prefence, keeping our eye fixed upon that of the apoftle, 7narriage is ho- nourable in all^ and the bed undefded ; hut whore- mongers and adulterers God will judge ; yea they Jhall have their portion in the lake which bur net h with fire and bri^njhne.^
Fourthly, we may learn moreover for our pradlice a tender and becoming concern for
* Heb. xii. 4, Rev, xxi, §.
the
in Cana of Galilee. 41
the wants and neceffities of our friends, from Mary^ folicitude for this young couple : If it be in our power, we are bound to relieve them, when in want, and indeed in all their wants and neceffities we have the power of doing what Marfs example fuggefts, of ap- plying to ChriJI on their behalf. The effeBual fervent prayer of a righteous man availetbmuch: great are the bleffings and promifes annexed to faithful prayer : and when as well in the fpiritual and temporal needs of others, we apply to fefus as our only mediator and ad- vocate, we need not fear, but that he will at length hear us, that in his good time, and his hour he will fupply all our neceffities : which though he feemeth to delay, nay, though he fhould put us oflF fomewhat harfhly, yet we muft carefully obferve Marys rule and tem- per, patiently fubmit to his divine and better will, and whatfoever he faith unto us. Do it ; this is the only way to have him fhew miracles of mercy on our behalf. We muft not dare to prefer ibe to him times and feafons for af- fifting us ; that muft be left to his better wif- dom : we muft wait for his hour, and his time of affifting us is generally our time of utmoft need 3 when the witie is all out, when all hopes of human aid are gone, then he de- lights to ftretch forth his right hand to fave,
defend
42 On the Marriage
defend and deliver us. Nor muft we think unkindly of Chriji, though he bring us to this laft hour, though he reduce us to the laft ex- tremity : calamities and afflidlions are no marks of his hatred, but of his love : whom he loves he chaftens. There was wine want- ing at the feafc where Chrifi himfelf was pre- fent : frequently the beft of Chrifiiam are re- duced to the loweft ftate of fufferings, and God hath his good purpofes in all thefe, even the mamfejlation of his glory.
Fifthly, His gifts are all for ufe, to be drawn outy we muft not bury our talent in the earth, but trade with it 5 for there are diverji- ties of giftSy but the fame fpirit ; but the ma- nifeftation oj the fpirit is given to every man to profit withaL^ Thefe gifts of the fpirit and of Chrift are very different from the gifts of the world, fin and fatan, they prefent us with the very beft wine firft : Chrijt keeps the good <wine till the laft. All the delights and plea- fures of fin fmile upon us to allure and entice us at the firft, they, prefent us with the moft beautiful outfide, while within they are like graves full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleannefs. Milton defcribes fin as a beau- tiful woman, fair and lovely to the wafte, but
* I Cor. xii. 4, 7.
— Endi?ig
in Cana cf Galilee. 43
Ending foul in many a fcaly fold,
Voluminous and'vajl^ a ferpent arm'd With mortal jling.-^ .
And Solomon defcribing the wine of fenfaal worldly pleafures, ufes much the fame image ; {It the lali it biteth like a ferpent and jlingeth like an adder. The world prefents us with fair language, pronilfing hopes, convenient fortunes, pompous honours, thefe are the outfides of the bole : and that vile inveio-jer and fubtle deceiver of fouls comes with his bafe inlinuations — all thefe things and the glory of them will I give unto thee, if thou wilt ojily fall down and worjlnp me. And alas, how ma- ny are caught by this bait in the caitiff's trap ! but foon as it is down, foon as the bait is fwal- lowed, thefe diffolve in an inftant, and there remains nothing but bitternefs, and the ma- lignity of colloquintida ;"* thefe fair fliews and fpecious promifes melt away like the morning dew, and in their ftead the heart feels nothing but the fiery ilir.gs of confcience, and the burning fear of heil. Every fin fmiles in the firft addrcfs 5 and, like the harlot, fiattery is in its tongue^ honey on ths lip^ gaudy bravery
+ Farad'ife Loft^ b. 2. 650. Proverbs xxiii. 32. * See Bilhop Taylor s Great Exewplar^ p. %2q,
in
44 On the Marriage
in its outfide attire * : but when we have well driink^ then comes that which is worfe : a dart Jlriketh thro' the liver ^ when hafiening like a bird to the fnare, and knowing not that it is for life : they lie down in /hame^ and their conjujion covers them^ for they have finned againfl the Lord their God -f*: who will render in- dignation and wrath^ tribulation and anguijhy upon every foul of many that doth evily that is contentious and obeyeth not the truth. But to tbefsy who by patient continuance in well doing feck for honour and glory and immortality J, for thofe will he referve the good wine to the laft, the good wine of eternal life^ and eter- nal blifsjwhich they (hall drink new with him, in his heavenly kingdom, when the marriage of the Lamb is come^ and his wife hath made herfelf ready.
But this more properly belongs to the fpi- ritual interpretation of this miracle, which I propofed to give you in the Hid and laft place, and which I will do as concifely and clearly as I am able.
The great myllery of the rejedion of the Jewilh, and the calling of the Gentile church,
* Proverbs v. 3, vi. 24, vii. 5, &c. t Jer. iii. 34, :|: Rom. 3. 6.
Chrifl
in Cana of Galilee. 4^
Chrlji delivered in a parable *, where he tells us, that the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which made a marriage for bis fin : And fent forth his fervants to call thet7iy that were bidden to the wedding ; and they . woidd not come. Other fervants were fent to thefe fame people : but they defpifed both the meflengers and the raeffage ; making light of this and flaying thofe. The king enraged hcreat, fent forth his armies, and deflroyed thefe murderers and their city. But defirous that the wedding might be furnifhed with guefts, he fent them into the high-ways and hedges^ to bid as many as they fhould iind ta the marriage. The invitation was rea- dily accepted by thefe, and the wedding was furfiijhed with guejls, ^his king reprefents to us God the Father, and the Son his Son, our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrijiy he who is the bridegroom, and hath the bride, even thofe faithful fouls who come to the wedding :• the Jews reprefcnted by thofe who were firft bidden, and refufed to come, rejeded Chrtyi when he came with his propofals and offers of love to them^ cruelly en- treated and flew him, as well as fuch of his fervants, thofe friends of the bridegroom, as * Matt, xxii,
he
46 Oh the Marriage
he fent to woo them to himfelf and to his Jove. Rejedled by thefe he made his offers of grace to the Gentiles^ reprefented by thofe \xi\}i\^ high -ways and hedges-^ he fent his fer- vants to invite them, and they readily re- ceived and obeyed his heavenly call, clofed with his divine proffers, rejoiced to be led into the knowledge of the truth, and to ef- poufe themfelves to this all-lovely bridegroom. And this 7'eprobaiton of \}ci^ ^ews and eleBion of the Gentiles was the great myjiery^ the deep decree and counfel of predeflination, hid from agesy keptfecret, fmce the world began yh\ii^ as St, Paul fays, made manifejl after the death of Chriji * : And by the fcriptures of the pro- phets according to the commaiidmeJit of the ever^ lafing Gody made known to all nations for the obedience cf faith -f-. And indeed the prophets all through fpeak in the flrongeft terms of this great myftery of Chrifi\ marrying the adulterous gentile church, of his taking that wife of fornications to himfelf, as you will fee by confulting the prophets, particularly the livth chapter oilfaiahy where he faith to this church. Thy maker is thy hufhand — and in none more emphatically than in the pro- phet Hofea^ whofe name fignifies Saviour^ \
and
* Col)fr i. 26, 27. T I^oin. xvi, 25, 26. J The
k-arncd reader wants no proof hereof: and the unlearned
one
in Cana of Galilee. 47
and who was in this refpeft a ftrong type of our redeemer, being commanded of God himfelf, to take a wife of whoredoms ^ to marry a woman an adulterefs^ even as Chrif married the adulterefs flefh, and particularly the gen- tile church *. Plead with your mother y pleads
faith
one is referred to Mr. CruderCs excellent Concordance, where he will find a very ufeful explanation of all the proper names in fcripture.
* See Hofea i. ii. and ill. It is remarkable that in the genealogy of Chrift^ out of \}ci^ four women that are mentioned there, two were adulterefres,T'^w^r zndBathJheba. Irenteus fpeaking of the prophet Hofea fays, Chr'iji was manifefted to the prophets not only by v'lfions and words^ but by actions likewife : that he might by the prophets pre- figure and forefhew things to come: for this purpofe it was that the prophet Hofea took a wife of whoredoms <f to fhew by that ac^ that the earth had committed great fpi- ritual whoredom in departing from the Lord-, and that out of this earth God would efpoufe to himfelf a church which fhould be truly fandtified by communion with his fon, as that wife of v.'horedomswas to be typically by comnmnication with the prophet, as St. Paul fi.ys, " The unbelieving wife Is fandlified by the believing huiband, i Cor. vii. 14. That which was done typically by the prophet, the apoftle Ihews was really performed by Chriji in the church, lib. 4: chap. 37. p. 336. — St. Cyril oi JUxarJria^\o\. i. p. 196, upon Genefts^ {"ays, God did thefe things by his holy pro- phets from time to time, that in them, as in a lively pic- ture, men might have a view of things to come, deline- ated as it were before their eyes, and might turn them to their own fpiritual advantage. So that the prophet's co- habiting with a wife of whoredoms was a type or figure of God's uniting or alTociating himfelf, after a wonderful .manner, with that deteftable harlot the Jewijh church.—
I am
48 On the Marriage
faith God in this prophet, chap. ii. 2. ' Am 1
not her hujhand, is pe not ?ny wife? let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her Jight^ and her adulteries from between her breajls, &c. — ver. 19. And I will betroth thee unto me jor ever^ yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteoufnejs and judgment^ and in loving kindnefs and in mercies : 1 will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness^ and thou (halt know the Lord, A?id I willfow her unto me in the earthy and I will have mercy upon her^ that had not obtained mercy ; a?id 1 will fay to the?n which were not my people^ Thou art my people ^ and they Jhall fay, Thou art my God.
This too, as I obferved, is that great myf- tery of predeJii?2ation, even God's decree from all ages to call and marry in Ch?'iji the Gen- tiles, his ele^, of which St. Faul fpeaks, and of which he writes particularly in the iiid chapter to the Ephejians, the title of which in our bibles is, Of the hidden fnyjlery, that the Gentiles fhould be faved.
And as this was the great purpofe of Chrijl's coming in the flefli, and dying upon the crofsthusto purchafe to himfelf an uni-
1 am obliged to the learned labours of the reverend Mr. Merrick for the fe colledions, as well as for many ufeful hints on this fubject, which the reader will find in his fer^ mons on Marriage, printed for Withsrs, FUet-Jireet,
verfal
in C An A of G Ah iLv^t. 49
Verfal church by fliedding his moft precious blood, fo is it fpiritually figured out to us in this firft or ^ chief mwzcXt, which he wrought in Cana of Galilee: for the great, the principaly and the chief miracle which he wrought, was the fhedding his blood, and rifing again on the third Azy to purchafe to himfelf his fpoufe the church. — The Holy Ghoft informs us, that this marriage in Ca72a was on the third day: now as there is no word in fcripture without its fpiritual as well as literal ufe, fo we may be aflured that this alfo was intended to teach us fomething ; and the third day both in- the Old and- New Teftament hath refe- rence to the refurredlion of Jfus^ which was on the tloird day, when having finiihed his work, having performed the fervice required, paid his bride's debt, fully fatisfied for her of- fences, and obtained the full power of redemp- tion, he arofe from the grave and entered upon his mediatorial office, preparing to celebrate his divine and eternal nuptials, goingbefore, as he faid, to provide and make ready thofe divine and hea- venly manjions -f-, which are in his Father's houfe, for the reception of his beloved fpoufe. Speaking of the third day, he himfelf fays. Behold I do cures to-day and to-morrow ^ and
* Tw APXHN rm ll'Ai^&iuy.
* John XIV. 2.
Vol. II. No. 12. E the
50 On the Marriage
the third day 1 JJ:all be perfeBed +, reJ^si^iieny — *' wholly completed, fitted and confecrated to my office of mediator, to have all power in heaven and in earth,'' And the prophet Uofea fpeaking of Chrijl fays, after two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raife us upy and we JJjall live in his fight *, for when he was raifed up from the dead, his bride, even all faithful fouls were raifed up with him, for he is the head, and we are bone of his bone^ aiid fie(J^ of his fleflo, This is a great my fiery, faith St. Faiil, but I fpeak concerning Chrifi and his church -f*.
And as the Holy Spirit informs us of the day of this divine wedding, fo doth he alfo of the place, Cana of Galilee ^ upon which much ftrefs feems to be laid^ for you may obferve that it is repeated, both at the begi7ining and end of the narration. For this I will ufe the words of the learned St. Cyril, *' Here again, fays he, let the intel- ligent reader obferve, that the marriage was not celebrated in ferifalem, but without Ju- dea, to the end that it might be the country of the Gentiles -, for Galilee was of the Ge?i^ tiles, as the prophet fpeaks § -, and, hereby
was
:j: Luke xiii. 32. * Hofea vi. 2. + Ephef. v, 32. § AJatt. iv. 12 y^fus departed into Galilee ^^ — and whr lo I — That it n:ight be fulfJisd — which was fpoken by
Efaias
i;^ Ca N A of G AL I LEE. 51
was manifeflly intimated, that the J^-^//5 church would rejed:C/6ri/?thebridegroomfrom heaven, but that the Gentile would very readily receive him 5 for C/6r//? did not go to this marriage of his own accord, an unbidden gueft; but was invited by many believers 3 moreover there was a de- ficiency of wine to the guefts, which intima- ted that the law made nothing perfect *, the writings of Mofcs did not fuffice to create fpiritual joy -, but Chriji hath (liewn us a wine yvhich is much better than the firft (under the law;) for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life J. The good things of the law .have no perfedion in themfelves, but the gofpiel difpenfation is the completion of the bleffings promifed therein."
And to ihew that the Jews would not only rejeft, but be rejeded of him, jejus at this wedding rebuked his mother, and faid, ivbat ,have I to do ivith tkee? (lie wing to the Jew^ that the outward privileges they flood upon, and the relationfhip which they boafted that they bore to God, who, they faid, was their Father — was no argument for pre fumhig up- on his power ; fince he would forfake them,
Efaias the prophet, faying — Galilee of the Gentiles^ the ** people which fat in darknefs faw a great light ; and to them which fat in the region and fhadov/ of death light is . fprurig up." See Ifai, ix. I, 2.
* Heb- vii. 19- t 2 Cor. iii. 6.
E 2 as
52 0?l the MA-SilSLlAGt,
as they had jorjahn him, to take unto hirrl- felf a fpoufe from the Gejitilts, For generally in marriages there is a forfaking ; a man^ faith the fcripture, Jloall leave father and mothery ajid cleave to his wife"^^ as the wife muft do in return ; fo Chrift did forfake, did leave his hea- venly Father's bofom, to marry human nature, and he forfook his Mother the Jewijh church, to marry that of the Gentiks, which in return was to Jmfake 2\\ her idols and all her abo- minations, before her maker could be her huf hand.
There were fet at this wedding water-pots of flone, ajter the manner of the purifying of the fews ; — and the water in thefe he turned into wine, to (hew, that all the typical wafh- ings and purifications of the Jews were to terminate in his blood, and, as it were, to be changed into it : that all their ceremonies and fervices fliould ceafe, and be completed and verified in that great facrament, his death upon the crofs, which is the life, the fum and/ub- ftarice of the gofpel facraments, baptifm and the Lord's fupper.
This water made wine was to be prefented ^oth& Go'-jernor of the feaft, ^Nho here, as the Ki72g in the parable juft before fpoken of, re- prefented God the Father, who receives this
* Gen. ii. 24. Matt. xix. 5.
good
/;/ C A N A ^ G A L I L E E. 53
good "wine of his Son's blood, accepts and ap- proves of it, and declares himfelf well pleafed with it, as being far better than the wine of- fered at jirjl^ than all the typical fervices, and all the blood fhed in facrifice, which could never make the Co7ners thereunto pcrfeB^zwdi with which he declares himfelf ;7(5r well pleafed^. This good wine Chri/t kept to the /aft, till thefe la/i times, namely of the gofpel difpenfation, (in which fenfe laft times is commonly ufed in the fcripture) and fhed it upon the crofs for the fake of finners, to purchafe to him-
* See the gth and loth chapters of the epiule to the Hehrews. ^u:JneUe in his reflections on the loth verfe of the 2d chapter of St. John, obferves, God gave at the firft the old wine of the law without ftrength, fpirit or tafte ; and in the fulnefs of time he gave the new wine of a ftrong and powerful grace, which enables us to fulfil the law, which inebriates the heart in a holy manner and caufes it to forget all prefent things. I^et us defire, pray for and tafte this wine of our hearts which is fo neceiTary to our falvation. — This is the wine of the marriage of the Lamb, a marriage begun in the incarnation, by the union of the WORD with our NATURE ; continued and brought to perfedtion in the fan6tification of Tinners, by their being incorporated with Chrijl^ finiQied and confummated in heaven, by the union of all the ele£t with their head, and the completion of the adoption of God's children in the bofom of the Father ! — Theophylaoi on the place explains it in much the fame manner. Vol. I. p. 587. Awuaui h vovtaoci ojvcv, ^c. By the Wine you may under- ftand the gofpel ; by the water, all the difpenfations before ity ^c. See the author.
E 3 felf ■
54 0^2 the Marri A o-E
felf and to cleanfe by this purifying ftream, that church, which, as writers obferve, proceeded from his wounded fide in the myftic ftreani of blood and water, when he hung dead upon the crcfs, as Eve was taken from Adam'z fide when he lay aileep in the garden * ; and from which event, all through the old Tefta- ment, — the books of Mofes, the pfalms, the prophets, — as well as the New, quite to the end of the ReveIatio?7, even to the Marrisge-- fupperof the Lamb, this fimilitude is ufed, and this holy eftate of matrimony confecrated to reprefent to us the fpiritual marriage and union which is betwixt Chrijl and his church ; infomuch that I do not know of any relation wherein the Holy Ghoft fo much delighteth to reprefent our Redeemer to us, as under this of our near Kinfman -f-, who took our nature to become thus near to us that he might betroth and efpoufe us to himfelf in love.
* This Is the unanimous voice of all the fathers, of all the bcft and moft ancient writers of the church — *' As the fleep o{ Adam^ fays TertuUia-n, was a type of the death of CbriJI, fo Eve coming forth of the fide of j6/a?n prefigured the proceffion of the church, that true mother of all trufy living, from the wounded body of our Lord." De Anlmd» cap. xliii. p. 593.
f See Ruth ii. I. iii.i25i3,&c/and Deut. xxv. 5, ^^.
This
//; C AN A c/ G AL I LEE. 55
This firft miracle of our Lord's was in- tended to fignify this in general, but to unfold in particular the hidden myftery of Chri/i's marrying the Gentile church, which he pur- chafed by his own blood, that they who were fometimes far offy inight be 77iade nigh by the blood of Chriji^ for he is oiirpeace^ who hath made both one^ and hath broken down the ?niddle wall of partition between us (and the Jews) having a- bolijhed in his flejlj the enmit)\ even the law of C0?nmandment5 contained in ordinances^ to make in himfelf of twain one new Man^ fo 7naking peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crofs^ having fain the en^ mity thereby : and came and preached peace to. you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh^. And this faving difpenfation fo happy for us who are of the Ge?itiles, we are bound to commemorate with thankful hearts, and with believing fouls to contemplate this ma^ nifefation of his glory^ the greateft which he could poffibly give us, and which if it fails to excite our faith and love, we have great reafon to tax ourfelves with hardnefs and bafenefs of heart.
For did it not fliew the greateft love to us miferable finners, that the Son of the Moft High fhould leave his Father's bofom, and ■* Ephef, ii. 13, &c.
E 4 in
56 0;^ if^^ M A R R I A G E
in much meannefs and humility condefcend to dwell upon earth, to live in this wretched world, to live a man of forrows and acquainted with grief, and at length after fufferings, the moft grievous and intolerable to human nature, to lay down his life a ranfom for ours, to pay our debt and fatisfy for our fins, by the bit- terefl agonies on the accurfed tree ; — what lover could fhew his love more ? well might he fay, greater love than this hath no man, than that a man lay down his life for his friends! -f* " — and as thus he fully manifelded his love to us, fo he no lefs manfefted his glory ^ when, after his body had been mangled, his hands and feet transfixed to the crofs, and his pre- cious fide pierced with the fpear, yet on the third day he arofe triumphant from the grave; his wounds all healed, his heavenly body refined and fitted for glory, and himfelf fo ferfeBed, as to have finifhed the work for which he came, as to have wrought his beloved bride's deliverance, as to be ready to receive and take her to his heavenly em- braces! this was indeed a flupendous mani- feftation of his glory: but it is more ftupen- dous ftill, when we reflcfl:, what poor,
f John XV. ?3.
wretched
/« C A N A O/ G A L I L E E.' 57
wretched, worthlefs finners we are, for whom the Son of God hath done fo much, and to whom his loving heart is fo much inclined! O finner, doth not his uncommon love to thee beget fome yearnings of affedion, fome tender feelings towards this heavenly bride- groom, who hath a place for thee in his heart, and who wooes thee with all the warmth of love to hisbofom and delights! — Did fome mighty prince; enamoured with love to an earthly beauty, who on account of the greatnefs of her debt which fhe was unable to pay, was confined to a doleful prifon, and condemned to grievous fufFerings from a mercilefs tyrant, — did he fubmit for her fake to lie in that doleful dun- geon many years, where otherwife fhe muft have lain for ever ; did he fubmit to be fcourg'd and tortured in her ftead; did he offer to re- ceive her, though covered with filthy and de- filing rags, and all over undeannefs ; did he prefent her with coflly robes and deck her in the fineft ornaments, place her on the throne with himfelf, and admit her to his bed and bofom^ * think you, that his ge- nerous treatment would not engage her heart? —which of you, fuppofing you were that princess bride, would not love him with all
^ See the xvhh chapter of the prophet Ezekid.
your
5S O/^ ^/5^ M A R R I A G E
your foul, and ftriveto pleafe and delight him wi' h all your power ? — your hearts, I am fen- fible, bound with gratitude even at the thought — nothing, nothing, you think, could ever be fufficient to make fuch a bene-
fa6lor amends! Now then, you have all
fuch a benefa6lor ! — nay one as much fu- perior to what I have been hinting, as an
eternal God to a perilhing man ! Chrifl
hath in reality done this, yea and ten times more out of his unbounded love to each of our fouls: he hath not only livedo lived in a prifon, a dungeon, far from his na- tive kingdom and his celeftial home, he hath not only fuffered^ fuffered tortures beyond what heart can think or pen defcribe; but he hath died^ died the moft ignominious and painful death for us! his love was flronger than death! he hath lain in prifon, he hath lived in the dungeon of this world, he hath fuffered ftripes and fcourges, he hath endured all the curfe of the law, all the agonies of a bloody fweat, a torturing crofs, a crown of thorns, the taunts of finners, the reproaches of enemies, the defertion of neareft and deareft friends, and all this — not for thofe who had any beauty or come- linefs to recommend them, but for miferable beggars, fpotted over and defiled with fin, 2 from
7/2 C A N A e?/ G A L I L E E. 59
from the crown of the head to the fole of the foot — all this for thy fake, O fmner, all this to redeem thee from the curfe of the law, under which thou lieft, from the power of Satan, by which thou art ftrongly bound, from the fentence of death, under which thou art condemned, and from the eternal punifh- ment, which is to be inflided on thofe, who accept not his grace. And after all this en- dured for thee, if thou wilt but come to him, though never fo much defiled, though never fo much polluted, he will receive and cleanfe thee from all thy filthinefs, deliver thee from the power of the law, fin, death and hell, a?2d clothe thee with the garments of falvation ; he will cover thee with the robe of righteoiifnefsy as a bridegroom decking thee with ornaments^ and as a bride adorned with her jewels *. And having done this, he will efpoufe himfcif to thee in much faith fulnefs and love ; he will give thee the mofl: comfortable prefents, the fweeteft earnefts of his love, till the bleffed confummation day, even his holy Spirit, that faithful friend of the bridegroom, who will difplay his graces to thee, and bring to thy re- membrance -f* all his tender words and endear- ing fpeeches: many kind vifits will he him-
* Ifaiah Ixi. 10. f John :5civ, 26.
felf
6o On the Ma'ri^i AG^E
felf make thy foul; a fweet foretafte (halt thou have of his pleafures in the facrament of his body and blood : and perpetual delight and joy in perufing his letter of love, his di- vine word of promije^ which fhall be fweeter than the honey- comb to thy foul, and which thou wilt never lay alide, but hold near to thy heart in his long abfence; and when it fhall pleafe him to haften thy defired wedding- day, to come and take thee to his arms and home for ever, then thou fhalt drink of that GOOB WINE, which he keeps till the laft, that wine, which is infinitely raifed in flavour above all earthly draughts; thou fhalt be taken into thofe blifsful manfions, which thy faith- ful bridegroom went before to prepare, and to welcome thee into which he fhall come in his marriage-robes, adorned with all his glo- ry on the great day : when taken up with him to thy eternal home and his eternal love, thou fhalt tafte fuch pleafures, and drink of fuch rivers of delight, as eye hath not feen^ nor ear beard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man -^ to conceive, much lefs to exprefs !
And need I then, as the friend and meffen^ ger * of this bridegroom, fent by him to woo
and
\ I Cor. ii. 9.
* 2 Cor. V. 20. " Now then we are ambafTadors for «' Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us, we pray you
'^ ia
7;7Cana^Galilee. 6r
■land win your fouls to his heart, and your own happinefs — need I intreat you to clofe with iiim, to ftrike the bargain, to accept his offer, to betroth yourfelves to him in faithfulnefs and love ? -J This offer is made to all amongfl:
you
« In Chri/l's fteao, be reconciled to God ! — The perfuafion and beauty of this text can fcarce be refifted, one would hope, by any thinking perfon that reads it.
X There is fomething fo remarkably fweet and perfua-
five in the following little hymn of Herbert's^ and which
gave me fo great pleafure, when writing on this fubje6^,
that I cannot prevail with myfelf to omit it, as hoping it
• may pleafe the reader no lefs than it hath done me.
1 B. Sweeteft Saviour, if my foul
Were but worth the having. Quickly I fliould then control
Any thought of waving: But when all my care and pains. Cannot give the name of gains. To thy wretch fo full of liains ; What delight or hope remains ?
2 C.
What, child, is the balance thine.
Thine the poife and meafure ? If I fay, thou fhalt be mine :
Finger not my treafure. What the gains in having thee Do amount to, only he, Who for man was fold, can fee : That transferr'd th' accounts to me.
3- B. But as I can fee no merit
Leading to this favour: So the way to fit me for it
Is beyond my favour.
62 On the Maislkiage
you, come to the weddi?2g, for all things are ready: and O that I could fo invite, fo dif- play the love, the graces, the beauties of this heavenly JESUSy as to v^in all your fouls to a marriage union v^ith him ! and furely there is in nothing fo much room, fince, fay all we can, we can never fay enough, fo much is he above all pralfe, fo much is he above all commendation : for this is no mortal perifla- ing hulband, fubjedl to infirmities, caprice, diflike or change : but thy hujband is thy maker, the Lord cf hojls is his name, the eternal king of heaven and earth, he whofe word fpoke all this world into being, he who gave to man his wonderful body, and breathed into him his ftill more wonderful and immortal foul : he who could fay to the roaring winds, peace: and to the raging fea, be flill: he who broke the iron bars of death, and rofe triumphant
As the reafon then is thine. So the way is none of mine, I difclaim the whole defign \ Sin difclaims and I refiffn.
4. cr
That is all, if that I cou'd Get without repining: And my clay, my creature wou'd
Follow my refigning. That as I did freely part , With my glory and defert.
Left all joys to feel all fmart.
Ah — no mare: thou break' Jl mj heart 1
into
in Cai^^a of Galile IS, 63
into heaven : he, before whom thrones, do- minations and powers bow their heads, giv- ing glory and honour, might, majefty, and dominion for ever and ever *. he who knows not any change, who loves with an eternal and immutable love, and who witk an ever^ lafting kindnefs will have mercy -j^: who con- tinues the fame to day, yefterday, and for ever: and whofe divine word of promife and letter of love to us fhall never fails heave7i and earth Jhall pafs awa)\ but one jot or one tittle of his word Jhall never fafs away ! Wifh you to be married to a fpoufe of great dignity and high honour — behold, Chriji is ready to enter into your heart as his bridal chatiibcr ; and no dignity can equal his, for he is King oj Kings and Lord of Lords * : he is highly ex^ alf^dy and hath obtained a name which is above every name^ that at the name of Jefus every hieejhould bow, of things in heaven and things in earthy and things wider the earth \ ! V/i(h you a fpoufe full of wifdom and knowledge? Chrifl is the wifdom of God-, grace is poured into his lips, never man fpake like this man: hiS mouth is mojl Jweet : yea in him are hid all
\ Tfaiah liv. 8.
* Revel, xvii. 14. xix. 1 6.
f Philip, ii. 9, 10.
the
64 On /;5^ Marriage
the freafures of ninfdom and knowledge^-, WIfh you a fpoufe for lovelinefs and beauty ? Be^ hold he is white and ruddy ^ the chief eft amongfl ten thoufand^ fairer than the children of men^ his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, as the fun finning in his firengthr, his beauty far furpaffing all idea ; in fum he is altogether Wcely ! Wifli you a fpoufe with love to return the warmth of your affedion? O here indeed Chrijl far furpaffes all defcription! St. Paul, who was well acquainted with his love, declares the breadth, and length and depth and height of it to be far beyond all human knowledge: nay, he is love itfelj\ read the WTitings of his beloved difciple that fweet fuitor of this celeftial bridegroom, and there you will be enamoured of his love 1 but to fee it in all its beauty, to behold it in all its ful- nefs, to behold him in all his graces, in his moft winning form, when all the virgins that behold and fee, will blcfs and love him % \ look, faithful foul, turn thine eye to Calvary^ mount, there fee thy love crucified, there fee thy love ftretched out in forrow inexpreffible
* See I Cor. i. 24. Col. il. 3. John vii: 46. For the moft complete defcription of Chrift I muft refer the reader to the xlvth pfalm, the vth chapter of the Cant'i'^ clcs from ver. 9 to the end, and the firfi chapter of the Re- velation from ver. 13.
J See Cant* i. 3.
for
/;2 Can A I?/' Galilee. 6^
for thee, there fee him, meek lamb of God, filently fuffering for thy fake; there hear him praying for his adverfaries ; there fee him breathing out his foul for thee, and never henceforth dare to doubt of his love, who thus died to witnefs it, who thus died to cfpoufe thy foul as a ckafie virg:7i to himfelf ^f-: and never, never, O man, prefume to refule hiin thy heart, who thus (lied his heart's dearefl blood for thy wretched finful fake!
As no greater mifery can befall us than to defpife this love, and to refufe this divine union with Chrifi', as lio greater hell can be here- after than the lofs of this Redeemer's love and favour throughout all eternity 5 and as no ftronger motives can be offered to incline you to clofe with him, and to give up yourfelves, your fouls and bodies in true faith to him, than the foregoing reflexions on his infinite love to us :— I will leave you with this im- prefiion on your minds, and may the Spirit of God imprint it deeply on all your hearts ! I will have good hope, my beloved brethren, that you will ferloufly confider thefe things ; that you will not be fo infenfible to your fouls welfare, and fo in love v/ith everlafting woe,
t 2 Cor. xl. 2.
Vol. II. F as
66 On the Marriage
as to have no regard to an eternal ftate - but that you will each one refolve to be- come the fpoufe of Chrijl, that you may live blefled here in the fenfe of his en- dearing affedion and regard, and infinitely bleffed hereafter in the full fruition of his inexhauftible pleafures and goodnefs ! the only way to fecure which, is to difcharge that du- ty, which he enjoins his fpoufe^ to be loving UnAfaifhfiil, giving him all your hearts, and permitting no other loves to have any place in them, and to be obedient to him in all things ', for ye are 7ny friends^ faith he, my be- loved fpoufe, if ye do tvhatfoevcr I com77?and you^ , Carry yourfelves, therefore, thus loving/faith- Jul and obedient to your heavenly bridegroom, in all quiet?2efs^ fobriety 2ind peace, and he will love, nourifli, cherifli and fan6lify you, that you may be bo/y, and without blemifh % : and ^on the glorious day .of the confummation of your heavenly nuptials, you fliall hear the triumphant fong of all the hofts of heaven, congratulating you, finging and faying, Halle- hjahy J or the Lord Cod omnipotent reignethl Let us be glad and rejoice a?id give honour to ' him— for the tnarriage of the lamb is come^
* John XV. 14. X Ephef. V. 27.
Ard
/;^ C A N A 5/^ G A L I L E E. 67
nnd his w'-fe hath made herfelf ready. Blef- fed are they which are called to the tnarri^ age fuppcr of the Lamb -f- — which, ^c.
t Revel.
xix, 6, 7j
F 2
DIS.
DISCOURSE XIL
On the Pool of BErHESDA.
John V. 4.
Fi5r ^;? A77gel went down at a certain feafon i?ito the Paol, and troubled the water ; whofoever then fir ft ^ ajter the troubling oj the water ^ ftep- ped iny was made whole of whatsoever dijeafe he had.
jr^^^-^AINT JOHN is the only \ g J^ Evangelift, who mentions this ^ y furprifing miracle, wrought at the
k-Sip''^sfr-'^ Pool of Bethesda, and there is perhaps fcarce any portion of Scripture, upon which more difficulties have been raifed, and more furmifes vented. I fhall not take up your time with renumerating thefe, but wilt
endea-
On the Poo/ of Betkesd A, 69
endeavour to make this part of that divine word, ail of which was written for our in- llrudtion and comfort, as profitable to you as I am able, by giving you,
Ift, A plain and clear account of the fad here recorded.
Ildly, By lliewing you its fpiritual defig- nation and intent^ which will naturally lead ine, in the
Hid Place, to <:onfider the propriety and purpofe of the miracle wrought at this Pool, by our Saviour, upon the infirm man ; from which I will endeavour to draw fuch infe- rences, and to make fuch remarks, as fhall conduce by God's grace to your inJiru5iion in righteoufnefs^ and tend to increafe your know- ledge and love of God your Redeemer.
Ift, Then, I am to give a clear and plain account of the literal ftory, and of the fadl here recorded by this Evangelift.
After thhy fays he, there was a feaji of the Jews, or as the original might be rendered *,
* MsTflt TauT* viv EopTJj T<yy la^ajo;*. That this feaft was the pajjhvery lb call'd xar e|o>i*!i», as Irenaus is of opinion lib. ii. chap. 39, and not the P^/z/^i-c?,/?, asCyril and C^rj- [ojiom thought, appears very evident to me, fays Be%a from the wcrds of ChriJ}, chap, iv. ver. 35 of this Evan- gelid.
F 3 was
70 On the Pool of Bethesda.
was the feafl: of the Je^vs — ■ the feajl of the faffover^ meaning, by way of eminence, and as it feems generally agreed ^ and Jefus iDcnt up to Jerufakm^ not only that he might pay a due regard to that law, whereto he was made fubjed for man, but alfo that he might have an opportunity to manifeft himfelf and his dodrine to a greater number of people aflem- bled on occafion of this feci/i, and as it was to be fuppofed in a religious frame of mind, and therefore more ready to receive the truth j teaching us at once to pay a due regard to divine ordinances and religious affemblies, and to improve every ferious frame and difpofition of mind into an occafion of good. — Now there IS at JerufaJem, fays St. John^ (at the time of my writing •% as much as to fay,) by the fieep-ma7-ket or gate, (which was built by 'Eliafhib the high-prieft, as is mentioned Nehem. iii. i.) 2Lpool or bathy KoAi;/x/5;j0pi» f, for
the
* This feems to intimate that yerufale?n and this pool were then ftanding when St. John wrote this gofpeJ, and therefore that it was written, as TheophylaSf znd others fay, before the deftrudion of Jerufalcm^ and notj as the more ancient Fathers thought^ long after. See Dr. Whitby on the pjace, and alfo Beugelim.
X At Jcrujalem^ fays Dr. Fearce bifliop of Rochejier^ in his ufciul vindication of cur Lord's miracles, p. 7, near the plijce caird the Jheep-ma-ket, ox jhcep-gate rather, there w*is a bjith built for the ufe of fuch of the common people, as
iQv'd
On the Pool ^ Bethesda. 71
the purpofe and convenience of bathing as to its ordinary ufe, and called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, /. e. the hoiife or place of mercy\ en account of the following fuperna- tural and extraordinary ufes; around this bath were built five porches, a kind of cloifters or porticos *j which ferved to flielter, both from the heat and cold, thofe who frequented this place : but which were more particularly ferviceable to the infirm people, who crowded hither on account of the miraculous virtue of the waters; For i?2 theje porches there lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind , balt\ withered^ waiting for the MOVING of the water. For an angel defcended into the Pool, at .a certain feafon^ xara xa/pov, that is, at the
loved to fwlm and bathe themfelve? in the water ; this is the proper ienfe of the word koXvi^^v^^o. {from xdhvix^xf to fwlm, Acts^ xxvii. 43) ufed bv St. J'Jj/,^ and by other wri- ters, and in the old L(:tin verfion, (called the Italics) it was rendered by Natatoria^ a bath or jwlmming-flace. Nothing was more common, or more ufeful than fuch baths in thefe warm climates. Jojephus mentions fome by this very name of xoXv(x^n^px, and at Jericho, as ufed for the exercife and pleafureof fwimming; and it may be reafonably pre" fumed, that this at Jrrujalcfn was built for the fame pur- /pofe." — That the fheep to be facriflced were wafhed here, or that all the blood o\ the facrifices ran into it,— as many commentators have advanced, feems to want proof, nay in- deed to be difproved by the Bifhop in the following page, •.which fee.
* STOAS.
F 4 fea^
72 On the Pool of Bethesda.
feafon of the pajjbver *, fay fome, v/ith great probability, and others, at fome particular fea- fonSj which were uncertain and indeterminate — I rather am inclined to think, tht feafon, re- ferred to, was the pafbvej'^ ; - and thus defcend- ing, troubled -f* the Water, by which troubling of it, and the extraordinary motion confequent thereupon J, they were informed of the de- fcent of the Angel 5 Wbofeever then firf after the troubling of the water ^ fepped in, was made whole of wbatfoever difeafe he had : — And thus it was abundantly proved that this was no natural virtue, nor a virtue acquired^' from
* See Dr. Pearce's Vindicatisn^ p. 9. note [e).
+ It is not probable, fays Beza^ that the ang;el ufed to defcend in a vifible form ; /ed ex aques repcntina turbatione ^ confequentl mira:ido, fails omnibus conjjabat dhinitus id fieri covfuevijfe,
X 'E.T^pe^ao'e ; the Hebrew word is H 7*1 ufed Ezek. xxxii. 2 and 1 3, which fignifies conturbare aquas, idque calcando aui ionculcando, {?iSsLeigh,ficut hcmo cakat in aquis nan prof undis ,
* A virtue acquired, &c.] I mention this to obviate a flrange hypothecs of the very learned Dr. Hammond, which it is marvellous a man of his underftanding fhould have cfpoufed. He thinks, that this v/ater had eontracSled a natural virtue by v/afbing the carcafes and entrails of the facrifices in this pool, and that on flirring it up that virtue exerted itfelf the more ; fo that a proper officer oxmeffer,ger^ (the immediate fignification of the origmal word ayyiAo?) was appointed for that purpofe. This opinion wants no argursents to confute it. Grotius obferves, that many things concurred to prove, that this was no natural effe(4
■ pf the water; and then gives the like rcafons to thofe in tiie text abovg.
natural
On the Pool of Bethesda. 73
natural cnufes, in thefe waters, fmce, i ft, all manner of difeafes were healed by them, 2dly, fince thefe cures were performed only at ftated feafons53dly,fince c;2^ only after the troubling of the water was healed, and fince, 4thly, none were healed, but after the troubling of the wa- ter, whereas, in general, medicinal waters are required to be calm and not troubled for the ufe of patients.
Such is the account which St. "John gives us of this miraculous Pool of Bethefda: with which if we will be content, and reft fatisfied with his authority, we fliall have no need to trouble ourfelves, with thofe various enquiries that men have made concerning it, who would be wife above what is written. Num- berlefs queftions have arifen concerning the place y the time^ and the nature of this Pool j and as we have no mention of it particularly either in the v/ritings of the Prophets, of the Apocryphal or jewijlo writers, therefore thefe queftions remain as doubtful as ever, and perhaps will never be clearly anfwered. — As to the time, when this miraculous effe6l firft took place, nothing precifely certain can be determined; but it feems almoft uni- verfally agreed, that it could not be long be- fore the coming of Chrijl-^ and that the mi- racle was intended to lead men to him. For
the
y^ On the Pool of Bethesda.
the gift of prophecy and of miracles had now been withdrawn from the Jews for above 400 years j to raife in them therefore a more ar- dent defire for the coming of the Mefliah, and to an oh fer ^cation of xh^ fjgns of his now almoft univerfally-expedled * coming, — God was pleafed to favour them with this remark- able fign at Bethefda, And becaufe in thefe laft times the JewiJI: people lay open not only to the irruptions and tyranny of the Gentiles^ but had wholly loft their liberty ; that they might not yet entirely defpair of the fulfilling of the promifes made to their fathers, nor en- tirely caft off their religion and allegiance to God, he favoured them with this eminent token of his favour, this wonderful Pool, in a place near to the gate of victims^ which were figures of the propitiatory facrifice of the MeJJiah : that they might fee God had vet a regard to the pofterity of Abraham, and the v/or(hip which he himfelf had eftabUfhed,
^ For it is well known, and heathen writers exprefly declare it, that there was through the Eaft, an almoft uni- verfally received opinion and perfuafion of Tome c;reat prince and mighty ruler to arife. The tellimony oi Tacitus 2i\\6. Suitonlus have been urged over and over, — and Firgits
Po/i/'o is a very ftrong evidence--- but ftronger than all are the teftimonies to this truth given in the A^e-w Teftamer.t^
£nd
tne ceiTimonies to iiiis irutn given m me iv^it; i iiLUTiuui^ where we find many at the time o\' C^r.yVa coming, waiting for the co7ifol(Uion of IjiaeL
On the Pool of Bethesda. 75
and might thus fapport themfelves with good hopes of the fpeedy com'nig of the Mefmb, the great angel of the covenant, to his te?nple *. And as this mira,cle of the angel defcending from heaven then began, when the coming of the Mefiah was at hand, to advife them of the fpeedy and near approach of that pro- mifed falvation — wherefore a!fo this gift
of heahng was without the temple fo
there can be no doubt, that Chrift therefore entered thefe porches, and perform.ed the miracle following, to fliew what was the true intent of this gift of healing, and to what it was defignedoiGoA, to lead men,— even to him- ff the fountain opened fr fn and for all im- cleannefs : and the water was thus troubled Cfily at this certain jeafon of the paiTover, or at oth^r fated periods, and one only at each time was healed, to fl:iew them at once the weaknefs of the law, and the great difference between that and the gofpel difpenfation; and to teach them not to reft in the corporal benefit only, as in the miniftration of an angel; but to betake themfelves to a careful confideratjon of the proiriifes of the Mefialfs approaching advent. — And thus I have led you to a general view of the
* Mai. ill. I.
lid
Jk) On the Pool of Bethesda.
lid thing which I propofed to Ihew, namely the fpiritual defignation and intent of this miraculous efFedl at Bethefda,
It was to lead Men to Chri/l: to him, who was the expcBation of all nations^ the great an- gel of the covenant, and who defcending into his church, and moving upon the divine or- dinances and means of grace, efficacious only through his moft precious blood, reftores to perfec5t foundnefs of foul, all \n\io Jiep in, all who ufe \\\t\x zx\diZ2.so\\x%towa{handhe^ clean, — The number of impotent folk, lying around this pool, and in the^-u^ * porches of it, un- able
'f- 2 Kings V. 12.
* St. Aiijlin^ whole interpretations are frequently much too fanciful and far ftretched to be followed, though his piety and erudition are never enough to be admired — in his allegorical interpretation of this miracle, fays that the five porches figured out the five books of the law, and I be- lieve it will be univerfaliv allowed that his interpretation here at leaft is folid and good : I will produce his ov/n words. Expoftt. in Joan, page 6i. torn. g. Pifcina ilia & aqua ilia populum ?nihi videtur figiiifxajje yud^orum] ftg^ nificari etiiin populos nomine aquarum^ operte nobis indicat apocalypfis yoannis : ubi enim cutn ojicnderentur aqua 7nult(C^ cap, xvW. 15.^ int err ogaffet quid ejjent^ refponfum accfpity populos effe. Aqua ergo illa^ i. e. poptdus tile quinque libris Moyft^ tanquam quit que porticibus claudebatur . Sed illi libri prcdtbiint languidos^ v.on fanabant -^ lex enim peccatores con- vincebat^ non folveiat. Ideo liter a fine gratia reos facicbat^ quos confiteJitcs gratia liber ahat, Nafn hoc dicit apojlolus^ fi enim data ellet lex, quae poflet vivificare, omnino ex lege elTet julHtia. ^tarc ergo data ejl lex ? fiquitur i^ dicit,
fed
On the Fool of Bethesda. •yy
able to cure and help themfelves, reprefent to us the condition of human nature, and the weaknefs of the law, which only {hews us our fins, and keeps us under its power, but can by no means deliver us from the bondage of corruption. But what the law could not do, in that tt was WEAK through the FLESH -, God fending his own Son in the llkenefs of finful Jlef:^ and for fin condemned fn in the fiejh * : which great deliverance was figured out by the defcent of the angel into the pool, and by the miraculous cure wrought upon him, who firil ftepped in after the moving of the wa- ter -f*. And this was done at the time of the
M-
fed conclufit fcriptura omnes fub peccato, ut promifllo ex fide y^fu Chrifti daretur credentibus. What follov/s of this good father's interpretation, will neither be defended or efpoufed — we cannot however fail to admire his .wit and in- genuity.
* Rom. viii. 3. ^^/^ through the -flejh : for it is the reign of fin in the flejh^ which caufes the weaknefs and inability of the law, as it is the dominion of grace over the will, which caufes the fulfilling of it. The law is holy^ jufi^ and good — but we are carnal,
t It is to be noted, fays Dr. IVhitby^ that thefe waters of Siloatny were a type of the kingdom of David and of Chriji; of the kingdom of David according to thofe words, Ifaiah viii. 6. Forafmuch as this people refufeth the zuatcrs of Siloah .that go foftly^ that is, faith the Targum, the kingdom of David^ that ruleth them quietly : and of Chrifl according to thofe words of the fame prophet, xii. 3. with joy Jlmll they draw water from the wells of falvation^ wjience Sihah is interpreted /fwr. See note on John ix. 7, c '^'0
^78 On the Pool oj BethesdA.
paffover to dire6t their and our view to the- death oj Chrijl, and the blood flied for fin- ners, which gives efficacy to all gofpel ordi-^ nances, and which thro* them, applied by the Spirit to the heart, cleanfes and heals all man^ ner of fin and iniquity : and that not of one particular perfon, and in 072e particular place only, but of human nature in general, of all, who in every place and nation will come to the fountain, wafh and be clean : for now is the day, in which, according to the prophet, the fountain is opened to the houfe of David and the inhabitants of ]^vu{2i\tmforfin, and for all iincleannefs ^ : in which words it is more than probable that Zechariah alludes to this pool of Bethefda^ and fo to hiniy whom that pool prefigured. And '* hence, as 'Tertullian fiotes^ *^ the virtue of this pool then ceafed, when ^' the Jews perfevering in their infidelity re- ^' jecSed our Saviour:" nay and indeed it was then of neceffity to ceafe like all other types and fhadows, when Chrijl the reality was come and his kingdom eftabliftied upon earth to
To this type of the Mrjfiah^ God might therefore give this virtue about that time to prepare the "Jeius to receive his advent, who was fent to them ; and when a fountain was to be opened for fin mid for all uncleannefs^ namely the blood .^of Chriji might communicate this virtue to this pool, as a prefiguration of it, ^ c . X Zechar. xlii. i.
o the
On the Pool of Bet hesda. nq
llie utter abolition of the typical ordinances and
the whole ceremonial law. So that the
pool of Bethefda, with all the impotent folk lying around it, was a figure of the ftate of human nature and the weaknefs of the law ; and the defcent of the angel into it, with the confequences thereof, a figure of the gofpel kingdom, fet up by Chrifi^ who dcjcended from heaven for that purpofe, and having finillied all, defcended into the grave J, and arofe again the third day : from which his death and refurre6tion, the gofpel facraments and means of grace gain all their influence: from and through which the waters of this river heal and give life to every t hi Jig whither the river cometh^ as the prophet Ezekiel || ex-
prefTes
t The angel xotrB^ccmv defcended^ and fo Chriji defcended, itctTi^otmvy in both the refpeils abovementioned ; and we in baptifm .-^/c^w^ with, are buried with him; to fignify which we may remember, that it was ufual in the primitive church in baptifm, to defcend into the water, and to dip in it three times— See C^^'/s primitive chrliHanity, parti. p. 3?o.
II St. Jrrcm upon this chapter obferves, " by thefe wa- ters the Lord fhev/ed the waters of baptifm, and the doc- trine of the gofpel iffuing out of the temple at 'Jerufalcm where Chriji taught, in great abundance to the watering of all nations: concerning which waters alfo it is fpoken Zechar. xiv. 8. rufining towards the eajl and the weft^ to fhew the eaftern and weftern churches, where by this doc- trine the countries and nations are watered. And it is fpoken of the gofpel, Jja'iah Iv. i-. by the name oi waters.
The
8o On the Pool of Bethesda.
preffes it, in his vilion of waters, chap, xlviia which may ferve well to illuflrate the pre- fent miracle.
Some following St. Chryfofiom have applied this miraculous effedc, as a figure of regene- ration m baptifm: ** the laver of regenera- *' tion, fays one *, is to us as Betbefda'^ pool ; *' healing our fpiritual difeafes, not at certain " feafons, but at all times -, whofoever will, let *^ him com.e." — And it is true of this, in a fecondary fenfe, and very apt, becaufe the
The prophet, as we read ver. 3, 4, v/as carried further off 1000 cubits to pafs over thefe waters, and they came up to his ancles ; after this a 1000 cubits more, and they came up to his wafte: then a looo more, and they came up to his loins 3 laftly a lOOO more, and then they made a river ■which v^as unpaffable, unlefs by fwimming : vi^hereby vv^as fhewed, how^ by degrees evangelical graces abounded more and more, until chnftian people came to be as a great ri- ver of vi^aters. And in particular thefe waters came .firft up to the ancles, a few being converted, that is 120 of all the great multitudes which had formerly followed ye- fus : but being drawn rather by his loaves than by faith. 2. Up to toeknQes, there being more added, even 3000 in one day at the coming down of the Holy Ghoft. 3. Up to the lo'ms^ when chriftians ftill increafing, their number was 5000. Laftly, thefe waters grew fo great that they were a deep river, which was when after Peter's preaching to Cornelius^ and FauH being fent to inftru6l the Gt«- tiles^ various countries came in, and the faithful could then be no more numbered, than deep waters by any man paflcd over on foot." This may ferve as a ufeful key to this v^\y remarkable chapter — a good expofition of which the reader will find in Henry on the bible. * Henry on the place,
water
On the Pool of Bethesda. gj
mater in baptifm is not fimply by itielf, the laver of regeneration, unlefs the holy Spirit defcending (to ufe the image of this hiftory) troubles the water with the blood of our di- vine vidlim Chrifi Jefus * : then it becomes the laver of regeneration, according to St. Paul . in his epiftle to Titus, who fully and emphatically exprefles this important matter • but after that the kindnefs and love of God cur Saviour towards man appeared, after that Chriji
* St. Chr<fojiom\n his 35th Homily on ^ohn^ fpeaks thus. *' In this relation is a great myftery of that which was to come ; this poo] of water fetteth forth the writer of bap- tifm, curing all manner of difeafes of fm, and makino- thofe, that defcend into it dead, to come out alive. Nei- ther werefms only remitted in baptifm at the firft, but to confirm our faith. Difeafes were cured properly figuring our fins. And it is to be noted that the water had not this virtue in itfelf, but when the angel having defcended, had troubled it; no more hath the water of baptifm, but by the operation of the Holy Ghoil: to induce the 'Jews to acknowledge this virtue in baptifm, the Lord caufed an angel thus to trouble this water, intimating hereby, that much more was the Lord of angels able to give virtue to baptifm. Yet herein doth baptifm differ from this pool; weaknefs hindered fome from being healed there, and it was not always available: but none can plead this in re- gard to baptifm ; which is at all times of equal power to fave; even as the fun-beams daily fhining and giving light, are not at all diminifhed thereby: no more is the virtue of baptifm, having cleanfed millions, it remaineth frill in full ftrength and vigour. — Theophyhof on the place tran- fcribes Sr. ChrJo/to?/i's words ; and bifhop Smallbrook^ Vindication, vol. I. page 549, quotes the fame paflage.
Vol. II. G de-
8a On the Pool of Bethesda.
delcendcd into this world — not by works of righteoiijnefs ivbiclp we have done^ but according to his MERCY he faved us — when we lay like thefe impotent folk around Bethefda\ pool, utterly uriable to help ourfelves — he faved us by the ivapAng oj regeneration^ and renew- ing oj the Holy Ghojiy &c. J. I will con- clude this head with a paffage from an ex- cellent writer on the Gofpels || : '^ The pool of Bethefda lituate near the gate of viBimSy was an emblem of the churchy, wherein the water of baptifm and that of the tears of repentance cure all forts of fpiritual difeafes, by virtue of the blood of the true vi5iim^ with which they are as it were tinged and dyed — a great number of difeafes and difeafed perfons are neceffary to represent the ftate and condi- tion to which man is reduced by fin : fo mi- ferable is he and full of infirmities from his very birth. He is nothing but weaknefs, cor- ruption and blindnefs, utterly unable to do the leaft good, and in him all grace and virtue areexhaufted and withered away. This, O blefied Saviour, is what we fhould have been eternally in thy fight, if, after having been fo long expeBed^ thou hadft not come down among us by thy incarnation. How
-^ Titus iii. 4, 5.
great
On the Pool of Bethesda. 83
great is the debt which we owe thee for hav- ing moved this water in our behalf, which hath made us whole. Finifh, Lord, what thou haft begun in us."
From this explication of the fplritual and figurative defign of the a?tgei's defcent into this pool, we may fee,
. Illdly, the purpofe and propriety of Chri/i\ entrance into thefe porches, and of his cure of the infirm man.— rlt was to prove to them that the MeJJiah was now come: who was prefigured by this angel-, and that HE was that MeJJiah^ that a??gel of the co- venant, now come to his temple, who was able, by his divine word alone, to perform unto ALL that, which could not be done with- out the miniftry of this angel, to more than one, — As be fuffered at the paffover to ihew them that he was the very pafchal lamb, the true paffover, facrificed for a guilty worlds fo now he wrought this miracle upon the in- firm man, to fhew that he was the glorious melTenger of the Father, who dcth nothing of kimfelj, but what he jeeth the Father do: for whatfoever things he doth, thefe alfo doth the Son likewi/e', as being equal with him in glory and power : wherefore he adds in the verfes following, he that honoiiretb not the Son, hc^ G 2 fiouretb
84 Oji the Pool of Bethesda.
7wureth not the Father which hath SENT him.
Herein you fee the great purpofe and
propriety of this miracle, which we will juft in brief confider, and proceed to the ufes that may be made of it.
In thefe porches, built around the pool, amongft the impotent folk lay a man, who had been wholly difabled by a terrible di- feafe and infirmity, rnofl probably a para- lytic diforder, now for thirty eight years*: ye/us fixed his compaflionate eye upon him, knowing by his divine Spirit J, that he had been now a long time in that miferable cafe, and fo was a fit objed: upon whom to Ihew his pity and exert his power : from whence, by the way, a word of comfort may be given to thofe in afflidlion, who may learn from hence that how long or heavy foever their af- flidion is, God knows how long, and keeps an
'■^ The original is rftazovroc. oktco stjj eX'^ eiv rv) cta-^svetoc,'-— Having betn thirty eight years in a weaknefs^ by which ge- neral word, bifhop Sniallbrook feems abundantly to prove, that t-YxQ paljy is meant— fee p. 541, vol. I. and he corro- borates his opinion by that of fome eminent phyficians Barthcline^ Ader^ and Dr. Harle — his quotations from each of which well deferve the reader's perufal, asthetrea- tife on the fcripture difeafes of Jder, and the eflay on phy- fic in the old and mw Tejl anient of Dr. Harle do the attention' of every (ludent in divinity. I doubt not Bm-^ tholine is equally excellent, but muft not prefume to fay more of him, as being a Uranger to his works.
J See vol. I. p. 193.
exail
On the Pool of Eethesda. 85
exad account: and is beft able to tell how much this afflidion may be for our fervice, and when it is beft to remove it. They are often moft bleffed, whom he chaflifes moll; it is good for the foul to be under ftridt difcipline.
yejus feeing him lie, and knowing his cafe, faith unto him, IVilt thou be wade whole? by which queftion he intended to engage his at- tention as well as that of thofe who were pre- fent, and to ftir up in the man's mind that earneft dejire and will, without which we cannot be faved : for grace doth not operate irrefiftibly; we are endued with freedom of will and choice, and our will muft concur with our Saviour's in our fpiritual cure. There was but little doubt of his delire to be made whole : the mean, whereby he could attain the bleffing, was that alone, which was wanting. Sir, replied h^, 1 have no man * when the water is troubled, to put
me
* He complains for want of friends to help him in, (fays Henry on the place) / have no man^ no friend to do me that kindnefs. One would think fome of thofc, that had been themfelves healed, fhould have lent him a" hand, but 'tis common for the poor to be defVitute of frieruls : no man careth for their foul. To the fick and impotent tis as true a piece of charity to work for them as to relieve them, and thus the poor are capable of being charitable one to another, and ought to be fo, though we Celdom find
G 3 that
86 On the Pool ^/'BethesdaI
tni into the pool y but while I am comings fo in- firm and weak am I, fo unable almoft to jnove along, another more adive and lefs di- feafed than myfelf, Jieppeth down before me.-^ Such is our natural impotency, in which we muft have lain for ever, as this man muft have done until death, for any ability of his ewn, had not Chrijl defcended into our world as he did into this Bethefda, and perfedted
for us the glorious cure. To magnify his
power and manifeft his compafiion, to let\is fee, that where human help ceafeth, there the divine aid is ready, and begins to exert it- felf— He fpoke the commanding word to the impotent man, Rife, take up thy bed, and walk. He did dot bid him rife and fiep into the Pool, but rife and walk, to fliew that he was him- felf all-fufficient to do that for us, which the law could not do, and which he fulfilled and fo abrogated, thus manifeftly declaring the full completion of this prefent miracle in him- felf. He gave the word, and imniediately the man was made whole, the cure was in an inftant perfedly wrought, as was undeniably evident to the fenfes of all that were prefent, by his rifing forthwith, taking up his bed and walk- that they are fo : I fpeak it to their fhame. — He obferves alfo how mildiy this man fpeaks of the unkindnefs of thofe about him : a leflbn to all in misfortunes.
ing.
On the Pool of Bethesda. S7
ing. ^So with us the greateft proof of our
fpiritual cure is our rifing and walking at the command of Chriji : If he hadi healed our fpiritual difeafes we fhall know it by our lov- ing and willing mind, to do whatfoever he faith, and to take up whatfoever he layeth upon u5, and we iliall (hew it by really do- ing fo, by walking before him in holinefs, fimplicity and truth.
Such was the miracle which our Saviour wrought in proof of his divine miffion, and as the fulfilling that great miracle wrought by the angel's defcent into the Pool oi Betbefda-^ concerning the dlfpute * which arofe upon it, through the bafe envy of the Scribes and Pharifees, and the abundant arguments which he ufed to convince them of his real di- vinity, as it is not in my compafs to fpeak at prefent, I muft refer to the chapter, and would advife a careful and ferious perufal of it: while I proceed to make fuch remarks, as na- turally arife from the fubjecft, and as may, through the grace of God, be profitable to your further inftrudion in righteoufnefs.
Ill, It is very pleafing to obferve, that the Son
the moft high God when, as the Lord and
Ruler, the great meffenger of the covenant,
he fuddenly came to his temple, and when
* See Vol. I. p 458.
G 4 he
88 On the Pool of Bethesda.^
he was about to deliver the moft fubhme dif- courfe^concerning his equality with the Father • — fhould on the fabbath-day, enter as a phyfi- cian thofe Jive porches, which were a kind of hojpital, where there lay fo great a multitude and fo fad a fpedlacle of the wretched and fuffering children of Ada?n ! This ferves to allure us, that Cbrijl^ though now reigning in equal power and glory with the Father, doth not therefore difregard our miferies 5 but ex- erts his office of a loving mediator, in this world, as a great hofpital, affifting bjF his grace . and ready help the afflided in IoajI^ as well as body, and not forgetting to extend continually his rich mercy and compa-flio;i towards both. Nay if he condefcended to leave thofe glories, of which he was ppffeft from eternity, to come down into this wretch- ed world, this place of mifery and woe, aud to open from his moft precious heart a foun- tain for all our uncleannefs 5— can we doubt of his fatherly care over us, can we diftrufl; his tender regard for us who hath purchafe^ and redeemed us by his oivi blood y we muft. ne- ceffarily be dear to him^ who of his own
* There cannct be ftronfrer proofs of the divinity of C'DrlJl.j than the reader will find in this fifth chapter of St.^ yokn^ which is well worth the feiipus attention of all.thofo who doubt of'difbelievethis chief-corner ftone of the Chrijli^ an f^ith.
free
On the Pool of Bethesda. 89
free love paid fo ineftimable a price for us ! Let us learn hence with full and humble con- fidence to repofe ourfelves upon him, and' in all our miferies and neceffities of foul and body to commend ourfelves into the hands of this faithful redeemer : and to wait upon him in all thofe means, which he himfelf hath ordainedand appointed, and where he hath pro- mifed to meet and refrefli our longing fouls ! 2dly, What a bleffing w^as this Pool of Be- ihefda^ endued with this miraculous virtue, to the jewifh people ! you fee how they throng'd it; the five porches were full: and all were wifhing and driving to enjoy the advan- tages of it. And were there fiich a mira- culous Bath in this nation, there would be no lefs crowding thither ; each of us fhould be preffing towards it, when labouring under dif- eafes, and all defirous of ftepping in firfl, that we might be made whoIe»— How amazingly do men, by their own condu(ft in temporal things, delude and condemn themfelves in fpiritual 5 it will be well if the judge do not fay to ma- ny in that day —not only out of thine own mouthy hut by thine own actions will I condtinn thee'^, — Such a pool, fuch a fountain there is for the foul, a fountain opened for fin and for ail uncleannefs, a fountain, in which whofoever * Luke xix. 22.
will,
9a On the Pool of Bethesda."
will, may come, wafli and be clean ! Such a fountain is the moft precious blood of Jefus Chriji ftreaming forth in all his divine ordi- nances ; — yet how little are they thronged by men wifhing and earneftly driving to be heal- ed ; how few are there who come to them with a full fenfe of their fpiritual impotency, and a full refolution to ftep in that they may be made whole : How many are there who never come to them at all, who have either found out fpme new methods to heal their fpi- ritual infirmities, or proud in heart, will con- fefs no fpiritual infirmities to be healed, who defpife the weaknefs of their proffered cure, and, wife in their own inventions, have too much fenfe to believe the gofpel : thus, to their infinite peril, treading under foot the Son ofGod^ and accounting the blood of the covenant^ where- with he was fandfified, an unholy things and do^ ing defpite unto the Spirit of grace ! Of how fore puniflomeyit they will be thought worthy^ it behoves all fjch ferioufly to confider 5 and God grant they may underftand in time, for // is a fearful thiiig to fall into the bands of the living God /"* And more efpecially when fo much grace, when fo much goodnefs, when fo much mercy, hath been long and obftinately rejed:- ed ; the grace, the mercy, and goodnefs of an * Heb. X. 29, ^c,
eternal
On the Pool of Bethesda: 91
eternal Saviour, who, out of unbounded vo- luntary love, hath endured fufFerings unfpeak- able to procure fo divine a remedy for all our evils ! A remedy which is infallible, a cure which can never be unfuccefsful: all fickneffes, all diforders, however complicated, however inveterate, are here removed by one hand, and one water : None ever were, none ever will be fent empty away, who come defirous of re- lief j nor is it confined to the firft who fteps in : it is a fountain flowing plenteoufly unto every draught! '* Oh all ye that are fick and difeafed come to the pool of Bethefda, this blood of Chrift, come and be healed : Do ye complain of the blindnefs of your ignorance, here ye fhall receive clearnefs of fight : of the diflemper of paffions here is eafe : Of the fu- perfluity of your finful humours, here is eva- cuation : of the impotency of your obedience, here integrity, of the dead witherednefs of good affedlions, here life and vigour — what- ever your fin and infirmi^ry be, come to the pool of Bethefda^ come and be healed.'*
3dly, Thus may you all be cured : but your own 7£^///muft concur : Chrift firft alked the man, wilt thou be fTiade whole, before he bid him arife and walk. There could be no doubt of his defire to be cured, who waited at the pool for that very purpofe : and you muft
fliew
g^ On the Pool of Bethesda.
fhewyour will 2Lnd deftre to be cured in thi!if fame way: you miifl wait at the pool ^ you niuft wait for Chrlft in thofe general ordinances, which he himfelf hath ordained, in thtfacra- mentSy prayer^ and the word : and if with hope duly fenfible of your weaknefs and mi- fery you thus wait upon him, you need not fear but he will perfed the cure of all your fpiritual maladies, and enable you to walk and glorify him. But if you attend at the Pool, frequent the ordinances of the Gofpel, the facraments and church, with any other mo- tive than a real defire to meet there the Sa- viour of your fouls, and to be healed of all your infirmities by his divine blood ; be aflured you will frequent them in vain, and never find them what they are to the contrite and humble means of grace and channels of hea- venly life and fupport to the foul. Should
you frequent them and ftill find them not efficacious, yet mufl you not therefore ceafe to frequent them : the man was thirty-eight years in his infirmity, and yet perfeftly heal- ed by the power of Cht^i/i at the lafl: : God often delays his mercies to make them more fignal and acceptable; and when we have no man to put us into the Pool, when none is able or willing to help, fpeaks the word, and we are delivered." Bethefda muft be waited
on J
On the Pool of Bethesda. 93
on; he is worthy of his crutches that will not flay God's leifure for his cure; there is no virtue, no fuccefs without patience, and here we have all need of it. One is fick of an overflowing of the gaul, the jaundice of ma- lice, another of a fwelling of pride, another pf the fever of concupifcence, another of the vertigo of inconflancy, another of the choking quinfy of curfes and blafphemies, another of the dropfy of covetoufnefs *, ano- ther of the pleuritical pangs of envy -, one is hide-bound with pride, another is confumed, with emulation; another rotten with corrupt defires, and we are fo much the licker if we feel not thefe diftempers ; oh that we could wait at the Bethefda of God, attend diligently upon his ordinances, we could then no more
* Horace fpeaking of covetoufnefs obferves very beau- tifully,-—Ode II. lib. 2.
Crefcit indulgens fihi dirus hydrops^ &c. The dropfy by indulgence nurs'd Purfues us with increafing thirft. Till art expels the caufe, and drains The wat'ry liquor from our veins.
Francis. He obferves in the former ftanza— —
By virtue's precepts to control The thirfty cravings of the foul,' Is over wider realr/is to reign Unenvied monarch, than if Spairiy You cou'd to diftant Z,Z(^j'(2 join* And both the Cartbagcs were thine.
fail
94 On the Pool of Bi^thesda.
fail of a cure, than now, without it, wc can hope for a cure ^ we wait hard and endure much for the body 5 what toil do We take that we may toil yet a little longer ; we endure many certain pains for the addition of a few uncertain days : Why will we not do thus for the foul, for the immortal, the better part, when we know our waiting will not be unfuc- cefsful, and when we know that our waiting here will procure for us eternal reft hereafter ?
Watty therefore, upon the Lordy be of good courage y and he foall flrengthen your heart: wait, I fay, on the Lord: trujl in him and do goody and '-jerily thou Jhalt be fed: wait on the Lordy and he ffmllfave thee '^\ wait on him in all the means of grace, and in all the paths pf duty ; come to thefe means, duly fenfible of your fpiritual evils, lay them before the Lord, confefs your fins to him, and with ear- neft defire to be delivered Jrom the body of this death cry to him, and he will at length. give you the victory y and by his grace enable you to rife, take up your bed and walk, to leave fin, and all the occafions of it, and to ferve him in holinefs and righteoufnefs of living.
4thly, Thefe are the fure evidences of a cure* J. A forfaking our former fins. 2. A laying
* PuJm xxvii. 14. :^xxvii. 3. Prov. xx. 22,
afid§
On the Pool of Bethesda, 95
afide the marks and occafions thereof: and 3. A performing the contrary adlions : parti- cularly the duties of praife and thankfgiving to God, as this infirm man did 5 for we read that Jefus afterward found him m the ^EM^ PLE: where every penitent foul fliould be found, and thofe efpecially, whom God hath raifed from a fick bed to a longer enjoyment of life. It was here that Chhjl faid to him, for a leffon to us all, Behold^ thou art made whole: Jin no more y leji a worje thiiig come unto thee: hereby fhewing that difeafes and fick- neflfes are the punifliment of fin, and that of confequence the befl: remedy we can ap- ply for their cure, is fincere repentance and converfion.
To deter us from relapfes into fin, he {hews the danger of them, fm no more^ leji a WORSE THING come unto thee: it was bad enough, God knows, to lie thirty and eight years bound by a terrible difeafe: but it is isjorje^ infinitely worfe^ far worfe than pen can defcribe or thought can fancy, to lie bound in flames of ever-during fire, not for thirty eight or thirty times thirty eight years, but for ever and ever! — Let them remem- ber this admonition of our Lord, who have made upon fick beds good refolutions, and determined to turn and amend their lives,
when
g6 On the Pool ^/Bethe^da.
when the hand of the Lord hath been fore upon them J but have forgotten all, when to try and prove their fincerity, he hath faved them a while from the jaws of death. — O let them remember how fearful a woe hangs over their heads, who having been made whoky have indulged as ufual in the pradice of fin : — and left a worfe things even eternal mifery, come unto them^ let them make hafte with broken hearts and humbled fouls to the pool of Bethejday the blood oi Chriji^ the fountain opened for fin and for all un- ci eannefs !
For thole of you, who have been made Tchole^ who have experienced the bleffings of this cleanfing blood, this admonition will ferve as a leffon to teach you to be duly mindful of the benefits conferred upon you by God, and to fhew your gratitude by lives of holinefs and love! The admonition, you obferve, ftands in the middle, between a blefling and a cur fe : Thou art made whole ^ thou art become a fervant of God, therefore Jin no more^ fin doth not fuit with fuch a ftate : but if this will not do, dread the punifhment— fin no fnore^ lejl a worfe thing come ujito thee. Sin is the fruitful parent of all human evils : and till the body refts in the filent grave> the temptations to it will never ceafe -, fo that we 2 have
0?i the Pool of Bethesda. 97
have continual need to be upon the watch, and to remember our Saviour's v^arning — ' behold^ thou art made whole ; fm no more^ lejl a worfe thing come unto tbee— -the only method to fecure us from which is a full dependance upon the almighty grace of God, fought for with fincerity and humility in all the means appointed, by a regular attendance at the pool 5 at gofpel ordinances> a holy, carefulj and con- fcientious walking, and a ftrid: watchfulnefs over all our thoughts, words, and adions: if endeavouring thus to wait and thus to adl, we fliall find God's gr2Lce fuffident for us: if thus Chrift find us in the tetiiple, P^yiJ^g out grateful tribute of praife and adoration, he will enable us boldly to ccnffs him before men, as this man did before the Pharifees^, and if we do fo, we have his infallible pro- mife, that he will confefs us before his Fa- ther and all the hoXy zngtXs—'Whofoever^there'' fore^ [ball confefs 7ne before 7?2Cn, him wi II Icon-- fefs alfo before my Father which is in heaven^ dnd before the angels of God t but whofoever fijall deny me before men, him will 1 alfo deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matt* x* 32, 33, &c.
Vol. IL No. 13. H DIS-
DISCOURSE XIL
On the THANKFUL Penitent.
Luke vli. 47.
Therefore I fay unto ther, her fins, which are many^ are j or given ^ for Jhe loved much -, but to whom little is forgiven^ the fame loveth little.
W^yi&O^ E read of many, who lab- tiring and S W W ^^^'^y l^^^^^ under the burden of ){^ )5( corporal evils and v/Oi Idly diftreffes,
hyi^^A accepted the gracious invitation of yefiiSy came to h\m,2ind found re/I to their joiils. But here we have a poor fin fick fufferer, a woman that was a finner^ whofe fins wei e her only burden, the arrow in her heart, feeking
to
On the nankful^ Penitent. 98
to the fovereign phyfician of fouls for relief. A Pharifeey the laft man one would have thought, who would have invited our Lord to his houfe, a Pharifee^ however flrange it may feem, dedred that he would go home and eat with him. He went accordingly, and fat dawn to meat. Pie refufed no company, fb be he might be found doing good : and he left no company, but they were always the better for him. It is no marvel to fee ^Jcfus furrounided with penitent finners ; one would wonder to fee him among felf-righteous, felf-juftifying P/?^r/y^?6'i: But marvellous as it is to find him in the houfe of a Pharifee, it is ftill more fo, to think that any poor firmer fhould either find him or dare to approach him there : where, whatever reception Cbrijl himfelf might give, nothing lefs than fevere reflecflions could be expeded from a Pharifee, who would behold with fcorn a known finner in his houfe, when even his righteous neigh- bour was a finner in his eye — Strange how- ever, as this might be, St. Luke informs us, that thus it happened : and to denote the par- ticular circumfi:ances of this cafe, BEHOLD^ faith he, a woman in the city which was^ I fhould rather read, which HAD BEEN'' a
H 2 Jinner^
* Htk ijv, quic fuerat, — For fhe had ceafed to be (o^ fays
100 On the Thankful Penitent.
[inner ^ but n.!oas now a penitent^ when JJ:e knew that Jefus fat at meat in the pharife's houje brought an alahafier box of precious ointment y the beft, her love could devife, and not daring to approach his prefence, felf-humbled, as fhe was, flie flood at his feet, bchi?2d him, weeping; which the manner of fitting at meat amongft the Jews rendered very practicable, for they ufed to lay along upon beds, round the table, leaning on their fides, with their feet turned backwards ; and thus ftanding be- hind him, weepi?7g the acceptable and bleffed tears of contrition, wath them ihe began to wafh her Saviour's feet, and to wipe them with thofe difheveFd locks, which were once her greateft pride and ornament, nets to catch men, but now employed to holier purpofes : warm'd with heavenly affedlion, ihe kiffed thofe divine feet, from whofe going about to do good, ilie had received the glad tidings of falvation, and which therefore were beautiful indeed to her : and as a token of her gratitude flie anointed them with the ointment, which fhe had brought to prefent to her Saviour. «' Thus her ointment, hands, eyes, hair, lips,
Bc%ay as appears from her very fmcere and lively repen- tance. 1 htrt is the fame manner of cxpreQ~;On, I Car, vi. II.
are
On the thankful Penitent. lor
are now confecrated to the ferVice of Chrill her Saviour, whom in thefe flie had offended : If our fatisfadtion be not in lome kind pro- portionable to our offence, we are not true penitents." — Here was a marvellous change, and thefe were teftimonies of it feemineW un- deniable. But the Pharifee obferving this, and being no ftranger to the charader of the fame woman, who, alas, had rendered her- felf but too infamous in the city by her loofe and abandoned life, not charitably inferring from hence the poflibility of a mighty change wrought in her : but looking on her in this worft light, he fpoke w;ithin himfelf, faying^ " This man^ whom I have here invited, and of whom I had at leaft fo favourable an opi- nion as to fuppofe him a true prophet of the great God, it is plain, from hence, is not what I took him for : for, if he were a pro- phet^ he would have known^ who and what inan- ner of woman this is that toucheth him^ for fide is a fnner, an open, fcandalous, notorious, city finner." — Thus he r^^;76^^ in his heart: but Jtfus quickly convinced him of his mif- take, and proved indeed, that he was a pro- phet, yea and fomething more than a pro- phet,— Simon, faid he, / have fomething to fay unto thee, Afid he faith, Majler, fay on. A Pharifee Vv^as willing to give Jefus attention,
H 3 let
102 On the "Thankful Penitent.
let us take heed, that we be no lefs careful to
(Jo fo. — Inhere was a certain creditor which had two debtors^ the one owed five-hundred pence ^ the other fifty : And when they had nothing to pay he firankiy Jorgave them loth* Tell metherejore which of them will love him fnojl ? — Simon an- fw-Ted^vcry wifely, I fuppfe that he to whom he forgave moif Jefus replied, Thou hafi judged rightly. Truth, from whofe mouth foever it fall, is worth the picking up : our Saviour praifes the judgment of a Pharifee : it is a , very injurious indifcretion in thofe who are fo prejudiced ngainft tlie perfoii, that they re- ject the truth. — Now then, continues our Sa- viour, to apply this parable, which was fpoken for thy fake, turning to the woman, Simon^ faid he, fecji thou this woman ? The parable is exemplified in thee and her. Thy invita- tion was a proof of fome fm:ill love and re- gard to me, but how fmall it is, appears from thy negledl of thofe common ceremonies and civilities, which men pay to honou able guefts: I entered into thy houfe^ thou gave it me no water fior mv fieet : but fie hath wafi:ed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavefi me no kijs, hut this woman, fince the time I came in, hath not ceafed to kifs my feet. Mine head ^m^x\ with common oil thou didfi net anoint, hut this woman hath anointed
' On the Thankful Penitent. 103
my feet le;///^ precious and fragrant ointment. And as thus (he hath given me indifputable proofs of greater love to me than thou haft done, it is plain from thy own confeffion, that more is forgiven her than thee : fhe needed more forgivenefs, yet her greater love (hews, that (he is really in a pardoned ftate. Where- fore I fay- unto thee, that her fins, which are many, are forgiven : FOR (he hath loved much : Her great love is an evidence that her great fins are forgiven : * for the debtor to whom moft is forgiven will love moft : But to whom little is forgiven, — He who hath lefs
* This is evidently the true fenfe of this paflage, and however controverted by fome, the whole fcope of our Lord's difcourfe abundantly proves it. Bezah note is very remarkable and excellent here — " or* viyair-ntn , Nam dilexit. Vulg. ^ Erat. ^lomam. I chofe rather to inter- pret in this manner, that it may be more eafily underftood, that thefe words fhew not the caufe of remiflion of fms ; but that the antecedent is gathered from the confequent. For God firft loved' us when we were yet nnners. 1 here- fore they who abufe this paflage to the overturning free juftification by faith alone, not only {hew the greateft af- furance, but weaknefs. For Chr'iji denies, that this wo- man was a finner, as the Pharifee had raflily judged her. He teftifies, that the fins of her former life were forgiven : and proves them to be fo, from that which follows re- miffion, namely, love, of which fhe had then given a public teftimony. Love therefore is not the ejjficient or procuring caufe of juftification, but the confequent efFet^." See Dr. Whitby on the place, who gives the fame expofi- tion, and defends it ably,
H 4 conviftion
104' On the Thankful Penitent.
conviftion of fin, lefs fenfe of and lefs re* morfe for it, the fame loveth little, — His love is in the fame proportion : the debtor to whom fifty pence is forgiven, hath not fo great obligations, and will not love fo much as he, who hath five-hundred forgiven him. This, I fpeak, Oh Simon^ for your convic^li-
on and inftrudion. But that the woman
alfo may have the comfortable fenfe and afili- rance of my pardoning love, I will alfo con- firm this bleffing of forgivenefs, and comfort her confcience burdened under the weight of felf-condemnation : '' Upon which, he faid unto her, 'Thy Jins are forgiven thee:''- — They that fat at meat with him began to fay with- in themfelves,as the Pharifees did before upon a like occafion, when he fpoke in the fame manner to the paralytic, — - Who is this that forgiveth fins alfo ? But as then^ fo noWy he ratified his divine word ; giving then an out- ward fign and evidence, that the fins of the paralytic were forgiven, by the cure which he wrought upon his body ; giving ?20W to the woman an internal fign and evidence of re- ptifjion, even peace to her foul, which, in her prefent ftate, was more defirable to her than all the gold of Ophir, — He faid to the woman, Thy faith bath faved thee : Co in peace.
The
On the 'Thankful Penitent. 105
The ancient writers * have given us this fpiritual interpretation of the prefent fadl The Pharifee, fay they, prefents us with a figure of the Jewi/h people : amongft ivhom the word of God was known, received and .dwelt y as in his own houfe. But ^ woman that was a Jinner^ that is, the Gentile church entered into this houfe^ and believed with lively a faith on Chrifi^ who was but ungratefully received by his own people :
* Thefe are the words of Scrvius^ of whxh I have %\y- en the fubftance in the text. Hie aute?fi Phorija^us figu- ram continet fy^iag^gce Judasorum, in qua prinium tar.quam in domo -propria Dei verbum commoratum fuit^ cum per folam Palasftinam noium eJTd^ iff in taberyiacu'.o ieftimonii appareret. In domum auttm ingrejfa eji mulier peccatrix^ hoc eft^ ecchfia^ qua ex univcrfi or bis gentihus collect a eJi, £t fponte fua credidit in Cbrijlum^ qui cum ingratis ac per- vicacibus ijiis hominibus accumbebat. Admodum autem ad rem appofite dixit^ ecce mulier peccatrix^ utpote non uni fed omnibus peccaUs adeoque fornicationi obnoxia, Scriptura enim facra generatim omne peccatum^ fornicationem^appellare confuevit^ presfertim vera tranjlationem cultus divini^ quande is qui foli Deo debetur inanimatis fiinulacris dcfcrtur, At- tulit autem alabaflrum unguenti^ hoc e/ijnfucatam animifn- ceritatem puritatcmque, tanqiiam in vitreo quodam vajculo fuavem quemdam ex omnibus commixtum virtutibus odorem continentem. Hoc enim efl iinguentum fpirituale. Et Jians re^ tro^ hoc ejiy fee undo pofl fyia^ogatn or dine contentOy ofculatur eum non frigide aut otiofe^ fd unguento pedes ejus ungens^ ac per virtutum operationes illius vefiigiis infijiens. JJnde com- parans earn cum fy^agoga ad Fharifeeum quaft in figura Chrijtiis dicity Ojculum mihi non dcdijii. ^lainvis enim fynagoga pnccspta quadam obfervaverit^ non tam.en ex amore^ fed timore potius Jerviliy mancipii inftar^ hoc fadehat.
Re
io6 On the thankful Penitent.
He came unto his own^ and his own received him mt. And her crime, joniication, is that, which throughout the fcriptures is laid to the Gentiles charge : fpi ritual fornication or ido- latry, leaving their firfl: hufband, the Lord of hofls, and giving themfelves up to idols, go- ing lip upon every high mountain^ a?id under evtry green tree^ and there playing the harlot y injlaming themfelves with idols under every green ine^ upon a lofty -^and high mountain Jetting their heds^ even thither going up to offer jacrificeJ^ When converted however from thefe abomi- nations, they were more fervent and zealous in love, and received Chrifl with more ardent defire than the "Jews. — But not to inlarge on this, we learn moreover many noble and in- ftrudive leffons from this great miracle of di- vine mercy : as particularly the freenefs of God's grace, and the nature of juftification. — The condition of all men, debtors to the God of heaven, bankrupts acd unable to pay, and without hope, fave in the grace and favour of their atoning Redeemer, — the true nature of converfion, its bleffed efFeds and fruits, — and befides, we learn, and that particularly, the nature, evidence, and fruit of forgivenefs
* Cam^. Jerem. iii. 6. and Ifjiab Ivii. 5, 7,
of
iDn the Tha^I{ful Vei^itieisit. loy
©f fins. I propofe not to fpeak to each of thefe, but only to the latter — the evidence and
Jruit of forgivenefs: If we are in a truly juftified {late we (hdW Jhew it by our out- ward works of love^ we {hall know it, by the inward peace and confolation of our own minds, by the peace which pajfeth all under ^
Jianding, This is manife{l from our Lord's words : Fir{l, her fms which are many are for- given, FOR floe LOVED vfuch. Secondly, thy jaith hath faved thee, go in PEACE.
There are great difputes among{l the learn- ed, whetlter this woman were Mary Magda- len, or fome other iinner of the fame fort: plain it is, this ilory recorded by St. Luke is very different in time and circumflances from that recorded by Matthew, Mark and ^John^ of Mary's, anointing our Saviour to his burial. It matters little who {he was : I rather in- cline to believe it was Mary Magdalen, who performed this office of love a fecond time, w^hen the paffion of her Saviour drew near,
- Be that as it may, I {hall take the liberty, for greater clearnefs and di{lin6lion's lake, to fuppofe it Mary Magdalen, and fo to fpeak of her, as being really the perfon here meant. Firji^ then, to fpeak of the outward evidence of true remifjion of Jins, which is love : her Jins which are many are forgiven, for JJ:e hath loved 3 much.
io8 On the thankful Penitent.
much'. As much as to fay it is plain from hence, that fhe is in a juftified ftate, (though flie herfelf may not know it) becaufe fie loveth much: fhe hath given manifeft tokens of her great love to me, from whence it follows, by neceiFary confequence, that her great fins are forgiven — for no finner, as fuch, can love jefus Chrift, — Are then all, it may be afk'd, who love Chrijl forgiven ? from this inftance we have a full and determinate anfwer to that queftion > Moft indifputably they are while they continue in his love *. They who give fuch proofs of love as Mary gave, as certainly are forgiven as Mary was. But to underfland more perfectly the nature of this love, let us conlider her cafe a little more diftindllv.
The black fide of her charader is given in very few words ; a ivoman in the city that was, — rather, had been — a finner, — A finner, — what marvel is there in that, — who is not, who have not been finners ? But ihe was a finner of the firfl: rate, a woman, as is fuppofed by many, of a noble family ; for in thofe loofe days, under Herod, when vice reigned fo tri- umphantly in Ifrael, a gap was fet open for
all uncleannefs -f, fo that vile luft and
the
* John XV. 9.
"}■ Virjrum cxctnplo^ 5cc. After the example of the men
in
On the Thankful Penitent. 109 the moft fhamelefs proftitution, were remark- ably public and avowed amongft high as well as low : fhe was one of the aban- doned of thofe times, a city finner, the more fcandalous and notorious, as the more public : but like Paul who was a bJafphemcr, and a perfecutor^ and injurious^ JJje obtained 7nercy and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant^ with faith and love which is in Jefus Chriji *. She was converted by the miniftry of his divine word -f : faith opened her eyes, and fhewed her the filthinefs and flavery of that fin, under the bondage of which fbe was led captive : faith fliew'd her its fearful wages, even eternal horror : faith led her to the foun- tain opened for all uncleannefs, to the merci- ful Jefus whofe inviting calls to poor oppreffed fmners fhe had heard and received with joy,
in thofe days, many women of fortune and nobility lived in the moll loofe abandoned manner, not proftituting their bodies for gain, but merely thro' the madnefs of luft, infanta it bi dims. Conxen in he.
* I Tim. i. 13.
f There is no Ibrt of reafon to fuppofe, that this was the firft time, this woman heard of or faw our Saviour; the ftory feems abundantly to prove the contrary, — much lefs muft we think with Vida^ that fhe came now to the houfe of Simon, drawn by the fame of the beauty of J ffus, and with carnal purpofes, this may do in poetry, but {hould be con- fidered folely as fidion. That mafterly writer has defcribed the event in a very elegant manner, fuch as will afford the learned reader a plcufing entertainment. Chrijliad. lib. I. ver. 3C0.
2 while
no On the Thankful Penitent.
while her heart was transfixed with love X.o the almighty giver of pardon. " Doubtlefs as fhe had heard his many. gracious invitations fo Ihe had obferved how he vouchfafcd to come under the roof of defpifed publicans, of profeffed enemies: (he had noted all the in- ftances of his power and mercy, whereby he proved himfelf the God, able and willing to forgive fins ; and now deep remorfe wrought upon her heart for her former vicioufnefs : the pool of her confcience was troubled by the defcending angel, and now fihe fteps in for a cure. The arrow ftuck faft in her foul, which file could not fliake out, and now fl:ie comes to this fovereign dittany* to expel it." And as the thirfi:y, panang hart hard -hunted and in the extremity of drought eagerly longs for the cooling fprings, fo touched with re- pentance for her former vanities, did ^t pant after the refrefiiing cooling flireams of Cbriji'^ forgiving grace and mercy.
Converfion is the very nature of Ckrifi\ religion; and converfion necefi!arily implies a change of heart and life, a change from fin to holinefs, from darknefs to light ; and this
* Thefe fentlments are from Bifnop i/.//', who has taken them from Salmeron^ an elcfc'ant Latin writer on thr fab- je6t. Dittany is an herb, which v/iki goats and deer are faid to eat, when wounded with arrows, it being found efficacious to remove them.
is
On the Thankful Penitent. i ii
is effedled by the fteps abovementioned, by faith wrought in the heart by the word, thro' the operation of the Holy Ghoft, convincing of the guilt, the wages, and the danger of fin, and the fure ranfom found for it by thofe who repent and turn to him, who defireth not the death of a finner. — You fee what humility this fcuth wrought in Mary: though fhe cannot be kept from the place, where he is whom her foul hveth, yet will fhe not ap- pear before him, if fhe may but fland behind him, at his feet, it is enough for her : you fee what Godly Sorrow it produced: fhe flood be- hind him weepings fhe began to wafh his feet with her tears, tears of joy, in a tranf^ port as fhe was, to find herfelf fo near the Saviour, whom her foul loved: tears of for- row to refled:, how her former offences, had injured, grieved, and wounded him 5 you fee what negledt of her former elegancies, which fhe is determined to ufe to holier purpofes, than heretofore, that as fhe had yielded her members as infirumeiits of unrightcoufnejs unto fin, fo now floe might yield them as infiruments of righteoufnefs wito God *. And laflly you fee what love it produced : '' fhe kiffed his feet as one unworthy the kiffes of his mouthy
f Rom. vi. 1 3,
which
i 12 0;i the Thankful Penitent.
which the fpoufe coveted *. 'Twas a ki{s of adoration as well as ofaffeffion; (he wiped them with her hair: her eyes fhall yield water to wafli them, and her hair be a towel to wipe them; and ihe anointed his feet with the ointment, owning him hereby to be the MeJJtahy the Chrifl^ the anointed Saviour : fhe anointed his feet in token of her confent to God's defign in anointing his head with the oil of gladncfs "l^/* Nothing fhe can do is too much to teftify her obligation to him,
* Cant i. 2.
\ Henry on the place, who alfo obferves, that (he had been converted from her wicked courfeof life by the preach^ ing of J^fus. Again, We have reafon to think, (he had before forrowed for fin, but now (he had an opportunity of coming into the prefence of Chrift^ the wound bled afrefli and her forrow renewed. — Pool alfo in his annotations re- marks, was a /inner ^ — was — referreth , here to the time paft, though lately paft, fhe had lately been infamous and notorious, but it appeareth by what followeth, that fhe was not fo now, otherwife than in the opinion and vogue of the people, according to whofe opinion, though uncha- ritable enough, quis fimul fuit mala^ Jemper prcefumitur ejfe mala in eodem genere mali^ a perfon who hath once been bad is always prefumed fo to be, through their ignorance of the power of divine grace in changing the heart, or their ■malice againft and envy toward thofe whofe hearts they fee fo changed. But whatever this woman had been, it feems God had afFc6kd her heart with the Word which Chrlfl had preached, and filled it with the pure love of God and Chrift inftead of its former fulnefs of impure love, and made her fms as bitter as they had been formerly pleafant to her."
who
t)n the thankful {^enitenTx 1 i^
tvho when (he had nothing to pay, frankly, ofFer'd to forgive her mighty debt : her coft- lieft ointment is v/ell employed upon his feet ^ and under the fenfe of his forgiving love, her heart burns with the warmefl gratitude — we love him becaiife he fir ft loved us ^ : tie had firft difplay'd the riches of his mercy to her, he firft had broken her heart, and fhe had offered him that plealing and acceptable facri- fice, a broken and a contrite hearty before (he broke her box of ointment at his feet. — And who can wonder that fhe who was fo deeply fenfible of her debt, and the impoflibility of ever paying it, fhould love much, when her al- mighty creditor frankly forgave her all. Great obligations naturally produce great affedlion.
Thus was it htv faith -which faved her, her faith, which thro* the Spirit wrought true con- verfion in her, and which, working by love^ gave infallible teftimony to the fincerity of her change, and that the work was of God. And you fee how acceptable and well-pleafing to Chrift thefe evidences ^ of her love to him, were 5 from hence he convifts 5i?non of far lefs re- gard to him, than this woman had fliewed, and informs us that he judges of our aftedlion and love, by the offices of love which weJ
* John Iv. ig. Vol. II. I do
114 On the thankful Penitent.
do to him,— toy? thou this woman? I entered into thine h'oufe, &c.
We are all debtors to God, and though pnr debts may be unequal, the fins, which fome have contracted more grofs, hainous and ofFenfive than others, yet have vjq no reafon to boaft ourfelves upon that account, or there- fo e to prefer ourfelves toothers; fince we are all equally infolvent, equally unable to pay, as well he that owes fifty, as he that owes five hundred pence : if w^e w ould be forgiven, we have all but one and the fame means, great linners and fmall, all alike muft be faved by the merits of J^lus Chrijl: we muft applv to the mercy and goodnefs of our almighty cre- ditor, who will not caft out any, that freely and humbly acknowledge their poverty : but will frankly forgive us the debt, if we are duly fenfible of its greatnefs, and truly de- ' iirousof being made free; which furely we can never fail of being, fince if we are not for- given, wa muft be delivered ^o the tormen- tors, and confined in an eternal prifon, till ive pay the uttermojl farthihg"^ : v^^hich, as we have nothing to pay, muft of neceffity be for ever. — No debt fo great, no fin fo hainous, but there is now, in the day of gr.^ce, for- givenefs and pardon for it; as this example
+ Matt. V. 26.
for
On the 'Thankful Penitent, 1 15
for our comfort proves to us; bat then we muft be carefal not to deceive our own fouls j if we would be forgiven, we muft deteft and leave our paft ofFej^ces; we muft come in faith to Chrili under the burthen of our lins 5 and with humility and godly forrow teftify the reality of our contrition, and by a(5ts of love and obedience manifeft the fincerity of our
converfion. — It is an eafy matter bold*
ly to arrogate forgivenefs of fins to our- felves: it is eafy to fay that v^e are juftified, that we are affured Chriji hath pardoned us ; but bold words do not prove a fadt, and ftrong affer.tions will never convince the cool and confiderate. ChriJl hath given us an infallible teft, whereby we may judge, both for our- felves and others, of the truth of our converfioa and the reality of our forgivenefs: Her finsy which are many^ are forgiven, for fhe hath LOVED much. Now whofoever finds this change wrought in their hearts from darknefs to lights and from the power of Satan unto Gody let them demonftrate it by the abundance of their love \.o Chrif: by their diligent obfer- vance of his commands, for he who keepeth my commandments, faith he, HE IT IS, who loveth ME *. If you can fay that you love him^ becaufe he firjl loved you^ and if you demon*
* John xiv. 21.
I 2 ftrate
ii6 On the thankful Penitent. ftrate the truth of what you fay by feeking all opportunities to fliew forth that love, by frequenting the place, where his honour dwel- leth, by a conftant and regular attendance upon him in all his holy ordinances, (without v/hich it is but vain to fay you love him,) if you find yourfelf humbled in his prefence under a deep fenfe of your own mighty un- worthlnefs, of that great debt which you could never have difcharged : if you find god- ly forrow fwelling your heart, tears of holy grief and love flowing from your eyes, if you find the courfe of your life and the ftream of your affedions changd, the members, which before were fervants of unrighteoufnefs unto fin, now fervants of righteoufncfs unto God* :
* In an elegant little treatife on this fubje6l by ^V* H dfon^ Efq; intitled San^a Peccairix, amongft many other pleafing obfcrvations are thefe^ " She had wont to fend forth her alluring beams into the eyes of her Jafcivious paramours, therefore now (he weepeth a deluge of tears, which is little enough to bear the ark of her forrows* She had made her lips the weapons of luft and gates of vanity, but now they, fandify themfelves with her dear refpeh unto the Son of God. Her hair which fhe had fo gently combed and braided cunningly againfl the glafs, doth now ferve inftead of napery to dry his feet. Her odori- ferous, perfume, wherewith flie was wont to make herfelf ple.-fing to , her amorous companions Ihe now beftows on thole hallowed feet which her eyes had watered, her hair had wiped, her mouth had killed. '* p. 91. See alfo Se6l. iv.
if
On the Thankful Penitent. 117 if you rejoice to wajh the faints feet *, to fhew forth your love to your redeemer, by your love, benevolence and good-v^ill to all your fellow-creatures, — the fure proof of love to God, for he that loiieth not his brother whom he hath feen^ how can he love God who?n he hath not feen-f ? — if thus, (to carry on the reference to this woman) you perfume the church with the rich ointment and fweet fa- 'uour of all your good works; if thus you manifefl your love to Chrif^ — for all this is included in love to him — then have you an infallible evidence, and fure token that your fins are forgiven ; the former greatnefs and hainoufnefs of which will increafe your love in proportion, fince great love is the fruit of
* Tim. V. 10. A penitent (houlJ never ceafe to kifs the feet of Chriji by a lively faith, and to make fomc re- turn for his charity, by loving him in the poor and in the loweft members of his niyftical body, dffc. ^iefnelle on the place; whofe incomparable obfervations on this chapter, were I to do him juftice, I fhould produce at large, and therefore omit any further quotations, referring my reader to the excellent author.
-J- yohn iv. 20. O Lord, in vain (hall we profefs to love thee, if v/e do nothing for thee ; fincc our good- nefs cannot reach up to thee who art our glorious head ; oh let us beftow upon thy feet, thy poor members here below, our tears, our hands, our ointment, and whatever our gifts and endeavours may teftify our thankfubefs and love to thee in them. Biftiop Hall : whofe contemplation on this fubje«5l is remarkably delicate and pleafing.
I 3 great
ii8 On the Thankful Penitent.
great forgivenefs: Mary loved much becaufe much had been forgiven her: but to whoift litti^ is for given the jarne lovtb little.
Thus is love the fare evidence of forgive- nefs ; that which may convince not only the Penitent's feii, but all likewife who have eyes to fee. Men indeed are in this refpeft fre- quently more fevere than God : like Simon they ofren murmur and reifon withrn them- feive-, and are even difpleafed to fee finners admitted into communication with Jefus I They will not readily pardon thofe whom God hath pardoned ; they will not examine the lively evidences of converfion manifefted in a life of r>ve^ in a lite contrary to the for- mer life of fin and enmity with God. But we fhould be careful to do fo, left we chance to fight againft and to condemn the work of Gq'\\ and fl'iOiild learn from this example of Simon a leffon of charity, which teacheth us never to judge or condemn any one; we fhodld be careful how we wreft this dread thunderbolt out of the hands of omnipotence, for judgment is the Lord's; vengeance is mine y I uuL reply ^ ' ai th he. Charity believeth all things, and hcfeth all things to the good of our neif;hbour — nay it even thinketh no evil. Who wou'd not have preferred Simon to Mag^ dalen according to human judgment ? a ftrift 3 Pharifee,
On the thankful Penitent. 119 Pharifee, of a fed apparently the moft holy amongft the "Jews, yet by no means bigotted; favourable to "J^jiLS, fo favourable as to invite him to his houfe ; and fo well efteemed of ^efus^ that he accepted his invitation : and fhe a notorious, fcandalous proftitute. Yet fee,
to cut off all judgment from us, fee
how {he is exalted, and he is abafed/. (he is infinitely richer in divine love than Simon, and it is love "alone that makes us dear and pre- cious in the fight of God * : Hence we fhould learn, — not by any means to prefer and efteem an open finner before an outwardly righteous
perfon but never to judge or defpifc
any man, who can tell how the riches of God's mercy may be exerted? — ^— For thofe to whom God hath been thus wonderfully good and gracious, forgiving them, when they had nothing to pay, forgiving them fo large and immenfe a debt, which would have coft them the eternal lofs of their fouls, let fuch warmed with the trueft gratitude, not forget to be zealous in love, not forget to (hew by their lives of exemplary holinefs
* St. Ignatius in his eplftle to the Smyrnaans^ obferves with a moft beautiful fimplicity, <^ Let no man's place or flate in the world pufF him up : that which is worth all, is faith 2inA hve^ to which nothing is to be preferred." See f pift. of Apoftolic Fathers, by Archbifliop IVake, p. 1 1 6,
I 4 and
J20 0?2 the Thankful Penitent.
and humility, the fenfe they have of God's ynfearchable, unfathomable love in Chrijl Jejus ; that fo the Pharifees, the more out- wardly righteous and lefs-condemned, the elder fom § in the parable, may by their good works be convinced of the truth of the change, and glorify God on the return of their pro^ digal brother, on the behalf of thofe who 'were—'th'SiX. is a good word— w^r^, but-—-' thanks, eternal thanks to the God of mer- cy— are no longer linners 5 were finners, and pow are penitents !
But, Ildly, I obferved, there is an internal proof, which the penitent alone poffeffeth, and which is alfo a convincing evidence of the favour and pardon of God to the foul : and this is PEACE, peace and repofe of con- fcience, to the troubled foul. And this too, like love, is generally in proportion to the greatnefs of the fin : The greater and more violent the ftorm, the more evident and de- firable is that calm, which hufhes the trou- bled winds and waves, and brings the veffel to the defired haven. The difciples when finking, were more fenfible of the power and bleffing of the word oi Jefus, fpeaking peace to the waves and ftorms, than if no tempeft
§ See the beautiful parable of the prodigal fon, Luke XV.
had
On the Thankful Fenitent. 121
had ever affailed their veffel, and brought them into jeopardy. While wretched Mag^ dalen was in her courfe of fin boiling with the flames of luft, and agitated with the fires of unruly paflions, — though then ihe had no peace ; for there is no peace to the wicked^ — yet had fhe no uneafinefs for the want of that feace^ which is the gift oi Chrifl only to the troubled foul. But foon as the fenfe of her guilt and fhame flared her in the face, foon as {he faw, what a vile abandoned profli- gate fhe was, the enemy of God, the flave of the devil, and heir of hell ; foon as flie faw her wretched ingratitude to the God who ere* ated her for his fervice, and redeemed her for his glory foon -, as fhe faw heaven's doors for ever fhut to the adulterer, fornicator, unclean, to the finful foul : foon as fhe faw her hard mafler, the devil, ready to drag her into un- quenchable flames, the moment her wretch- ed foul fhould leave her polluted body,—- -foon as fhe faw her many fhameful and aggravated offences, with thefe dire confequences at- tending,—then fuch a florm was raifed in her breaft, fuch a troubled fea was her heart, that nothing lefs than the almighty Jefus could fpeak the fovereign word and reflore the defired peace, — And we find fhe fought him not in vain : Faith opened her eyes, faith
con-
122 On the Thankful Penitent.
convinced her of her danger : Faith wrought godly lorrow in her heart, faith led her to repenta'ice not to be repented of, to remorfe for the pafi, and amendment for the future : faith brought her to him, whofe debtor flie was, and who alone could forgive her. Thus faitL\ a faith we may obferve attended with contrit on and /6iv---faved her : and the au- thor and ftniflier of that faith calmed all her ftorms, filenced all her fears, frankly forgave her all, Ipoke the divine and comfortable word, and fo difmifTcd her in y^f^Q^— thy faith bath faved th'e^ go in peace. And this peace ^ fpo'<en into her heart, joined with that love^ were fuch teftimonies of forgivenefs, as flie could not doubt, and which filled her heart wiih joy and gladnefs. Thus, like the fpoufe in the Canticles, did fhe wound Chri/i with one ofh.r eyps^andwith the chain (a chain of graces) about her neck,* For fo pleating to him were all. the anions of this perfed penitent, of this grateful convert, that he not only made her apology againft the Pharifee, in preferring her kindnefs before the entertainment of his houfe; but againft Satan and the powers of hell, in forgiving her many fins without any enumeration of them, and in difmifiing her
* Cant. iv. 9.
in
On the Thankful Penitent. 123
ia 'peace^ which is the earneft and foretafte of heaven.
And this peace, which St. Pau! tells us,
faffeth all iinderftandingy and Is the fruit of
the holy Spirit dwelling in the heart, is the
peculiar gift of Cy6W// to all, who, with M^g*-
dalen, convert and love him. As the firfl:
^tp to conijer /ion 'is conviBion, {o true co?2viBion
neceflarily implies, co?2triti on or godly forrow ;
thefe three are infeparable from true repen-
tarice» convidion, contrition, converfion. The
greater and deeper the fenfe of fin, its guilt
and wages, is upon the foul, the greater of
neceflity will be its uneafinefs and contrition :
the foul will be more difturbed, and the man
will be the greater ftranger to peace ', and that
roaverfion is likeiieftto be moft lading, which
is founded in the deepeft contrition : the more
we feel under the condemning fenfe of our
own finfulnefs, the more we fhall lovey when
we obtain peace in the fenfe of forgive nefs.
For, as forgivenefs produces peace, fo peace
is the fruit of forgivenefs: It is very poffible
that God may keep us fome time under the
uneafy fenfe of our fins, long time flrangers
to his pardoning love 5 nay, and we may not
know when that pardon is really given to the
foul : but of this we may be alTured, that when
the before-mentioned love rules in our hearts
and
124 Ojt the Thafik/ul Penitent'. and lives, and the prefent peace hath remov- ed the fears and horror, the guilt and fting of lin from our fouls, then we may be affured, that our fins are forgiven, that Chriji hath faid, thy faith hath faved thee^ go in peace.
Thus I have given you, from this fweet difplay of divine love, two infallible evidences, whereby you may try and examine the ftate of your fouls, and be convinced whether you" are in a juftified ftate or not.— I would have you carefully obferve from hence, that it is very poiTible to be in a juftified ftate, and not to know it affuredly for fome time : This is by no means a Jirji Jtep * in the Chriftian courfe, as fome would perfuade you; w^ho will boldly pronounce you in a damnable Jlate^ unlefs you can as boldly pronounce your know-
* The judicious reader will obferve, that I by no means pretend to controvert the matter v^^ith thofe, who de- clare pofitively their inflontaneous converfion^ who fay^ that
■ they can tell the time when^ the manner how^ the place wherey the Spirit of God (as they generally choofe to ex-
. prefs it) bore witnefs with their fpirit , that their fms were forgiven. — There is no difputing with fuch men ; they have, they declare, a fenfible feeling evidence ; and who can contradict what a man fays he feels ? — I only attempt to give mote fcriptural, more folid and fubftantial evidence, and would wifh to recommend to the ftrenuous defenders of thofe tenets a caution, that they do not at- tempt to make thofe necejjary terms of acceptance and falvation, which the great Judge of heaven and earth hath not^ in that ward^ whereby we are to be judged.
ledge
On the T'bankful Penitent. 125 ledge of your juftificatioii.— But with fuch you have no need to do more, than foberly, and in the fpirit of meeknefs, to defire a full proof of this from the word of God^ which is^ our only fure teft, and I dare pronounce the word of God fayeth no fuch thing.— From hence too you learn, that you have no need for defpair or unealinefs, though you fhould not find in your heart, that internal ajfurance^ that immediate imprejjion from the Spirit of God, convincing you undeniably, that you^ even yoUy are a child of God, that your fins are forgiven. — However boldly fome again talk as to this matter, it is very obvious, that it hath no real foundation in the word of God, but is of man's device, and fo of confe- quence to be rejedled, and difregarded in a matter of fuch infinite confequence : while, nothing moved by the experiences which fome pretend to, of all things the moil fallible and delufive, and leafl: to be reafoned upon,— We,- on the contrary, attend carefully to thofe fure marks and criterions of forgivenefs, which the infallible word of God giveth us: and which, as I have endeavoured to (hew you, are love to Chrifl^ becaufe he firft loved us, forgiving us all, when we had nothing to pay ; and peace^ peace, paffing all underftand-
ing,
126 On the Thankful Penitent.
ing, arifing from the fenfc of oiir forgivehefsi
and confequen! upon our real converiion.
Labour, my beloved brethren, labour with all your might to attain this full aiTurance of faith, this divine plerophory^'^ which every Chriilian may attain and which is founded upon nothing far-fetched or unfeen. but is nigh you, within the knowledge and power of you all.— How plain is this? ** My many fins are forgiven— for I love much -I love much that divine Lord, who firft loved me, and gave himfelf a ranfom for my foul. I love much, and in that love have much peace, as knowing it to be the fruit and evidence of my Saviour's free pardon of all my pad of- fences, given in his infallible word of pro- mife, and fealed by his Spirit to my heart."— Oh happy are they, who with Magdalen are thus wounded with love^ thus difmiffed with peace I Who can wonder that (lie loved much when the refledtion on her pad danger fhould magnify the pre lent ble^ing : who can won- der that her peace was great and fenfible in- deed, when the ftorm raifed by her fins mufl have been infufferable even here, and, unlefs ftilled by the powerful word oi Jefas^ eternal !
• Heb. X. 22. Er 7r?v»?co(pof»a tr,^ 'Trtj-ewj
—In
071 the Thankful Penitent. 127 »-- In this refpedl we are all equal to her, that we are all debtors to God, and that we all have nothing to pay : condemned as well for fi*ty as five hundred pence, and capable of procuring a free difcharge but one way, by the free grace and mercy of God our Father in Chrijl JefuSy the loving Saviour of our fouls! Bleffed be God, fin is not equal in all : fome are kept from grofi'er offences by the goodnefs of God, while fome iivork all unJeanncfs ^itb greedijiefs : But Chrijl^ in this gofpel, hath given us, as in other inflances, an example of the greateft finner, to Ihew us the free- dom of redeeming love, to convince us, that no merits or defervings of ours can have ^ny lliare in the great work of juftification, -and:^ to let u^ fee that there is mercy for the vileft of finnefs, for adulterous Magdalens^ -and perfeciLtlng Pauls^ if they will turn and live : to let us fee (that all might have hope) .that there is free pardon for all, for thofe who -ewe five hundred, as well as thofe who /owe but fifty pertce : feeing they have nothing to pay, let them only come, afk, and receive; our Lord will frankly forgive them all the debt!
And as he is fo bountiful and merciful, let us take heed, that, in this our day, we fiiare of his bounty and mercy, left we be caft in- to
128 On the Thankful PeisTitent* to prifon, whereto the leaft debt we fee is fiif* ficient to bring us: one tranfgreffion can ne- ver be atoned for by rr.an, one fin committed againft the almighty infinite Majefl:y of hea- ven, of neceffity becomes infinite, and can never be done away by all the power of mani becaufe the leaft fin againft omnipotence is mighty indeed, our offence being always aggravated in proportion to the greatnefs of the perfon againft whom we ofi^end, and fu- ture obedience, which is but duty, can never expiate paft offences. We cannot redeem our aim foithy their redemption is more precious § 5 \ve have nothing to pay, nothing to fatisfy eternal juflice, nothing that can ftand the fire of divine vengeance, burning againft fin, all we have is hay and flubble * ; we have no^ thing to interpofe between God and us: the law condemns us, confcience approves the fen- tence, hell waits to receive us, and we muft be dragged to that miferable prifon-houfe, there to lie for ever, wretched infolvents,-— thither muft we be dragged, — unlefs now, while we have it in our power ; now, while grace and mercy are offered to us; unlefs now we fly to the only Saviour of our fouls,
i Pfalm xlix. 8. * 1 Cor. iii. 12
and
071 the Thankful Penitent. 129 and gain from him a free and full remiflion of all our debts and trefpaffes ! — As ever there- fore we defire to fli re his' mercy hereafter, let us make ourfelves fit objeds of it while we are here: let us now apply to him, now turn and live, now confefs and bewail our wretched worthleffnefs, and implore him, that, as we have nothing to pay, lie would be pleafed gracioufly to forgive us the debt ! — The more feniible we are of its greatnefs, and of our own utter incapability to pay it, the more (hall we love when forgiven. And as the debts and trefpaffes of us all, are alas — great enough : -— as even theleaft: is fufficient to condemn us everlaftingly, let us not be fu- perficial in the examination of our fouls, but carefully fearch out all our moft fecret fins, and labour to get the deepeft and moft hum- ling fenfe of them, that our love and peace may be accordingly.
And let us by no means reft fatisfied with any doubtful furmifes in a cafe of fuch impor- tance to our fouls ; oh let this woman be a preacher to us ; and let us from her example fearch, try, and examine, whether the good work is done in us, whether Chrift hath for- given us, and fpoken peace to our fouls. In or- der to which let us alk. Do we love him ? Love
Vol. II. K him
I30 On the Thankful Penitent.
him, becaufe he firft loved us ? Calling ns to him, giving hlmfelf for us, freely blotting out our long debt to him? Do v^e love him with all our heart, and ferve him with all our might ? Is jefus, our beloved, the defire of our hearts, the one thing upon earth, the one thing in heaven, which wc defire? Oh bleffed foul who can fay, whom have 1 in heaven but thee, and there is no- thing upon earth that I defire in comparifcn of thee ! * But as a proof of this love, fearch and afk, — Do you love the place where be dwelleth ? Do you, with Mary, haften to the houfe where he is ? Is your foul glad, when you hear men fay. We will go into the houfe of the Lord ? Do you love to meet him in prayer, in his word, in his ficraments? Do you there find Jft/s your beloved ? Are you humbled in his prefence, deeply fenfible of your own vilenefs ? Have you ca ft away all pride and felf-efteem, and are glad and .content to be efteemed lefs than the leaft of all thefcrvants of God ? And as a full proof of your love to ChriJI, as an undeniable tefti- mony of your gratitude and thankfulnefs, — Are you aQive in your love to your brethren, in that love which fulfilleth the law, and which makes -a man, however he miftook before, a good father, a good hufband,. a good
* Plain '?wxiii. 25.
mafter.
On the Thankful Penitent. 13 i
mafter, a good neighbour, Sfc. — good ia all the relations of hfe, glad to difiribute^ wiU ling to communicate^ rejoicing always to do good? — -BlefTed is the man, who thus labouring to fulfil all ChrijV^ commandments, continually endeavours to love, even as he hath been loved : For this^ faith our Lord, is my com- 7?iandment^ that ye JJ:ould love me another as I have loved you : hereby JJjall all men knciVy that ye are my difciples, "^
And now, my brethren, to thofe of you, who have gained this divine evidence of for- givenefs, whofe faith^ thus working by love^ hath faved you,-— ^Ihzt need I fpeak of that peace which dwelleth in you, which is the peculiar gift of Chriji^ heaven begun in the heart, — My peace 1 give unto you^ J and which far furpafleth all human underftanding, as much unknown by, as it is far from the men of this world, and which of confe- quence can never be adequately expreffed or defcribed ! May the God of Love in- creafe it in all our hearts, and in the hearts of all thofe who defire it ! And who that hath . tailed of it in any degree, but will fay amen to that! Nay, could but the formal Chrifti-
* John XV. 12. X John xu. 27.
K 2
132 On the Thankful Penitent.
an, the lover of pleafure, the lover of fin, the lover of the world, could they but be convinced of the inefl:imable blefllng, they would foon exchange their Shadows for a fubftance, their toys for realities. Oh that God would wound and transfix by his word and Spirit all their hearts with fuch pati- ence and love, as he did the heart of Mag- dalen : Oh that they might all weep much and love much, as having much to be for- given ! Oh that the fenfe of this forgivenefs might be engraven on their hearts, by the love of the crucified 'J^ius, and the peace of the Holy Comforter ! And for this you who have obtained merc\\ ceafe not continually to pray : ceafe not to pray, that the word of God may have its due, its defired eftedl ; and flrive above all things by the unblamable and exem- plary holinefs of your lives to convince men of the beauty of divine love^ and the un- fpeakable happinefs of that peace of Chrijl^ which paffeth all underftanding, &c.
D I S-
%^^')^^^%.^'\^^^%^^^%.'^^
DISCOURSE XIV.
On the Woman with the bloody liTue.
Being the Substance of Two Sermons. PART I.
Luke viii. 42, 43, 44.
But as he went the people thronged him ;
^nd a Won an, having an IJJiie of blood twelve years y which had [pent all her living tipon ^hy- ficians, neither could be healed of any.
Came behind him and touched the border of his garment : and immediately her Ifjue of Blood flancbed,
f^XX\ ONE but thofe who travel and \\ N <f# ^^^ heavy laden, can come to Chrijl, <(*^^ *> and all who do fo come, {hall be S«L.*^#^JJ^ refrejhed: fome proofs of this we have already feen ; two eminent ones prefent themfelves to our view, in this part of the K 3 gofpel
134- On the bloody Issue healed. gofpel-hiflory, a ruler of the fynagogue, and a miferably afilided woman ! all the evan- gelifts who relate thefe miracles of mercy, begin v/ith the emphatical ^V/j(?/^, Behold there came a man^ named yiurus^ and he was a ruler of the jynagcgue : for it is worthy our greateft admiration that fuch a perfnn (liould, by divine providence, be ftirred up to feek Chrift, at a time when the whole fynagogue of the Jews were confpiring againft him, nay when they had determined, to put any man out of the fy- nagogue who JJjOuld confefs him *. But alas — all the terrors and threats of men avail but little, when deep afflidion's lie heavy on the foul, and the means of relief are utterly fecluded. This ruler w^as a father, and he felt with all the tender afFedlion of a parent : he had one on- ly daughter in the bloom of youth, and Jloe lay a dying ; all hopes of recovery were gone, all natural means had been found ineffedual; when hopelefs and helplefs the wretched fa- ther vvas driven to Jefus, as his laft refource. To witnefs the fervor of his defire and the bleeding anxiety of his foul, he fell down at the feet of Jejus and earneftly bejoiight him^ that )je would come to his hcufe, that he would vifit and reflore his one only beloved daughter,
* Join jx. 22.
whom
On the BLooBY Issue healed. 135
whom he left in the lait extremity, at the very laft gafp. A\nd when did our compal- iionate mafter ever refufe his gracious affif- tance to thofe who implored it of him ? — he immediately arole and followed the ruler to- wards his houfe. And as his faith appeared at prefent, but very weak and infirm, rather founded on love to his child than fure truft and confidence in Chrijl^ our Saviour, accord- ing to his wife purpoie, io ordered it, that an eminent example of faith fhould meet them in the way, to ftrengthen the ruler, and to eftablifh him in hope. For as he ^wmt along, a large multitude accompanying him, a ^dcoman 'who had been dijeafed with a?j Ijjue orjiux oj blood twelve years, who bad j pent all her living tiponphy- ftcians and to no purpofe, being unable to pro- cure any relief, nay fo far from it, fo far was fhe from being any thing bettered, xh^X floe rather grew wcrje, — after having thus in vain tried all means to obtain a cure, (he came behind J efus and touch-ed the hem of his garment, J or Jl:e faid within herfelf, if I may but touch his garment, I Jloall be whole. And flie was not deceived: jor immediately her ifjue of blood Jlanched : and, fie felt in her body, fays the Evangelift, that fie was healed of that plague, Jefus immediate- ly knowing in himfelf, that virtue had gone out of him, (a ilrong proof furcly of his
K 4 divine
136 On the BLOODY Issue healed. divine power and knowledge) turned him aboat in the prefs, and faid. Who touched me'? not that he wanted to be informed j for he 'that knew virtue was gone out of him, could not be ignorant upon whom that virtue was exerted ; but he fpoke it for the fuller ma- niftflation of this woman's faith, and of hi^ own miraculous power. His difciples were furprized at the queftion : Mafter, laid they, thou feeft the multitude thronging and pref- fing thee, and fayelt thou, Who touched 7ne? they did not diftinguifh between the fpiritual and corporeal touch : for many touch Chrift^ to whom no vinue goes out from him to heal them. He perfifted therefore and faid, Jome' body hath touck-id me^ for I perceive that virtue is gone cut Jro?n me. And looking round a- bout to fee her, that had done this thing, the ivoman perceiving that (he was not hid^ and T^nonjoing ivhat was done in her^ came fearing and trrmrliug, ivui fading down be j ore him% Jhe told him all the truth, Jhe declared unto him before all the people^ that they who had ears to hear might hear, for what caufe Jhe had do?2e thisy and how Jhe was healed immediately ; to remove all her fears and to compleat her joy. Daughter^ faid he^ he oj good comfort^ thy faith hath faved thee : Go in peace and be whole of thy plague. This muft needs have greatly
ftrengthened
Ofi the BLOODY Issue healed. 137
ftrcngthened the ruler's faith, which yet was again attacked, and needed the ftrongeft con* firmations; for behold, news was brought, that his daughter was even fiow dead^ where^ fore P:ould he trouble the majler in vain, whom neither he nor his people imagined by any means able to raife the dead and reftore to life. But "jejus hearing what was told, faid to the ruler, Be not afraid^ only believe. And thus they came to the houfe, where, upon our Loid's ob erving to the weepers and mourners, that the mat a iiui^ not dead, but ajleep 07ily^ they laughed him ta Jcorn knowing that Jloe was dead, and not knowing, that they, whom Cbriji fhall raife again, are not dead, but afleep only, for he that belteveth in him, J]:all n^ver die *". However notwithdanding all their mockery, he difplay'd his power and convinced them indeed, that they who die in him are not dead, and that he hath the keys of life and of death. He took her by tht hand and called her^ faying, Damfel, 1 fay unto 'thee^ Arife, And her Spirit came again, and fhe arofe ftraightway; and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were greatly aftonifh- ed \ whom he charged that they fhould tell no man what was done: but the fame hereof v/ent abroad throughout all that land,
* John ?^i. 26.
From
T^B On the BLOODY Issue healed.
From hence, as well as from the refur- redion of the Widow*s Son of Na i n, we have a full proof of the divine power of Chrijl to raife the dead, a more eminent inftance of which we Hiall fee hereafter in Lazarus — and from them we cannot but derive the ftrongeft confolation to our fouls in this fundamental article of our faith, the refur- redion from the dead. We have here alfo a lively pidure of the death of our fouls in fin, and of the readinefs and ability of Jcfus- to raife them up to newnef- of life, that they may walk in his ways, and ferve him in righteoufnefs and true holinefs. But having fpoken at large upon thefe articles, when con- fidering the hiftory of the refurre6^ion of the Widow's Son, I propofe at prefent to dwell principally upon the cafe of the woman, and that of the Ruler's daughter only as connected with it, and to make fuch remarks upon the event, as fhall tend to your fpiritual advan- tage: from whence if you defire tp receive any profit, confider the example of this wo- man, and fee that not to all them who touch- ed him, virtue went out from him, but to ber only who touched him in jaitb^ fo neither is the hearing of his word available, unlefs you hear it in faith as the word of God, intreat his Spirit to apply it to your hearts,
and
On the BLOODY Issue healed, 139
and fincerely endeavour to reap all poffible profit from it for your prefent growth in grace, and your future perfedion in glory.
Four things more efpecially we learn from this part of the Evangelical hiftory :
Ift, Not only the abounding greatnefs of human mifery, but alfo the true caufe and fountain from whence it flows :
Ildly, The remedy for this common mi- fery of human nature, whence it is to be fought, and where only it is to be found :
Illdly, How w-e may apply this remedy to ourfelves : And,
IVthly, What are the advantages of fo ap- plying it, and of receiving Chrijt with firm and true faith.
To fpeak of the Ift of thefe, the abound- ing greatnefs of human mifery, and the true caufe and origin of it; upon which I need be but brief, fince when fpeaking of the Pa- ralytic I difcourfed at large upon the near connexion between fpiritual and natural evils, and fhew'd fufficiently, that/;2 was the true caufe and origin of them all. — The various calamities and diftrefles wherewith this life
is
I40 On the bloody Issue healed.
is befet on all fides, needs no proof, fince the experience of every living foul, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, of every order, fex, and condition bears fall teftimony to its truth. And all mankind in every age of the v/orld have {t(txi and deplored it, but it has been a perplexing enquiry * to all mankind, and what never philofopher was able, by hu- man wifdom, torefolve, whence all this eviU xo^ev TO jf^jtoy, whence all this milery arofe^ what was the true caufe and fountain of it. Some have conceived one things fome another ; de- vifing a thoufand imaginations to themfelves ; and one wife man, after another to fhew the fallacy and weaknefs of mere unenlightened reafon, pulling down the flrong holds of his predeceffor : confuting and confuted, perplex- ing and perplexed, and treading in an inextri- cable maze of error and iophifm. The fcrip- ture alone fupplies us with the clue to guide us thro* this otherwife impervious labyrinth ; for it is from thence alone, we are informed that God created man upright^ after his own image and fimilitude, free from fin, and ca- pable of immortality, without pafllng the now
* For a proof of this the reac^er is referred to that very cldWorate treat ife of Archbifnop King's, on the Origin cf