Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 93
THE NINETIE THIRD LECTVRE, ON IVLY XVI. MDCXI.
IOHN IIII. XLIX, L.
The Noble man saith vntounto him, Sir, come downe ere my childe dye.
Iesus saith vntounto him, Goe thy way, thy sonne liueth. And the man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vntounto him, and he went his way.
WE hauehave already heard, that from the beginning of the 46. verse, to the end of this Chapter, the Euangelist sets downe the History of the first miracle Christ wrought, after his returne out of Iudea into Galile; and that this History stands vponupon foure parts: First, the occasion that was offered vntounto Christ to doe this miracle: Secondly, the manner how Christ wrought this miracle: thirdly, the fruit and effect of this miracle; Fourthly, the conclusion of the story. First, the occasion is set downe in the 46. and 47. verses. Secondly, the manner how it was wrought, is declared in the 48. verse, and in these two that I hauehave now read. And in setting of them downe, we hauehave heard the Euangelist obserueth three things. First, the checke and reproofe that Christ gaue vntounto this great man, and to his whole Nation, verse 48. Secondly, the answer that this great man made to Christ, when he had beene thus rebuked by him, verse 49. Thirdly, the comfort and satisfaction that Christ gaue vntounto this Ruler, after he had thus reproued him, and receiued this answer from him, verse 50.
The first of these three points were finished the last day; it followeth now that we proceed to the two latter: viz. the answer that this great man returned vntounto Christ, when he had beene thus rebuked by him, and the comfort that in the end he receiued from Christ. And first, in the answer of this Ruler, it is to be obserued: 1. That he neither denieth, nor confesseth the fault Christ charged him with: 2. He is neither troubled by it, so, as to bewaile his infidelity, and seeke pardon and helpe for it, neither doth he excuse or lessen it any way. 3. Nay (which is strange) he seemes not at all to hauehave regarded, or beene moued with this sharpe reproofe of our Sauiour, though he so highly esteemed of him. And what was the cause of it? his griefe and care for his sonne was so very extreme, that he could minde nothing else, nothing else could affect him. This had taken vp all his thoughts, and all his affections. And from this example then, we hauehave this Doctrine to learne for our instruction:
That extremity of worldly griefe, will make the minde and heart of man vncapable of heauenly things. The proofe of this you shall obserue in Doct. 1.two points, which both Scripture and Experience doth confirme vntounto vsus: First, it makes the heart vnfit to receiue benefit by the Word: Secondly, it makes the heart vnfit to pray. For the first, though it be true, that a man is neuer so fit to receiue good by the Word, neuer so teachable and tra…table, as when affliction and sorrow hath opened his eare, Iob 3…. 16. yea if either affliction or sorrow be extreme, it so oppresseth the heart, it straighteneth and closeth it so, as it makes him vnable to profit by the best teacher that shall come vntounto him. Tell a man, in such a case, of his sinnes, tell him of the rebukes and threats of Gods Word, and you shall not m…ue him; as we finde in this example. So let the best Preacher come to a man in that case, and tell himof the promises of God, and apply vntounto him the consolations of the Gospell, he will be able to finde no sweetnesse in them; yea, he will be vnable to regard them. A notable example we hauehave for this, Exod 6. 9. Moses and Aaron came to them with as glad tidings, as could possibly be brought to a people in their case, (verse 6. 8) yet, though first, the message was so comfortable: secondly, the persons that brought it were such, as they knew came immediately from God, Exod. 4. 30, 3…. thirdly, before when they brought them a message, that was not altogether so full of comfort as this, they receiued it, and praised God for it, Exod. 4. 31. yet now it is said, Exod. 6. 9. they hearkened not vntounto Moses, they made no reckoning of any thing he had said. And the reason is giuen, for angui…h of spirit, and for cruell bondage. And this was not their case onelyonly, but it is the very naturall property and effect of extreme heauinesse, to make the soule apt to refuse and reiect all comfort. So is it said of Iacob, when he thought Ioseph had beene slaine, Gen. 37. 35. All his sonnes and his daughters rose vp to comfort him, but he would not be comforted. And Dauid complaines oft, that in this case his soule refused comfort, Psalme …7 …. Now for the second point: The man that hath had the best gift in prayer, shall be hardly able to make vse of it in this case. Extremity of sorrow will make a man vnfit, and vnable to lift vp hi heart to God in prayer, in any comfortable manner. True it is, that first, a man is best able to pray in affliction and sorrow, if it be moderate, L…rd in trouble hauehave they visited thee; they powred out prayer when thy chastening was vponupon them, Esay 26. …6. Secondly, no affliction can vtterly quench the spirit of prayer in the childe of God, euen then when (through extremity of anguish) we know not what to pray for as we ought, the spirit it selfe helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. And the Prophet saith that he cry…d vntounto God and sought him by prayer, euen when his spirit was ouerwhelmed with sorrow, when he was so troubled that he could not speake, Psal. 77. 1—4. that he prayed in that case. But he did it without comfort, verse 3. I thought vponupon God, and was troubled; I prayed, and my spirit was f…ll of angnish. In which respect, the man that is in extreme affliction, is compared to a drunken man. Esay 51. 21. Heare now thou miserable and drunken, but not with wine. And what good can a drunken man receiue by the Word? O how can a drunken man pray?
The Vses of this Doctrine are foure: First, to perswade eueryevery man to take heed of immoderate griefe, and to fence his heart against excessiue Vse 1.sorrow, specially for worldly things. I doe not disswade you from all sorrow: for I know that all sound Christians are giuen much to mourning, Blessed are they that mourne, Matth. 5. 4. Iohn 16. 20. Verily, verily I say vntounto you, that yee shall weepe and lament, and the world shall reioyce, and yee shall sorrow. And this exhortation must not be deliuered without caution in this secure age, wherein men had more need to vse all their skill to moue men to mourning and lamentation. And know therefore, that first, it is a signe and note of an vngracious heart for a man to abandon all sorrow, and repose all his felicity in carnall ioy. Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that now laugh. Eccles. 7. 6. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth. Secondly, there be sundry cases, wherein a man is bound to force his heart to griefe and sorrow: as first, for his sinnes, when the faithfull looke vponupon him whom they hauehave pierced by their sinnes, they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onelyonly sonne, &c. Zach. 12. 10. secondly, for Gods corrections and tokens of his anger, thou hast stricken them, but they hauehave not grieued, Ier. 5. 3. thirdly, for the dishonour that is done to God by the sins of others. Psal. 119. 136. Mine eyes gush out, &c. and fourthly, for the miseries and afflictions of others. Iob 30. 25. Did not I mourne for him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore? Thirdly, know that sorrow is not alwaies hurtfull for a man, but many times exceeding wholesome and profitable. Eccles. 7. 4. It is better to goe into the house of mourning, than into the house of feasting: because this is the end of all men, and the liuing shall lay it to his heart. Yea, verse 5. Anger is better than laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better. Though the griefe be such which a man conceiueth vponupon this occasion, that it euen troubles and disquiets the minde (for that is meant by Anger in this place; and in that also, 1. Chron. 13. 11. Dauid was angry that the Lord had made a breach in Vzzah.) And though it be so great, that he cannot hide it, but make shew of it in the sadnesse of his countenance, yet this will doe the heart good. And of godly sorrow, the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 7. 8. Though I made you sorry with my Letter, yet doe I not repent. It were a fond conceit for men to thinke, that if they should giuegive place a little to godly sorrow, it would bring them to despaire. No, no, there is no such danger in it, no, it is the readiest and surest way to attaine to true and sound comfort, Bee afflicted and mourne and weepe, let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse. Humble your selues in the fight of the Lord and he shall lift you vp, Iam. 4. 9, 10. But though this be so, yet is this also the counsaile and exhortation of the Holy Ghost, to moderate our sorrow, and to take heede of that sorrow that is immoderate and excessiue, There is a time to weepe, and a time to laugh; a time to mourne, and a time to dance. No man is bound to mourne continually, to spend all his time in sorrow, Eccles. 3, 4. sufficient vntounto the day is the euill thereof, men should not giuegive way to vnnecessary sorrowes, Matth. 6. 34. They that weepe should be as though they wept not, they should so moderate their griefe, as it may no way hinder them in any duty to God or man, 1 Cor. 7. 30. yea, euen of excessiue sorrow for sin, 2. Cor. 2. 7. Ye ought to comfort him, lest he be swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse. And this exhortation the Holy Ghost inforceth with sundry reasons:
1. Immoderate sorrow and heauinesse of heart is a great curse of God. Deut. 28. 65. The Lord shall giuegive thee a trembling heart and a sorrowfull minde. And on the other side, a cheerefull heart is spoken of as a great blessing, Act. 14. 17. Filling our hearts with food and gladnesse.
2. It is a great enemie to our health, which God hath bound vsus to hauehave care of. Pro. 17. 22. A ioyfull heart causeth good health, but a sorrowfull minde dryeth vp the bones. Psal. 31. 10. My life is wasted with heauinesse.
3. It is a maine hinderance to grace in the vse of the word and prayer, as we hauehave heard in the Doctrine. Pro. 15. 13. By the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
4. It giues great aduantage to Sathan. It is an old saying, that Melancholia est vehiculum Daemonum. And experience proues, that we are neuer so weake, so apt to receiue the temptations of Sathan, so vnable to resist them, as when we are oppressed with melancholy and sadnesse of heart. And this is that that is said, Neh. 8. 10. The ioy of the Lord is our strength. In this respect Paul chargeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestuous person, and take heed lest he were not swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse, lest Sathan, saith he, circumuent vsus. For we are not ignorant of his enterprises, 2. Cor. 2. 11.