Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 96
Lecture the ninetie sixt. August 11. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
WE hauehave already heard, that in this Verse is set downe the comfort and satisfaction it pleased Christ to giuegive to this Noble-man, after he had rebuked him, in these words, Iesus said vntounto him, go thy way, thy sonne liueth. And herein the goodnesse of Christ is to be obserued in two points: First, that he shewed his diuine power in the cure euen of a bodily infirmitie: Secondly, that he did it at the request of a man, that was so weake in Faith, as this Ruler was. This is (I say) first to be obserued, that our Sauiour here shewed his Diuine power in the cure of a bodily disease. And because this is the first time, that mention is made of a miracle of this kind, in the harmony of the Gospell, and it is afterward oft spoken of; we will here (once for all) consider and handle this point, as the Doctrine which this Text giues vsus direct occasion to obserue, That our Sauiour (in the dayes of his flesh) shewed his diuine power no way so much, as in curing the bodies of Doct. 1.men. This is a point worthy to be obserued, That whereas our Sauiour was sent into the world, not to doe the office of a Chyrurgion or Physitian to the bodies of men, but to giuegive life and saluation to their soules, God sent his onelyonly begotten Sonne, to the end, that whosoeuer belieues in him, might not perish, but hauehave life euerlasting, Iohn 3. 16. and had the name of Iesus, a Sauiour, giuen vntounto him, in no other respect, but because he should saue his people from their sinnes, Mat. 1. 21. and therefore also, when he giues himselfe the title of a Physitian, he expounds himselfe, and saith, he was a Physitian, not for the body, but for the soule; the physick he had to giuegive, serued to cure the soule of sinne, by calling men to repentance, Mat. 9. 12, 13. Yet for all that, if we looke into the story of his life, we shall find, that for one man, whose soule he cured, by bringing him vntounto repentance; there were many, whose bodies he helped, and restored vntounto health; yea, that the most of all the miracles, that he wrought vponupon earth, were done in the curing of the bodies of men. Indeed, after his resurrection and ascension, he declared his power wonderfully in curing and conuerting the soules of men, as Peter speaketh, Acts 3. 26. God hath raised vp his Sonne Iesus, and h… …e hath sent to blesse you, in turning eueryevery one of you from your iniquities. A… …. 31. Him hath God lift vp with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Sauiour, to giuegive repentance to Israel, and forgiuenesse of sinnes. But in the dayes of his flesh he did performe the part of a Physitian, for the body rather than for the soule: for he did most diligently and carefully exercise him…e, in d…ng cures vponupon the bodies of men. This you shall the better vnderstand, if you will marke sixe points, which I hauehave obserued in these cures that ou… Sauiour wrought, which I will run ouer as fast as I can.
First, the persons whom he cured; he refused none, that came vntounto him for helpe: he excepted against none. Mat. 12. 15. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. Yea, Luke 4. 40. He laid his hands on eueryevery one of them, and healed them.
Secondly, the diseases themselues that he cured, Agues, Mat. 8. 15. palsies, Mat. 9. 2. dropsies, Luke 14. 2. leprosies, Luke 5. 12. issues of bloud, Mat. 9. 20. blindnesse, Iohn 9. 1. deafenesse, Mar. 7. 32. dumbnesse, Matth. 15. 30. lamenesse, Mat. 21. 14. lunacy, Mat. 4. 24. In a word, there was no kind of disease whatsoeuer, that he refused or failed to helpe men of, that came vntounto him for helpe. Mat. 4. 23. He healed eueryevery sicknesse, and eueryevery disease among the people.
Thirdly, obserue the time he tooke for curing of men: he neglected no opportunity to do it: he cured very many on the Sabbath dayes, Luke 13. 14. yea, after he had spent himselfe by preaching in the Synagogue at Capernaum vponupon a Sabbath day, yet when Euen was come, and the Sun was downe, they brought to him all that were diseased thereabout, and he healed them, Mar. 1. 32. Yea, the Euangelist Luke, speaking of that very miracle, Luke 4. 40. saith, He laid his hands on eueryevery one of them, and healed them.
Fourthly, obserue the place wherein he did these cures, he did them oft times in the Synagogues and Church. assemblies, Matth. 21. 14. Marke 3. 3. Luke 13. 10. 12.
Fiftly, his readinesse and willingnesse to helpe men in this case. He did not this onelyonly when he was sought vntounto, but of his owne accord many times. If he did but see any that was diseased, he was ready to offer his help vntounto them, though they neuer desired it. This you shall find obserued especially, in all those that he cured on the Sabbath daies: whether it were for feare of their Teachers and Rulers, or out of a superstitious conceit that themselues had entertained of the Sabbath, there was not any one of them all, that sought his help this way vponupon the Sabbath day, but he sought vntounto them rather, and offered his help vntounto them, Luk. 6. 6. 8. & 13. 12. & 14. 2. 4. Ioh. 5. 6. & 9. 1. 16. 14.
Sixthly and lastly obserue, with what affection and compassion of heart he did these cures; euen as one that had in himselfe a feeling of all those paines and miseries that they did endure. Matth. 20. 34. Moued with compassion (towards the two blinde men) he touched their eyes. And Marke 1. 41. Iesus had compassion, and put forth his hand, and touched the Leper. And Marke 7. 34. He sighed, and said vntounto him, Ephphata.
Let vsus now come to the Reasons, that moued our blessed Sauiour thus far Reason.forth to debase himselfe, as to cure the diseases of the bodies of men in this sort. And I finde three principall Reasons of it:
First, he did this to proue himselfe to be the Son of God. For the curing 1.of such diseases, in such a manner as he did, was sufficient to conuince the conscience of eueryevery man, that he was indeed the Sonne of God. Iohn 15. 24. If I had not done workes among them, which none other man did, they had not had sinne. So doth he reason with the Scribes, Matth. 9. 6. That yee may know that the sonne of man hath authority vponupon earth, to forgiue sinnes (then said he to the sicke of the palsie) Arise, take vp thy bed, and goe to thine house. If any shall obiect against this argument, that the Prophets and Apostles did also miraculous cures vponupon all manner of diseases; I answer, It is true, they did so; yea, the Apostles did greater miracles than those that our Sauiour did; according to that promise, Iohn 14. 12. Hee that beleeueth in me, the workes that I doe, hee shall doe also, yea greater than these shall he doe: for I goe vntounto my father. And Act. 19. 11, 12. God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul; so that from his body were brought vntounto the sicke kerchiefes and hand-kerchiefes, and the diseases departed from them. Yea, it may appeare, Acts 5. 15. That the very shadow of Peter di…ure many.
But yet I say that though the Prophets and Apostles did the same, yea greater miracles than our Sauiour did, yet did not they them in the same manner that he did: he did them in that manner as neuer any other did, and as did euidently proue him to be the Sonne of God. Two notable differences therefore you shall obserue betweene the miracles of the Prophets and Apostles, and the miracles of Christ. First, he wrought his miracles in his owne name, and by his owne power and commandement; and so did none of them. They were wont to vse earnest prayer, when they were to doe a miracle, that they might declare the power whereby they were to worke, was none of their owne, but to be receiued from aboue, so did Eliah in restoring of the widow of Sareptaes childe to life, 1. King. 17. 20. 21. and Peter in restoring of Tabitha, Acts 9. 40. so did the Elders in the miraculous curing of the sicke, by annointing them with oile, Iam. 5. 14, 15. Or if any time they did not vse prayer, but did their miracles rather by way of commanding, than of inuocation; yet they euer professed they did them not in their owne name, or by their owne power, but onelyonly in the name of Iesus. Acts 16. 18. I command thee in the name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. Secondly, he had this power at all times, and could doe these miracles whensoeuer he would: so could none of them. The Apostles (though they had receiued the gift to cast out Diuels, Matth. 10. 8.) yet could they not doe it at all times, Matth. 17. 16. And Paul (though he had that maruellous power to heale all diseases, euen with the hand-kerchiefes that were carryed from his body, Act. 19. 12.) yet had he not this gift at all times; for then would not hee hauehave suffered Epaphroditus to hauehave beene so neare vntounto death as he was, Phil. 2. 27.
The second Reason why Christ wrought so many miracles for the curing of mens bodily infirmities, was to proue himselfe to be that Messia 2.and Sauiour that God had promised by the Prophets. When the Prophet had foretold the comming of the Messia, Esay 35. 4. Behold your God commeth, euen God with a recompence, he will come and saue you: He tells them in the next words, verse 5. 6. what manner of miracles he should doe when he came, whereby they should know him: Then shall the eyes of the blinde bee lightened, and the eares of the dease be opened; then shall the lame man leape as an Hart, and the dumbe mans tongue shall sing. And our Sauiour (when Iohn Baptist sent two of his Disciples vntounto him, to know whether he were the Messiah that should come, or whether they should looke for another) he proues himselfe to be so, by the manner and kinde of miracles which he wrought. Matth. 11. 4, 5. Goe and shew Iohn what things ye hauehave heard and seene, the blinde receiue sight, the halt doe goe, the lepers are cleansed, the deafe doe heare, the dead are raised vp. And we shall finde this notable difference betweene the miracles of Christ, and those of all the Prophets and Apostles; that whereas some of their miracles tended to the hurt and punishment of man (as Moses miracles in Egypt, and Elias in calling fire from heauen, to destroy two wicked Captaines, and an hundred souldiers, 2. Kings 1. 10. and Peters in the destruction of Ananias and Saphira, Acts 5. 9. and Pauls in striking Elymas with blindnesse, Acts 13. 11.) Christ neuer shewed his diuine power in executing vengeance vponupon any man; but all his miracles tended only to the profit and benefit of man. They were all sutable to that office he had receiued from his father, and fit to declare him to be the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world; they were all agreeable to the Doctrine that he was to teach; namely, the glad tidings of the Gospell. Indeed, he shewed in two mighty workes of his, in causing the figtree to wither, and the souldiers that came to apprehend him to fall backeward vponupon the ground, Matth. 21. 19. Iohn 18. 6. what he could hauehave done this way; but he neuer did by his miraculous power hurt any man. The time he liued in was as corrupt as euer any age was, and he had many mortall enemies; and his own Disciples (euen those he loued best, Iames and Iohn) prouoked him earnestly to it, after the example of Eliah: yet could he neuer be brought to do the least hurt to any man. But rebuking these Disciples sharply for their motion, he giues this for his reason, Luk. 9. 56. The Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues, but to saue them: as if he should hauehave said, I must do only such workes, as may shew and declare me to be the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world.
The third and last Reason, why our Sauiour did so busie himselfe in 3.curing the diseases of mens bodies, was that he might thereby the better draw men to seeke vntounto him for the health and saluation of their soules. That as at that time when Christ liued vponupon the earth, the people of God were vexed with more and more strange diseases, than they were in any age before, that euer we can read of: there were more Lepers, and Lunatickes, and men possessed with Diuels, than in any age before; that God might by this meanes humble men, and bring them to the sense of sinne, and of the wrath of God, and so cause them to feele the neede they had of a Sauiour, and to long after the comming of the Messiah: so by this maruellous power and willingnesse that they saw in him, to deliuer them from all their bodily diseases and miseries, he sought to teach them, that he was indeed the Sauiour they were to looke for; and to draw them to seeke vntounto him for full deliuerance from all their sinnes, and from the wrath of God, which they had deserued by them. That was indeed the chiefe end he propounded to himselfe in all his miracles; as we shall see plainely expressed in sundry places. When they brought one to him to be cured of the Palsie, Matth. 9. 2. he said vntounto him, Sonne, be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. So Matth. 8. when the Euangelist had said, verse 16. Hee healed all that were sicke: he addes, verse 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, He tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. As if he should say, This was done to signifie vntounto men, and to teach them, that this was he, by whom should be fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet, touching the satisfaction that was to be made vntounto God for all our sinnes. So the end he aymed at, in feeding the bodies of men miraculously, was to draw them, to seeke from him, a better food, euen the food of the soule; as himselfe tels them, Iohn 6. 26, 27. So when he was to cure the blinde man, Iohn 9. to shew his intent in doing that cure, he saith, verse 5. So long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world, and verse 6. so soone as he had thus spoken, he cured the man: as if he should hauehave said in plaine termes, My meaning in doing this cure, is to teach men, that I am the light of the world. So we reade, Matth. 11. 20. that he vpbraided the Cities, in which most of his mighty workes were done, because they repented not: whereby it appeares, that the thing he aimed at in doing those mighty workes, was to bring them vntounto repentance. So that by the mercy and goodnesse he shewed vponupon their bodies, (which they were most sensible of) he sought to draw them both to the knowledge and desire of the saluation of their soules.
This Doctrine teacheth vsus what to iudge of all Popish miracles, of which they boast so much, and wherein they thinke, they hauehave so great an aduantage Vse. 1.against vsus. Surely, by this we may know they are no true miracles; either they are meere trickes of legerdemaine, or (at the best) they are such lying wonders, as the Apostle speakes of, 2. Thess. 2. 9. done by the working of Sathan, and not by the power of God; because they are altogether vnlike the miracles of Christ, they tend no way to the benefit or profit of men. For (to passe by the apish trickes that they obserue and admire in sundry of their chiefe Images, the nodding of their heads, and rolling of their eyes, their weeping, and sweating, and bleeding) let vsus consider the chiefe of all their miracles in their sacrament of the Altar (wherein they say, that by the omnipotent power of Christ, the substance of the bread and wine after the words of consecration, is turned into the substance of his body and bloud) let vsus I say examine this grand miracle by the Doctrine we hauehave now heard; and we shall finde, that this is no miracle of Christ; there is no such thing done in the Sacrament, by the omnipotent power of Christ, because it tendeth no way to the benefit or profit of men; for, first, there is no certainety in it, no Papist (I say) can be certaine, that the Sacrament he receiues, is the very body and bloud of Christ, vnlesse he were certaine, that the Priest (when he consecrated it) did intend to make the body of Christ. If the Priest had his minde wandring vponupon any other matter, when he did consecrate (as why may he not hauehave idle and wandring thoughts as well then, as when he saith his prayers?) then by their owne Doctrine, here is no Transubstantiation made; but he that worships the Sacrament commits idolatry. Secondly, say they were certaine there is indeed a Transubstantiation wrought, yet were this no benefit at all to the receiuer: for (by their owne Doctrine) the wicked and reprobate receiue with their bodies, the very flesh and bloud of Christ, as well as the Elect; and it is the spirituall receiuing and feeding on him by Faith (not the bodily receiuing and feeding on him) that profits the soule; according to that, it is the spirit that quickneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, Iohn 6. 63. Thirdly and lastly, it is so farre from profiting the people of God, that it tends greatly to their hurt and preiudice: for whereas the Lord, for the singular helpe of our Faith, hath ordained in the Sacrament, sensible and visible signes and elements, most fit to represent vntounto vsus that inuisible grace, which he offers vsus in it, this miracle of theirs takes from vsus those sensible and visible signes, and so depriues vsus wholly of that helpe our Faith might receiue by them: For as for the colour, and shape, and taste of the Bread and Wine, which they say, remaine after Transubstantiation, they can be no fit signes to represent vntounto vsus the body and blood of Christ, and that spirituall nourishment and refreshing we hauehave by it, because there is no analogie or proportion at all betweene them: seeing it is not the colour, or shape, or taste of those elements, that doe nourish or refresh the body, but the substance of 2.them onelyonly.
Secondly, this should greatly comfort all poore penitent sinners, and encourage them, to goe boldly to Christ for helpe in all their miseries and distresses. And in this Doctrine, such may finde foure notable grounds of comfort and encouragement: First, if when he was here in the forme of a seruant, he was able (though absent in body) to see and take notice of the misery of this childe, and able to relieue and cure him; how much more is he able to doe the like for vsus now, when he fits at the right hand of his father? Secondly, if he being on earth, had that compassion euen of the bodily wants, and paines, and miseries of men, as to be troubled and grieued to see the people continue with him three dayes and had nothing to eate, Mat. 15. 32. and to sigh to see a man to be deafe, and to hauehave an impediment in his speech, Marke 7. 34. if he were then so ready to helpe and giuegive good successe to them, in the labours of their callings, as he did to Peter and his fellowes when they were fishing, Luke 5. 5, 6. what should moue thee to doubt, but he will now also much more hauehave compassion on thee, and be ready to relieue thee in all thy wants and distresses; specially in the anguish and misery of thy soule? Thirdly, if being on earth, he was so ready to offer his helpe to them in misery; if in his whole conuersation he was then so meek and gentle towards all men, and all his miracles were done so for the profit of men, that he might encourage all poore sinners without feare, to come vntounto him for helpe: What should moue thee to thinke, that he will reiect thee that commest, and seekest, and prayest to him for helpe in thy distresse? Fourthly, if he were so good and gracious to all sorts (euen to wicked men, yea to his enemies; such a one as Malchus was, Luk. 22. 51.) why wouldest thou doubt, that fearest to offend him, and studiest in all things to please him, but he will be much more ready to doe thee good?
The third and last vse of this Doctrine is for instruction; that seeing one end Christ aimed at in curing and helping the bodies of men, was thereby 3.to draw them to seeke to him for helpe of their soules: therefore the weale and woe of our bodies should draw vsus to a consideration and care of the estate of our soules.
First, If the paine and misery that sin hath brought vponupon the body be so grieuous and intolerable, thinke what the paine and misery of thy soule will be, if thou seeke not helpe for it. Pro. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can beare? For thy soule hath beene the fountaine, from whence all the sins of thy body hauehave sprung, Mar. 7. 21. From within out of the heart of men proceed adulteries, fornications, murders, thests, &c. and thy body hath beene but as a seruant and instrument to thy soule in these sins.
Secondly, if thou finde such sweetnesse and comfort in the blessings God hath prouided for thy body, thinke how much sweeter and more desirable those dainties and pleasures are, that he hath prouided for thy soule; what it is to be satisfied with the good things of his house, euen of his holy Temple; as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 65. 4. what that fulnesse of ioy and pleasures are, which God hath prepared for them that louelove him, in his euerlasting Kingdome, in thy presence is fulnesse of ioy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. 11.
Thirdly, if thou hauehave such care to prouide for thy body, that it may be kept free from all misery, and abound in delights of all sorts; how much more carefull shouldst thou be to prouide thus for thy soule? seeing, first, if it be well prouided for and saued, thy body shall be sure to be saued also. Therefore we shall see, that both our blessed Sauiour at his death, Luke 23. 46. and Steuen also at his, Acts 7. 59. commend onelyonly their soules into the hands of God, and shew no care, nor make any mention at all of their bodies. Secondly, euen in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soule, ye shall serue the Lord your God, and he shall blesse thy bread and thy water, and I will take sicknesse away from the midst of thee, Exod. 23. 25. My words are life to those that finde them and health to all their flesh, Pro. 4. 22.