Christs Power of Bodily Diseases, To the reader
Reader,
THough nothing be more certain and common then Death, it is no common thing to be prepared for it; or elſe ſalvation would be common: As there are no Truths that are more neceſſary to be oft preacht and heard, then thoſe which almoſt all men know; ſo alſo no duties are more neceſſary to be urged, then thoſe that almost all confeſs, and think they practice: who will not acknowledge that preparation for death ſhould be the daily buſineſs of our lives, and done with the firſt and moſt ſerious of our cares! And yet, to the ſhame of corrupted humane nature, we muſt ſpeak it, thouſands that are uncertain to live an hour, and certain to be loſt for ever, if death ſurprize them in the ſtate which they are in, are as mindleſs of a ſerious preparation, and of the change which ſhould go before that change, as if it were no part of their concernment: Methinks it is a very doleful ſpectacle to ſee men unprepared to dye, as buſily taken up with impertinent diverſions, as if their work were done already: One drinking, and prating, and ſinging in an Alehouſe or Tavern, though unprepared to dye: another imployed in feaſting, and complement, and ſuch company and diſcourſe as will leaſt trouble him with ſuch thoughts, while yet he is unprepared to dye: another ſcraping for deceitful riches, or gaping and ſcrambling for preferment, while yet he is unprepared to dye: another quieting his carnal heart with meer hypocritical outſides and lip-ſervice, as if he could charm an unprepared ſoul into Heaven, by ſaying or hearing a few words: and few will know feelingly what an important work Preparation is, till the terrors of approaching death be upon them.
One of Gods means for mens preparation, is, to give his Miniſters a ſpecial fitneſs to aſſiſt them in the work. As Chriſt took part with the children that were partakers of fleſh and bloud, Heb. 2.14. and in all things must be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-prieſt, and in that he himſelf hath ſuffered being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted, v. 17, 18. ſo that we have not an High-prieſt that cannot be touched with the feeling our of infirmities, Heb. 4.15. Even ſo his Miniſters muſt be mortals, frail, and ſubject to like paſſions as other men, James 5.17. and the treaſure of the ſpirit muſt be in earthen veſſels, 2 Cor. 4 7. They muſt be ſick, that they may the better teach you to prepare for ſickneſs; and they muſt be exerciſed in preparing for death themſelves, that they may be the fitter to teach you to prepare. The God of Comfort comforteth them in all their tribulations, that they may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the Comfort whe…ewith they are comforted of God — …nd whether they be afflicted or comforted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation. Even when they are preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch as they deſpair of life, they receive the ſentence of death in themſelves, that they may not trust in themſelves, but in God that raiſed the dead— that thanks may be given by many on their behalf, 2 Cor. 1.3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11. Whereas thoſe that are inſenſible of their neerneſs to eternity, and in healthful proſperity grow ſecure, are like to be no lively feeling Preachers, nor fit to waken others to that ſerious preparation, which they are wilful ſtrangers to themſelves: but rather like to be corrupted with ambition, worldlineſs, idleneſs, fleſh…pleaſing, man-pleaſing▪ ſuperficialneſs, formality, and trifling in Religion, and vexing the Church with their contentions about their Ceremonies and Opinions, till the approach of death do help them to juſter apprehenſions, and bring them to ſuch confeſſions as Biſhop Ridley made to Hooper in his impriſonment. Thou hast here in this Treatiſe the wholeſome ſavoury fruit of ſickneſs: This ſervant of the Lord was caſt down and delivered, to teach him how to teach thee to prepare. The ſubject is of ſuch univerſal uſefulneſs, and yet fully handled by ſo few, ſo needful to be much ſtudied in health, and the Book ſo fit for the reading of the ſick, or for thoſe friends to read to them that are about them, or viſit them, that (though urgent buſineſs prohibited me to read it all; yet having peruſed the moſt of it, and obſerved the ſcope and ſpirit of the work,) I think it my duty to recommend it to thy thankful acceptance and improvement; aſſuring thee, (upon long experience of the benefits of a dying life) that the time is at hand, when the ſtudies of death, and thy everlaſting ſtate, will appear to have been more neceſſary and wiſe, then all thoſe impertinences that now divert diſtracted worldlings, and are but the ſeed of endleſs ſorrows.
Thy Brother in the Patience and Hope of Believers, Richard Baxter. Auguſt 1. 1661.
Matth. 8.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
5. And when Jeſus was entred into Capernaum, there came unto him a Centurion, beſeeching him,
6. And ſaying, Lord, my ſervant lieth at home ſick of the Palſie, grievouſly tormented.
7. And Jeſus ſaith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8. The Centurion anſwered and ſaid, Lord, I am not worthy thou ſhouldeſt come under my roof; but ſpeak the word only, and my ſervant ſhall be healed.
9. For I am a man under Authority, having Souldiers under me: and I ſay to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my ſervant, Do this, and he doth it.
10. When Jeſus heard it, he marvelled, and ſaid to them that followed, Verily I ſay unto you, I have not found ſo great Faith, no not in Iſrael.
11. And I ſay unto you, that many ſhall come from the Eaſt and Weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.
12. But the children of the Kingdom ſhall be caſt into outer darkneſs; there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
13. And Jeſus ſaid unto the Centurion, Go thy way, and as thou haſt believed, ſo be it done unto thee. And his ſervant was healed in the ſelf-ſame hour.
THE mighty Hand of God, which hath of late come upon me, whereby (I muſt bear him witneſs that) he hath in his Fatherly Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Faithfulneſs viſited me, hath cauſed me to wink a little at the pomp and bravery of this world, and to ſet before my eyes the ghaſtly ſight of thoſe many Beds of Sickneſs, wherein the poor children of men lie languiſhing: I have ſeriouſly thought what a poor Creature Man is, when he lies gaſping under the power and torture of a diſeaſe; and withall have conſidered how little a Conſumption, or a Fever, or the Small Pocks, or any other diſeaſe, cares for the ſtrength, or wealth, or youth, or beauty of a man. I have ſeen the great changes which theſe make in Nations, and Cities, and Families, and Perſons where they are ſent. I have endeavoured to ſtand at the Door of Eternity, looking on theſe Meſſengers, carrying multitudes before me out of this into the other world. The Grave, that Houſe of Darkneſs tells me, Theſe bring my ghaſtly Inhabitants to lodge in me; the Worms ſay, Theſe bring our Brethren and Siſters unto us; Hell from beneath cryes, Theſe have turned multitudes of damned Souls into me; and Heaven from above cryes, Theſe have brought many bleſſed Spirits into me.
Upon theſe, and other conſiderations, I have deſired for my own, and others good, to ſee clearly out of whoſe hands all ſickneſſes and diſeaſes come, that I may acknowledge my ſelf, and aſſert and teſtifie unto others, the abſolute Command and Dominion which God and Jeſus Chriſt have over all theſe things; the true knowledge and improvement whereof, may have a powerful influence upon us in our health, to make us daily look and prepare for ſickneſs; and in our ſickneſs to make us fit to live, or fit to die: and when we are reſtored to health, to teach us to whoſe Will and Glory we ſhould live; and to make us ready for ſickneſs and death, when they return; and by all, to cauſe us to haſten into that bleſſed ſtate, and to live in that gracious frame, that both in life and health, ſickneſs and death, we may have always a plain paſſage, and a clear and ſafe entrance into that everlaſting Kingdom of Glory, which is alway ſet open before us. For theſe ends I have choſen this Text, which is full of this Argument, viz. to prove that all ſickneſſes and diſeaſes, are under the Command of Jeſus Chriſt. This Scripture is recorded by two Evangeliſts; by Matthew in the place before-mentioned, and by Luke, Cap. 7. from ver. 1. to ver. 11. they differ chiefly in two things.
1. Luke makes a more prolix and large relation then Matthew; and therefore we read ſome things there, not mentioned here.
2. Matthew ſpeaks as if the Centurion came, and ſpake to Chriſt in Perſon, v. 5, 6. but Luke tells us expreſly, that he ſent unto him the Elders of the Jews, v. 3. and after ſent other friends to meet him, v. 6. This difference hath made ſome conceive, that they are diſtinct Relations of two diſtinct Miracles; but without ground: for it is ordinary to ſpeak of that which a man doth by others, as if he did it by himſelf; as the words which John the Baptiſt ſpake by his Diſciples, are mentioned as if he had ſpoken them himſelf, Matth. 11.2, 3.
So the Evangeliſt here reports, that the Centurion came to Chriſt, beſeeching him; meaning, not that he came in perſon, but that he came and ſpake by his meſſengers, as St. Luke explains it: and thus the two Evangeliſts are reconciled. Now why the Centurion came not to Chriſt in perſon; whether it was, becauſe he thought he had no right to come for ſuch a mercy, being a Gentile; or whether the ſenſe of his unworthineſs made him afraid or aſhamed to come; or what other reaſon there was, becauſe it cannot certainly be known, therefore it is not wiſdom too curiouſly to enquire.
The Text is a Narration of Chriſts miraculous healing the Centurions ſervant of a deadly diſeaſe, upon the faith and prayer of his good Maſter. There are three main things which make up the ſubject of this Narration.
1. The Servants mortal diſeaſe.
2. The Maſters miraculous Faith.
3. Chriſts Miraculous Cure.
In the whole, obſerve theſe four particulars.
1. Here is the Centurions ſervant lying diſeaſed, ver. 6. Lord, my ſervant lies at home ſick of the Palſie, grievouſly tormented. Luke ſaith, Cap. 7.2. He was ſick, ready to die. The perſon thus viſited, was a ſervant: in Matthew, the Centurion is ſaid to call him foreign, which may be tranſlated, my child; for the word is ambiguous, ſignifying either a child, or a ſervant: but in Luke he is called foreign a ſervant; yet it is ſaid, a ſervant who was dear to him: and it ſeems, by conſidering both together, that he was a good, faithful, and obedient ſervant, and therefore as dear to his Maſter as his child.
I ſhall take occaſion from hence to call upon ſervants to do the Will of God in their Relation: Servants, labour in all faithfulneſs, and diligence, to honour your Maſters; keep up their Authority in your Souls, and let your whole carriage ſavour of a heart that willingly, chearfully, and humbly yields up it ſelf in obedient ſubjection thereunto: 1 Pet. 2.18. Servants, be ſubject to your Maſters with all fear. 1 Tim. 6.1. Let ſervants count their own Maſters worthy of all honour.
1. Conſider the Family where thou liveſt is Jeſus Chriſts; he is the Great Maſter of every Family; and he hath given Authority to the Maſter of the Family where thou dwelleſt to be his Vicegerent therein, and to bear his Image and Authority, and to rule in his ſtead: therefore as thou art a Chriſtian, and ſo to honour Chriſt by believing in him, and by rejoycing in him, and by doing his Will; ſo the honour thou oweſt to Jeſus Chriſt, as thou art a ſervant, is to honour, and ſerve, and obey thy Maſter in him: The Apoſtle requires the obedience of ſervants to their Maſters for this very reaſon, Col. 3.23, 24. And whatſoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. — For ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt.
Servants, believe that you are threſhing for Chriſt, and plowing for Chriſt, and ſpinning for Chriſt; this will make you do your ſervice heartily, when you conſider that you are therein ſerving the Lord Chriſt; and this will make you afraid of diſobeying, and deſpiſing your Maſters, when you conſider that you do thereby, as much as in you lies, depoſe the Authority of Jeſus Chriſt from ruling and governing in the Family.
2. Conſider, that you do hereby adorn the Goſpel of Chriſt: This is the Apoſtles argument, Tit. 2.10. That they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. What Doctrine this is, appears by the following words, the Doctrine of the Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation. Oh how ſhould this prevail with you, to conſider, that when in conſcience to God you are faithful, diligent, quiet, and obedient ſervants, you are a precious Ornament to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt! The Goſpel is honoured, not only by Miniſters when they preach the Goſpel, and by Martyrs when they die for the Goſpel; but alſo by poor ſervants, when they live in their ſervice, as thoſe who are ruled by the Goſpel: therefore believe the Glory of Jeſus Chriſt, as it is revealed, and appears in the Goſpel; and then own and honour the Face, and Image, and Authority of the ſame Chriſt, as it ſhines in thy Maſter, whom he hath placed to bear his Authority over thee.
3. Conſider, that faithful ſervants are exceeding precious to Jeſus Chriſt: Thou thinkeſt it a ſad caſe, that thou muſt ſpend all thy daies to toil and drudge like a poor ſervant; but conſider the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7.21. Art thou called being a ſervant? care not for it: never let that trouble thee, that thou art a ſervant: And the Apoſtle gives this reaſon for thy comfort, verſ. 22. For he that is called in the Lord, being a ſervant, is the Lords free-man. When many a gallant Lord and Lady is a ſervant to ſin, and a ſlave to the Devil, and ſtands bound to ſuffer the wrath of God for ever; thou that art but a poor godly ſervant, and art bound to men; yet thou art ſet free from Sin, and Satan, and Hell, and haſt a ſure right to all the priviledges of Believers; though thou art in this mean relation of a ſervant amongſt men, yet thou ſtandeſt in all the glorious relations to Jeſus Chriſt: a poor ſervant, and a King and Prieſt to God: a poor ſervant, and a Wife and Brother of Jeſus Chriſt: a poor ſervant, and a glorious Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. I tell thee, though thou art but a poor ſervant, yet godlineſs will put ſuch a grace upon thee, as to make thee a glory to Chriſt, a crown and joy to thy Miniſter, a delight to Gods people, a terrour to the greateſt wicked man about thee, and a very torment to the Devil of Hell.
Laſtly, conſider, that this is thy particular way, wherein thou art called to pleaſe and honour God, and to work out thy own ſalvation, Pſal. 37.23. The ſteps of a good man (be he never ſo poor) are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. It was an high and holy ſaying of one, That a poor Milkmaid walking in obedience to God in her calling, doth bring more glory to God then heaven and earth. There is no duty which thou art bound unto, as a man, or as a Chriſtian, which hinders thee in thy duty to God and man, as thou art a ſervant: for Gods commandments do not croſs and interrupt one another; and we cannot ſin againſt Gods Will, whilſt we are doing his Will; and true Grace will make thee a gracious ſervant, as well as a gracious Chriſtian: the ſame faith and love which cauſes thee to believe in, and to cleave unto Jeſus Chriſt, will cauſe thee to ſee, and to love, and to obey his will and authority in thy Maſter: So that when thou art moſt faithful, and diligent, and obedient in thy ſervice, thou wilt finde moſt freedom and ſweetneſs in Prayer, in Sermons, in ſinging Pſalms, and in feeding upon the Lords ſupper. The Apoſtle requires all ſervants to be filled with this principle, in their walking obediently to their Maſters: Knowing that of the Lord ye ſhall receive the reward of inheritance, Col. 3.24. teaching all ſervants to walk in their Callings ſo, as thoſe that know, that this is their way to heaven: Ah poor ſervants, rejoyce in your work, for heaven is your wages; and let me tell you, that you are never like to ſee a fairer way to heaven, then you have now you are ſervants: you will finde, if ever you come to be huſbands, and wives, and parents, and rulers of families, that it is harder to rule then to obey.
Now there are amongſt many other excuſes, theſe three things, which ſervants pretend, to excuſe their irreverence and diſobedience to their Maſters, which I ſhall briefly anſwer, and then proceed.
Firſt, the ſervant will plead that his Maſter is a poor man; if he were as rich and great a man, as ſome other Maſters are, then I would honour him; but he is poor, and I am come of as good friends as he.
Anſw. Though thy Maſter be poor and mean, yet he ſtands in the place, and bears the authority of the great and glorious God: and if thou ſeeſt reaſon to obey a Maſter becauſe he is rich, and ſeeſt no reaſon in the authority of God upon him, and in the command of God upon thee to obey a poor Maſter, it is a ſad ſigne that thou doſt honour riches more then God.
Secondly, but my Maſter is a wicked man, and then how can I honour him and obey him?
Anſw. Thy Maſter indeed cannot binde thee to ſin againſt God: for it can in no caſe be a mans duty to hate God, and to damn his own ſoul; yet when thou diſobeyeſt his ſinful commands, let it appear, that this is not to croſs thy Maſter, but to pleaſe God: and though he be wicked, yet ſtill honour and obey him in the Lord, and own the image and authority of Chriſt upon him, which is holy and good.
Laſtly, my Maſter is ſo friendly, that he looks for no ſuch reverence: he allows me to be bold, and to be fellow-like with him.
Anſw. This is thy Maſters ſin, who is bound to keep up that order, which God in wiſdom hath appointed; and he cannot give away the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, nor looſe thee from thy duty, whereby God hath bound thee to honour, and reverence, and obey him.
So much for the firſt Particular, viz. the Centurions ſervant lyes diſeaſed.
Secondly, Here is the care of the good Maſter over his faithful ſervant; the ſervant lyes gaſping at the door of death, and the Maſter lyes praying for him at the door of mercy, ver. 5, 6. He came beſeeching him, ſaying, &c.
Here is an example for all Maſters, to teach them to be tender, and careful of, and to uſe all good means for the healing of their ſick ſervants; as the good Centurion doth here, whoſe fatherly care and love towards his dear dying ſervant, appears in four things.
1. He keeps him at home.
2. He is full of compaſſion towards him, being ſenſible of his grief; therefore (ſaith he) he lies grievouſly tormented; his bowels earned towards him, and he uſeth words to move the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt.
3. He uſeth the beſt means in the world for his cure; he ſeeks help of Jeſus Chriſt, and exerciſeth all the might of his Soul, in praying for, and believing a Miracle for the healing of his poor ſervant. You that are Maſters, learn here your duty; conſider you have men and women to your ſervants, made after the ſame Image of God with your ſelves; let not then ſuch a workmanſhip of God periſh by your cruelty, covetouſneſs, or negligence. They are Chriſtian ſervants; Chriſt paid as dear for ſervants, as for Maſters; they are all bought with the ſame price, 1 Cor. 7.23.
Your poor ſervants have need of further ſeaſon for repentance, and to work out their ſalvation; therefore let not them by your negligence be haſtned into eternity: your ſervants ſickneſs is an affliction from God upon you; he lays this burden on your family; therefore ſubmit to him, and wait upon him in the uſe of means to remove it; and eaſe not thy ſelf by thy ſin, to bring a worſe burden upon thy conſcience. Conſider further, your eſtate is Gods, and you uſe it for him in a relieving a ſick ſervant; and I dare ſay, neither you, nor your children, ſhall be the poorer, by exerciſing ſuch charity. To conclude, conſider that of the Apoſtle, Col. 4.1. Maſters, give unto your ſervants that which is juſt and equal, knowing that ye alſo have a Maſter in Heaven. Now this is one thing, which by the Law of God, and the Law of Humanity and Charity, is juſt and equal, that Maſters uſe all good means in their power, for the health, and eaſe, and life of a ſick ſervant; and this you muſt do, as knowing that you have a Maſter in Heaven, to whom all the wrong, and injuſtice, and unmercifulneſs which you ſhew to your ſervants, will cry for vengeance againſt you; therefore think with thy ſelf, as Job did in the like caſe, Chap. 31.14. What then ſhall I do when God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwer him?
Here is one thing more for all ſervants to learn; that is, to chuſe to live in families where God is worſhipt: What a mercy was it to this ſick ſervant, that he had a Maſter that prayed for him! Certainly it would much promote Family-worſhip, if ſervants would not chuſe to live in a prayer-leſs family. I know it's a diſhonour to God, a reproach to Religion, and a wrong to ſervants, that in many families there is uſed ſuch unſeaſonable times for family-worſhip: I do therefore ſeriouſly adviſe all Maſters of Families, into whoſe hands this ſhall come, to order your buſineſs ſo, as to make that your ordinary ſet time to worſhip God, when you are like to be in the beſt frame; and I am perſwaded you will finde, when once you have wiſely ſet your ſeaſon for morning and evening worſhip, and diligently obſerved it, that in a ſhort time your buſineſs will ordinarily fall ſo, as at thoſe times to leave room for thoſe duties; however, chuſe your own time for family-worſhip, and not your ſervants time; rather when your ſervants ſhould work, then when they ſhould ſleep; and let all ſervants make it their choice to dwell in ſuch families, where they are moſt like to be helped forward in their way to heaven.
Obſerv. 3. Chriſts anſwer to the Centurions prayer for his ſick ſervant, ver. 7. And Jeſus ſaid, I will come and heal him: He offers his preſence to come, and his power and mercy to heal him; he grants more then the Centurion begs. Obſerve, God often gives more, but never leſs then believers ſincerely ask; Eph. 3.20. He is able (and willing) to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think: for the power and goodneſs of God, is infinitely above the higheſt Faith of the greateſt Believer; we can pray but like men, but he gives like an Infinite God. Now Chriſt offers to come to his houſe, as it appears, to ſet awork the Centurions faith: for this paſſage, I will come, gives occaſion for the following words, wherein he pleads two things againſt Chriſts coming to his houſe.
1. His own unworthineſs, ver. 8. I am not worthy that thou ſhouldſt come under my roof. Wherein we may ſee the gracious modeſty of this great Believer: when he hath the higheſt thoughts of God, he hath the loweſt thoughts of himſelf; this is Fidei ingenium, as one calls it, the ingenious property of Faith: by it, when a Believer doth moſt exalt God, he doth moſt abaſe himſelf.
2. He pleads, that it was unneceſſary for Chriſt to trouble himſelf to come to his houſe, for he could heal him by ſpeaking a word: Speak the word only, and my ſervant ſhall be healed. Herein he acknowledgeth the Godhead of Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe peculiar Prerogative it is to ſpeak creating words, Pſal. 33.9. He ſpake, and it was done; he commanded, and it ſtood faſt: And this truth, that Jeſus Chriſt could by ſpeaking a word, command and create the cure, he proves by an argument taken from the leſs to the greater, ver. 9. For I am a man under Authority, having Souldiers under me, &c. You may eaſily ſee the ſtrength of this argument in this plain Paraphraſe; I am but a man, and thou art the true God; I am under Authority, but all the power in Heaven, and in Earth, is thine; I have Souldiers and ſervants under me, and thou haſt all things under thee. Now (ſaith he) if I bid my Souldier go and march to ſuch a place, he goes: and if I command another to come from quartering in ſuch a place, he comes: and if I ſay to my ſervant, Do ſuch a buſineſs, he doth it. Thus all ſickneſſes and diſeaſes are under thy command: if thou ſayſt to a Fever, Go and turn the moiſture of ſuch a one into the drought in Summer, it goes; and to the Conſumption, Go and rot the Lungs, and eat up the fleſh of ſuch a one, it goes; and to the Palſie, Go and torment ſuch a one, it goes; and if thou commandeſt back a diſeaſe, and ſayeſt, Come away, and ſpare the life of ſuch a one, it preſently comes. And again, if thou biddeſt any diſeaſe Do this, make ſuch a Father Childleſs, ſuch a Wife a Widdow, ſuch Children Fatherleſs, it preſently doth it. And thus he wiſely and ſtrongly pleads, that all diſeaſes are at the Will of Jeſus Chriſt; ſo that a word from him makes them go and come, and do what he will.
Obſ. 4. Chriſts carriage after the Centurions ſpeech, ver. 10. When Jeſus heard it, he marvelled: That muſt needs be a marvellous Faith, which makes Jeſus Chriſt himſelf to marvel.
2. He highly commends the Centurions Faith: I have not found ſo great Faith, no not in Iſrael. There are three things which ſpeak the greatneſs of his Faith.
1. It was the Faith of a Gentile; and this Chriſt ſeems to intend, by comparing it with, and preferring it before the Faith of his Iſrael; ſaying, I have not found ſo great Faith, no not in Iſrael.
2. Becauſe he did believe a great truth: this is a great truth, worthy of thy ſtrongeſt faith to be exerciſed in, that Jeſus Chriſt is that God who commands and rules all the diſeaſes and ſickneſſes of men.
3. Becauſe of the great power and life which appeared in the grace it ſelf: now the might and ſtrength of his faith is ſeen, both becauſe by it he ſaw the ſubſtance of the truth with ſo much evidence, and clearneſs, and certainty, as he did: he did as plainly ſee, that Chriſt had the command of diſeaſes, as that he himſelf had the command of his Souldiers and ſervants. Beloved, the ſtronger faith is, the more plain and piercing inſight it hath into its object; and the great power of his faith appeared in believing this truth at ſuch a time, when the infinite power and Eternal Godhead of Chriſt was ſo little known and believed in the world. And laſtly, by the ſtrong pleadings of his heart, grounded upon this truth, whereby he draws virtue and power from Chriſt to heal his dying ſervant: So that you ſee great reaſon why our Saviour commends the greatneſs of the Centurions faith.
3. Our Saviour from hence takes occaſion to teach the Doctrine of the Converſion of the Jews, and Rejection of the Gentiles, ver. 11, 12. and Chriſt makes this ſeaſonable digreſſion into this Doctrine, becauſe at this time a poor Gentile excels ever a Jew of his age in believing the power of Jeſus Chriſt.
Laſtly, Chriſt commands the ſick ſervants cure; he ſpeaks ſuch a word as the Centurion did pray that he would, and believe that he could ſpeak, ver. 13. And Jeſus ſaid unto the Centurion, Go thy way, and as thou haſt believed, ſo be it done unto thee: and his ſervant was healed in the ſelf-ſame hour. And thus Chriſt is honoured for his Miracle, the Centurion is honoured for his Faith, and the poor dying ſervant hath the comfort of both.
I ſhall now paſs by all other Obſervations that may be made out of this Text, and only inſiſt upon this one Doctrine, which I have choſen to be the ſubject of this diſcourſe, viz.