The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 45 – Part 46
He ſaid unto Her. Text.
Her ſinnes were before pardoned (as our Saviour told Simon) Now why our Saviour ſpake thus unto the woman, and at this time is by ſome queſtioned. And thus anſwered.
Our Saviour now abſolves her, for two Reaſons; firſt that the company there preſent might be informed of Chriſts Office, Chem. Harm.and that he was indeed the true Meſſiah of the world, and had power given him from the Father to forgive ſin.
Secondly (and more eſpecially) that he might confirme the Faith of this Penitent, in the comfortable Aſſurance that her ſinnes were pardoned. So then we ſee,
It is not enough that our ſinnes are pardoned in Heaven, but wee are to endeavour and ſeeke after the particular Aſſurance of the Pardon of them to duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page our owne Conſciences for our further comfort.
God requires this at the hands of his Miniſters that they ſhould ſettle the Conſciences of his people in ſolid Peace, out of the aſſurance that their ſins were pardoned, Iſa 40.2.
And this was that which David ſo earneſtly ſought for at the hands of God, Pſa. 35.3. Say unto my ſoule that thou art my Salvation, and Pſ. 51.8. Make me to heare of joy and gladneſſe that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce.
And hence it was that our bleſſed Saviour did ſo often give particular Abſolution (although the Iewes were exceedingly offe…ded therewith) which ſurely he would not have done if in caſe it had not bin very neceſſary to be had: When the poore man was brought to Chriſt, that had an incurable Palſie, the firſt word that Chriſt ſpake to him was, Soune thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, Mark. 2.5. Our bleſſed Saviour ſaw well that his ſinnes troubled him more then his Palſie did; and therefore …hus ſpake, He ſaid not, be of good Comfort thy Palſie hath left thee, but thy ſinnes be forgiven thee. And thus you ſee he ſpeakes here to Mary who was much dejected in mind with the remembrance of her ſins, and all to ſettle her ſoule in Peace upon the aſſurance of his mercy.
Reaſon. Unknowne things are not deſired, how then can they be rejoyced in? Say a man be in Priſon for treaſon faſt bound, and that a pardon is granted to him, yet till he knowes thereof he can rejoyce no more in that his happineſſe, than if he were to be executed the next day.
Uſe. 1 This may ſerve, firſt to informe our Judgements of the neceſſity of a ſtanding Miniſtery. All the worke is not done after our Converſion is wrought, Confirmation is like wiſe neceſſary.Epheſ. 4. The Miniſtery was not given only to gather in, but likewiſe to build up unto perfection: Faith at the firſt is but weake, there muſt be a ſtrengthening of it; After planting muſt follow watering Say a man doth now believe the Rem ſſion of his ſins, yet through the weak…es of fleſh and vio…tneſſe of temptation, he may often queſtion Aſſurance of Remiſſion. Therfore for the better healing of thoſe wounds which are daily made, and further ſtrengthening of weake Grace, and ſetling of the Conſcience in ſolid Peace, it is very neceſſary that the miniſtery ſhould be eſtabliſhed.
Uſe. 2 This ſerves to ſtirre us up earneſtly to ſeek after particular Aſſurance of the Remiſſion of ſins, as we defire true comfort to our ſoules. Let a man know never ſo much of God and of Chriſt his Son, yet the generall apprehenſion of theſe things will but adde a kind of vexation to his Spirit, till he have Aſſurance of ſome ſpeciall intereſt he hath in Gods Mercies. What a torment is it for a hunger ſtarved beggar to paſſe by a wedding-Houſe and ſmell good cheare, yet (Tantalus like) never taſte of it? What a vexation to a poore man to ſee a great dole given and multitudes relieved by it, yet he get nothing? So is it certainly in this caſe, the more any man knoweth of Chriſt, and of the plenteous Redemption that is by him purchaſed through his blood. the greater muſt the horrour of his Soule be, when hee findeth that hee hath no part therin.
Content not thy ſelfe (then) with this in Generall to know That God ſo loved the world as that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne to redeeme all that will beleeve in him; but indeavour to be aſſured of this in Particular that he hath loved thee and given his Son for thee (as S. Paul ſaith, Gal. 2.20) Thinke it not enough to know that Remiſſion of ſins may he had, or to hope well that thou art amongſt the number of thoſe pardoned ones, but make this ſure to thy heart upon good grounds, that thy ſins in particular are forgiven. It is a great Mercy to have fin pardoned, but to have it ſpoken to our hearts and aſſured us, is a greater Mercis.
VERSE 49. Text. And they that ſat at meat with him began to ſay within themſelves, who is this that forgiveth ſins alſo.Offendutur cō vivae Chriſti ſermone. Ex quo apparet plures Juiſſe Phariſaeos: nam hi ubiq, hac Chriſti poteſtate offenduntur, quod non ſolum corporum ſeſe praebet medicum ſed etiam animarum, Aretius in loc. Interrogation eſt ex contemptu perſona, &c. Marlorat. Improbabile mihi videtur quod nonnulli Interpreterdicum haec verba hominum eſſe admiramium, quaſi dicant, eportet magnū virum, aus matorē etiam viro Chriſtā eſſe cum peccata remittat, &c. Hic nimu bene de malu cogi…ant. Facilius credi… eſt de Phariſaeorum ingenio (pleroſ que enim eorū qui ſimul accumbebant fuiſſe Phariſa… veriſimile eſt…eos iſta mu…nurando, & blaſphemiae Coriſtum accuſando dixiſſe Mald. in loc.
The Gueſts that ſat at meat with Chriſt (queſtionleſſe) were Phariſees (the Feaſt-maker was one) And who knowes not that theſe were inſolent Juſticiaries, ſtrict Sectaries, and the proud enemies of Chriſt, looking ſtill a croſſe at what our Saviour did. So Matth. 9.2. Mark. 2.7. Luk. 5.21. This Power of our Saviour did eſpecially offend them.
Indeed theſe doe not openly charge him with blaſphemy, as at other times he was charged by them. As they were not ſo Ceremonious, ſo neither (it may ſeeme) ſo Captious as their Fellowes, yet they could not but ſavour of the Leaven of their Profeſſion. They began to ſay within themſelves, who is this that forgiveth ſinnes alſo.
Which words I take not (with Cajetan and ſome other) as ſpoken by way of Admiration, as if Simon and his Company (who before queſtioned whither or no he were a Prophet) ſhould in a kind of amazement (obſerving what had paſſed) ſay; now we ſee he is a Prophet and more than a Prophet, A great man, nay more then man to forgive ſin.
But by way of Accuſation and Exception againſt our bleſſed Saviour, who is this that dares be ſo bold to forgive ſin, which is Gods Prerogative ſolely, being but a vile and contemptible perſon. they held him to be but Man, and by Man ſinne could not be remitted.
In which Exception or Accuſation we will conſider.
Firſt, the Perſons, who they were that found fault with our Saviour, They that ſate at meat.
Secondly, The thing they find fault withall, and tooke exception againſt, They began to ſay within themſelves who is this, &c.
Of the Perſon firſt.