BOOK 5. THE MESSAGE.
CHAPTER 2.
5.2.4. Of Christ's Miracles.
Of Christ's Miracles.
The miracles of Christ this year were many. Now what were these miracles? But a pursuance of the doctrines delivered in Christ's sermons. One calls them a verification of Christ's doctrine, a signal of Christ's sermons: if we observe, we shall find him to work most of his miracles in actions of mercy. Indeed once he turned water into wine, and sometimes he walked upon the waters, but all the rest were actions of relief, according to the design of God, who would have him manifest his power, in showing mercy and relief to men.
1. Amongst all his miracles done this year, now was it that at Cana, where he wrought the first miracle, he does a second; "a certain nobleman," or courtier, or little king, as some would have it, "came to Jesus, and besought him to come down to his house, and to heal his son, who was at the point of death," John iv. 47. We do not find Christ often attended with nobility, but here he is, 1 Cor. i. 26. "Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called;" yet God forbid but that some are, and may be; this noble ruler listens after Christ in his necessity; happy was it for him that his son was sick, for else he had not been so well acquainted with his Saviour: "O, we are loth to come to Christ till we see a need, a necessity for it; and hence it is, that Christ sends weakness, sickness, infirmities, oppositions and many afflictions, that he may be sought unto:" come then, are we afflicted? Whither should we go but to Cana, to seek Christ? Whither should we go but to that Cana of heaven, where our water shall be turned into wine, where our physician lives, that knows how to cure souls and bodies, and all, that we may once say. "It is good for me that I was afflicted." The first answer Christ gives this nobleman, is a word of reproof, John iv. 48. "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe:" incredulity was the common disease of the Jews, which no receipt could cure but wonders, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after signs," The doctrine of Christ, and all the divine words that he spake, must be made up with miracles, or they will not believe: it was a foul fault, and a dangerous one, "Ye will not believe." What is it that condemns the world but unbelief? Here is a noble Capernaumite, that probably had heard many a sermon of Jesus Christ; and yet he is taxed with unbelief. If such as we that live under the clear sun-shine of the gospel shall not believe, O what a sin is this? Christ's next answer to this nobleman, is a word of comfort, verse 50. "Go thy way, thy son liveth." Oh the meekness, and the mercy of Jesus Christ! when we would have looked that he should have punished this suitor for not believing, he condescends to him that he may believe: as some tender mother that gives the breast to her unquiet children instead of the rod; so usually deals Christ with our perverseness," "Go thy way, thy son liveth:" with one word doth Christ heal two patients, the son and father; the son's fever, and the fathers unbelief. We cannot but observe here the steps of faith; he that believed somewhat ere he came, and more when he went, he grew to more and more faith in the way; and when he came home, he enlarged his faith to all the skirts of his family. "And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him," and he went his way; and in the way one meets him and tells him, "Thy son liveth," verse 51. Which recovery he understands to be at the same time that Christ had spoken those salutary and healing words, "and himself believed and his whole house," verse 53.
2. (If I mistake not in the year, I shall not contend, because in this year only, I shall mention his miracles,) Now was it that "a centurion came unto Christ, beseeching him, and saying, "My servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy, grievously tormented," Matt. viii. 5, 6. Many suitors came to Christ, one for a son, another for a daughter, a third for himself; but I see none come for his servant, but this one centurion; and if we observe Christ's answer to his suit, we see how well pleased Christ is with his request, and Jesus saith unto him, "I will come and heal him," verse 7. When the ruler intreated him for his son, "Come down ere he die," Christ stirred not a foot, but now this centurion complains only of his servant's sickness, and Christ offers himself "I will come and heal him." He that came in the shape of a servant, would rather go down to the sick servant, than to the ruler's son. Acts x. 34, 35. "He is no respecter of persons, but he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him It may be this poor sick servant had more grace, or very probable it is, he had more need, and therefore Christ (to choose) will go down to visit this poor sick servant. Nay, says the centurion, "I am not. worthy. Lord, that thou shouldest come under my roof," verse 8. q.d. Alas, Lord! I am a Gentile, an alien, a man of blood, but thou art holy, thou art omnipotent, and therefore, "Only say the word, and my servant shall be whole." Mark this, O my soul, it is but a word of Christ, and my sins shall be remitted, my soul healed, my body raised, and soul and body glorified forever. The centurion knew this by the command he had over his own servants, verse 9. "I say to this man, go, and he goes, and to another man, come, and he comes, and to a third, do this, and he doth it." In way of application. Oh! that I were such a servant to my heavenly Master: alas, every of his commands says, Do this, and I do it not: every of his inhibitions says, "Do it not, and I do it:" he says, "Go from the world, and I run to it;" He says. "Come to me, and I run from him." Woe is me, this is not service, but enmity: Oh that I could come up to the faith and obedience of this examplar, that I could serve my Christ as these soldiers did their master! verse 10. Jesus marvels at the centurion's faith. We never find Christ wondering at gold, or silver, or costly and curious works of human skill; yea, when the disciples wondered at the magnificence of the temple, he rebuked them rather: but when he sees the grace or acts of faith, he so approves of them, that he is ravished with wonder. He that rejoiced in the view of his creation, rejoiceth no less in the reformation of his creature, "Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair, there is no spot in thee. My sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded my heart, thou hast wounded my heart with one of thy eyes," Cant. iv. 7, 9. To conclude, he that both wrought this faith, and wondered at it, doth now reward it. "Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it unto thee, and his servant was healed in the self same hour."
3. Now it was, even "the day after, that Jesus goes into the city of Nain," Luke vii. 11. The fruitful clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field; Nain must partake of the bounty of Christ, as well as Cana, or Capernaum. Thither come, he no sooner enters in at the gate of the city, but he meets a funeral; a poor widow, with her weeping friends, is following her only son to the grave; Jesus observing her sad condition, he pities her, comforts her, and at last relieves her; Here was no solicitor but his own compassion; in his former miracles lie was sought and sued to; his mother at the marriage feast begged a supply of wine; the ruler came to him for a son; the centurion came to him for a servant; but now Christ offers a cure, to give us a lesson, "That whilst we have to do with the Father of mercies, our miseries and afflictions are the most powerful suitors," Christ sees and observes the widow's sadness, and presently all parts of Christ conspire her good; his heart melts into compassion of her; his tongue speaks cheerfully and comfortably unto her, "Weep not;" his feet carry him to the bier; his hand toucheth the coffin, "and he said, young man, I say unto thee, arise," ver. 14. See how the Lord of life speaks with command: the same voice speaks to him that shall one day speak to us, and raise us out of the dust of the earth: neither sea, nor death, nor hell, can detain their dead, when he charges them to be delivered: we see not Christ stretching himself on this dead corps, as Elijah and Elisha upon the son of the Shunamite, and of the widow of Sarephta; nor see we aim kneeling down and praying, as Peter did for Dorcas; but we hear him so speaking to the dead, as if the dead were alive; and so speaking to the dead, that by the word he speaks, he makes him alive, "Young man, I say unto thee. Arise; and he that was dead sat up, and began to speak," verse 15. So at the sound of the last trumpet, by the power of the same voice, we shall arise out of the dust, and stand up gloriously, "This mortal body shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption." And least our weak faith should stagger at the ascent of so great a difficulty, by this he hath done, Christ gives us tastes of what he will do. The same power that can raise one man, can raise a thousand, a million, a world: Christ here raised a widow's son, and after Jairus' daughter, and then Lazarus, and, lastly, at his resurrection, he raised a great many at once: he raised one from her bed, another from his bier, another from his grave, and many at once from their rottenness, that it might appear no degree of death can hinder the efficacy of his almighty power.
4. Now it Was that "in the synagogue he finds a man that had a spirit of an unclean devil," Luke iv. 33. This, I take it, is the first man that we read of, as possessed with a devil. "And he cried. Let us alone, what have we to do with thee?" etc. verse 34. In these words, the devil dictates, the man speaks, and whereas the words are plural. Let us alone, it is probable he speaks of himself, and the rest of the men in the synagogue with him.
So high and dreadful things are spoken concerning the coming of Christ, (Mal. iii. 2. "Who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?") That the devil by this takes opportunity to affright the men of the synagogue with the presence of Christ: he would dissuade them from the receiving of Christ, by the terrors of Christ, as if Christ had come only to destroy them, ver. 34. "Thou Jesus of Nazareth, art thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, the holy one of God." "And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him," verse 35. The word, "Hold thy peace," in the original, (phimoethti) be muzzled: it was not a bare command of silence, but there was such power in it, that it cast a muzzle upon the mouth of Satan, that he could speak no more, Mark i. 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him," not with any gashes in his flesh, or dismembering of his body, for he hurt him not, but with some convulsion fits (as it is supposed) then "he threw him in the midst," Luke iv. 35. and made an horrid cry, and so came out.
From this miracle, they all take special notice of the doctrine attested by so great a miracle, "What a word is this?" verse 36. Or, as the other evangelist, Mark i. 27. "What a thing is this? What new doctrine is this?" Surely this was the great design of all the miracles of Christ, to prove his mission from God, to demonstrate his power unto men, to confirm his gospel, to endear his precepts, to work in us faith, to help us heaven-ward, John xx. 31. "These things are written that we might believe, -- And that believing we might have life through his name."
Use. I have given you several instances of the miracles of Christ in this second year of his ministry; only a few words on this doctrine of miracles for our information, as, 1. What they are? 2. Why they are? 3. Whether they are chained and continued in this great transaction of our soul's salvation? And I have done.
1. For the first. What they are? Miracles are unusual events wrought above the course or possibility of nature: such were the miracles of Christ, and such were the miracles of the prophets, and of the apostles of Christ; for what they did was above nature; and all the difference betwixt their miracles and the miracles of Christ, was only in this, viz. They wrought them not in their own name and power as Jesus Christ did; thus when Elisha with twenty loaves, and some full ears of corn, fed an hundred men, 2 Kings xiv. 42, 43. "Give unto the people (says he) that they may eat: and his servants said. What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again. Give the people that they may eat, for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof?"
And when Peter cured Eneas, which had kept his bed eight years and was sick of a palsy. Acts ix. 34. "Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole." And when he cured that man that was lame from his mother's womb, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple. Acts iii. 6, "Silver and gold have I none, (said Peter) but such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." But our Saviour comes in an higher strain to the dead damsel, Mark v. 41. "I say unto thee, Arise." And, in an higher strain to the stormy winds and seas, Mark iv. 39. "Peace, be still" And, in an higher strain to the raging devil in the possessed, Like iv. 35. "Be muzzled, and come out of the man." Here is the difference betwixt the Lord and his servants; but in this they agree, their miracles were not miranda but miracula! not only wonders but miracles indeed; they were unusual events wrought above nature, or the course of nature.
2. For the second, Why they are? Many reasons are given of which I hinted before, but, in reference to scriptures, (which is the great controversy) this is the main, and the only true reason; "Miracles are wrought for the grounding or confirming of some divine truth or doctrine at its first settling. To this purpose, miracles were as the trumpets or heralds, by which the gospel was first commended unto us; as the law of Moses was first authorized by manifold miracles in Sinai, and in the desert, which afterwards ceased when they came to and were settled in the promised land; so the gospel of Christ was first authorized by manifold miracles: but the sound thereof having gone through all the world, these miracles cease: if new additions of miracles for the confirmation of scriptures should be expected in every age, the former miracles of Christ and his apostles would be slighted of all. Indeed Christ tells us, "of great signs and wonders that shall be in the last days" Matt. xxiv. 24. But with all he tells us of false Christ's and false prophets that must work them. It may be disputed whether these are true miracles or mere deceptions, and magical pretences: but because they are such as the people cannot discern them from miracles really such, therefore it is all one to them. "Here then is Christ's rule, verse 23, 25. "Believe them not -- Behold I have told you before." He that foretold us of the man, foretold us also of the imposture, and commanded us not to trust him: in this respect it had been more likely for Antichrist to have prevailed upon Christians by doing no miracles, than by doing any; for if he had done he might have escaped without discovery, but by doing miracles or wonders, he both verified the wisdom and prescience of Christ, and he declared to the elect, that he was the very enemy of Christ. As all the prophets that spake of Christ, bad us believe him for his miracles; so all that foretold of Antichrist bad us disbelieve him for his miracles; which occasioned Augustine to say. Contra miracularios istos cautum me fecit Deus meus, Aug. in Johan Tract. 3, which is, "Against such miracle-mongers God hath armed me to take heed." "Go not forth unto such," saith Christ, Matth. xxiv. 16 . And therefore, "brethren stand fast," saith Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 15. "The great beast deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of miracles;" these are the words of John, Rev. xiii. 14. But "if any man have an ear let him hear," i.e. let him beware. Rev. xiii. 9. True miracles that proceed from God, are wrought for the grounding of doctrine at the first settling, and being once grounded and settled, and a platform described for the right continuing of it, then we are left to the scripture, and are not to expect any new miracles for the confirming of it.
3. For the third. Whether they are chained and continued in this great transaction of our soul's salvation? I answer, yea; in this respect miracles cease not. It is without controversy, that Jesus Christ, in carrying on our soul's salvation, is adding miracle to miracle: there is a chain of miracles in the matter of our salvation, from first to last? as: --
(a). It was a miracle, that God, in his eternity, before we had a being, should have one thought of us; especially that the blessed Trinity should sit in council, and contrive that most admirable and astonishing plot of the salvation of our souls; Oh, what a miracle was this!
(b). It was a miracle that God, for our sakes, should create the world and after our fall in Adam, that God should preserve the world, especially considering that our sin had unpinned the whole frame of the creation; and that God even then sitting on his throne of judgment, ready to pass the doom of death, for our first transgression, should unexpectedly give a promise of a Saviour, when justly, he might have given us to the devil, and to hell, according to his own law, Gen. ii. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death.
(c). It was a miracle, that God's Son should take upon him our nature, and that in our nature he should transact our peace; that he should preach salvation to us all, if we would believe, and to the end that we might believe, that he would work so many signs and miracles in the presence of his disciples, and of a world of men. Was not Christ's birth a miracle? And Christ's life a miracle? And Christ's death a miracle? And Christ's resurrection a miracle? And Christ's ascension a miracle? Was not Christ's ministry a miracle? And was it not a miracle that Christ's word should not be credited without a world of miracles to back it, and confirm it to the souls of men? 1 Tim. iii. 16. "Without controversy, great is the miracle, as well as mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
(d). It was a miracle, that God should look upon us in our blood: what a sight was it for God when, Ezek. xvi. 4, 5. 6, "Thy navel was not cut, when thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all, when thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person?" Yet, that then, even then the Lord should "pass by thee, and see thee polluted in thy own blood, and should say unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live, yea say unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live." O miracle of mercies! If creation cannot be without a miracle, surely the new creature is a miracle indeed. So contrary is our perverse nature to all possibilities of salvation, that if salvation had not marched to us all the way in a miracle, we should have perished in the ruins of a sad eternity. Election is a miracle, and creation is a miracle, and redemption is a miracle, and vocation is a miracle; and indeed every man living in the state of grace is a perpetual miracle: in such a one his reason is turned into faith, his soul into spirit, his body into a temple, his earth into heaven, his water into wine, his aversations from Christ into intimate union with Christ, and adhesions to Christ. O what a chain of miracles, is this? Why, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;" say thus. You that are yet in your blood. Why, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, O Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief."
"After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem," John v. 1. Some would have the feast to be Pentecost; and, to speak truly, the most of our commentaries run that way: others take this for the feast of the passover, and that rather, because the evangelist John reckons the time of Christ's public ministry by the several passovers: now, if this feast were not a passover, we cannot find in the gospel so many passovers as to make up Christ's ministry three years and an half. On this ground I join with the latter opinion; and so here I end the second year of Christ's ministry, and come to the third, and to his actings therein, in reference to our soul's salvation.