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47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, 'Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and

he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

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t ver. 25.-u Job xxiii. 12. ch. vi. 38; & xvii. 4; & xix. 30.- Mat. ix. 37. Luke x. 2.-y Dan. xii. 3.-z ver. 29.-a ch. xvii. 8. I John iv. 14.- Mat. xiii. 57. Mark vi. 4. Luke iv. 24.-c ch. ii. 23 ; & iii. 2.-d Deut. xvi. 16. ech. ii. I, 11. || Or, courtier, or, ruler. f1 Cor. i. 22.

READER. Jesus saith unto them,

My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. This affords abundant matter both to humble and to comfort the Church of Christ. To humble us in the evidence of our disabilities; for if we could have finished the works which were given us to do, there would have been no need of Christ. It was weakness which made way for Christ: our weakness to fulfil obedience, and that weakness of the law to justify sinners, Rom. v. 6; viii. 3; Heb. vii. 18, 19. All the strength we have is by the power of his might, and by his grace, Eph. vi. 10; 2 Tim. ii. 1. And even this, God dispenseth unto us in measure and by degrees, driving out our corruptions as he did the Canaanites before his people by little and little, Exod. xxiii. 30. Because while we

are here, he will have us live by faith and draw our strength as we use it, from Christ, and wait in hope of a better condition.

To comfort us likewise: (1.) Against all our unavoidable and invincible infirmities. Every good Christian desires to serve the Lord with all his strength; desires to be enriched, to be steadfast, immoveable, abounding in the work of the Lord; to do his will as the angels in heaven do it. Yet in many things he fails, and has daily experience of his own defects. But here is all the comfort, though I am not able to do any of my duties as I should, yet Christ hath finished all his to the full and therefore, though I am compassed with infirmities, so that I cannot do the things which I would, yet I have a compassionate Advocate with the Father who both giveth and craveth pardon for every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord, though he be not perfectly cleansed. 1 John ii. 2; 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19.

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(2.) Against the pertinacity and close adherence of our corruptions, which cleave as fast unto us, as the very powers and faculties of our soul; as heat unto fire, or light unto the sun. Yet sure we are, that He who forbad the fire to burn, and put blackness upon the face of the sun at mid-day, is able likewise to remove our corruptions as far from us as he hath removed them from his own sight. And the ground of our expectation hereof is this: Christ, when he was upon the earth, in the form of a servant, accomplished all the offices of suffering and obe

dience for us; therefore, being now exalted far above all heavens, at the right hand of Majesty and Glory, he will much more fulfil those offices of power which he hath there to do: which are, by the supplies of his Spirit, to purge us from sin; by the sufficiency of his grace to strengthen us, by his Word to sanctify and cleanse us, and to present us to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle. He that brought from the dead the Lord Jesus, and suffered not death to hold the Head, is able, by that power, and for that reason, to make us perfect in every good work to do his will, and not to suffer corruption for ever to hold the members.-BP. REYNOLDS.

The will of God is the strongest and most binding reason that can be used to a Christian mind, which hath resigned itself to be governed by that rule, to have the "will of God" for its law. Whatsoever is required upon that warrant, it cannot refuse. Although it cross a man's own humour, or his private interest, yet if his heart be subjected to the will of God, he will not stand with him in anything. One word from God, "I will have it so," silences all, and carries it against all opposition.

It were a great point, if we could be persuaded to esteem duly of this: it were indeed all. It would make light and easy work in those things that go so hardly on with us, though we are daily exhorted to them. Is it the will of God that I should live soberly? Then, though my own corrupt will and my companions be against it, yet it must be so. Wills

he that I forbear cursing and oaths, though it is my custom to use them? Yet I must offer violence to my custom, and go against the stream of all their customs that are round me, to obey his will, who wills all things justly and holily. Will he have my charity not only liberal in giving, but in forgiving, and real and hearty in both? Will he have me "bless them that curse me, and do good to them that hate me, and love mine enemies?" Though the world counts it a hard task, and my own corrupt heart possibly finds it so, yet it shall be done; and not as upon unpleasant necessity, but willingly and cheerfully, and with the more delight because it is difficult; for so it proves my obedience more, and my love to him whose will it is. Though mine enemies deserve not my love, yet he who bids me love them does; and if he will have this touchstone to try the uprightness of my love to him, shall it fail there? No; his will commands me so absolutely, and he himself is so lovely, that there can be nobody so unlovely in themselves, or to me, but I can love them upon his command, and for his sake.-LEIGHTON.

with this ruler, lest he should confirm him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of locality and distance: but he doth that in absence, for which his presence was required, with a repulse: "Thy sou liveth," giving a greater demonstration of his Omnipotency than was craved. How oft doth he not hear us to our will, that he may hear us to our advantage! The chosen vessel would be rid of temptations; he hears of a supply of grace: the sick man asks relief, receives patience; life, and receives glory. Let us ask what we think best; let him give what he knows best.

With one word doth Christ heal two patients, the son and the father; the son's fever, and the father's unbelief. That operative word of our Saviour was not without the intention of a trial. Had not the ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his son's life and recovery, neither of them had been blessed with success. Now the news of performance meets him one half of the way: and he that believed somewhat ere he came, and more when he went, grew to more faith in the way; and, when he came home, enlarged his faith to all the skirts of his family. A weak faith may be true, but a true faith is growing: he that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent, may presume, but doth not believe.

Go thy way, thy son liveth.-The rulers request was, "Come and heal:"Christ's answer was, "Go thy way, thy son lives." Our merciful Saviour meets those in the end, whom he crosses in the way. sweetly doth he correct our prayers, and, while he doth not give us what we ask, gives us better than we asked! Justly doth he forbear to go down either of the other worlds alone.

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Great men cannot want clients; their example sways some, their authority more; they cannot go to

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2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water :

whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole ?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked; and "on the same day was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed

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19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

20 For 'the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all

things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

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22 For the Father judgeth no man, but "hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

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23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

a Lev. xxiii. 2.-Deut. xvi. 1 ch. ii. 13.-b Neb. iii. I; & xii. 39.- Or, gate.-c Mat ix 6. Mark ii. xi. Luke v. 24.-d ch. ix. 14.-e Ex. xx. 10. Neh. xiii. 19. Jer. xvii. 21, &c. Mat. xii. 2. Mark ii. 24; & iii. 4. Luke vi 2; & xiii. 14.-|| Or, from the multitude that was.-f Mat. xii. 45. ch. viii. 11.-g ch. ix. 4; & xiv. 10.-h ch, vii. 19.-i ch. x. 30, 33. Phil. ii 6.-k ver. 30. ch. viii.

28; & ix. 4: & xii. 49; & xiv. 10.- Mat. iii. 17. ch. iii.

35. 2 Pet. i. 17.-m Luke vii. 14; & viii. liv. ch. xi. 25. 43.- Mat. xi. 27; & xxviii. 18. ver. 27. ch. iii. 35; & xvii. 2. Acts xvii. 31. 1 Pet. iv. 5.-0 1 John ii. 23.

READER. O all ye that are spiritually sick and diseased, come to the pool of Bethesda, the blood of Christ! Do ye complain of the blindness of your ignorance? here ye shall receive clearness of sight: of the distemper of passions? here ease of the superfluity of your sinful passions? here evacuation : of the impotency of your obedience? here integrity of the dead witheredness of good affections? here life and vigour. Whatsoever your infirmity be, come to the pool of Bethesda, and be healed.-HALL.

Behold thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. As when our Saviour healed the impotent man who had lain a long

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