Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

22

THE CENTURION'S SERVANT

HEALED.

Matt. viii. 5 to 14.

And when JESUS was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a Centurion, beseeching Him, and saying, LORD, my servant liein at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented, &c. &c.

Q. WHAT do you here understand by the Centurion, by his servant, and by the palsy of which he was sick, and by which he was griev ously tormented?

A. According to the sense of the letter, by the Centurion here recorded is to be understood a Roman Commander of a hundred soldiers, and by his servant is to be understood one of his domestics employed in his service, and by the palsy with which he was afflicted, is further to be understood a bodily disease called by that name, and consisting in the want of a proper circulation of the blood in some part of the body, in consequence of which the part affected was rendered incapable of performing the functions for which it

was intended. But according to the spiritual idea, which is involved in every part of this Miracle, as well as of all the other Miracles performed by the GREAT REDEEMER, by the Centurion abovementioned is to be understood the Church among the Gentiles, and particularly the Church combating against spiritual adversaries, for the Centurion here spoken of was a Gentile Soldier. Agreeable to the same spiritual idea, by this Centurion's servant is to be understood some lower principle in the natural mind intended to administer to the higher principles of the spiritual mind; and therefore by the palsy, with which the servant was afflicted, is to be understood a defect of truth in the lower principles of the natural mind, in consequence of which defect there was a want of circulation of heavenly life and love from the higher principles of the spiritual mind, which rendered the natural mind unable to perform the functions for which it was intended, particularly in the way of combat against the evil principles and false persuasions with which it was infected. It is accordingly said concerning this servant, that he was sick, and grievously tormented, because sickness has relation to the evils which were unsubdued and thus unremoved, whilst grievous torment has relation to the false persuasions originating in those evils.

Q. But it is added, that JESUS saith unto him, I will come and heal him-what do you learn from these words of the BLESSED JESUS?

A. I learn, not only His willingness to administer to the relief of the servant here recorded,

but also His willingness to administer to the relief of all other His afflicted servants, who apply to Him out of pure and penitent hearts. It is therefore to be understood, and attentively considered, that JESUS is ever uttering this same expression, I will come and heal him, over every individual child or servant, labouring under any disease or sorrow, whether mental or corporeal. For the GREAT REDEEMER is the same compassionate mercy yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and consequently as He was willing in the days of His flesh to listen to the prayers of His afflicted children, and to relieve their distresses, so He is alike willing at this day, and alike in the act of coming, to remove the infirmities of all those, who, like the good Centurion of old, supplicate His Divine Power and Presence. It is to be remarked further concerning the two expressions, coming and healing, that the former must in all cases precede the latter; in other words, that the BLESSED JESUS cannot heal, unless he be first allowed to come, and that healing therefore is to be regarded as the effect of His Divine Presence, and that consequently whosoever wishes to experience the power of His healing, must first labour to open his mind, and to keep it open, to the Divine presence, favour, and benediction.

Q. But it is added that the Centurion answered and said, LORD, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healedwhat instruction do you learn from these words?

A. I learn from these words two necessary

qualifications to secure the favour and blessing of the HOLY JESUS, the first of which is humility, as manifested in these words, LORD, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; and the second is, confidence in DIVINE AID grounded in that humility, and expressed in these words, speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Q. And what instruction do you learn from the words which follow, where it is written, for I am a man under authority, having soldiers 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 doeth it?

A. I learn a third qualification necessary to secure the favour and blessing of the GREAT REDEEMER, which qualification consists in a well arranged mind, resulting from the two former qualifications, humility and confidence in Divine Aid. For the soldiers here spoken of, as being under the Centurion, have reference to the subordinate principles of the natural mind, and to say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it, denotes the orderly arrangement of those principles. It is further to be observed concerning this arrangement, that to say to one, Go, and he goeth, denotes the first energy and effect of the will in the execution of any purpose; whilst to say to another, Come, and he cometh, denotes the excitation and presence of means in the understanding for the accomplishment of the same purpose; and to say to my ser

vant, Do this, and he doeth it, denotes the effect, or the full accomplishment of the purpose in word and in work.

Q. But it follows, that 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-what instruction do you further learn from these words?

A. By JESUS marvelling, I learn, that the case of the Centurion was singular and extraordinary; and by his saying, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel, I am further taught in what respect the case was both singular and extraordinary, viz. because the faith of the Centurion was a faith not grounded in himself, but in the affection of charity, thus in the GoD from whom that affection is derived, on which account it is called a great faith, for the term great is always applied, according to the spiritual idea, to denote heavenly good, which is the good of love and charity. And since the faith, which prevailed at that time in the Israelitish Church, was not of that description, being grounded in selfish and worldly love, and thus not in GoD, it is therefore added, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Q. And what instruction do you further learn from the words which follow, where JESUS adds, and/ say unto you, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of GOD, but the children of the kingdom shall be

« AnteriorContinuar »