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 Noble man, or Courtier, or little King (as some would have it) came to Jesus, and besought him to come down to his house, 1and to heal his Son, who was at the point of Death. We do not find Christ often attended with Nobility, but here he is; Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, 2not 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, sicknesses, 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 ⟨p. 180⟩go but to that Cana of Heaven, where our water will 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,3 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 soul fault, and a dangerous one, Ye will not believe. What is it that condemns the world but unbelief? Here's a Noble Capernaite that probably had heard many a Sermon of Jesus Christ; and yet here 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? Christs next answer to this Nobleman is a word of comfort,4 Go thy way, thy Son liveth: Oh the meekness and 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 mothers that give the breast to their 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 the Father;
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 Noble man, or Courtier, or little King (as some would have it) came to Jesus, and besought him to come down to his house, 1and to heal his Son, who was at the point of Death. We do not find Christ often attended with Nobility, but here he is; Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, 2not 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, sicknesses, 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 ⟨p. 180⟩go but to that Cana of Heaven, where our water will be turned into wine, where our Physitian 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,3 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 soul fault, and a dangerous one, Ye will not believe. What is it that condemns the world but unbelief? Here's a Noble Capernaite that probably had heard many a Sermon of Jesus Christ; and yet here 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? Christs next answer to this Nobleman is a word of comfort,4 Go thy way, thy Son liveth: Oh the meekness and 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 mothers that give the breast to their unquiet children instead of the rod; so usually deals Christ with our perversness, Go thy way, thy Son liveth; with one word doth Christ heal two Patients, the Son and the Father;
- 1John 4.47.
- 21 Cor. 1.26.
- 3John 4.48.
- 4Ver. 50.
