An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, None can wisely be a Physician to heal a disease in another, unless he have skill and understanding in the nature of it, and the fit remedy for it. Now while a man hath no experimental knowledge of Gods workings upon his own ⟨p. 185⟩soul, he hath no skill, no heavenly heart about the diseases in others souls. Bring a poor wounded soul that is burdened with sin, that would be directed into Evangelical comforts, to a Pharisaical, self-righteous Doctor, and alas, he will, as Ely thought the poor weeping woman, bitter in soul, and praying to God, to be drunk; so will these think such an one mad and foolish. Hence (you heard) Christ would be tempted as we are, that he might succour those that are tempted; that he might have the tongue of the learned, to speak to such who are weary. Those that have not been thus humbled, thus exercised, thus comforted, they are no ways able to be any helpful comforters, but like the Priest and the Levite, will pass by those who are thus wounded.

First, None can wisely be a Physician to heal a disease in another, unlesse he have skill and understanding in the nature of it, and the fit remedy for it. Now while a man hath no experimental knowledge of Gods workings upon his own ⟨p. 185⟩soul, he hath no skill, no heavenly heart about the diseases in others souls. Bring a poor wounded soul that is burdned with sinne, that would be directed into Evangelical comforts, to a Pharisaical, self-righteous Doctor, and alas, he will, as Ely thought the poor weeping woman, bitter in soul, and praying to God, to be drunk; so will these think such an one mad and foolish. Hence (you heard) Christ would be tempted as we are, that he might succour those that are tempted; that he might have the tongue of the learned, to speak to such who are weary. Those that have not been thus humbled, thus exercised, thus comforted, they are no waies able to be any helpfull comforters, but like the Priest and the Levite, will passe by those who are thus wounded.

Secondly, As such can have no skill or understanding, so they cannot have any suitableness of pity and compassion to those that are so afflicted in spirit,