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…

with what stony and seared hearts did the Pharisees reject him, saying, What is that to us, look thou to that? It's a mercy for broken-hearted sinners, to fall into the hands of a tender experienced Believer, who hath felt what they feel, and so is able to conceive of their sad estate. And indeed, even as for instruction of the ignorant, there needeth much patience, so there doth also pity, which will put thee upon unwearied diligence to comfort the dejected. For, it is not a work soon done, they must bear with many infirmities; they are full of subtle objections; and when they are for a while comforted, they loose all presently again: insomuch that he must have tender bowels, who is not wearied out with their weaknesses.

with what stony and seared hearts did the Pharisees reject him, saying, What is that to us, look thou to that? It's a mercy for broken-hearted sinners, to fall into the hands of a tender experienced Believer, who hath felt what they feel, and so is able to conceive of their sad estate. And indeed, even as for instruction of the ignorant, there needeth much patience, so there doth also pitty, which will put thee upon unwearied diligence to comfort the dejected. For, it is not a work soon done, they must bear with many infirmities; they are full of subtile objections; and when they are for a while comforted, they loose all presently again: insomuch that he must have tender bowels, who is not wearied out with their weaknesses.

Thirdly, Such experienced ones are only able to deal with tempted souls, ¹to instruct and comfort them, because the afflicted find such only real. Such are in earnest: He that hath experimentally felt the bitterness of sin, maketh it manifest to others, that it's not mere Oratory or Eloquence, that sets him against sin, but something within, that he feeleth burning like fire within. The very Heathen could say, Si vis me flere dolendum est primo tibi, A man that hath not inwardly felt the power of truth upon his heart, he is so cold, so formal, so lazy, that you cannot tell whether he believeth the things he preacheth to be true, or no. And so also for comfort, must it not much satisfy the dejected soul to meet with one under the same temptations, under the same fears, and yet now prayeth with joy, heareth with joy? Thou canst find all thy heart (as it were) in him, and yet he is delivered, he is comforted, who thought it as impossible as I do: Whereas if a man be a stranger to these workings of God, the tempted soul flieth off, saying, He knoweth not how to judge of these things; I can give no credit to him.