An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

1. In benedictions, Mark 10.16. Christ took up the young children in his arms, and laid his hands upon them and blessed them. As under the Law, Levit. 1.4. and Chap. 4.15. The people or the Elders laying their hands upon the beast, which was to be offered in Sacrifice, intimated the laying of all their sins by faith upon Christ, of whom that Sacrifice was a type. So Christs laying his hands upon those children, implied the bestowing and pouring out of mercy upon them, in the pardoning of their sins, and the furnishing of them with the graces of his Spirit. The same action used by the Apostles in the name of Christ, had the same signification and effect. When Peter and John came to Samaria, and saw what work the Word had made among that people, They laid their hands on them, and they received the holy Ghost, Act. 8.17. Paul likewise laid his hands on the Disciples at Ephesus, and they received the holy Ghost, Act. 19.6. It was used also as a sign of healing, Mark 16.18. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover: And (Mat. 9.18.) the Ruler saith unto Christ, My daughter is sick, but come and lay thine hands on her, and she shall be healed. Some interpret the Rulers desire of this sign, to be as a sign he had faith, so also that his faith was weak. The Centurion (concerning whom Christ testified, I have not ⟨p. 389⟩found so great faith, no not in Israel) desired Christ but to speak the word only, and his servant should be healed (Mat. 8.8.) As a word is the proper object of faith, so faith acts most properly, when it rests and lives upon a word only. Signs are mercies to the weak, and they are witnesses of our weakness. Signs are but crouches and spectacles to help the lameness and dimsightednesse of faith. But to our text.