Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

And as they import his natural affection to his Child, so also, his own spiritual disease, or the weakness of his Faith. His Child was possest with a dumb Devil, and himself with unbelieving doubts and suspicions of Christs ability to cure his Child: The Child had a sick body, and the Father an infirm soul. Satan afflicted one by a possession, and the other by temptation, ver. 22.

And as they import his natural affection to his Child, so also, his own spiritual disease, or the weakness of his Faith. His Child was possest with a dumb Devil, and himself with unbelieving doubts and suspitions of Christs ability to cure his Child: The Child had a sick body, and the Father an infirm soul. Satan afflicted one by a possession, and the other by temptation, ver. 22.

Christ returns his doubting language upon himself, ver. 23. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. q. d. Dost thou doubt of my ability to heal thy Child? question rather thy own ability to believe for his cure: If he be not healed, the cause will not be in my inability, but in thine own infidelity: Which he speaks not to insinuate that Faith was in his own power, but to convince him of his weakness, and drive him to God for assistance, which effect it obtained; for immediately, he cried out and said with tears, Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.

Christ returns his doubting language upon himself, ver. 23. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. q. d. Dost thou doubt of my ability to heal thy Child? question rather thy own ability to believe for his cure: If he be not heal'd, the cause will not be in my inability, but in thine own infidelity: Which he speaks not to insinuate that Faith was in his own power, but to convince him of his weakness, and drive him to God for assistance, which effect it obtain'd; for immediately, he cry'd out and said with tears, Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.