MAT. 19. 2[…]
HAving in several instances discovered the weaknesse of those props, which most lean upon in reference to Salvation, I shall conclude this matter with a discourse upon the Disciples pathetical exclamation in the Text, Who then can be saved?
In the verse precedent, we have mention made of one, who had good wishes and desires for heaven, but being put by our Saviour upon an exploratory duty, it proved like jealousie water to him, discovering his rottennesse; he was a spurious brood of the Eagle, for he was not able to endure these pure Sun-beams, He went away sorrowfull, for he had many possessions. It doth not say, for he loved them, but he had them, it being very difficult to have these things, and not immoderately love them: they were […] indeed, because they possessed him, rather then he possessed them. He had much wealth, as we say, a man hath a feavor, when that hath him, destroying and wasting his health. Upon this we have our Saviour uttering a strange and paradoxal speech to flesh and bloud, Christs words were miracles as well as his works, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: compare this with Mark 10. and there are several aggravations; first, our Saviour saith, its hard; Mark saith, he spake it with admiration, How hard is it? Then this he affirmeth with a vehement asseveration, verily, yea Mark saith, He looked about him, to signifie he had some extraordinary thing to say, and therefore would have them attentive, yea the Evangelist saith, he sighed also, when he spake this further he spake this to his Disciples, though not rich, as appeareth by that compellation in Mark, Sonne, how hard is it, &c? as a tender father he bids them beware.
In the next place Christ doth not only shew the difficulty, but at last the impossibility by a proverbial speech, It is as impossible for a rich man to be saved, as a Camel to go thorow the eye of a needle, a Proverb in the Eastern parts to expresse an impossibility. Those that would understand it of a Cable-rope, as they mistake about the Greek word, so they consider not the greater impossibility is implied in the phrase the more significant it is. Now this speech of our Saviours is an hard speech, but thou art not to expostulate or contend with Gods Ministers about it, for truth it self hath said it: only by rich men, Mark expounds those who trust in them, but Matthew speaks it absolutely, because of the difficulty not to trust in them, when we have them. Upon this speech of our Saviours, we see a notable operation on the Disciples, expressed first in their outward disposition, and then in their speech. In their disposition […], they were stricken with amazement, it was with them, as if they had had some astonishing blow given them; & then you have their admiration, who then can be saved? This implieth that they thought before they heard this a very possible, if not an easie thing to be saved, but now they despair of it: But why do they say, who then can be saved in the general, and not rather what rich man? for of them our Saviour spake, such poor men as the Disciples might be saved for all this. it is answered thus, though all men are not rich, yet all men have a desire and appetite after riches, and so they are thereby stopped in their course to heaven. Or thus, Though all men are not rich, yet as rich men have their wealth which they immoderately relie on: So there is no man but he hath some creature or other, he doth inordinatly affect, and that makes him a Camel with too big a bunch to go in the strait way to Heaven.
That howsoever men may suggest to themselves many probable and easie grounds for1 their salvation, yet upon Scripture-consideration it will appear a great difficulty, yea in some sense an impossibility.
Thus the Disciples while they happily attended only to Christ his gracious invitations and manifold promises of his love, they thought it a very easie matter to get to heaven; They found nothing but honey come out of his mouth. Now when they hear our Saviour speak of the exact qualification of him that shall be saved, they are affected with fear as the Israelites were, who thought it impossible to possesse Canaan, because of the tall Anakims that must first be conquered.
For the clearing of the Doctrine, let these three things be premised;2
First, That when we say it is such a difficult and impossible thing to be saved, we do not relate to that natural impossibility which is in every man; for so not only rich men, but even infants new-born, it’s as impossible for them to be saved, as a Camel to go thorow the eye of a needle; for seeing all are by nature dead in sinne; we can no more put spiritual life in our selves, then Adam could at first have made himself of a lump of earth, a living soul. We do not then fetch this impossibility of Salvation so much from the weaknesse of nature, as from the exactnesse of the way of grace, for our Saviour in the Text laieth not this impossibility upon the impotency and inability of a man in respect of original defilement, though this stream will by long windings at last empty it self into that fountain, but upon the curious bounds that grace prescribes our affections even to lawful things; so that although we may love and desire, and use these creature-comforts, yet if we go but one step beyond those limits, we have presently transgressed; and so when our Saviour saith upon this to comfort the Disciples with some hopes, with God all things are possible. Though it be universally true, yet it is more peculiarly to be limited to the matter in hand, God can level this Camels bunch, he can command the waters of our affections to stand still, and not to overflow.