She might well call him ' Rabboni,' for he was ' Master of masters,' * Rabboni of rabbonis,' the angel of the covenant, the great doctor of the church, the great ' Gamaliel,' at whose feet all must sit and be taught. So you see what sense and affections are in these little words. The ful- ness of heart that was in this couple cannot be expressed, were it possible to say all that could be said. And therefore we leave the hypothesis, and come to make application of it to ourselves.
Obs. 1. First, We may learn here, that till Christ himself discovers himself, no teachirir/ tcill serve the turn. No. The teaching of angels will not serve the turn, till Christ himself by his Holy Spirit discovers himself. When Christ doth it, it is done. And therefore it should teach us so to attend upon the ministry as to look up, to the great doctor that hath his chair in heaven, and teacheth the heart.* If he teach, it is no matter how dull the scholar is. He is able to make any scholar, if he instruct. I will not enlarge the point, because there be particular places wherein they will be enlarged.
Obs. 2. The second thing I will observe is this, that Christ, idien he teacheth, he doth it by icords, not by crucijixes, not by sights. We lost our salvation and all our happiness by the ear, and we must come to it by the ear again. Adam, by hearkening to Eve, and Eve to the serpent, lost all ; and we must recover salvation therefore by the ear. As we have heard, so we shall see. We must first hear, and then see. Life cometh in at the ear as well as death. Faith, you know, is the quickening of a Chris- tian, the spiritual life of a Christian. Now, faith comes by hearing ; and therefore I beseech you in the bowels of Christ, set aside prejudice, and meekly attend God's ordinances. Do not consider who we are ; we are but poor ministers, frail men as yourselves. But consider the Lord, that is pleased to convey life, and salvation, and grace, and whatsoever is fit to * In margin here, ' Cathedram habet in coslis qui corda docet.' — G.
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bring to heaven, tliis Wcay. Therefore they that despise this way, set light by salvation; as the apostle saith. Acts xiii. 4G, 'They judge themselves unworthy of the kingdom of heaven.' They can read at home, but is that the way God hath sanctified ? Did not the manna stink when gathered on the Sabbath day ? There is a curse upon all private industry and de- votion when it is with neglect of public ordinances. She could have no comfort till Christ spake. Nay, the very sight of Christ could not com- fort her. Let this, I pray you, be enough, that I may not enlarge the point any further. This is the way for comfort. We must hear him in his ministers here, if we will hear him comfortably speaking to us hereafter, ' Come, ye blessed of my Father,' &c.. Mat. xxv. 34.
Obs. 3. It was but one word, ' Mary ;' and is there so much force in one word ? Yea, when it is uttered by Christ. One word coming from Christ, and set on the heart by the Spirit of Christ, hath a mighty efficacy. The word hath an efficacy in creating all things, fiat, fuit. Let it be done: it was done ; ' Let there be light : there was light,' So let there be light in the understanding, and there it shall be presently. So in all Christ's cures, he said the word, and it was done. So in all spiritual cures, let him say the word, it is done. Nay, a very look of Christ, if the Spirit go along with it, is able to convert the soul. Fiespexit Christus, flevit Petrus amare : Christ looked on Peter, he wept bitterly. What will his word do, when his look will do so much ? It was but a word, and but one word :
* Say but the word,' saith he in the gospel, ' and my servant shall be healed,' Mat. viii. 8. This should make us desire that Christ would speak though but few words to the soul ; that he would clothe the words of men mightily with his word and with his Spirit ; and then they will be mighty in operation and works. One word, but it was a pregnant word. It was full of afi'ection. She knew it well enough : ' Mary.' What ! to call her so familiarly, so sweetly, by her accustomed name ? It wrought on her bowels presently.
Obs. 4. But to go on. You see here again, tliat Christ must begin to us before we can answer him. He began to * Mary,' and then she said ' Rabboni.' All the passages of salvation are done by way of covenant, by way of com- merce and intercourse between God and man, but God begins first. In election, indeed, we choose him ; but he chooseth us first. And he knoweth who are his, and we know him ; but he knows us first. And in calling, we answer. Ay ; but he calleth first, and we do but echo to his call. In justi- fication, forgiveness of sins, we accept of justification, and submit to the righteousness of Christ, and God's purpose of saving man that way ; but he giveth faith first, for faith is the gift of God. We glorify him here on earth, but it is from a result of God's glorifying us in heaven. Some ear- nests we have, but they are of God's giving. All we do is but reflection of his love first, or his knowledge first.