Thomas Manton · 56 of 60

A Practical Commentary, or an Exposition with Notes on the Epistle of James. · Chapter V. · Part 6

That hymn which Paul and Silas sang, Acts xvi. 25, was probably also a scriptural hymn; such were used in that age. Certainly it must be such a hymn as both were acquainted with, or else how could they sing it together? If the practice of the apostles may be interpreted by their instructions, the case will be clear. In Col. iii. 16, and Eph. v. 19, Paul biddeth us `speak to one another, ψάλμοις καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ὥδαις πνευματικαῖς in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs., Now these words (which are the known division of David's psalms, and expressly answering to the Hebrew words Shurim, Tehillim, and Mizmorim, by which his psalms are distinguished and entituled), being so precisely used by the apostle in both places, do plainly point us to the Book of Psalms.

2. Scripture psalms not only may be sung, but are fittest to be used in the church, as being indited by an infallible and unerring Spirit, and are of a more diffusive and unlimited concernment than the private dictates of any particular person or spirit in the church. It is impossible any should be of such a large heart as the penmen of the word, to whom God vouchsafed such a public, high, and infallible conduct; and therefore their excellent composures and addresses to God being recorded and consigned to the use of the church for ever, it seemeth a wonderful arrogance and presumption in any to pretend to make better, or that their private and rash effusions will be more edifying. Certainly if we consult with our own experience, we have little cause to grow weary of David's psalms, those that pretend to the gift of psalmony, venting such wild, raw, and indigested stuff, belching out revenge and passion, and mingling their private quarrels and interests with the public worship of God. But suppose men of known holiness and ability should be called to this task, and the matter propounded to be sung be good and holy, yet certainly then men are like to suffer loss in their reverence and affection, it being impossible that they should have such absolute assurance and high esteem of persons ordinarily gifted as of those infallibly assisted. Therefore, upon the whole matter, I should pronounce, that so much as an infallible gift doth excel a common gift, so much do scriptural psalms excel those that are of a private composure.

Thirdly, There are divers other lesser scruples which I shall handle briefly. Some will have no singing with the voice at all, because the apostle saith, `singing within your hearts., Ay! but the apostle saith there too, `speaking to yourselves., The inward part must not exclude the outward; the lively voice doth not only give vent to affections, but increaseth them. David speaketh often of praising God with his tongue, and `with his glory, Ps. cviii. 1, by which he meaneth his tongue; as Ps. xvi. 9, `My heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth;, it is rendered, `my tongue rejoiceth, Acts ii. 16. Besides all this, the benefit we may convey to others by loud singing; one bird sets all the flock a-chirping. Austin speaketh how much he was moved with the melody and singing of the church at Milan, Quantum flevimus in hymnis et canticis suavisonantis ecclesiae, &c.

Others will have the psalmist only to sing, and the congregation say amen, which seemeth to be the fashion in the church of Corinth, 1 Cor. xiv. 14, 15. But mark, that singing spoken of there was the fruit of an extraordinary gift, by which they were able to dictate a psalm in any tongue, which gift being for confirmation, could not be discerned if all should join. I confess this practice was, after the expiration of the age of miracles, kept up in the church, as appeareth by that passage of Tertullian cited before, and among us in our cathedrals, where often one alone chanted, the rest being silent. But yet I should judge that the most simple performance of this duty is as it is now practised, the whole congregation joining; this is most suitable to the precedents of scripture, where the duty is spoken of without any relation to that extraordinary gift; as Exod. xv. 1, `Then sang Moses and all Israel this song unto God;, so it is said, 2 Chron. v. 13, they joined together, &c.; so Christ and his apostles sang a hymn, and Paul and Silas joined, &c.

Others scruple the psalms because they are done in metre and rhyme; a vain cavil. Many learned men, as Gomarus and others, prove, that the psalms of David were penned in measure, and with musical accents. Certainly, as we read them in our translation, a common ear may discern that they are of a different style and cadency from other scriptures. So Josephus saith the Song of Moses was penned in Hebrew hexameter verse. Now there is no reason but that verse may be done into verse, or such metre with which nations are most accustomed. If the scruple continueth, such may sing the reading psalms, as hath been used in cathedrals: and as Austin reporteth of Athanasius, that he was pronuncianti quam canenti vicinior—that his singing was rather a more deliberate and extended pronunciation.

Some scruple singing as a set and usual ordinance, urging this scripture which we are now upon: `Is any merry? let him sing psalms;, in which clause the apostle showeth the chiefest season, not the only time of performance; as in the other duty, prayer, it is to be practised at other times besides in affliction, though then it be most needful. So also for singing; it is not only useful when we are merry, that we may turn the course of our affections into a religious channel, but sometimes to beget spiritual mirth, and to divert our sadness. Paul and Silas sang in prison; and the disciples sang a hymn after the supper of the Lord, though our Lord was presently to suffer, and they were troubled at it, as appeareth John xiv. 1; in that sad hour they sang.

Some scruple singing of scriptural psalms as set by others, because the matter doth not suit with their case, but belongeth to other men and other times. I answer—It is a folly to think that whatever we sing must expressly suit with our case; you may as well say that whatever we read should so suit. We are to meditate upon the psalm which is sung, that we may receive comfort and hope from it, as from other scriptures, Rom. xv. 4. I confess there must be always application. Some psalms have direful imprecations. We are not so to sort them to our case as to wish the like judgments on our private adversaries, but to think of the horrible judgments of God on unbelievers, &c. Other psalms contain sad narratives of the sufferings of the church or of Christ, which, though we sing them, cannot be conceived as remonstances of our particular case and state to God, but we are to use them as an occasion to awaken meditations on the afflicted state of the church, or the agonies which Christ endured for our sakes. But this scruple is of the less weight, because the psalms do most commonly contain matter of such general and comprehensive concernment, that they readily offer matter to us to present our own case to God.

Some scruple singing with company of whose gracious estate they can have no assurance, rather shrewd presumptions to the contrary. I confess `praise is comely for the upright, Ps. xxxiii. 1; but yet `it is obligatory to all mankind. Wicked men are bound; and you have no reason to discontinue your own acts of obedience because they are in some sort mindful of theirs. You may as well refuse to hear with them or pray with them; singing being a part of such kind of worship as is not peculiar to a church as a church. Yea, upon this ground the saints may refuse to `bless God, because all the creatures join in consort with them, and `all his works praise him, Ps. cxlv. 10.

Lastly, some scruple the present translation of the Book of Psalms, the metre being so low and flat, and coming so far short of David's original. I confess this is a defect that needeth public redress and reformation. But it is good to make use of present means, though weak, when we have no better; as the martyrs did of the first translations of the Bible, which in many places were faulty and defective. At least, it is far more safe to sing the psalms as now translated than to join in the raw, passionate, and revengeful eructations of our modern psalmists. Besides, for those that conscientiously and modestly scruple this, the Lord hath provided some help by the more excellent translations of Sands, Rous, Barton, and others. Thus I have showed how many ways the devil seeketh to divert men from this comfortable ordinance. I confess a psalmodical history would be of great use and profit, and might be easily collected by them that are versed in antiquity; but our leisure and present intendment will not now permit it.

Ver. 14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Having given general directions, he descendeth now to particulars, instanceth in one special kind of afflictions, in sickness. (1.) He supposeth the case as likely to be frequent among them, `Is any sick among you?, (2.) Proposeth the duty—(1st.) Of the sick Christian, `let him call for the elders of the church, (2d.) Of the elders, which is twofold—[1.] One ordinary and immutable, `let him pray over him, [2.] The other temporary, and suiting with the gifts of those times, `anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.,

This scripture hath occasioned much controversy. Though in this exercise I would mainly pursue what is practical, yet when a matter lieth obvious and fair, like the angel in the way of Balaam, it cannot be avoided without some dispute and discussion: I shall therefore first open the phrases, then clear the controversy, then give you the observable notes.

Is any sick among you, ἀσθενεῖ τὶς ἐν ὑμῖν; `is any weak, and `without strength?, so the word signifieth. Sickness is often expressed by this word ἀσθενεῖς, Mat. x. 8; ἠσθενησε, he was sick unto death, Phil. ii. 26, 27; in the next verse the apostle changeth the word, the prayer of faith shall save κάμνοντα, `him that laboureth, under a disease; we translate `the sick., From this change of the word the Papists collect that extreme unction is not to be administered but to those that are mortally sick; but Cajetan, a cardinal of theirs, well replieth, that James doth not say `is any sick unto death?, but `is any sick?, It is true, there is somewhat in the change of the word; it showeth that the elders must not be sent for upon every light occasion, as soon as the head or foot acheth, as Serarius scoffeth at our exposition, but in such grievous diseases wherein there is danger and great pain; though it be an abuse of the Papists to interpret it of extreme danger, and when the body is half carcassed.

Let him call, προσκαλεσάσθω.—The motion coming from them is a call which we cannot withstand.

The elders.—The word is of a promiscuous use; sometimes it is put for our ancestors and those that lived before us: Heb. xi. 2, οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, `the elders obtained a good report;, that is, the fathers of the Old Testament: so Mat. xv. 2, `the tradition of the elders;, so it cannot be taken in this place. Sometimes it is put for elders in years and wisdom, 1 Tim. v. 1, 2, `elder men, and `elder women., Aretius saith such are here understood, any ancient and discreet Christians in the vicinage; but that is a private opinion without ground; the apostle saith, πρεσβυτρούς τῆς ἐκκλεσίας, `the elders of the church., Thirdly, then, there are elders by office. Now the term elder is given to all the offices and administrations in the church, from the apostle to the deacon; apostles, pastors, teachers, ruling brethren, deacons, are all called elders. Principally here is understood that order of elders who are elsewhere called bishops, whether ruling or teaching elders, chiefly the latter. In sickness we call in the best helps, and it is to be supposed that the best gifts reside in them who are called to teach in the church; and to add the greater seal to their ministry, and to supply the want of physicians, many of them were endued with the gift of healing. Now mark, he saith, plurally, τοῦς πρεσβυτέρους, `the elders, because, saith Grotius, in those eastern countries seven elders were usually called to this service. Certainly in the primitive times there was great love in the several churches and societies of the faithful, and many elders would go to one sick man. Some say it is an enallage, let him call the elders of the church; that is, one of the elders, as if the speech did imply the order rather than number; as we say, Send him to the schools, that is, to some school; so Call for physicians, that is, go to men of that rank, &c. This sense is considerable, though I do believe the apostle speaketh plurally, be cause in every church there were many, and as they were associated in all acts of superiority and government, so in all acts of courtesy and charity; and indeed visiting of the sick is an act of such great skill; I mean to apply ourselves to them for their comfort and salvation, that it should be done with joint consent.

And let them pray over him.—Here is the first duty of the elders, over him, that is, for him say some; but ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν doth not easily bear that construction. It either implieth that ancient rite of covering the diseased body with the body of him that prayed, as Elijah did one child, 1 Kings xvii. 21, and Elisha another, 2 Kings iv. 24, Paul did Eutychus, Acts xx. 10, `he went down and fell on Eutychus, praying for life, a rite that expressed much fervency, and a desire that the dying party might, as it were, partake of his own life; or by prayer over him he meaneth laying on of hands on the sick, which was used by the apostle in cures; see Mark xvi. 17, 18. So Paul healed the father of Publius by laying hands on him. So Cyril on Leviticus, citing this place, instead of `that they may pray over him, readeth ut imponant ei manus, that they may lay their hands on him. The ceremony had this significancy: they did, as it were, point at the sick man, and present him to God's pity, as you know present things do the more stir affections, as Christ would not pray for Lazarus till he could pray over him; for when the stone was taken away, and the object was in his sight, then it is said, `Jesus prayed, John xi. 41.

Anointing him with oil.—There is but one place more in the scriptures that speaketh of using oil in the healing and cure of diseases, and that is Mark vi. 13, `They cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them., Oil among the Hebrews was a usual symbol of the divine grace, and so fitly used as a sign of that power and grace of the Spirit which was discovered in miraculous healing; it was an extraordinary sign of an extraordinary and miraculous cure. It was the error of Aretius to think that the apostle meant some medicinal oil; he rendereth it salubria medicamenta non negligant; he was not the first that was in that mistake. Wickliff before him held those oils in Palestine excellent and medicinal, and therefore used. But this I say is a mistake, for oil was not used as an instrument, but as a symbol of the cure. The apostle doth not mention what kind of oil it should be, probably oil-olive, as wine is put to signify the wine of the grape, which is the most common. Therefore, by the way, that extreme unction used by the Papists is but a ridiculous hypocrisy, and carrieth little proportion with this rite; for they require oil-olive mixed with balsam, consecrated by a bishop, who must nine times bow the knee, saying thrice, Ave, sanctum oleum, and thrice more Ave, sanctum chrisma, and thrice more, Ave, sanctum balsamum. But of this more anon.

In the name of the Lord; that is, either by his authority, calling upon him to operate by his power according to the outward rite, or in his stead, as his ministers, or to his glory, to the honour of Christ, signified here in the term Lord, that being his proper appellation as mediator. All these miracles and cures were wrought in his name: Mark xvi. 17, `In my name shall they cast out devils:, so Acts iii. 6, `In the name of Jesus of Nazareth arise and walk, and ver. 16, `His name, through faith in his name, hath made the man strong.,

Having opened the phrases, I come now to open the controversy, whether this anointing with oil be a standing ordinance in the church? The Papists make it a sacrament, which they call the sacrament of extreme unction; others in our days would revive it as a standing ordinance for church members, expecting some miraculous cure, therefore I must deal with both. I know that the intricacies of dispute are unpleasant to a vulgar ear, therefore I shall not traverse arguments to and fro, but cut the work short by laying down some propositions, that may prevent both the error of the Papists and the novelism of those that would revive this rite in our days. The propositions are these:—

1. In the very apostles, time, when it was most in use, it was not absolutely necessary, nor instituted by Christ. Some Protestants, I confess, say that it was instituted by Christ as a temporary rite, which is denied even by some among the Papists, as Lombard, Cajetan, Hugo, who all found it upon apostolical practice. For my part, I think it was only approved by Christ, and not instituted, and taken up as a usual practice among the Hebrews. As I remember, Grotius, in his commentary on the Evangelists, proveth that it was a usual rite among that people, it being their custom to express everything inward and spiritual by some hieroglyphic and visible symbol; and therefore God, in a condescension to them, appointed so many rites and figures suitable to the genius of that nation; and therefore, when they prayed for the sick, they would anoint them with oil, as a token of that ease and joy which they should obtain from God. This right was imitated by the apostles, and by the primitive Christians, with such preciseness and constancy, that they would never give or take any medicine without anointing with oil, so that I think, verily, it was nothing but an imitation of a Jewish rite which Christ approved, but never instituted; for when Christ sent out the apostles, and the power of healing was so solemnly conferred upon them, we hear of no such commands of anointing with oil. He bid them `heal sicknesses, Mark xvi. 18, but prescribeth not the manner. This you will grant, at least, that it never had that solemn ratification, till the Lord come, which other standing ordinances have. Yea, I find it to be a mere arbitrary rite in the apostles, practice, oil being seldom used; they healed by touch, by shadow, by handkerchief, by laying on of hands, by word of mouth, &c. So that was an arbitrary rite which the Lord approved so far as thereby to discover his power. Something may be objected against this, as why then doth James press the elders to anoint with oil? I answer—That they might not neglect the grace of God, which in those times was usually dispensed in a concomitancy with this rite; as long as the gift remained, the accustomed rite and symbol might be used. But you will say he coupleth it with a moral duty, with prayer, which is an act of perpetual worship. I answer—It is not unusual in scripture to couple an ordinary duty with an extraordinary rite—prayer and laying on of hands; baptism and laying on of hands; and so here, prayer and anointing with oil. But you will say, God honoured it with a miraculous effect. I answer—So he did the water of Siloam to heal the blind, John ix. 7, the pool of Bethesda to cure the diseased, John v. 2, Jordan for Naainan's leprosy, &c.; and yet these cannot be set up as sacraments and standing ordinances.

2. In the apostles, time it was promiscuously used and ap plied to every member of the church, but with great prudence and caution, for the apostles only anointed those of whose recovery they were assured by the Holy Ghost, as James here seemeth to restrain it to such an object where they could pray in faith. He that gave the gift did always suggest the seasons of using it; with the power he gave discretion, that by a common use they might not expose the gift to scorn. It was a mistake in our learned Whitaker to say, that oleum symbolum erat valetudinis recuparatae, et quod apostoli nullos unguerent nisi à morbo liberatos—that anointing was a symbol of health already recovered, and that the apostles anointed none but those that were in a fair way of recovery. However, it is true that they anointed none but those of whom they were persuaded that they would recover, otherwise the apostle Paul would never have left Trophimus sick at Miletum, 2 Tim. iv. 20, or sorrowed so much for Epaphroditus, sickness, if he could so easily have helped it by anointing with oil, Phil. ii. 27. But now among the Papists it is not given but to those that are halt, dead, or at the point of death; so the Council of Florence decreed, Hoc sacramentum illi de cujus morte non timetur, dari non debet.

3. In the more common use of it afterward, all were not healed that were anointed; God gave out his grace and power as he saw good, for the effect did not depend upon anointing, but the prayer of faith, and if all that were anointed had recovered, there would have been no mortality in the primitive times. God wrought then as he worketh now, by the ordinary means, sometimes blessing them, some times leaving them ineffectual, all depending upon his free pleasure and operation.

4. When it did cease we cannot tell; when it should cease we may easily judge, if we will but understand the nature, use, and end. The rite ceased when the gift ceased, which God hath taken from the world almost these fifteen hundred years. Gifts of healing are coupled with other miraculous gifts, Mat. x. 8; Mark vi. 13; xvi. 17, 18; and ceased when they ceased. At the first mission of the apostles to gain the world, Christ invested them with these gifts. As a tree newly set needeth watering, which afterwards we discontinue, so after some space of time these dispensations ceased, for miracles would not have been miracles, but reckoned among ordinary effects, if still continued. He still provideth for his own, but not in that supernatural way; and healeth as he seeth cause. When men can restore the effect, let them restore the rite, otherwise why should we keep up a naked and idle ceremony? Thus we see when it should cease; but when miracles did cease is not easy to be defined. If the story be true in Tertullian, they continued some two hundred years after Christ, for he speaketh of one Proculus, a Christian, that anointed Severus and recovered him: Proculum Christianum qui Torpacion nominabatur, Evodiae procuratorem, qui eum per oleum aliquando curaverat, et in palatio suo habuit usque ad mortem ejus. Some suspect the story because of the strangeness of the names, Proculus and Evodia, and the silence of other authors about this thing; though Pamele saith that in the Martyrologies, on the Calends of December, there is mention made of one Proculus, a priest near Rome, in a place where Severus did use to resort. Ever since that passage there is a deep silence of it in histories.

5. Popish anointing, or extreme unction, is a mere hypocritical pageantry. It must be prepared by a bishop, heated with thus many breathings, enchanted with uttering so many words. The members anointed are their eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and, for greater entireness, the reins and feet; in women the navel. The form—By this holy oil, and his tender mercy, piissimam misericordiam, God forgive thee whatever thou hast sinned by thy sight, thy hearing, thy smell, thy touch. Nay, to make the blasphemy more ridiculous, Ægidius Conink, a schoolman, saith those words, per piissimam misericordiam, by his most tender mercy, may be left out. The administrator must be a priest, may be a bishop; the object, a person that must be believed to be at the point and danger of death; the end of it they make to be the expulsion of the relics of sin, healing the soul, and helping it against temptations, and in the congress with Satan, or combat with the powers of the air. So the form of Milan and Venice, which are somewhat different from others, Unguo te oleo sancto in nomine Patris, &c., ut more militis praeparatus, &c. To propose these things is to confute them; for the most ignorant cannot but see the great difference between a miracle and a sacrament, curing the body and the expulsion of sin. Besides, in the circumstances of it there is a great deal of difference among themselves. But let this suffice; I come to the points.

Obs. 1. From the supposition is any among you sick? The note is obvious. Christ's worshippers are not exempted from sickness, no more than any other affliction. God may chasten those whom he loveth. It is said, John xi. 3, `Behold he whom thou lovest is sick., Those that are dear to God have their share of miseries. Austin asketh, Si amatur, quomodo infirmatur? If he were beloved, how came he to be sick? In the outward accidents of life God would make no difference. It is usual in providence that they who have God's heart should feel God's hand most heavy. I have observed it, that God's children never question his love so much as in sickness; our thoughts return upon us in such retirement, and the weakness of the body discomposeth the mind, and depriveth us of the free exercise of spiritual reason; to sense and feeling all is sharp. Besides, in sickness we have not that express comfort from Christ's sufferings which we have in other troubles. It is a sweet help to the thoughts when we can see that Christ went through every miserable condition to which we are exposed. Now, Christ endured want, nakedness, trouble, reproach, injustice, &c., and not sickness. Ay! but he had passions like sickness, hunger, thirst, and weariness, wherewith his body was afflicted. Christ, by experience, knoweth what it is to be under the pains and inconveniences of the body. But if you have not the example of Christ, you have the example of all the saints. Paul had a racking pain, which he expresseth by σκόλοψ ἐν σάρκι, `a thorn in the flesh, 2 Cor. xii. 7-9, and could have no other answer but only `my grace is sufficient for thee., He alludeth to such a kind of punishment as slaves, or men not free, were put to for great offences: they sharpened a stake, and pointed it with iron, and put it in at his back till it came out at his mouth, and so with his face upward he died miserably. And, therefore, by that expression the apostle intendeth some bodily distemper and racking pain; suppose the stone, the gout, the strangury, inward ulcers, or some like disease. Of this mind is Cyprian among the fathers; the word ἀσθένεια, which we translate infirmity, but is usually put in the New Testament for sickness, confirmeth it. Certainly he speaketh of such infirmities in which he would glory, because of concomitant grace, and such as were apt to cure pride; and therefore it cannot be meant of sin or some prevailing lust, as is usually expounded. Therefore comfort yourselves: God's dearest saints may have experience of sorest sicknesses; and if God afflict you with an aching head, you will have abundant recompense if thereby he giveth you a better heart; and if he make your bones sore, bear it, if thereby he breaketh the power of your corruptions. It is no unusual thing for saints to `chatter like cranes, as Hezekiah did, Isa. xxxviii.; and for healthy souls to be troubled with a weak body, as Gaius was, 3 John 2. Sicknesses are not tokens of God's displeasure. It was the folly of Job's friends to judge of him by his calamity. Usually men smite with the tongue where God hath smitten by his hand. Alas! the children of God have bodies of the same make with others; and in this case `all things come alike to all., Hezekiah, Job, David, Epaphroditus, they were all corrected, but not condemned. It was Popish malice to upbraid Calvin with his diseases: `You may see what he is, say they, `by his sicknesses and diseases., He was indeed a man of an indefatigable industry, but of a sickly weak body; and the same hath befallen many of the precious servants of the Lord.