Mark 4

First, animate creatures obey him; God spoke to the fish, and it set Jonah ashore (Jonah 2:10). Second, inanimate creatures: the wind and the sea obey him (Mark 4:41). The very stones, if God give them a commission, will cry out against the sins of men (Habakkuk 2:11).

How is it that you came by your faith so soon? The seed in the parable which sprung up suddenly withered (Mark 4:5): Solent praecocia subito flaccescere. 4. True faith is joined with sanctity; as a little bezoar is strong in operation, and a little musk sweetens, so a little fai…

Satan labors to steal the word out of our mind. Mark 4:15. When they have heard, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown. Our memories should be like the chest of the ark wherein the law was put.

As the sun-beams united in a burning-glass burn the hotter, so all our affections should be united, that our love to God may be more ardent. 3. Obey him as a God: all creatures obey him, the stars fight his battles, the wind and sea obey him (Mark 4:41). Much more should man who…

2. The evil of Temptation works for good. Satan is called [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], the Tempter, Mark 4:3. He is ever lying in ambush, stat in procinctu Diabolus; he is continually at work with one Saint or other.

What wonder then that it do them no good? In the end of that parable of the sower (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8), it is said by the Lord, Take heed how you hear, for whoever has, to him shall be given, etc. If you improve well your hearing, you will get yet more, but so long as yo…

Surely these must be attended upon, because they are acts of love to God, and trust in God; and these holy duties are the ways of God, wherein he has promised to meet with his people, and has appointed us to expect his grace, and therefore they must not be neglected by us. There…

They were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia: which is expounded, v. 10. to be the preaching of the Gospel: Thus it is used, Act 14:25. when they had preached the word in Perga. Mark 4:14. The sower sows the word.

Now as Catechisms gathered out of plain and easy places are necessary for the simple, so Commentaries are as necessary for the understanding of such places as are more abstruse and difficult. Our Savior Christ (the great Doctor of the Church) has by his own practice given us a p…

31. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows. Mark 4:22-23 22. For nothing is hid which shall not be revealed; and nothing is secret that shall not come to light.

Have salt in yourselves, and cultivate peace with one another. Mark 4:21 21. And he said to them, Is a candle lighted, that it may be put under a bushel, or under a bed?

5. Hypocrites, cast out first the beam out of your eye, and then you shall see clearly, that you may pull out the straw from your brother’s eye. Mark 4:24 24 With what measure you measure, the same shall be measured to you.

27. But the men wondered, saying, What sort of man is this: for the winds and the sea obey him? Mark 4:35-41 35. And the same day, when it was evening, he said to them, Let us cross to the opposite side.

17. Verily, I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things which you hear, and have not heard them. Mark 4:1-12, 24-25 1. And again he began to teach near the sea, and a great multit…

some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold. Mark 4:13-20 13. And he said to them, Know you not this parable?

35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, who says, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been hidden from the foundation of the world. Mark 4:26-34 26. And he said, The kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the grou…

And many, even when they come to entertain great hope that they are converted, if they remember what they experienced in the first exercises of grace, are at a loss whether it was any more than a common illumination; or whether some other, more clear and remarkable experience th…

Surely if he ever read the gospel, having eyes he saw not, having ears he heard not: but I believe the chief reason is, his heart having grown gross, he could not understand; for this is so far from being the case, that the world never yet saw such a specimen of steady and disin…

They that deale stifly and rigorously, shall bee rewarded in their kinde: God in his just judgment will have men measured unto, as they measure unto others, Matth. 7. 2. 6. Mark. 4. 24. Here then we are taught to deale in equitie and moderation with all men, in the priuate affai…

8. Also the Lord uses to keep the songs, and spiritual allowance of his own, somewhat veiled from the rest of the world; for they have meat to eat the world knows not of, that believers may see, and feed sweetly, where they discern nothing, and that they having this commented on…

Labor for that meat which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give to you: mark it, man's endeavors are very consistent with God's free grace, and Christ's dear purchase. God will be found in his own way, he ordinarily conveys the first grace, in and by his o…

So Christ teaches us, that the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed, Matthew 13:31-32, and like leaven hid in three measures of meal, verse 33. The same representation we have in Mark 4:26-28, and in the vision of the waters of the sanctuary, Ezekiel 47. The scriptu…

The fruits of the earth are first green before they are ripe, and come to their proper perfection gradually; and so Christ tells us, is the Kingdom of God. Mark 4:26, 27, 28. So is the Kingdom of God; as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night…

God is not a God of half of a man, he made the whole body and soul, and will be served with both, he bought both (1 Corinthians 6:20), "You are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirits which are God's." Therefore you should not only love him in…

Sometimes their temple was dedicated to the God of Israel, sometimes to the god of the heathens, as their interests did fall or rise. So there are many that do intend or remit the conscience of their duty according to their interests, and therefore when trouble arises, they are…

And Luke instances in the pleasures of this Life, he adds voluptuous living (Luke 8:14). And Mark has it more generally, the cares of this Life (Mark 4:19), and the lusts of other things choke the Word. The meaning of all those places is this.

Dig in the mines of knowledge: Attend upon the word which is able to make us wise to salvation. Mark 4:24. Take heed what or how you hear, with what measure you measure it shall be measured to you, and to you that hear shall more be given. But all are sanctified by prayer (Prove…

For the evangelists' expressions seem undeniable to evidence this meaning (Matthew 13:11-12): when our Savior Christ had told his disciples it was given to them — that is, it is the peculiar special work of the Spirit of grace in your hearts — to know the mysteries of the kingdo…

God and his ministers have one and the same work, they both negotiate about souls: Let the sons of the prophets wear this as their crown and diadem; but while I tell you of your dignity, do not forget your duty: Imitate this blessed pattern in the text, the Lord Jesus, who seein…

Grace is like the file which smooths the rough iron; it files off the roughness of a man's spirit. Grace says to the heart as Christ did to the angry sea (Mark 4:39): Peace, be still. So where there is grace in the heart, it stills the raging of passion, and makes a calm.

What are the birds' thankful hymns (as Ambrose calls them) but tributes of obedience? Inanimate creatures obey God; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera (Judges 5); the wind and the sea obey him (Mark 4:41). The very stones, if God give them a commission, will cry ou…

Grace does to the Passions, as Christ did to the Sea when it was stormy. Mark 4.39, He said, Peace, be still, and there was a great calm. Grace turns the fierceness of the Lion, into the meekness of the Dove.

Many such could I name, whose bloody works also, I might describe: Howbeit, I do wittingly pass them over: for now, it is not time to do it, for the measure of their wickedness must be fulfilled, which being done, their iniquity shall be revealed to all men. For, nothing is so h…

Then he was afraid, and thought also himself to go back after them; for he thought nothing but death was before him. But the Porter at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt, as if he would go back, cried to him, saying, Is your strength so smal…

P. 264 and 267. The places are: Matthew 12:32; 13:22, 39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; Mark 4:19; Luke 1:70; 16:8; 20:34, 35; Acts 3:21; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 1:20; 2:6, twice, 7, 8; 3:18; 10:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 1:21; 2:2; 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy…

6. There is a language of Providence by which every being, as being, has a power-obediential to hear what God says and do it (Jonah 2:10): The Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land. (Mark 4:39): And he arose, and rebuked the wind, [in non-Latin alphabe…

Or vexation which is worse than nothing? And therefore our Saviour (Mark 4:9) compares the things of this world to thorns; Some fell among thorns: which thorns he interprets to be the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches (verse 19). Now, he were a mad man that to…