John Trapp on Matthew 8:9

Verse 9. For I am a man.] But thou Lord art more then a man: for the Centurion here makes comparison with our Saviour, both in respect of his person, and of his power, as of the lesse with the greater. For his person, he saith not, For I also [illegible: 4 words], [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] a man, such as thou art, (as the vulgar here corruptly renders it) But I am a man, a meer man; Thou art God also, very God. And for his power, though subject to another, have souldiers at my beck and check, how much more hast thou, who art over all, an [illegible: 1 word] power over sicknes and death? The palsy. or as some say, the Epilepsy was anciently called Morbus sacer, or the holy disease. For the Priests, to enrich themselves, perswaded the superstitious people, that this disease, as being suddain, hidden, and for most part incurable, was an immediate hand of God, and could be cured by none but Priests. The medidicines they gave, were much like that of the French Mountebank, who was wont to give in writing to his patients, for curing all diseases, these following verses; Si vis curari de morbo nescio quali,Becan. sum: theol. part 1. cap. 16. Accipias herbam, sed qualem nescio, nec quam: Ponas nescio quo, curabere nescio quando. They are thus Englished by one. Your pain, I know not what, doe not fore slow, To cure with herbs, which [illegible: 1 word] I [illegible: 1 word] not know.Answer to D. Coale. Place them, (well [illegible: 1 word]) I know not where, and then You shall be perfect whole, I know not when. And I say to this man [illegible: 1 word], and he goeth, &c.] King Ferdinands [illegible: 1 word], being conducted into the camp of the Turks, wondered Turk. Hist. sol 715. at the perpetuall and dumb silence of so great a multitude: the Souldiers being so ready and attentive, that they were no otherwise commanded, then by the beckning of the hand, or nod of their Commanders. Tamerlan, that warlike Scythian, had Ibid. 216. his men at so great command, that no danger was to them more dreadfull, then his displeasure. And to my servant, doe this and he doeth it.] Such a servant is every Saint to his God; at least in his desire and endeavour. Such a Centurion also is he over his own heart, which he hath at his right hand, as Salomon saith: that is, ready prest to obey God in all parts and points of duty. There were seven sorts of Pharisees: Talmud. tract. [illegible: 1 word]. cap 3. And one was Pharisaeus, Quid [illegible: 1 word] facere, & faciam illud: So they would needs be called. But the true Christian onely is such [illegible: 1 word] one in good earnest, as the Pharisee pretends to be.