A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
1. ANd it came to paſs, that when Jeſus had finiſhed theſe ſayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coaſts of Judea beyond Jordan.
2. And great multitudes followed him there. 3. The Phariſees alſo came to him, tempting him, and ſaying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife, for every cauſe.
1, &c. When Chriſt had thus long preached in his own countrey where he dwelt, far off from Jeruſalem, he drew nearer it into Judea, and there alſo multitudes flocked after him; and the Phariſees attempted by queſtions to enſnare him, &c.
4. And he anſwered and ſaid to them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female. 5. And ſaid, For this cauſe ſhall a man leave father and mother, and ſhall cleave to his wife, and they two ſhall be one fleſh. 7. Wherefore they are no more two, but one fleſh. What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put aſunder.
4. &c. Look to the original and you ſhall find that God made them one Male and one Female, and by the Law of Conjugality, united them for procreation and converſe as into One; the Relative Union being likened to a natural union of the parts of one body: and that ſo nearly, that on this account Father and Mother were to be left to a cloſer union with a wife. Therefore do not you ſeparate that which God hath ſo nearly united.
7. They ſay to him, Why did Moſes then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away.
7. They thought to take advantage by this againſt him, as contradicting Moſes Law, and ſaid, &c.
8. He ſaith to them, Moſes becauſe of the hardneſs of your hearts ſuffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not ſo.
8. You miſtake a permiſſion for a command: your Fathers were an ignorant dull unruly ſort of people, and Moſes was put to make but ſuch Laws as they could bear: Therefore he permitted putting away, but only commanded that they ſhould not do it without a bill of Divorcement.
9. And I ſay to you, whoever ſhall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and ſhall marry another, committeth adultery, and whoſo marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery.
9. Note, 1. The Fornication muſt be proved and not only ſuſpected. 2. It muſt be Fornication ſince Marriage. 3. A man is not commanded for this to put her away, and not forgive it, if there be reaſon for it, but only permitted. 4. In Common-wealths the Magiſtrate muſt be judge, for publick ſafety, 5. The woman is not ſo fitly ſaid to put away her husband; but by the Magiſtrate may have the ſame remedy of a Divorce when ſhe doth deſire it.
10. His diſciples ſay to him, If the caſe of the man be ſo with his wife, it is not good to marry.
10. Then the danger and miſery of unſuitable marriage is ſo great, that it is better never marry.
11. But he ſaid to them, All men cannot receive this ſaying, ſave they to whom it is given.
11. He ſaid, Men muſt not avoid a leſſer evil by a greater: ſome mens temperament, and ſome mens condition in the world, make Marriage neceſſary to them. All have not the gift of chaſtity.
12. For there are ſome Eunuchs which were ſo born from their mothers womb; and there are ſome Eunuchs which were made Eunuchs of men: And there be Eunuchs which have made themſelves Eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens ſake: He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
12. There are ſome unapt for congreſs with Women, who were born ſo: And ſome are made ſo by men, by caſtration: And ſome have made themſelves ſuch, that they might the better avoid all venereous temptations. He that is able to live in a continent ſingle life, without greater hurt, let him do it; but all cannot.
13. Then there were brought to him little children, that he ſhould put his hands on them and pray, and the diſciples rebuked them. 14. But Jeſus ſaid, ſuffer little children and forbid them not to come to me; for of ſuch is the kingdom of heaven.
13, 14. Some brought their children to him that he would lay his hands on them and bleſs them according to their infant capacity: and the Diſciples chid them away, thinking ſuch company below him: But Jeſus ſaid, Hinder them not, and forbid not little children to come or be brought to me: For I tell you, that it is not the ſelf-conceitedly wiſe, but thoſe that are as ready to learn and be ruled as ſuch children are, that yet ſet not their wit and will againſt inſtruction, but are as it were beginning the world, that will make up the Chriſtian Church.
15. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
15. Qu. But why did he not Baptize them? Anſw. He Baptized few of the Aged yet that believed, and that Baptiſm which he uſed was but little differing from Johns, till after his Reſurrection the Chriſtian Baptiſm was not fully inſtituted, as the entrance into his Goſpel Church.
16. And behold, one came and ſaid to him, Good Maſter, what good thing ſhall I do that I may have eternal life?
16. Note, 1. It was then taken for granted, except by the Sadducees, that an eternal life of happineſs was to be attained. 2. And that well-doing on Mans part, was the way to attain it.
17. And he ſaith to him, Why calleſt thou me good? There is none good but one that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
17. Thou knoweſt not how great a word thou ſpeakeſt of me, when thou calleſt me Good: Goodneſs is Gods name and Attribute: There is none Eſſentially, Abſ… lutely and moſt perfectly Good but God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep Gods commandments.
18. He ſaith to him, which? Jeſus ſaid, Thou ſhalt do no murther, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, Thou ſhalt not ſteal, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſs, 19. Honour thy father and thy mother, and, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf.
18, 19. Note, Chriſt knew the Order of the commandments; but named the Fifth and the Tenth by themſelves, as being of ſpecial note; the Fifth for Government it ſelf, and the Ninth, the ſummary of the Second Table. For, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf, If, is that which is meant by, Thou ſhalt not covet thy Neighbours, &c. that is, not by ſelf-love want love to him, and draw from him to thy ſelf, or oppoſe his good.
20. The young man ſaith, All theſe have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet.
20. Note, No doubt but he had broken theſe commands, eſpecially the laſt: but he judged by his freedom from the groſs acts of ſin.
21. Jeſus ſaid to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and ſell that thou haſt, and give to the poor, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in heaven: and come and follow me.
21. Jeſus ſaid, the ſtate of Chriſtianity, or Qualification for Salvation, is this, Reſolvedly and Practically, to prefer Heaven, before all the Proſperity of this World, ſo as to part with All, for Heaven, when thou art Called to it: Therefore I will now try thee, whether thou canſt do this. Go ſell all and give to the poor, and follow me, and take the hopes of a Treaſure in Heaven, inſtead of all.
22. But when the young man heard that ſaying, he went away ſorrowful, for he had great Poſſeſſions.
22. But this ſeemed ſo hard a Motion to him, that he would not conſent, but went away ſorrowful; for he was very rich.
23. Then ſaid Jeſus to his Diſciples, Verily I ſay to you, That a rich man ſhall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again, I …ay to you, It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.
23.24. The difficulty of a Rich Man's being a ſound Chriſtian and Saved is great, that I may expreſs it by the common Proverb, of a Camels going through a Needles Eye.
25. When his Diſciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, ſaying, Who then can be ſaved? 26. But Jeſus beheld them, and ſaid to them, With men this is impoſſible, but with God, all things are poſſible.
25.26. This amazing the Diſciples, he ſaid, So naturally and ſtrongly do men love this World, and its Proſperity, and ſo hardly do they believe, and love the unſeen Heavenly Felicity, that it is impoſſible for meer fleſhly Man, to make ſo great a change upon the heart; But the Grace of Almighty God, can, and will do it.
27. Then anſwered Peter, and ſaid to him, Behold, we have forſaken all, and followed thee, What ſhall we have therefore.
27. Peter ſaid, We have conſented to thy termes, and forſaken All, and followed thee: What ſhall be our reward?
28. And Jesus ſaid to them, Verily I ſay to you, that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man ſhall ſit on the Throne of his glory, ye alſo ſhall ſit on twelve thrones, judging the Twelve Tribes of Iſrael.
28. Fear not being looſers by forſaking all: You that have ſincerely forſaken All for me, ſhall in my Kingdom and future State, have ruling Power, Dignity, and Honour.
Note, It is doubted by Expoſitors, Whether this ſpeak onelyonly of their chief Power on Earth in the Catholick Church, and anſwerable Glory in Heaven: Or of any peculiar reign over the Tribes of Iſrael, in Heaven, or on Earth, after the reſurrection. The General ſence is ſure, tho what more there is be doubtful.
29. And every one that hath forſaken houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name-ſake, ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherit everlaſting life.
29. And it is not you onelyonly, but all others that loſe and forſake any thing here, for my Name-ſake in the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, ſhall be ſo great gainers by it, that they ſhall have in this Life a hundred-fold better in value than they loſt, and in the World to come Everlaſting Life. The worſe condition of the Faithful, is an hundred times better than others.
30. But many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt.
30. But as to the degree of Glory, I muſt tell you, it will not be given according to priority of Age, or Converſion, but according to the preparations of Grace. And many that are now called, and have leſs Holineſs will have leſs Glory, than many that will be more Eminent Saints many Ages hence.