A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
THen was Jeſus led up of the Spirit into the wilderneſs, to be tempted of the Devil.
Note, 1. That tho Chriſt was God, his humane nature was acted by the Holy Ghoſt, to whom in Scripture is aſcribed Divine perfection of operation on creatures. 2. Man was overcome by the temptation of Satan, and ſo ſin and death and all evil did invade mankind; Therefore our Redeemer muſt deliver us from ſin and Satan, and Miſery, by conquering the tempter in his way of Temptation, by which he conquered: To give us alſo notice that the warfare preparatory to our future ſtate, is managed by overcoming temptations, or being overcome by them. And therefore the ſtudy of temptations and the reſiſtance is a great part of the Chriſtian life. 3. Chriſt caſt not himſelf on temptations, but was led to it by the Spirit. 4. To be temped is no ſin.
2. And when he had faſted forty days, and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Note, 1. In this Moſes was a type of Chriſt. 2. Faſt…g and tryal by temptation were great preparatives to Chriſts exerciſe of his prophetick office: And his Miniſters ſhould not be ſtrangers to it; The ſenſual are never true to Chriſt. To ſerve the fleſh by the Miniſtry, by ſeeking preferment, honour and fleſhly eaſe, and fulneſs more than mens Salvation, is to ſerve the Devil, as conquered by his temptations. 3. Hunger and bodily ſuffering give Satan advantage for many temptations, tho not ſo dangerouſly as proſperity, and fleſhly pleaſures do.
3. And when the Tempter came to him, he ſaid, if thou be the Son of God, command that theſe ſtones be made bread.
3. The Son of God can do what he will: feed thy ſelf now by miracle.
Note, 1. Whether the Devil thought by this to tempt him to doubt, whether he were the ſon of God, or only as ſuppoſing it to draw him to ſin, by obeying him, is uncertain. 2. Satan cannot tempt us when he will, but when God permitteth him. 3. His deſign was to obſcure Chriſts God-head and glory.
4. But he anſwered and ſaid, it is written, Man ſhall not live by bread alone, but by ever word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
4. Note, 1. Chriſt himſelf was not above making uſe of Gods written word. 2. It is by this word that the tempter muſt be confuted and overcome. 3. It is by Gods will that our food doth nouriſh us, and his will and Love is more neceſſary to us than our food.
5. Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy City, and ſetteth him on a Pinnacle of the Temple. 6. And ſaith to him, if thou be the Son of God, caſt they ſelf down: for it is written, he ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh they foot againſt a ſtone.
5.6. Then the Devil permitted by God, carryed the body of Chriſt through the air, and ſet him on the battlements or ſome high place on the Temple; and ſaid, caſt they ſelf down. &c.
Note, 1. God may give Satan power, even to carry our bodies about, and yet not overcome our Souls. 2. The Devil would tempt us to think that we may do any thing that hath no danger to us, tho it be out of the way of our Obedience. 3. He that will have Gods protection muſt keep in the way of his duty to God, and not preſume that God ſhall ſave him out of his way in our own.
7. Jeſus ſaith to him, it is writt…n again, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
7. Note, 1. Tho the Devil uſe Scripture for temptation, this is no diſhonour to Scripture; but we muſt confute miſapplication of Scripture, by Scripture rightly expounded and applyed. Papiſts and all hereticks, and the Devil himſelf may uſe Scripture (and therfore all muſt not be believed that uſe it.) But that is an honour to it, ſignifying that it is Gods word, or elſe it would not ſerve the Hypocrites turn. As all contenders pretend to Reaſon, and yet Reaſon muſt decide their controverſies.
2. Tempting God is diſtruſting his ordinary care, and providence, and preſcribing to him our own waies.
8. Again, the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and ſheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them: 9. And ſaith to him, All theſe things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me.
8, 9.Note, 1. Satan took advantage of Chriſt's voluntary poverty and faſting, to tempt his fleſh to the deſire of earthly proſperity, and dominion. 2. By [all Kingdoms] is meant, many that were within proſpect. 3. How far God hath given the power of Earthly Kingdoms and glory to the Devil, is not fully certain. But we ſee he hath given him power to tempt men by them; and its like much to diſpoſe of them as far as thoſe temptations prevail. That he uſeth almoſt all the Empires of the world againſt Chriſt and holineſs, by Malignity and worldy intereſts, to keep up ignorance and ungodlineſs, is notorious by ſad experience. 4. The Devil thinketh not Kingdoms and Glory too great a price to win and undo Souls. 5. Chriſt himſelf was tempted to the moſt odious ſin, even to worſhip the Devil. Therefore mere Temptation, even to Blaſphemy, ſhould not diſcourage melancholy perſons, who hate and reſiſt it.
10. Then Jeſus ſaith to him, Get thee hence Satan; for it is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve.
10.1. Note, When it cometh to Blaſphemous and Atheiſtical temptations, Satan ſhould be driven away, and no longer diſputed with and endured: 2. Yet even then Scripture muſt be given for confuting his Blaſphemies. 3. Whether Satan do all this, in pride as deſiring to be worſhiped, or in hatred to God, and Souls is doubtful: but its like to be from all theſe. 4. [Only] excludeth other Gods, and all Competitors and Oppoſites, but not Parents, Maſters, Princes, as ſubordinate to God.
11. Then the Devil leaveth him, And behold, Angels came and miniſtred to him.
11. Note, 1. Satan can ſtay no longer than God will. 2. Angels are Gods ſervants for Chriſt and for his Church. 3. As Chriſt had the Miniſtry of Angels, we need it much more.
12. Now when Jeſus heard that John was caſt into Priſon, he departed into Galilee.
12. Note, Chriſt avoided Perſecution, till his hour was come: And ſo may we.
13, 14, 15, 16. An leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the Sea coaſt, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim [That it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken of Iſaias the Prophet, ſaying, The Land of Zibulon and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people which ſat in darkneſs ſaw great light, and to them which ſate in the region and ſhadow of death Light is ſprung up.
13, &c. Of which I may uſe the words of Iſa. 9. tho then ſpoken to another purpoſe, as now fulfilled Literally as they ſeem to ſound, and as perhaps the Holy Ghoſt might farther mean them, &c.
17. From that time Jeſus began to preach, and to ſay, Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
17. From that time Jeſus exerciſed his Prophetick Office, Preaching to them, 1. That the time of the Kingdom of the Meſſiah was now at hand; and 2. therefore that they ſhould repent that they might be fit Subjects for his Kingdom, and might believe and receive remiſſion of ſins.
18. And Jeſus walking by the Sea of Galilee, ſaw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, caſting a net into the Sea, for they were fiſhers.
19. And he ſaid to them follow me, and I will make you fiſhers of men.
20. And they ſtraitway left their nets and followed him.
18, 19, 20. It being part of Chriſts Office to appoin… Teachers under him, as he walked by the Lake of Geneſareth, he ſaw Simon and Andrew, &c. And he called them to be Teachers to ſave Souls: And that ſo powerfully, as prevailed with them to leave all and follow him.
21. And going from thence, he ſaw other two brethren, James the ſon of Zebedee and John his brother in a ſhip with Zebedee their father mending their nets, and he called them: 22. And they immediately left the ſhip and their father and followed him.
21, 22. Note, His call no doubt did reach the heart: what perſwaſives he before uſed is not mentioned.
23. And Jeſus went about all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of ſickneſs, and all manner of diſeaſe amongſt the people.
23. And from that time he went about in that Countrey of Galilee, teaching, and preaching the joyful tidings that the Meſſiahs Kingdom was at hand, and that his Miracles might confirm his Doctrine; he miraculouſly healed all manner of diſeaſes where he came.
24. And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all ſick people, that were taken with divers diſeaſes and torments, and thoſe that were poſſeſſed with Devils, and thoſe that were Lunaticks, and thoſe that had the Palſey, and he healed them. 25. And there followed him great numbers of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jeruſalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.
24, 25. Note, 1. Chriſt began his great Prophetick and miraculous Works among the pooreſt contemned part, and not in Jeruſalem among the greateſt. 2. The multitude of the miraculous cures and that of old diſeaſes, ſuch as Palſies, Leproſies, &c. left no place for ſuſpicion of deceit.