A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
1. WHen he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2. And behold, there came a Leper and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord, if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean.
1, 2. N. 1. A Leproſie is ſo long and ſo viſible a diſeaſe, as that there could be no fraud in the cure. 2. The belief of Chriſts power ſhewed that he believed him to be ſent of God; and therefore was an acceptable faith, tho he doubted of Chriſts will.
3. And Jeſus put forth his hand and touched him, ſaying, I will, be thou clean: And immediately his leproſie was cleanſed.
3. Note, Chriſt ſhewed both Power and Will, to cure him miraculouſly that believed his power.
4. And Jeſus ſaith to him, See thou tell no man, but go thy way, ſhew thy ſelf to the Prieſt, and offer the gift that Moſes commanded for a teſtimony to them.
4. Do not thy ſelf divulge this cure, but go ſhew the Prieſt that thou art cleanſed, and let him enquire if he will, how it was done; perform thou thy Offering according to the Law; and let it ſtand as a teſtimony of me, whether they will uſe it or not.
N. 1. Chriſt would have his miracles divulged but by degrees, and ſo himſelf made known; not all at firſt, but in due ſeaſon, when it would do more good than hurt: not to encourage men againſt him before the time; but when his greateſt works all done, might, ſet together, make a compleat evidence.
2. Tho the high Prieſt was no due ſucceſſor of Aarons line, but yearly brought in by Heathen powers to him that purchaſed the place, and the office much corrupted, yet Chriſt bids the Leper do his duty according to the Law, to ſuch as had poſſeſſion.
5. And when Jeſus was entred into Capernaum, there came a Centurion beſeeching him, 6. And ſaying, Lord, my ſervant lyeth at home ſick of the Paſſie, grievouſly tormented. 7. And Jeſus ſaith to him, I will come and heal him.
5, 6, 7. N. This Captain (of an hundred Soldiers) ſhewed his Faith by asking, and Chriſt preſently promiſeth a cure.
8. The Centurion anſwered and ſaid, Lord, I am not worthy that thou ſhouldeſt come under my roof, but ſpeak the word only, and my ſervant ſhall be healed. 9. For I am a man under authority, having ſoldiers under me; and I ſay to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my ſervant, Do this, and he doth it.
8, 9. The Captain ſaid, &c. And if my Soldiers and Servants obey my words, its eaſie with thee to command deliverance.
10. When Jeſus heard it, he marvelled, and ſaid to them that followed, Verily I ſay to you, I have not found ſo great faith, no not in Iſrael.
10. At this Chriſt expreſſed admiration by way of praiſe, ſaying, I have not found ſo great faith in any Iſraelites that waited for the Meſſiah, as in this Roman Captain.
11. And I ſay to you, that many ſhall come from the eaſt and weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12. But the children of the kingdom ſhall be caſt out into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
11. I tell you that many of the Gentiles ſhall be converted, and from Eaſt and Weſt ſhall be gathered into the Church, and into the Heavenly Kindom, to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, whoſe faithful (though not natural) children they are reputed; when the Jews that are the natural ſeed, and thought that the promiſe had been only theirs) ſhall be caſt out from Heavenly felicity into outer darkneſs, and utmoſt miſery; where ſhall be crying, and weeping, and gnaſhing of teeth (as men do with cold, or with rage.)
13. And Jeſus ſaid to the Centurion, Go thy way, and as thou haſt believed ſo be it done to thee, and his ſervant was healed the very ſame hour.
13. And Jeſus gave him preſently the reward of his faith, promiſing and performing the cure of his ſervant.
14. And when Jeſus came into Peters houſe, he ſaw his wives mother laid, and ſick of a fever. 15. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and ſhe roſe and miniſtred to them.
14. Note, the ſpeed of the cure: ſhe preſently went about her buſineſs, and ſerved them.
16. When the even was come, they brought to him many that were poſſeſſed with devils, and he caſt out the ſpirits with his word, and healed all that were ſick.
16. Note, 1. The Scripture doth not ſeparate Diſeaſes and Devils ſo much as they that think there is no Devil in a diſeaſe that hath natural cauſes. For Devils are often Gods executioners, even when there are natural cauſes of the diſeaſe; and do add many extraordinary ſymptomes by their own operation. 2. Chriſt healed Bodies to win Souls, by ſuch gifts as all are capable of valuing: and to ſhew his mercy to Body and Soul.
17. That it might be fulfilled, which was ſpoken by Eſaias the prophet, ſaying, Himſelf took our infirmities, and bare our ſickneſſes.
17. And as in Iſa. 53. he is ſaid to take our Infirmities by ſuffering for our ſins, the words may alſo be verified in another ſenſe, even of his compaſſion and his cure of mens diſeaſes.
18. Now when Jeſus ſaw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other ſide. 19. and a certain Scribe came and ſaid to him, Maſter, I will follow thee whitherſoever thou goeſt. 20. And Jeſus ſaith to him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have neſts; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
18, 19, 20. N. That when Chriſt ſaw a man deſirous to follow him, either for worldly ends, and with a mind not looſed from worldly intereſt, he trieth him, and turneth him off by undeceiving him.
21. And another of his diſciples faith to him, Lord, ſuffer me firſt to go and bury my father. 22. But Jeſus ſaid to him, Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
21, 22. Another whom Chriſt ſaw better reſolved and qualified, he would not permit ſo much as to go home to bury his Father, but uſing a proverbial ſpeech, ſaith, Let the dead bury their dead; that is, If thou be devoted to me, follow me, and my ſervice, for this is now thy greateſt buſineſs, to which burying thy Father muſt not be preferred: Others that are not engaged as thou art, may bury thy Father: If they would not, it were better he were unburied, than thou ſhould deſert or neglect me and my ſervice.
23, 24. And when he was entred into a ſhip, his diſciples followed him: And behold there aroſe a great tempeſt in the ſea; inſomuch that the ſhip was covered with the waves; but he was aſleep: 25. And his diſciples came unto him and awoke him, ſaying, Lord ſave us, we periſh.
23, 24, 25. N. The Ship is ſafe where Chriſt is, tho he ſeem aſleep. 2. Yet dangers caſt weak believers into fear.
26. And he ſaith to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he aroſe and rebuked the winds and the ſea, and there was a great calm.
26. Great fears are the ordinary effects of ſinful diſtruſt, and the ſymptomes of but little Faith. 2. Get Chriſt on our ſide, and he can command all the world to be for us, or not to hurt us.
27. But the men marvelled, ſaying, what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the ſea obey him.
27. Note, 1. Chriſts works proved that he was a Saviour fully to be truſted: 2. Do but obey Chriſt, and he will make all creatures obey him for your good and ſafety.
28. And when he was come to the other ſide, into the countrey of the Gergeſenes, there met him two poſſeſſed with devils coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, ſo that no man might paſs by that way.
28. That is, two that were mad and poſſeſſed, and acted by devils in their madneſs.
29. And behold they cried out, ſaying, What have we to do with thee, Jeſus thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
29. And the Devils in them by the mens voice cried out, ſaying, Meddle not with us Jeſus thou Son of God. Increaſe not our torments before the appointed time of their increaſe.
30. And there was a good way off from them a herd of many ſwine feeding: 31. So the devils beſought him, ſaying, If thou caſt us out, ſuffer us to go away into the herd of ſwine.
30, 31. And (many Gentiles dwelling there who kept Swine, and perhaps ſome Jews, to ſell, tho they eat not Swines fleſh) there was a great herd of Swine; and the Devils being a baſe ſort of Spirits, and bent to all miſchief, craved leave, if they muſt be caſt out, to go into the Swine, partly to miſchief them, and partly to diſcontent their owners.
32. And he ſaid to them, Go; And when they were come out, they went into the herd of ſwine: and behold, the whole herd of ſwine ran violently down a ſteep place into the ſea, and periſhed in the waters.
32. That is, They were mad, and in madneſs ran into the ſea and were drowned.
33. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befaln the poſſeſſed of the devils. 34. And behold the whole city came out to meet Jeſus: And when they ſaw him, they beſought him that he would depart out of their coaſts.
33, 34. When they heard all this, the whole City was moved with a deſire to ſee ſo ſtrange a man: But the loſs of their Swine made them intreat him to be gone and leave their coaſts.