A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
1. ANd he entred into a ſhip and paſſed over, and came into his own city. 2. And behold, they brought to him a man ſick of the palſie, lying on a bed: And Jeſus ſeeing their faith, ſaid to the ſick of the palſie, Son be of good chear, thy ſins be forgiven thee.
1, 2, That is, this diſeaſe which is the puniſhment of thy ſin is remitted, and thou ſhalt be healed.
3. And behold, certain of the Scribes ſaid within themſelves, This man blaſphemeth. 4. And Jeſus knowing their thoughts, ſaid, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5. For whether is it eaſier to ſay, Thy ſins are forgiven thee, or to ſay, Ariſe and walk.
3, 4, 5. That is, What is Forgiving the ſin but forgiving the puniſhment of it? And is one any harder than the other when it is the ſame thing.
6. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive ſins, Then ſaith he to the ſick of the palſie, Ariſe, take up thy bed, and go unto thy houſe. 7. And he aroſe and departed to his houſe.
6, 7. But your own ſenſes ſhall tell you that I can forgive ſin, that is, the puniſhment of ſin on Earth — Ariſe, &c. ſo he was healed before them, and took up his bed and went home.
8. And when the multitude ſaw it, they marvelled, and glorified God which had given ſuch power unto men.
8. It made them wonder and glorifie God, that had ſent a man with ſo great power into the world.
9. And as Jeſus paſſed forth from thence, he ſaw a man named Matthew, ſitting at the receipt of cuſtome, and he ſaith to him, Follow me. And he aroſe, and followed him.
9. Matthew that wrote this, a Toll-gatherer; and at Chriſts call he immediately left all and followed him.
10. And it came to paſs, as Jeſus ſate at meat in the houſe, behold, many publicans and ſinners came and ſate down with him and his Diſciples. 11. And when the Phariſees ſaw it, they ſaid to his Diſciples, Why eateth your maſter with publicans and ſinners.
10, 11. N. The Phariſees pretended greater ſtrictneſs than Chriſt, in flying from other men as ſinners: But the… were not ſo ſtrict in reforming themſelves, nor zealous of love, and doing good.
12. But when Jeſus heard that, he ſaid unto them, They that be whole need not a phyſician, but they that are ſick.
12. My work is to ſave Souls; and who but Sinners have need of a Saviour.
13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not ſacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance.
13. O ye that take on you to be the Teachers of the ignorant, what great need have you to be taught and to ſtudy what that ſaying meaneth, I will have mercy and not Sacrifice. Mercy is a far greater and more pleaſing work, than Sacrifice, Ceremonies or outward Rites. And the greateſt good is ſtill to be preferred. N. O how little do the Roman perſecuting Clergy regard this.
14. Then came to him the diſciples of John, ſaying, Why do we and the Phariſees faſt oft, but thy diſciples faſt not.
14. We and the Phariſees are ſtricter than thy Diſciples: We faſt oft, and ye do not.
15. And Jeſus ſaid to them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom ſhall be taken from them, and h… ſhall they faſt.
15. The Meſſiah is the meſſ…ger of the greateſt joy: It is a moſt joyful Marriage feaſt that I call them to; and that is not the ſeaſon of …ng and mourning: But when I am taken from them, then faſting and patience in a malicious world, will be more ſeaſonable.
16. No man putteth a piece of new cloath into an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worſe. 17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: elſe the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles periſh: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preſerved.
16, 17. As a piece of new cloth put on a breach in an old worn garment, will but make it wider; and new wine put into old bottles will but break them and be ſpilt: ſo if young Diſciples ſhould be put upon Religious exerciſes unſuitable to their condition, and unſeaſonable, it would do them hurt: And that which would hurt them by reaſon of their incapacity, is not to be put upon them.
N. What their bottles were then made of that would not hold new wine when they were old, is uncertain. But its likely they were made of the skins of Goats, or ſuch creatures.
18. While he ſpake theſe things to them, behold, there came a certain Ruler and worſhipped him, ſaying, My daughter is even now dead; but come and lay thy hand on her, and ſhe ſhall live.
18. A Ruler of one of their leſſer Judicatures or Conſiſtories came, &c.
N. This man did believe the power of Chriſt, becauſe he had experience of his ſucceſs: but whether he believed him to be the Chriſt is uncertain. But it was notable faith, to believe that he could raiſe the dead.
19. And Jeſus aroſe and followed him, and ſo did his diſciples.
19. They were all deſirous to go ſee whether he could raiſe the dead.
20. And behold, a woman which was diſeaſed with an iſſue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his Garment, 21. For ſhe ſaid within her ſelf, if I may but touch his Garment, I ſhall be whole, 22. And Jeſus turned him about, and when he ſaw her, he ſaid, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole: And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Note, A belief of Chriſts power was neceſſary to their receiving the effects of his power, as a belief of his love and good will, is needful to our receiving the ſpecial fruits of his Love; and the belief of his wiſdom and authority is needful to our obeying him, and receiving his rewards.
23, 24. And when Jeſus came into the rulers houſe, and ſaw the minſtrels and the people making a noiſe, He ſaid to them, Give place, for the maid is not dead but ſleepeth: And they laughed him to ſcorn.
23, 24. When he ſaw the Muſick and ſtir that was made according to the cuſtom about the dead, he ſaid, Give place; for the death of the Maid ſhall be but as a ſleep from which I will preſently awake her, but they derided him, ſeeing that ſhe was dead indeed.
25. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid aroſe. 26. And the ſame thereof went abroad into all that land.
25. Qu. Where was the Soul of this maid (and Lazarus) after death? Anſw. When God will tell us we ſhall know.
27. And when Jeſus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and ſaying, Thou ſon of David, have mercy on us. 28. And when he was come into the Houſe, the blind men came to him: and Jeſus ſaith to them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? they ſaid to him, Yea, Lord. 29. Then touched he their eyes, ſaying, According to your faith, be it unto you. 30. And their eyes were opened.
27. &c. Note, Theſe believed Chriſt to be the Meſſiah, tho its like they knew little of the nature of his Office. Their Faith was their capacity of a cure.
30, 31. And Jeſus ſtraitly charged them, ſaying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, ſpread abroad his fame in all that Country.
30, 31. Note, Chriſts command of ſilence, was partly to give us an example of avoiding oſtentaion, and hypocriſie, and to be content with the approbation of God alone.
32. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man poſſeſſed with a devil. 33. And when the devil was caſt out, the dumb ſpake: and the multitudes marvelled, ſaying, It was never ſo ſeen in Iſrael.
32, 33. Note, His dumbneſs was cauſed by the Devils poſſeſſion: And it's like he was mad alſo.
34. But the Phariſees ſaid, He caſteth out devils through the Prince of the Devils.
34. Note, This was the blaſpheming of the Holy Ghoſt: what can convince men who when they ſee all this done, will ſay, The Devil doth it? As if Power, and Love, and Government were the Devils work. 2. This verſe is out of ſome Copies: but the ſame is in Matth. 12. The Devils, it ſeems have one Monarch.
35. And Jeſus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in the ſynagogues, and preaching the Goſpel of the kingdom, and healing every ſickneſs and every diſeaſe among the people.
35. Note, 1. The Goſpel of the Kingdom, is the glad news that the Kingdom of the Meſſiah was at hand, and what it was. 2. Had he ſeparated from the Synagogue manner of worſhip, they had not permitted him ordinarily to preach among them. 3. Chriſt that taught us to know falſe Prophets by their hurtful fruits, (their malice, cruelty, perſecuting and hurtfull doctrines) doth accordingly juſtifie his own miſſion and doctrine, by ſpeaking and doing good, all that he did being for mens own benefit; healing and ſaving Souls and Bodies. And the world will judge of mens pretences by their fruits, when perſecutors have done their worſt.
36. But when he ſaw the multitudes, he was moved with compaſſion on them, becauſe they fainted, and were ſcattered abroad as ſheep having no ſhepherd. 37. Then ſaith he to his diſciples, The harveſt is plenteous, but the labourers are few. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harveſt that he will ſend forth labourers into his harveſt.
36. Note, Chriſts Example teacheth Preachers to compaſſionate a willing multitude▪ when they want ſufficient teachers: and to pray God to ſend forth more labourers, when there are too few: and not to give over labouring for them themſelves, without being utterly diſabled, tho men forbid them. Some Pariſhes in London have about 70000 Souls, ſome 60000, ſome 30000, and all the City and County and much more, have but one Biſhop (or Paſtor as ſome ſpeak) And the Curates or Preachers cannot be heard by above 3000 at once or thereabouts.