A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
1. ANd he began again to teach by the ſea ſide, and there was gathered to him a great multitude, ſo that he entred into a ſhip, and ſate in the ſea: and the whole multitude was by the ſea on the land. 2. And he taught them many things by parables, and ſaid to them in his doctrine. 3. Hearken, behold, there went out a ſower to ſow: 4. And it came to paſs as he ſowed, that ſome fell by the way ſide, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5. And ſome fell on ſtony ground where it had not much earth, and immediately it ſprang up, becauſe it had no depth of earth. 6. But when the ſun was up, it was ſcorched, and becauſe it had no root it withered away. 7. And ſome fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choaked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit, that ſprang up and increaſed, and brought forth ſome thirty, and ſome ſixty, and ſome an hundred. 9. And he ſaid to them, He that hath ears to hear let him hear.
See Paraphraſe on Matth. 13.
10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve, asked him the parable.
10. He is ſaid to be alone when the multitude were gone.
11. And he ſaid to them, To you it is given to know the myſtery of the kingdom of God, but to them that are without, all theſe things are done in parables: 12. That ſeeing they may ſee, and not perceive, and hearing they may hear, and not underſtand, leſt at any time they ſhould be converted, and their ſins ſhould be forgiven them.
See Matth. 13.12, 13. God hath vouchſafed you greater help and light than to thoſe without, that are not my Diſciples: Parables are fitted to their ignorant ſtate, who wilfully neglect inſtruction, and are never the better for what they hear, ſo that it doth not convert and heal them. Did they enquire and diligently ſearch for truth, it ſhould be fullier opened to them.
13. And he ſaith to them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables.
13. If ye underſtand not this plain ſimilirude, how will ye underſtand many more which you muſt hear.
14. The lower ſoweth the word. 15. And theſe are they by the way ſide where the word is ſown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was ſown in their hearts. 16. And theſe are they likewiſe which are ſown in ſtony ground, who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladneſs: 17. And have no root in themſelves, and ſo endure but for a time, afterward when perſecution or affliction ariſeth for the words ſake, immediately they are oftended. 18. And theſe are they which are ſown among thorns, ſuch as hear the word. 19. And the ca…es of this world, and the deceitfulneſs of riches, and the luſts of other things, entring in, choak the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
See Matth. 13. The ſeveral Writers of Chriſts words give us the ſame in ſence, tho there be ſome ſmall difference in the words.
20. And theſe are they which are ſown on good ground, ſuch as hear the word and receive it, and bring forth fruit, ſome thirty, ſome ſixty, and ſome an hundred.
20. N. All ſound Chriſtians are not equally fruitful. 2. The quality of the hearts of the hearers, cauſeth the differing ſucceſs of the ſame Doctrine or Sermons on different perſons.
21. And he ſaid to them, Is a candle brought to be put under a buſhel, or under a bed, and not to be ſet on a candleſtick.
21. God doth not give you more light than others, to hide it, but to uſe it for the good of many.
22. For there is nothing hid which ſhall not be manifeſted, neither was any thing kept ſecret, but that it ſhould come abroad.
22. Light is for the manifeſting of all things, and it will manifeſt all things, how dark or ſecret ſoever they ſeem.
23. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
23. Let him that hath ears and underſtanding ſee that he hear Gods word regardfully, with all the ſerious attention of his heart: for it is of greateſt concernment to his ſoul.
24. And he ſaid to them, Take heed what you hear: with what meaſure ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you: and to you that hear ſhall more be given. 25. For he that hath to him ſhall be given, and he that hath not, from him ſhall taken even that which he hath.
24, 25. See that you ſet your hearts to the word you hear: For as you uſe Gods word, he will uſe you: Learn faithfully and you ſhall be taught more: but if you ſtifle or neglect the truth, your knowledge will be as none, or worſe than none to you▪ and God may forſake your underſtandings.
26. And he ſaid, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man ſhould caſt ſeed into the ground. 27. And ſhould ſleep, and riſe night and day, and the ſeed ſhould ſpring and grow up he knoweth not how.
26, 27. N. Man ſoweth but God bleſſeth it; and we ſee it not grow, but ſee that it hath grown. Who then ſhall exact of another an account juſt when or how he was convetted.
28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of her ſelf, firſt the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. 29. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the ſickle, becauſe the harveſt is come.
28. Do your part in ſowing, and God will proſper it: And tho you ſee not preſent fruit, it will ripen and ſhew it ſelf laſt, and be rewarded and fully bleſt.
30. And he ſaid, Whereunto ſhall I liken the kingdom of God, or with what compariſon ſhall we compare it. 31. It is like a grain of muſtard-ſeed, which when it is ſown in the earth is leſs than all the ſeeds that be in the earth. 32. But when it is ſowed, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and ſhooteth out great branches, ſo that the fowls of the air may lodge under the ſhadow of it.
30, &c. You all look for the Kingdom of the Meſſiah, but you miſtake in expecting a ſudden viſible pompous appearance of it: It is the Catholick Church for which now I am ſowing the ſeed of the Goſpel, and ſeemeth like a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, a ſmall inconſiderable thing, one of the contemptibleſt Societies on Earth: But God will proſper this ſeed ſo that my Church ſhall become ſo conſpicuous and eminent that Princes and Nations and worldly men, ſhall be glad for their intereſt to have the name of Chriſtians, and to be under the protection of the Chriſtian Powers.
33. And with many ſuch parables ſpake he the word to them, as they were able to bear it. 34. And without a parable ſpake he not to them, and when they were alone he expounded all things to his diſciples.
33, 34. He ſpake to them according to their low capacities, as to Children by familiar compariſons, further teaching the ſence of all to thoſe that as Scholars came to learn of him.
35. And the ſame day when even was come, he ſaith to them, Let us paſs over unto the other ſide. 36. And when they had ſent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ſhip; and there were alſo with him many other little ſhips. 37. And there aroſe a great ſtorm of wind, and the waves beat into the ſhip, ſo that it was now full, 38. And he was in the hinder part of the ſhip aſleep on a pillow, and they awake him and ſay to him, Maſter, careſt thou not that we periſh?
35. &c. N. God raiſeth dangers to ſhew us our weakneſs, and his power in our deliverance. 2. They are ſafe who are in the ſame ſhip with Chriſt. 3. Yet Chriſt ſeemeth for a time to neglect us in our dangers, as if he cared not what became of us.
39. And he aroſe and rebuked the wind, and ſaid to the ſea, Peace, be ſtill: and the wind ceaſed, and there was a great calm. 4. And he ſaid to them, Why are ye ſo fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? 41. And they feared exceedingly, and ſaid one another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the ſea obey him.
39. &c. N. All things obey Chriſt ſave voluntary ſinners. 2. It is but a word of his that is needful to allay all our dangers. 3. Too much fear, ſheweth too little faith. Truſting Chriſt is the cure of ſuch fear. 4. How greatly ſhould he be reverenced and obeyed by man, whom wind and ſeas, and all creatures muſt obey?