A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
1. ANd he ſaid, Verily I ſay to you, there be ſome of them that ſtand here, who ſhall not taſte of death, till they have ſeen the kingdom of God come with power.
1. Till they ſee a glimpſe of that glorious or powerful appearance of the King of the Church in which he ſhall come at the laſt.
2. And after ſix days Jeſus took with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themſelves, and he was transfigured before them. 3. And his raiment became ſhining exceeding white as ſnow, ſo as no fuller on earth can white them.
4. And there appeared to them Elias with Moſes, and they were talking with Jeſus. 5. And Peter anſwered and ſaid to Jeſus, Maſter, it is good for us to be here, let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moſes, and one for Elias. 6. For he wiſt not what to ſay, for they were ſore afraid.
2. This was the performance of the fore-going Promiſe.
See on Matt. 17.
Note, For Glorified Saints from Heaven to wait on Chriſt in his own ſplendor, was a glympſe reſembling his Laſt Coming. 2. If the ſight of Chriſt, Moſes, and Elias, in glorious Splendor made the Three Apoſtles, through the ſtrangeneſs of it, ſore afraid; no wonder, if even the thought of what we ſhall ſee after Death, poſſeſs us with dread, though it be our hope, and joy.
7. And there was a cloud that overſhaddowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, ſaying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
7. Hear, and obey him, as the chief Meſſenger of my will, of whom I give you this Teſtimony from Heaven.
8. And ſuddenly when they had looked round about; they ſaw no man any more, ſave Jeſus onelyonly with themſelves. 9. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they ſhould tell no man what things they had ſeen, till the Son of man were riſen from the dead. 10. And they kept that ſaying with themſelves, queſtioning one with another, what the riſing from the dead ſhould mean.
10. &c. Though he had oft told them of his Reſurrection, they underſtood him not.
11. And they asked him, ſaying, Why ſay the Scribes, that Elias muſt firſt come? 12. And he anſwered, and told them, Elias verily cometh firſt, and reſtoreth all things, and how it is written of the Son of man, that he muſt ſuffer many things, and be ſet at nought. 13. But I ſay unto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatſoever they liſted, as it is written of him.
11. &c. John Baptiſt was Elias; (not the Soul of Elias reincorporate, but he that was meant in Malachi:) And they have uſed him, as they will do me; as Elias was Perſecuted by Ahab.
14. And when he came to his diſciples, he ſaw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes queſtioning with them. 15. And ſtraightway all the people when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, ſaluted him. 16. And he asked the Scribes, What queſtion ye with them? 17. And one of the multitude anſwered, and ſaid, Maſter, I have brought unto thee my ſon, which hath a dumb ſpirit: 18. And whereſoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he fometh, and gnaſheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I ſpake to thy diſciples that they ſhould caſt him out, and they could not.
14. &c. See on Matt. 17.14. N. The Diſciples yet had not the full Power that they had after Chriſts Reſurrection.
19. He anſwered him and ſaith, O faithleſs generation, how long ſhall I be with you, how long ſhall I ſuffer you? bring him unto me.
19. The want of Faith in you, did more to your fruſtration, than the want of Power in my Diſciples.
20. And they brought him to him: and when he ſaw him, ſtraightway the ſpirit tare him, and he fell to the ground, and wallowed foming.
20. Here is the perfect deſcription of an Epi…epſie: And the folly of Atheiſts tells them, That Natural Diſeaſes are not to be imputed to Devils: That is, Becauſe an Axe, or a Halter Kills a man; therefore the Law, the Judges, or the Executioner are no cauſes of it.
21. And he asked his Father, How long is it ago, ſince this came to him? And he ſaid, Of a child. 22. And oft times it hath caſt him into the fire, and into the waters to deſtroy him: But if thou canſt do any thing, have compaſſion on us, and help us.
21. N. It appeareth this mans Faith was weak, in ſaying, [If thou canſt do any thing,] Yet he had ſome hope.
23. Jeſus ſaid unto him, If thou canſt believe, all things are poſſible to him that believeth.
23. If thy Faith make thee a capable receiver, thou ſhalt find that I want not Power.
24. And ſtraitway the father of the child cryed out, and ſaid with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.
24. He was afraid of loſing the Cure of his Child for want of Faith, and yet his Faith was weak, and wavering, and therefore he ſaid, If I had no belief in thee, I had not come to thee, but I am weak and timerous, and therefore pray thee to ſtrengthen my Faith, and make up in thy mercy what is wanting in my Belief. This is alas the Caſe of moſt Chriſtians.
25. When Jeſus ſaw that the people came running together, he rebuked the ſoul ſpirit, ſaying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf ſpirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26. And the ſpirit cried, and rent him ſore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead, inſomuch that many ſaid, He is dead.
25.26. N. Chriſts cures ſeem ſometimes to the Fleſh to put men into a worſe condition than they were before.
27. But Jeſus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and he aroſe. 28. And when he was come into the houſe, his diſciples asked him privately, Why could not we caſt him out? 29. And he ſaid unto them. This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and faſting.
27. &c. N. 1. Even Miraculous Cures may require the uſe of means, and the ſame means may ſerve for one, that will not for another. 2. A double qualification may be neceſſary, one in the Miniſter, and another in the Patient.
30. And they departed thence, and paſſed through Galilee, and he would not that any man ſhould know it. 31. For he taught his diſciples, and ſaid unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they ſhall kill him, and after that he is killed, he ſhall riſe the third day. 32. But they underſtood not that ſaying, and were afraid to ask him.
30, &c. N. Chriſt ſaw it neceſſary often to foretel his Sufferings, and Reſurrection; which is a great argument for our Faith.
33. And he came to Capernaum, and being in the houſe, he asked them, What was it that ye diſputed among your ſelves by the way? But they held their peace; for by the way they had diſputed among themſelves, who ſhould be the greateſt. 35. And he ſate down and called the twelve, and ſaith unto them, If any man deſire to be firſt, the ſame ſhall be laſt of all, and ſervant of all.
33.34. &c. N. They were aſhamed to own their Ambition.
The Pre-eminence among my Miniſters conſiſteth in being the moſt Humble, and the moſt Serviceable.
36. And he took a child, and ſet him in the midſt of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he ſaid unto them, 37. Whoſoever ſhall receive one of ſuch children in my name, receiveth me: and whoſoever ſhall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that ſent me.
36, 37. Humble and harmleſs Chriſtians are ſo dear to me, that he that in Love and Mercy receiveth and ſheweth Kindneſs to one of theſe, I will take it, as if he did it to my Self; and my Father will take that which is done, in Love and Obedience to me, to be done as to himſelf. If you will be great in my Kingdom, and dear to me, be Humble, and harmleſs.
38. And John anſwered him, ſaying, Maſter, we ſaw one caſting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us, and we forbad him, becauſe he followeth not us.
38. N. Had John been now as full of Love, as he was afterwards, he would not have forbad this man to do good.
39. But Jeſus ſaid, Forbid him not: for there is no man which ſhall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly ſpeak evil of me. 40. For he that is not againſt us, is on our part.
39. N. Men that Preach in Chriſts Name, therefore are not to be ſilenced, though faulty; if they do more good than harm. Dreadful then is the Caſe of them that Silence Chriſts faithful Miniſters.
40. In point of Service to the Church, He that is not againſt it, is ſomeway for it: as Souldiers ſay of Countreymen that are not againſt them: But as to their own Salvation, He that is not for Chriſt above all the World, is againſt him, and no ſincere Chriſtian; As Captains ſay of their liſted Soldiers: Fight, or be Caſhiered.
41. For whoſoever ſhall give you a cup of water to drink, in my name, becauſe ye belong to Chriſt, verily I ſay unto you, he ſhall not loſe his reward.
41. He that doth the leaſt good to a Chriſtian, from a true Love to Chriſt, would do more, were it in his Power: And he that doth good but from common Principles, though he be not Saved, ſhall have ſome Reward, and ſhall be no loſer, but a gainer, by all the good that he doth.
42. And whoſoever ſhall offend one of theſe little ones that believe in me, it is better for him, that a milſtone were hanged about his neck, and he were caſt into the ſea.
42, N. O then, what will become of Tempters, Perſecutors, and malignant Enemies. By [offending] is meant, [hindring] from Faith and a holy Life. And by [better] is meant, [Its a ſmaller hurt.]
43. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it of…: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, then having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched: 44. Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, then having two feet to be caſt into hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched. 46. Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be caſt into hell fire. 48. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
43. &c. So great is the difference between the wellfare of this Fleſh and the Life to come, that you cannot get Heaven, and eſcape Hell fire at too dear a rate: If a Hand, or Foot, or Eye, were ſo ſtrong a hindrance as that you had no other way to avoid Sin and Hell, it is a far leſs evil to loſe ſuch a Member, than to lie in Hell. N. The meaning is not, that any man is in ſuch a Caſe, that he hath no better way to avoid ſin, and Hell: But if he had no better, he ſhould chooſe this: Nor doth it mean, that maimed Perſons are maimed in Heaven: but if it were ſo, it were a leſs evil.
49. For every one ſhall be ſalted with fire, and every ſacrifice ſhall be ſalted with ſalt. 50. Salt is good: but if the ſalt hath loſt its ſaltneſs, wherewith will ye ſeaſon it? Have ſalt in your ſelves, and have peace one with another.
49. And be ſure, that the fire of Affliction ſhall be as Salt to you all, that now are thinking of Pre-eminence: and thoſe of you that are ſound, it ſhall make fitter to be pure Sacrifices to God. 50. And you that are Preachers, and Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, being thus ſalted, your ſelves muſt be the ſalt of the Earth, to ſeaſon others, by holy Doctrine and Practice. But if you ſhould loſe ſound Doctrine, and Chriſtianity, what then ſhall ſeaſon you? Keep up ſound Truth (that ſeaſoneth, though it cauſe ſome ſmart) in your ſelves, and inſtead of ſeeking Superiority, live in peace, and gentle Meekneſs with one another.