A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
AFter theſe things the Lord appointed other ſeventy alſo, and ſent them two and two before his face, into every city and place, whither he himſelf would come. 2. Therefore ſaid he unto them, The harveſt truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harveſt, that he would ſend forth labourers into his harveſt.
1, 2. As he had choſen twelve, with reſpect to the twelve Tribes; ſo he choſe ſeventy, according to the number of the great Council, it's like 70 being put for 72, as an ancient Copy hath it. By which it appeareth he ſettled a diſparity in his Miniſters,
2. Note; Prieſts now are many, but Labourers few: What men are they that hate and ſilence the faithfuleſt Labourers, ſuſpecting that they are not for their intereſt?
3. Go your ways: behold I ſend you, forth as lambs among wolves. 4. Carry neither purſe nor ſcrip, nor ſhoes, and ſalute to man by the way.
3, 4. I ſend you on ſuch work, in which you ſhall ſuffer from wicked men as I muſt do. Let not the care of proviſion, nor any matters of inferiour concern; as humane reſpects are, ſtop you in your work and undertaken Miniſtry, (not that all Civility is forbidden.)
5. And into whatſoever houſe ye enter, firſt ſay, Peace be to this houſe. 6. And if the ſon of peace be there, your peace ſhall reſt upon it: if not, it ſhall turn to you again.
5, 6. For the neceſſary capacity of the Receiver is implied as a condition of the Effect. The ſame Benediction is effectual to a capable Receiver, and uneffectual to another, (as is alſo the Sacrament.)
7. And in the ſame houſe remain, eating and drinking ſuch things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from houſe to houſe. 8. And into whatſoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat ſuch things as are ſet before you.
7, 8. Maintenance is your due, for your work.
9. And heal the ſick that are therein, and ſay unto them, the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
9. This was the Goſpel that they were to preach.
10. But into whatſoever city ye enter, & they receive ye not, go your ways out into the ſtreets of the ſame, and ſay, 11. Even the very duſt of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off againſt you: notwithſtanding, be ye ſure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10, 11. See Mat. 10.14.
12. But I ſay unto you, that it ſhall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
12. At the Judgment. There will be ſome puniſhed in hell more tolerably than others.
13. Wo unto thee Chorazin: wo unto thee Bethſaida: for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented ſitting in ſackcloth and aſhes.
13. The ſame means, which prevaileth not with ſome, would have converted others that now periſh.
14. But it ſhall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sydon, at the day of Judgment, then for you. 15. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, ſhall be thruſt down into hell.
14, 15. The loſs of the greateſt means and mercy, prepareth for the heavieſt Judgment.
16. He that heareth you, heareth me and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me: and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him: that ſent me.
16. So far as you do my works, I will take what is done to you, as done to my ſelf.
17. And the ſeventy returned again with joy, ſaying, Lord, even the devils are ſubject unto us through thy Name. 18. And he ſaid unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
17, 18. Satan ſhall be caſt down from much of his Tyranny over Mankind, by me and my Goſpel.
19. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on ſerpents, and ſcorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing ſhall by any means hurt you.
19. Note; The Kingdom of Chriſt is ſet up againſt the Devil and his Kingdom, and not againſt Kings as ſuch.
2. It ſeems Serpents are uſed as Satan's Inſtruments to hurt man.
20. Notwithſtanding, in this rejoice not that the ſpirits are ſubject unto you: but rather rejoyce, becauſe your names are written in heaven.
20. Even wicked men may caſt out Devils, but it's greater matter of joy to be Saints that ſhall be ſayed.
21. In that hour Jeſus rejoyced in ſpirit, and ſaid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes: even ſo, Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.
21. That thou haſt revealed the heavenly Wiſdom to thoſe that are deſpiſed, as unlearned in the World, rather than to men counted wiſe and learned for their humane wit and knowledge. See Matth 11.25.
22. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father: and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
22. Chriſt is made the Lord of all; and he is perfectly known by none but God: And there is no true knowledge of God the Father, but by the teaching of Chriſt.
23. And he turned him unto his diſciples, and ſaid privately, Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee the things that ye ſee.
23. See Matth. 13.17.
24. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have deſired to ſee thoſe things which ye ſee, and have not ſeen them: and to hear thoſe things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
24. Such as David, Solomon, Iſaiah, &c.
25. And behold, a certain lawyer ſtood up, and tempted him, ſaying, Maſter, what ſhall I do to inherit eternall life?
25. To try his skill.
26. He ſaid unto him, What is written in the law? how readeſt thou?
26. Note, They err who ſay, that the Law of Moſes preſcribed not the mean… to Eternal Life.
27. And he anſwering ſaid, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, & with all thy ſoul, & with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thy ſelf. 28. And he ſaid unto him, Thou haſt anſwered right: this do, and thou ſhall live.
27, 28. Note; This is not the ſame Hiſtory that is mentioned, Matth. 19.16. there is much of the ſame, and yet much difference: There Chriſt repeateth the Commandments particularly, but here the Lawyer repeateth them ſummarily. So Mark 10.17. agreeth with Matthew. But that in Luke 18.18. is the ſame with this, and a diſtinct Hiſtory.
Note; Whoever loveth God ſincerely, and his Neighbour as himſelf, ſhall be ſaved. But this will never be done without Regenerating Grace.
29. But he willing to juſtifie himſelf, ſaid unto Jeſus and who is my neighbour?
29 Note; This overwillingneſs to juſtifie our ſelves, is one of the de…eſt rooted commoneſt vices in corrupted Nature.
30. And Jeſus anſwering, ſaid, A certain man went down from Jeruſalem to Jericho, & fell among thieves, which ſtripped him of his raim…t, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead. 31. And by chance there came down a certain prieſt that way, and when he ſaw him, he paſſed by on the other ſide.
32. And likewiſe a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and paſſed by on the other ſide. 33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he ſaw him, he had compaſſion on him, 34. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and ſet him on his own beaſt, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the hoſt, and ſaid unto him, Take care of him, and whatſoever thou ſpendeſt more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. The Prieſt and the Levite, who ſhould be the moſt holy and charitable, paſt by him without helping him; but a Samaritan, one contemned by them as a Heretick, or prophane Ruſtick, took him up, and helped him.
Note; They abuſe the Text that ſay, by the Samaritan, is meant Chriſt, and by two pence, the Two Teſtaments, &c.
36. Which now of theſe three, thinkeſt thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the theeves?
36. Which of the… to… the man for his Neighbour, and dealt as a Neighbour with him?
37. And he ſaid, He that ſhewed mercy on him. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, Go, and do thou likewiſe.
37. So do thou, and though he be a Samaritan, a Schiſmatick, a Heretick, uſe him with ſuch charity as thy Neighbour.
Note; Do they ſo, that ruin, hunt and deſtroy ſuch, and better men?
38. Now it came paſs as they went, that he entred into a certain village: and a certain woman, named Martha, received him into her houſe. 39. And ſhe had a ſiſter called Mary, which alſo ſat at Jeſus's feet, and heard his word:
38, 39. Martha was the Houſe-keeper or Owner.
40. But Martha was cumbered about much ſerving, and came to him and ſaid, Lord, doeſt thou not care that my ſiſter hath left me to ſerve alone? bid her therefore that ſhe help me.
40. The followers of Chriſt to be provided for, were many, and the work ſeemed neceſſary.
41. And Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and troubled about many things: 42. But one thing is needfull, And Mary hath choſen that good part, which ſhall not be taken away from her.
41, 42. Thou troubleſt thy ſelf more than needs, and unſeaſonably, about many things of leſs neceſſity. But to learn the way of Salvation, and ſo to be bleſſed in the Kingdom of God, is the one thing of abſolute neceſſity. This Mary hath preferred, and ſo ſhouldeſt thou, and have left ſerving to the ſecond place: And none ſhall deprive her of that better portion which ſhe hath choſen.
Note 1. Chriſt doth not blame Martha for her car… and work, but for not preferring better: Nor ſpeaks this ſo much to blame her, as to commend Mary, and to teach us all what to prefer.
2. One thing only (in a comprehenſive ſenſe, as containing Salvation, and its neceſſary means,) is of ſuch abſolute neceſſity to man, that all things elſe ſhould be put behind it.
3. Preferring things leſs neceſſary, though good, and troubling our ſelves about need-nots, is a common fault, even of religious perſons.
4. That is a fault out of its due time and place, which is a great duty in its ſeaſon.
5. They that prefer and chuſe the beſt, ſhall have the beſt, whoever is againſt it.
6. Even godly perſons and near, are apt upon croſs Intereſts and Opinions, to cenſure and accuſe each other upon miſtake, when the fault is in the accuſer, and that to Chriſt.
7. But Chriſt will juſtifie the right.