A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
1. AND it came to paſs that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceaſed, one of his diſciples ſaid unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John alſo taught his diſciples.
1. It ſeems they had till now been too little and unſkilful in prayer.
2. And he ſaid unto them, When ye pray, ſay, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, ſo in earth. 3. Give us day by day our daily bread. 4. And forgive us our ſins; for we alſo forgive every one that is indepted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
2, 3, 4. See the Expoſition of the Lord's Prayer on Matth. 6.9.
Note; It is evident that Chriſt gave them this prayer to be uſed both as a Directory for Matter and Method, and as a meet form of words, when they pray comprehenſively and ſummarily, though not trying them alwaies to uſe theſe very words, nor to go through the whole Method, when occaſion confines them to ſome one branch, or requires them to inſiſt moſt on it; much leſs obliging or allowing them to uſe no other: And ſo the Apoſtles, and all the Churches, underſtood it.
The ſmall difference in words between Matthew and Luke, are not material; ſave that Luke omitteth the doxology in the end.
By [Debt] verſe 4. is meant chiefly wrong or ſin: For ſo the Syriack ſignifieth, in which Chriſt ſpake: Though alſo our obligation to keep the Law of Innocency on pain of death, or for Juſtification, is a Debt which God remitteth by the Law of Faith and Grace, and accepteth on our part Faith and ſincere Obedience, for the Merit of Chriſt, who fulfilled that perfect Law.
5. And he ſaid unto them, Which of you ſhall have a friend, and ſhall go unto him at midnight, and ſay unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6. For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, & I have nothing to ſet before him: 7. And he from within ſhall anſwer and ſay, Trouble me not, the door is now ſhut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot riſe and give thee. 8. I ſay unto you, though he will not riſe and give him, becauſe he is his friend: yet becauſe of his importunity, he will riſe and give him as many as he needeth.
5, 6, 7, 8. Though God be not as Man, that giveth the importunate to be eaſed of them, yet importunity alſo prevaileth with him, as it fits the Receiver for his Gifts.
9. And I ſay unto you, Ask, and it ſhall be given you: ſeek, and ye ſhall find: knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. 10. For every one that that asketh, receiveth: and he that ſeeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened.
9, 10. He that will ſpare for no labour, and take no denial, ſhall have no denial finally: He that eaſily giveth over his ſuit, and will not be at pains and patience, forfeiteth mercy by contempt.
11. If a ſon ſhall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a ſtone? or if he ask a fiſh, will he for a fiſh, giv… him a ſerpent? 12. Or if he ſhall ask an egg, will he offer him a ſcorpion? 13. If ye then, being evil, know▪ how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him?
11, 12, 13. Note; God's Goodneſs is a great ground of hope that he will grant our prayers; that is, as far as he hath promiſed; 1. Grace and Glory certainly to all penitent Believers. 2. And the things of this life on theſe three conditions; 1. If they are ſuch as are fit for the perſon. 2. And he be ſit for them. 3. And it be fit to ſubſerve God's higher ends, his Glory, and the publick good, and do not croſs them.
So much of his Spirit as is neceſſary to Salvation, he will give to all true Believers: And the additional degrees and gifts, he giveth on the terms aforeſaid.
14. And he was caſting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to paſs, when the devil was gone out, the dumb ſpake: and the people wondred. 15. But ſome of them ſaid, He caſteth out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils.
14, 15. See Matth. 12. They were ſo convinced of the fact of his Miracles, that they had no plea for their unbelief left them, but to ſay, he did them by Conjuration, which is the blaſpheming of the Holy Ghoſt.
16. And others tempting him, ſought of him a ſign from heaven. 17. But he knowing their thoughts, ſaid unto them, Every kingdom divided againſt it ſelf, is brought to deſolation: and a houſe divided againſt a houſe, falleth. 18. If Satan alſo be divided againſt himſelf, how ſhall his kingdom ſtand? becauſe ye ſay that I caſt out devils through Beelzebub. 19. And if I by Beelzebub caſt out devils, by whom do your ſons caſt them out? therefore ſhall they be your judges.
16, 17, 18, 19. Note; When Satan laboureth to divide the Church of Chriſt, it is that he may deſtroy it: And ſhould we do worſe againſt Chriſt's Kingdom than Satan will do by his own?
20. But if I with the finger of God caſt out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
20. It is the approving work of God, to ſet up his Kingdon againſt the Devils.
21. When a ſtrong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace. 22. But when a ſtronger then he ſhall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he truſted, and divideth his ſpoils.
21, 22. If I did not conquer Satan, I could not caſt him out of his poſſeſſion of Bodies and Souls.
23. He that is not with me, is againſt me, and he that gathereth not with me, ſcattereth.
23. See Matth. 12.30.
24. When the unclean ſpirit is gone out of a man, he walketh thorow dry places, ſeeking reſt: and finding none, he ſaith, I will return unto my houſe whence I came out. 25. And when he cometh, he findeth it ſwept and garniſhed. 26. Then goeth he, and taketh to him ſeven other ſpirits more wicked then himſelf, and they enter in, and dwell there, and the laſt ſtate of that man is worſe than the firſt.
24, 25, 26. But let him that is delivered from Satans poſſeſſion of Body or Soul, take heed that he return not: For when Satan is caſt out, he tryeth by his Temptations to get Poſſeſſion of ſome others: And when he hath aſ…ed many, and is reſiſted and fruſtrate by the grace of God, he reſolveth again to try his aſſaults, on him that was delivered; And finding him careleſs, unwatchful, and ready to receive his Temptations, he ſuggeſteth worſe things to him than thoſe that he had renounced, and bringeth in on fair pretences ſevenfold worſe vices than he had before: And the end of that man is worſe than was his firſt captivity to Satan.
Note, It is ſome kind of reſt to Devils to deceive and deſtroy Souls. As it is to a malicious man to do miſchief by revenge. Devils are not yet at their moſt eaſeleſs ſtate. See Mat. 12.43.
27. And it came to paſs, as he ſpake theſe things, a certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and ſaid unto him, Bleſſed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou haſt ſucked. 28. But he ſaid, Yea, rather bleſſed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
27, 28. Note; Carnal perſons moſt regard carnal Relations. 2. Chriſt accounts them that hear and keep God's Word, as more amiable and bleſſed, than it would be to have been his own Mother: And we muſt judge as he doth: Though when God maketh the proviſion for our Families out duty, we muſt obey him as his Stewards in our diſtributions; yet Grace is more amiable than natural Relations.
29. And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to ſay, This is an evil generation, they ſeek a ſign, and there ſhall no ſign be given it, but the ſign of Jonas the Prophet: 30. For as Jonas was a ſign unto the Ninevites, ſo ſhall alſo the Son of man be to this generation.
29, 30. As Jonas, after three days abode in the Sea, was ſent to preach; ſo after my three days in the grave, I will riſe and call the World to Repentance, by mine Apoſtles and my Spirit, and ſave them as Nineve was ſaved.
31. The queen of the ſouth ſhall riſe up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them: for ſhe came from the utmoſt parts of the earth, to hear the wiſdom of Solomon: and behold a greater than Solomon is here.
31. It ſhall appear that the Jews are worſe than her, and deſerve deſtruction for being ſo much worſe, and averſe to Faith.
32. The men of Nineve ſhall riſe up in the judgment with this generation, and ſhall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas: and behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
32. See Matth. 12.42.
33. No man when he hath lighted a candle putteth it in a ſecret place, neither under a buſhell, but on a candleſtick, that they which come in may ſee the light.
33. God would not have us hide his Truth, (much leſs ſilence it by Diabolical Perſecution.)
34. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is ſingle, thy whole body is full of light: but when thine eye is evil, thy body alſo is full of darkneſs.
34. The Light of Man is his true Underſtanding: As that is, ſo is the man, a Child of Light or of Darkneſs.
35. Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee be not darkneſs.
35. Take heed leſt that Underſtanding be ignorant or erroneous.
36. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole ſhall be full of light, as when the bright ſhining of a candle doth give thee light.
36. See Mark 6.26.
37. And as he ſpake, a certain Phariſee beſought him to dine with him: and he went in, and ſat down to meat. 38. And when the Phariſee ſaw it, he marvelled that he had not firſt waſhed-before dinner.
37, 38. See Matth. 7.3. Ma…th. 15.2.
39. And the Lord ſaid unto him, Now do ye Phariſees make clean the outſide of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedneſs. 40. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within alſo? 41. But rather give alms of ſuch things as you have: and behold, all things are clean unto you.
39, 40, 41. True Cleanneſs is to be acceptable to God: Be charitable and liberal, and your meat will be clean to you.
42. But wo unto you, Phariſees: for ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and paſs over judgment, and the love of God: theſe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
42. See Matth. 23.23. The Love of God, and Juſtice with Men, are far greater matters than religious Rites and Ceremonies, or Church-Orders. God's Laws are ſome far greater than others, though none to be violated.
43. Wo unto you, Phariſees: for ye love the uppermoſt ſeats in the ſynagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44. Wo unto you, ſcribes and Phariſees, hypocrites: for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them, are not aware of them.
43, 44. Note; Hypocriſie is Pride covered with formal Ceremonious▪ ſhews of Religion, ſometime unknown to the Hypocrite himſelf.
45. Then anſwered one of the lawyers and ſaid unto him, Maſter, thus ſaying thou reproacheſt us alſo. 46. And he ſaid, Wo unto you alſo, ye lawyers: for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be born, and ye your ſelves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
45, 46. Note 1. Bad men can bear guilt, but not reproach for it. 2. Strict Doctrine condemneth loo…e and guilty Preachers.
47. Wo unto you, for ye build the ſepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48. Truly ye bear witneſs that ye allow the deeds of your fathers▪ for they indeed killed them, and ye … their ſepulchers.
47, 48. See Matth. 23.3…. H…ocrites glory …n the names and honour of d…ad … and Saints, and kill the living.
49. Therefore alſo ſaid the wiſdom of God, I will ſend them prophets and apoſtles, and ſome of them they ſhall ſlay and perſecute: 50. That the blood of all the prophets, which was ſhed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
49, 50. Your Fore-fathers ſins, and yours, ſhall be revenged on you ſhortly.
51. From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which periſhed between the altar and the temple; verily … ſay unto you, it ſhall be required of this generation. 52. Wo unto you lawyers: for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entred not in your ſelves, and them that were entring in, ye hindred.
51, 52. Note; The juſt deſcription of a wicked Clergy.
53. And as he ſaid theſe things unto them, the ſcribes and the Phariſees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to ſpeak of many things: 54. Laying wait for him, and ſeeking to catch ſomething out of his mouth, that they might accuſe him.
53, 54. Their wrath ſet their wits on work to enſnare him.