A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
1. ANd he ſaid alſo unto his diſciples, There was a certain rich man which had a ſteward, and the ſame was accuſed unto him that he had waſted his goods. 2. And he called him, and ſaid unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy ſtewardſhip: for thou mayeſt be no longer ſteward.
1, 2. Note; We are all God's Stewards; our time and bleſſings are his goods, of which we muſt ſhortly give account, and ſhall here be no longer Stewards.
3. Then the ſteward ſaid within himſelf, What ſhall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the ſtewardſhip: I cannot dig, to beg I am aſhamed.
3. Note 1. Nature teacheth all men, in danger and miſery, to ſave themſelves, and ſtudy which way they may eſcape, and be provided for. 2. There is ſomewhat for our ſelves to do for our own welfare. 3. We muſt think firſt, what is not to be truſted to, and what way we muſt not take, before we think what way to truſt and take to. I cannot dig, &c. We cannot ſave our ſelves, and the World cannot ſave us, therefore to truſt to theſe, we are ſure, will deceive us, and is not the way.
4. I am reſolved what to do, that when I am put out of the ſtewardſhip, they may receive me into their houſes.
4. I will make me Friends that will receive me when I am caſt off.
Note 1, When we are ſure no other way will ſave us, and have found the only way that will, ſelf-love and reaſon ſhould ſoon reſolve us what to do, and what to truſt to.
2. The way to be reſolved on, is that which will help us when all others fail.
5. So he called every one of his lords debtors unto him, and ſaid unto the firſt, How much oweſt thou unto my lord? 6. And he ſaid, An hundred meaſures of oyl. And he ſaid unto him, Take thy bill, and ſit down quickly, and write fifty. 7. Then ſaid he to another, And how much oweſt thou? And he ſaid, An hundred meaſures of wheat. And he ſaid to him, Take thy bill, and write fourſcore.
5, 6, 7. Note; They were ready for their commodity to joyn in the fraud.
8. And the lord commended the unjuſt ſteward, becauſe he had done wiſely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiſer than the children of light.
8. Note; His Lord that hated his falſhood, yet commended his wit. 2. O that we had as much wit, and care, and diligence for our Souls everlaſting welfare, as falſe worldly men have for this vain World!
9. And I ſay unto you, Make to your ſelves friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlaſting habitations.
9. It is counſel of great importance to you, ſo to uſe your time and eſtates, which worldly men abuſe to ſin, that when you muſt ſhortly and certainly die, and leave all your wealth behind you, ye may be received into the everlaſting heavenly Manſions.
Note 1. The wealth, that by the wicked is abuſed to damnation, may, by Believers, be uſed to ſalvation. 2. All this World will fail and forſake us. 3. It is not thoſe that we do good to, but yet it is God, for the good we do them, that will receive us into Heaven. 4. This is a Teſtimony of the Soul's Immortality, and of the Life to come: When we leave this World, we are received into everlaſting habitations.
10. He that is faithful in that which is leaſt, is faithful alſo in much: and he that is unjuſt in the leaſt, is unjuſt alſo in much.
10. God will much judge men according to their uſe of the little things of this World, and will judge them meet for the great things of Glory, that have uſed theſe well: But he will judge them▪ unmeet for heavenly felicity, that could not uſe well the ſmall things of this tranſitory life.
11. If therefore ye have not been faithfull in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your truſt the true riches?
11. Do you think God will judge you meet for Heaven, that were falſe in your uſe of earthly things?
12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans, who ſhall give you that which is your own?
12. And if ye have proved falſe and untruſty in your Stewardſhip, and uſe of God's entruſted Mercies in this life of Tryal, where you had no aſſurance to ſtay an hour, do you think God will place ſuch as Proprietors in the Everlaſting Kingdom.
13. No ſervant can ſerve two maſters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or elſe he will hold to the one and deſpiſe the other: ye cannot ſerve God and mammon.
13. A divided heart between God and the World, is falſe to God and to it ſelf: Ye cannot be true Chriſtians and worldlings too.
14. And the Phariſees alſo who were covetous, heard all theſe things; and they derided him.
14. Note; The love of Riches riſes up againſt holy and mortifying Doctrine, with hatred and ſcorn.
15. And he ſaid unto them, Ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly eſteemed among men, is abomination in the ſight of God.
15. You applaud one another, and keep up a worldly Reputation; but God ſeeth all the evil of your hearts; and he abhorreth the covetous, whom you bleſs, and all proud and proſperous worldlings, when they are higheſt in mens eſteem.
16. The law and the prophets were until John: ſince that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man preſſeth into it.
16, Till John's days, the Law and the Prophets, that darkly foretold the Kingdom of God as afar off, were the chief Teachers of the Church; but ſince John's preaching that this Kingdom is at hand, multitudes gladly receive that Tydings and croud or preſs into it with earneſtneſs.
17. And it is eaſier for heaven and earth to paſs, than one tittle of the law to fail.
17. The Law is God's true Word, and ſhall never prove falſe: The natural-moral part ſhall continue; the Ceremonious part, the Types and Prophecies, paſs not away unfulfilled: They all pointed unto Chriſt, who fulfilleth them, though he abrogate them.
18. Whoſoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whoſoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery.
18. See Matth. 5 32.
19. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linnen, and fared ſumptuouſly every day.
19. Note; This is the deſcription of a Senſualiſt that liveth after the fleſh, to be clothed in Purple and Silk, …nd to have every day a coſtly Table of delightful meat …nd drink. Senſual fleſh-pleaſing is the common damn…ng ſin; and Riches are the fuel of fleſhly deſires.
20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of ſores: 21. And deſiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans table: moreover the dogs came and licked his ſores.
20, 21. Note 1. It is like he had ſome relief there, elſe he would not have layn there. 2. The worſt men are not uſually moſt afflicted in this life. 3. Rich fleſhly men make too great a difference between themſelves and the Poor, and think their ſuperfluities, and ſumptuous delicious fare, muſt be preferred before the neceſſities of their poor Brethren. 4. Dogs help him, whom the rich Senſualiſt would not help in any competent degree.
22. And it came to paſs that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abrahams boſom: the rich man alſo died and was buried.
22. Note; Though this be a Parable, Chriſt would not by it inſinuate falſe Doctrine: Therefore it ſheweth, that the Soul doth not die with the Body, but goeth to Joy or Miſery. Abraham is there alive, and Lazarus in his boſom; (before the final Reſurrection.) 2. Death quickly levelleth Rich and Poor; the voluptuous and the afflicted. 3. Angels that guard the Juſt in life, refuſe not at death to ſerve their Souls as their Convoy unto Happineſs. 4. To be buried in a Grave, and rot to duſt, is the beſt that the pampered fleſh of the wicked can expect.
23. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments, and ſeeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his boſom.
23. Note 1. Such notice as Spirits have is called ſeeing. 2. The Souls of the wicked paſs to Hell torments. 3. Joyful, felicity is called Abraham's boſom, to a Jew. Some think Nations are joyned in happineſs or miſery hereafter, as rewarded in the relations in which they did good or evil.
24. And he cryed, and ſaid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and ſend Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.
24. Note 1. The Parable ſpeaketh metaphorically, of Souls, as if they had Tongues; which ſignified no more than they have a torment ſuitable to their kind. 2. Voluptuous rich men would ſhorrly beg even for a very little, and that of thoſe whom they here deſpiſed, if they could help them. 3. By flame is meant a means of torment.
25. But Abraham ſaid, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and thou art tormented.
25. Thou hadſt that which thou didſt chuſe: Thou didſt prefer fleſhly pleaſure before the hopes of Heaven, and thou haſt had them. And Lazarus ſubmitted to ſufferings on Earth for the hopes of Heaven, which he preferred, and he hath now his choice.
Note 1. God doth not damn any man for his being rich, but for being ſenſual, and preferring ſelf-pleaſing before his Salvation: Nor doth he ſave any for having ſuffered in this World, but for preferring God and Heaven before proſperity, and eaſe, and for ſuffering to attain Salvation. 2. The next life will ſet all ſtraight, and tell us who made the wiſeſt choice, and were indeed the happy men.
26. And beſides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, ſo that they which would paſs from hence to you cannot; neither can they paſs to us, that would come from thence.
26. Heaven and Hell may have ſome knowledge of each others caſe, but no acceſs for converſe: Damnation is a remedileſs ſtate: The damned may wiſh for eaſe, and help, and mercy, but ſhall have none.
27. Then he ſaid, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldeſt ſend him to my fathers houſe: 28. For I have five brethren; that he may teſtifie unto them, leſt they alſo come into this place of torment.
27. O ſend him to my Brethren on Earth, to tell them what I ſuffer, and why, that they may not come hither, who are yet recoverable, and in a ſtate of hope, though my caſe be deſperate.
Note; Whether the damned retain any love to, and care of, their Brethren on Earth, or whether this be ſpoken only to explain their condition here, is uncertain.
29. Abraham ſaith unto him, They have Moſes and the Prophets, let them hear them.
29. The God of Wiſdom and Power hath determined of the way and means of converting men, which is by his Word and Miniſters, and not by Meſſengers from the Dead. If they will be ſaved, it muſt be by God's appointed Means, and not any other.
30. And he ſaid, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
30. Sure ſuch an Apparition would convince them, and affright them to Repentance.
31. And he ſaid unto him, If they hear not Moſes and the prophets, neither will they be perſwaded, though one roſe from the dead.
31. (If it were ſo, God will not change his way of Salvation to perſuade wilful, ſenſual ſinners.) But it is not ſo; for God's Word and Miniſters are a more ſuitable means of converting ſinners, than a man would be from the dead: God will bleſs his own Means: And affrighting men will not renew their Natures, and kindle in them a Love to God and Holineſs. And how little ſhould we know whether one from the Dead were a Devil, or a credible Meſſenger? and whether he ſaid true or falſe? Should he dwell with us as long as Miniſters do, men would again deſpiſe and perſecute him: Should he come but once, it would not equal the daily ſollicitations of God's Miniſters. Will one from the Dead heal all Diſeaſes with a word, and raiſe the Dead, and ſend down the Holy Ghoſt on all the Faithful, and give ſuch proof of his Truth, as the Prophets, and Chriſt, and the Apoſtles have done? Will his words have more Light and Power than God's Word hath? Or would not your fleſhly Brethren accuſe him of ſcandalizing and ſlandering the Soul of their noble deceaſed Brother, for telling them he is in Hell, and perſecute him, if he were within their power.
Note; Chriſtians, remember with thankfulneſs, that you have a far better means for your Salvation, than one from the Dead would be; and uſe it accordingly.