A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Acts · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX.
1. AND as Jeſus paſſed by, he ſaw a man which was blind from his birth. 2. And his Diſciples asked him, ſaying Maſter, who did ſin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind.
2. Was it for any foreſeen ſin that he would after commit, or for his original ſin or for any ſin of his Parents? Or, it is commonly held that all puniſhment is for ſin: How could that be in this man? Not for his own ſin, for he had none beſides his original ſin: Not for his Parents; for God puniſheth not one for anothers ſin? What then, was it for.
N. 1. It's improbable that Chriſts diſciples thought that this Soul ſinned in another body, and Chriſt not reprove them. 2. The Diſciples knew that Adams ſin, and our Original pravity, or our Parents ſin, might be puniſhed with as great a puniſhment as blindneſs. But they ſeemed to think that ſo miſerable a puniſhment muſt be for ſome extroardinary ſin, which Chriſt denieth.
3. Jeſus anſwered, Neither hath this man ſinned nor yet his parents, but that the works of God ſhould be made manifeſt in him.
3. N. Chriſt meant not to deny. 1. That he had Original ſin. 2. Or his Parents had actual ſin. 3. Nor that theſe were a cauſe of his puniſhment. 4. But it was none of theſe that was the differencing cauſe why this man was puniſhed rather than others, q.d. Though all puniſhment be for ſin, and this mans had ſuch a common cauſe, yet no ſin was the reaſon why he was ſingled out for this ſuffering: But God deſigned it for an advantage to glorifie him in the mans miraculous cure.
4. I muſt work the works of him that ſent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.
4. God in this man giveth me an opportunity to do the work for which he hath ſent me, for the ſealing of the Goſpel and convincing the World: And I will take the opportunity, for I ſhall ſhortly be gone hence: And hereby I give you warning to work while you have day: for the night is at hand, when you ſhall on earth have time to work no more; therefore take your preſent time.
5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
5. God who made me the light of the World, will have me ſhine to it while I am here.
6. When he had thus ſpoken, he ſpat on the ground, and made clay of the ſpittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7. And ſaid unto him, Go, waſh in the pool of Siloam (which by interpretation, is Sent.) He went his way therefore and waſhed, and came ſeeing.
6, 7. N. This dirty means▪ was no more than no means, as to the ſufficienc… of Chriſts commanding power; but he will have us uſe the unlikelieſt means that we may be fit receivers.
8. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had ſeen him that he was blind, ſaid, Is not this he that ſate and begged? 9. Some ſaid, This is he: others ſaid, he is like him: but he ſaid, I am he.
8. They were ſtruck with admiration, and had much ado to believe that he was the ſame man, till he himſelf told them that he was the man.
10. Therefore ſaid they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11. He anſwered, and ſaid, a man that is called Jeſus, made clay and anointed mine eyes, and ſaid unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and waſh: and I went and waſhed; and I received ſight. 12. Then ſaid they unto him, Where is he? He ſaid, I know not. 13. They brought to the Phariſees him that aforetime was blind. 14. And it was the Sabbath day when Jeſus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15. Then again the Phariſees alſo asked him how he had received his ſight. He ſaid unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I waſhed, and do ſee. 16. Therefore ſaid ſome of the Phariſees, This man is not of God, becauſe he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others ſaid, How can a man that is a ſinner, do ſuch Miracles? And there was a diviſion among them.
10. &c. N. 1. They firſt attempted to diſprove the matter of fact, and when they could not do that, they pretended Go is Law to prove him a bad man and conſequently that it was not by God that he did his Miracles. 2. They that will try the Spirits and Miracles by the Scripture, muſt not miſunderſtand the Scripture.
17. They ſay unto the blind man again, What ſayeſt thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He ſaid, He is a Prophet.
17. N. The benefit prepared the man to judg better than they. It is a double ſin if thoſe ſhould judg ill of Chriſt who have been delivered by him.
18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his ſight, until they had called the parents of him that had received his ſight. 19. And they asked them, ſaying, Is this your ſon, who you ſay was born blind? How then doth he now ſee? 20. His parents anſwered them, and ſaid, We know that this is our ſon, and that he was born blind: 21. But by what means he now ſeeth, we know not, or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age, ask him, he ſhall ſpeak for himſelf. 22. Theſe words ſpake his parents, becauſe they feared the Jews; for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confeſs that he was Chriſt, he ſhould be put out of the Synagogue. 23. Therefore ſaid his parents, He is of age, ask him.
18. &c. N. 1. Unjuſt Judges reſolve firſt what to do, and enquire after. 2. Though excommunication be Gods Ordinance, the Devil oft uſeth it by wicked men, againſt the juſt that own Chriſt and the Truth.
24. Then again called they the man that was blind, and ſaid unto him, Give God the praiſe, we know that this man is a ſinner.
24. They ſaid, aſcribe thy cure to God, but think never the better of this man; for we know by his breaking the Sabbath that he is a bad man.
N. Wicked perſecutors that ſpeak againſt Gods ſervants, dare not directly ſpeak againſt God, but pretend to give him his praiſe, while they perſecute his ſervants.
25. He anſwered, and ſaid, Whether he be a ſinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I ſee.
25. Though you ſay you know him to be a Sinner, I know it not, nor am bound to believe you: But I wel… know he hath cured me of my blindneſs.
26. Then ſaid they to h…m again, What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes. 27. He anſwered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: Wherefore wo…ld ye hear it again? Will ye alſo be his Diſciples? 28. Then they reviled him, and ſaid, thou art his Diſciple, but we are Moſes diſciples. 29. We know that God ſpake unto Moſes: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30. The man anſwered, and ſaid unto them; Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31. Now we know that God heareth not ſinners: but if any man be a worſhipper of God and doeth his will, him he heareth.
27. Sure you do it not becauſe you would be his diſciples. 28. They took it for a reproach to be Chriſts diſciples. 30. You are ſtrangly ignorant that know not whence a man is that doth ſuch Miracles: Reaſon and common conſent tells us, that God heareth not the prayers of wicked men, ſo far as to ſignifie his approbation of them; but rejecteth them: But it is Godly worſhippers of him, and them that obey his will that he heareth and approveth. (This none that owneth a God dare deny.)
32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
32. Never man did this before (much leſs by human power) He could never do it but by Gods power and approbation.
34. They anſwered, and ſaid unto him, thou waſt altogether born in ſins, and doeſt thou teach us? And they caſt him out.
34. N. It's the way of proud wicked men, to ſcorn to learn, but to Lord it and revile and turn to violence on pretence of diſcipline, when they cannot anſwer with reaſon.
35. Jeſus heard that they had caſt him out: and when he had found him, he ſaid unto him, Doeſt thou believe on the Son of God? 36. He anſwered, and ſaid, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
35. N. Chriſt receiveth thoſe whom falſe Church governours unjuſtly caſt out. 2. Chriſt taketh advantage of mens injuries to convert the perſons injured. 3. The man was willing to believe as ſoon as he could be inſtructed whom he ſhould believe in.
37. And Jeſus ſaid unto him, Thou haſt ſeen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38. And he ſaid, Lord, I believe: and he worſhipped him.
37, 38. He believed and bowed or fell down to him.
39. And Jeſus ſaid, For judgment am I come into this world, that they which ſee not might ſee, and that they which ſee, might be made blind.
39. It is part of my judicial office in this World, to open the eyes of many that are now ignorant and blind in ſin, and to give up many to their wilful blindneſs, who think themſelves the wiſeſt men, but reſiſt the light of ſaving truth.
40. And ſome of the Phariſees which were with him, heard theſe words, and ſaid unto him, Are we blind alſo?
40. N. Proud men (eſpecially it Rulers or Teachers of others) can't endure to be told of their ſin, eſpecially of their ignorance and error.
41. Jeſus ſaid unto them, If ye were blind, ye ſhould have no ſin: but now ye ſay, We ſee, therefore your ſin remaineth.
41. If your ignorance were as blindneſs is a neceſſary natural diſeaſe, you would not be voluntary in your error and guilt of ſin: Or, if you knew your ſelves to be ignorant and erroneous, you would learn and be cured: But your error being wilful, and you conceited of your knowledg, you are guilty and unexcuſable and ſetled in your ſin,
CHAP. X.
VErily, verily I ſay unto you, He that entreth not by the door into the ſheepfold, but climbeth up ſome other way, the ſame is a thief and a robber. 2. But he that entreth in by the door, is the the ſhepherd of the ſheep.
1. I ſay to you who have caſt out this man for believing in me, you take upon you to be the true guides of the people, and you look for the Meſiah agreeable to your minds: But Gods teſtimony and miſſion is the door to the Meſſiah, and the Meſſiah is the great ſhepherd and the door to the inferior Paſtors and the Flocks: He that entereth any other way, climbeth in as a thief: But the true Shepherd (principal and Miniſterial) cometh in by the door.
3. To him the porter openeth, and the ſheep hear his voyce, and he calleth his own ſheep by name, and leadeth them out.
3. To the Meſſiah God will open the door, and to Sub-Paſtors, they that by office are door-keepers to the Church muſt open it, as to men ſent of God; And Gods Spirit teacheth Chriſtians to know the voice of Chriſt, and under him of thoſe that ſpeak his Word: And as ſhepherds there regarded every ſheep diſtinctly and called them by ſeveral names (as Plow-men now do their Oxen), and did not drive them with Clubs like Swine, but go before them and call them to their Paſture by name, ſo doth Chriſt and true Paſtors now know every member of their Flocks, and lead them by
people after him: he alſo periſhed, and all even as many as obeyed him were diſperſed.
37. This Judas pretended to be a Captain of the People againſt ſubmitting to the Roman taxing; which he called ſervitude and unſufferable.
38. And now I ſay unto you, Refrain from theſe men, and let them alone: for it this Counſel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
38. By Gods Providence without your violence.
39. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; leſt haply ye be found even to fight againſt God.
39. You will overthrow your ſelves and not it, if it be of God: Its madeſs to fight againſt him?
Note, O that the Malignant World would but examine which cauſe God is for.
40. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apoſtles, and beaten them, they commanded that they ſhould not ſpeak in the name of Jeſus, and let them go. 41. And they departed from the preſence of the Counſel, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his name.
40. Note, Cauſeleſs ſtripes were the Mercy of theſe Men. The Holy Ghoſt did not work Miracles to revenge theſe injuries to the Apoſtles: But taught them to rejoyce in this reproach for Preaching Chriſt, as their great honour.
42. And daily in the Temple, and in every Houſe, they ceaſed not to teach and preach Jeſus Chriſt.
42. And no commands, threats or cruelties made them ceaſe Preaching Chriſt publickly and from houſe to houſe.