Review of the Paraphrase of the New Testament, Luke
On the GOSPEL according to St LUKE.
Chap. I. verſ. 5.
THe cc courſe of Abiah.]
The eighth of the four and twenty courſes of the Prieſts which miniſtred in the Temple by their weeks.
foreign.cc. Though the word foreign do literally denote the ſervice of no more then a day, yet is not ſo to be taken here, but in a greater latitude, for the ſpace of a week. p. 763. ….So ſaith Titus Boſtrenſis foreign, you muſt not underſtand the word of dayly continuance and ſerving in the Temple, but of weekly.
Ibid. verſ. 60.
[And his mother.]
And Elizabeth being alſo inſpired by God v. 41. and having by that means received knowledge of the name appointed by God, and not from her husband, who was now dumb and ſo had been ever ſince the Angel ſpake to him, v. 22. (ſee Titus Boſtrenſis p. 771. B.)
Ibid. verſ. 72.
To performe the mercy promiſed to our fathers.
Deal mercifully with our fathers, foreign.—
foreign.Ibid. Note a. Of the notion of foreign for being perfected or completed, Adde. So in Heſychius Preſbyter, Cent. 2.10. foreign, the Old Teſtament did not perfect or complete the inward man to piety, or in that reſpect. foreign, and foreign in the ſame ſenſe.
Ibid. Note c.foreign. That Theophilus was probably a feigned title, to the Teſtimony of Epiphanius, Adde, Thus Salvian, in his Epiſtle to Salonius, prefix'd before his books ad Eccleſ. Cathol. giving him an account, why he inſcribed thoſe books not by his own name, but by that other of Timothy, ſaith he followed this Euangeliſts example, qui in utroque divini operis exordio Theophili nomen inſcribens, cùm ad hominem ſcripſiſſe videatur, ad amorem Dei ſcripſit, who in the begining both of his Goſpel and of the Acts inſcribing the name Theophilus, ſeeming to have written to a man, he wrote to, or for, the love of God.
Ibid. Note i.foreign Of the notion of foreign for foreign, thou haſt found favour, Adde, the teſtimony of Theophylact, who thus expounds it, foreign, &c. when he had firſt ſaid thou that art favoured, he addes by way of interpretation, for thou haſt found favour, &c.
Ibid. To the notion of foreign for good and gracious, Adde. So Pſ. 18.26. where the Hebrew reads foreign, and the Septuagint foreign, with the merciful thou ſhalt be merciful, the Greek Scholiaſt reads foreign with the gracious thou ſhalt deal graciouſly.
Ibid. Note m. Of the notion of foreign for declaring the will of God by miſſion from him, foreign ▪without reference to predicting things to come, Adde, So the author of Synopſis Prophetiarum, foreign, Any that receives knowledge from God of things paſt is called a Prophet. So *To 3. p. 485. l. 42.Chryſoſtome, foreign. A Prophet is no more but an interpreter, but that of God. And Grammarians have obſerved that the word naturally ſignifies no more, then this of ſpeaking from, or in the ſtead of another, i. e. of God, as a Proconſul is he that ſupplies the Conſuls place, foreign in compoſition being all one with foreign. So the Poets were ſaid to be the Prophets of the Muſes, as in Pindar foreign, Let the Muſe inſpire and I will propheſy. And in Theocritus, foreign, the ſacred Prophets of the Muſes, that ſpeak under them, or as they are inſpired, and directed by them.
foreign.Ibid. Note o. The Addition of foreign in ſeculum at the end of the benedictions of the Jewes, was not in but after Ezra's time.
foreign.Ibid. Note q. Of the joyning foreign without fear] with [foreign delivered] and not with [foreign ſerve] to Irenaus's words, Adde, and *p. 772 C.Titus Boſtrenſis foreign— foreign foreign— foreign, becauſe ſome ofttimes are delivered from the hands of enemies, but with fear; therefore he ſaith, that he gives us to be delivered without fear, adding foreign— foreign, for Chriſts coming cauſed us to be without fear delivered, foreign for we felt not, had no apprehenſion of the treachery of our enemies, foreign &c. but he preſently ſnatch'd us out, and tranſferred us from them into his own lot and portion, foreign &c. which layes the obligation on us (as on thoſe that are now become his) to ſerve him in holyneſs and righteouſneſs, &c.
Of the notion of foreign fear for danger, Adde *ap. Sto…ae. p. 433.Menander— foreign foreign. A fair-ſpoken woman is an exceeding great fear, i. e. is very much to be feared, a great danger.
Ibid. Note r.foreign ▪ To the expreſſing of Chriſt by foreign, Adde. To which purpoſe alſo may be applied that of Philo foreign, the Father of all things ſent him forth (in the word from whence the original foreign comes) his moſt ancient ſonne, or firſt born.
Chap. XI. Note a. Of the notion of foreign,foreign. after the reference to Hieronymus Magius, l. 4. c. 15. Adde, And ſo Suidas in the word foreign, ſaith, foreign, Auguſtus ſent out unto all the regions of thoſe that were ſubject to him, officers by whom he made the enrolings, and in the word foreign, he ſaith, he decreed to number foreign by head foreign, all the inhabitants of the Romans, and reciting the number, his ſtyle is, foreign, there were found ſo many myriads inhabiting the dominions of the Romans.
Ibid. Note. b. Of the notion of foreign,foreign. To the vulgars reading v. 3. Ibant profiteri, they went to tell what they were worth &c. Adde, Suidas indeed in the word foreign mentioning this of Auguſtus, ſaith it was to the other end, of bringing into his treaſury foreign, a ſufficient proportion, and that it was therefore called, foreign, the firſt of this kind, by way of equal and moderate diſtribution, becauſe they that were in power before him, were wont to take away what they would. But though Suidas be an excellent Grammarian, yet in matter of hiſtory his authority is not great, and 'tis ſure enough the Roman ſubjects paid their vectigalia, certain taxes, before this, and the Publicans were the gatherers of them. And Caſſiodore's words, which ſomewhat look toward that of taxing, yet refer it not to the cauſe aſſigned by Suidas, but becauſe by the civil warres mens dominions or poſſeſſions were uncertain and confounded, and therefore this Cenſus was appointed together with a ſurvey and diviſion, ut poſſeſſio ſua nulli haberetur incerta, quam pro tributorum ſuſceperat ratione ſolvenda, that every man might have his poſſeſſion certain, and proportionably his tax be certain alſo. Caſſiod. var. l. 3. Ep. 52. It is therefore by learned men affirmed, particularly by Iſ. Caſaubon in Bar. p. 105. (and is moſt probable) that this decree of inrolling was an effect of Auguſtus's curioſity (and neither of his deſire to inrich his treaſury, nor to reforme the exceſſes of thoſe before him) and this overruled by Gods ſpecial providence, ſaith *Hom. 8. in Matt.S. Chryſoſt. that this Emperor might foreign ſerve or be inſtrumentall to the conſerving the record of the birth of Chriſt, whoſe name and his mothers as well as Joſephs, were now inrolled. And that is a farther evidence of the nature of this foreign, that it was not a taxe, for that would not have belonged to women and infants, but, as Caſſiodore ſaid, to the poſſeſſors onelyonly. And thus Suidas himſelf underſtands it in Auguſto, that he decreed to number by head all the inhabitants of the Romans, being willing to know foreign, how great the multitude was, which muſt take off all authority of his to the contrary.
Ibid. Note h.foreign. Of the notion of foreign for his fathers houſe, Adde, Thus the Syriack reads it, and thus Theophylact, foreign, in his temple. So Chryſoſtom Hom. 52. in Gen. ſpeaking of Abimelech driving Iſaac out of his countrey, askes, foreign; whither driveſt thou the righteous man? foreign doſt thou not know that whitherſoever he ſha… …pen to depart, 'tis neceſſary he ſhould be in his Fathers houſe, i. e. within his providence? And *Con. Paul. Sam…ſat ….Dionyſius Alexandr. foreign, They found me in my houſe, ſaith he by the prophet, but in the Goſpell, I muſt be in thoſe of my father, i. e. in his houſe likewiſe. So *p. 778. E.Titus Boſtrenſis, foreign; Being in the Temple of God he ſaid, knew ye not that I muſt be in my fathers (houſe?)
Chap. III. ver. 1.
[*Procuratour. Governour a of Judaea.]
Note a. Some queſtion may be,foreign ▪ what is here meant by foreign. But Obſerv. l 9. c. 13.Ja…. Cuja…ius the learned Lawyer hath cleared it; Rectiùs Vetus interpres Luc. 1. Procurante Pilato, quàm alii, praeſide. Praeſes enim Syriae tum fuit Vitellius vir Conſularis, Procurator Pilatus, Eques Romanus. Cujus rei authores habeo Tertullianum, Tacitum, Joſephum. The ancient interpreter Luc. 1. renders it more truly Pilate being Procurator, then others, Pilate being Preſident, or Governour: for Vitellius was then Governour of Syria, one that had been Conſul, but Pilate a knight of Rome was Procurator: So I learn from Tertullian, Tacitus and Joſephus.
Ibid. ver. 23.
[Thirty years of age.]
Thirty yeares old, the age before which the Levites were not to be admitted to ſacred functions. Num. 4.3. and 43. 1 Cron. 33.2.
Ibid. Note b. Of the high prieſts being choſen by the Procurator, In Heb. 5.4.Adde Theophylact. foreign. They who were at that time high preiſts of the Jewes, invaded that dignity, bought it, and ſo deſtroyed the Law, which preſcribed a ſucceſſion in the family of Aaron.
foreign.Ibid. Note. d. For the difficulty concerning Cainan in the Genealogy, ſee the learned Sam. Bochartus in his Phaleg. l. 11. c. 13.
foreign.Chap. IV. Note a. Of the notion of foreign for a roll, Adde *In Heb. 10.7.Theophylact, who explains it by foreign a roll.
Ibid. ver. 23.
[This Proverb, Phyſitian heal thy ſelf.]
That which among the Jews is by way of gibe vulgarly uſed to a Phyſitian, who is himſelf fallen into any diſeaſe, or infirmity, Phyſician &c. (which ſignifies a man that pretends to do cures abroad, but is able to do none at home) is become appliable to me &c.
Chap. VI. Note g.foreign ▪ To the notion of foreign (not for hoping to receive again, but) for diſtruſting, as that is oppoſite to liberality, Adde,*Ap. Stobae. p. 523. In the ſame ſenſe foreign is uſed in Teles his Commentary of riches and poverty, ſpeaking of Covetouſneſs, that it permits not men to uſe, or communicate their wealth, he addes, foreign, ſome mens illiberality and diffidence hath ſealed up their poſſeſſions.
Ibid. ver. 40.
[Every one *Shall be perfected as his Maſter. foreign.that is perfect ſhall be as his Maſter.]
Note i.foreign. What is the full meaning and grammatical conſtruction of [foreign—] hath been intimated. Note on 2 Cor. 13. c. To it I here Adde the conſentient judgement of Epiphanius. A diſciple, ſaith he, is not above his Maſter, foreign, but let him be made perfect as his own Maſter was (of whom the Apoſtle tells us Heb. 11.10. that he was to be made perfect by ſufferings) i. e. ready for perſecution, and evill ſpeaking.
foreign.Chap. VIII. Note a. Of the notion of foreign Adde, It is a military word, of ſouldiers releeving and defending and reſcuing one another, which is foreign, and a work of mercy. And he that exerciſeth it, is called indifferently foreign (ſee Rom. 16.2.) So in *foreignDemoſthenes, foreign, who help'd Aphobus to defraud me. And in Strabo, foreign, he maintained, defended a falſe opinion. And many the like.
Chap. IX. ver. 8.
[Elias had a appeared.]
Elias was come.
foreign.Note a. The word foreign appeared] ſeems here to be taken for foreign was come. So 'tis evidently in 2 Mac. 7.22. foreign, I know not how ye came into my wombe. So the Scholiaſt of Theocritus, foreign, appearing ſignifies coming. So Plato in the beginning of his Protagoras; foreign; that is, whence comeſt thou Socrates? *… 3. in Mat….So Chryſoſtome, foreign, thou canſt not come to the city which is above.
foreign.Ibid. Note b. Of the notion of foreign for Chriſts coming to deſtroy the Jewes, Adde. To this may be added an obſervation of *… 4 p. 44…. l. 27.S. Chryſoſtomes, foreign — foreign. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt calls his coming in the fleſh by this title of foreign or going out, citing Mat. 13.3. of the Sower going out, and John 16.28. of his having come out from the father; and the ſame *li. 35.again, foreign, Chriſt fitly calls his coming foreign, which obſervation, if it have any force in it, then may this other middle coming of Chriſt to the deſtruction of the Jewes, ſo often ſtyled foreign the coming of the Lord, and of Chriſt, be as fitly here expreſs'd by foreign, not the going away, or departure from this earth, but his coming in power and vengeance from heaven, a conſequent of his Aſcenſion thither. On *Tom. 8. p. 560.this place of S. Chryſoſtome the learned Andrew Downes obſerves, that the Hebrews expreſſe foreign and foreign any adminiſtration or diſcharge of any office, by going in and going out. Which if it be applyable to the latter of them, taken alone, (as it is both here and in that place of S. Chryſoſtome) then 'tis a farther account of the propriety of this ſenſe which I have affix'd to it, this coming of Chriſt to the deſtruction of his crucifiers being an eminent act of adminiſtration of his regal office (and thence oft called the kingdome of God) in the executing judgement on ſuch traiterous oppoſers of his kingdome.
Ibid. ver. 62.
[No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdome of heaven.]
He that holds the plough muſt follow it cloſe, and not make errands home, or betake himſelf to any other buſineſs, till his dayes worke be done, if he do he will not be fit for that imployment: So thou if thou wilt undertake my ſervice, muſt not *foreign, &c. Titus Boſtrenſis p. 79… A.defer or procraſtinate, but preſently ſet to it, without any delay, and then follow it with the ſame diligence, and if thou art not thus ready to ſet out with me, if thou either pretendeſt, or really haſt ſuch kindneſs to thy former courſe and what thou haſt left at home, as to take thee off one day from my ſervice, thou art not worthy of the dignity, and advantages of a Chriſtian life, art no competent judge of them, nor conſequently fit for a diſciple of mine.
foreign.Chap. X. Note a. Of the notion of foreign for concurrence or meeting, of two things, Adde, *In Tim. p. 251.Calcidius's definition of fortune, that it is concurſus ſimul cadentium cauſarum duum, originem ex propoſito trahentium, ex quo concurſu provenit aliquid praeter ſpem cum admiratione, a concurrence of two cauſes falling together, having their beginning from counſel, from which concurrence ſomething proceeds beſides hope with admiration.
Chap. XI. ver. 29.
[And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to ſay.]
As for the ſecond queſtion propoſed v. 16. he now in the preſence of a great multitude gave anſwer alſo to that (ſee Mat. 12.39.)
Ibid. ver. 41.
[*What you have or are able give almes or in almes: Give almes of ſuch things as you have.]
The beſt way of purifying &c. is by works of mercy and liberall almes-giving; As far as you are able reſtoring to the injured, or if there be not place for that, giving to thoſe that want.
foreign.Ibid. Note c. Of foreign &c. after the place from Deuteronom. 16.10. Adde; But becauſe the precept is here given to the hypocriticall Phariſes who may have been guilty of great ſins of injuſtice, and 'tis not impoſſible foreign may ſignifie that v. 39. (though I conceive it may fitly be taken in another ſenſe, noted 1 Cor. 5. Note h.) and becauſe this ſin of oppreſſion, and rapine, and cheating, and wronging others, is ſo ordinary in the world, that it may be reaſonable for our Saviours ſpeech to reſpect that among other ſins, and ſo to propoſe here the way, on the ſinners part, required for the cleanſing of that; Therefore it is not amiſs yet farther to obſerve, that the place here [foreign] and not [foreign] or [foreign] may in conſtruction be ſo rendred, as that the two accuſative caſes ſhall be ſet by way of appoſition, and both follow the verb [foreign] and then the meaning will be, give what you have, or as far as you are able, as far as all that you have will reach; This we know the injurious is bound to, in caſe of rapine, to reſtore all that he hath taken away, before he can hope for pardon; but in caſe he be not able to reſtore all, yet certainly he muſt go as far as he can, and that is the leaſt that will be accepted, (nay Zaccheus's example when he repented, may be fit in that caſe to be conſidered, who made a fourfold reſtitution to the injured perſon, and gave half of his goods to the poor, over and above.) And he that either reſtores to the utmoſt or doth it as far as is now in his power, he doth reſtore foreign in this ſenſe. But becauſe many caſes there are, where…n there is not place for exact reſtitution to the perſon injured, he may be gone, and all that have right to what was his and the like, and in that caſe, giving to the poor, in works of mercy or pity, is the onelyonly way left of reſtitution, and the like holds in other ſins; wherein though no other man be wronged, yet there is pollution contracted, and that muſt be cleanſed by ſome effectual works of repentance; and mercy to the poor is ſpecified as an eminent work of this kind, Dan. 4.27. therefore in all theſe, and the like reſpects, the precept is here given more generally, to make uſe of theſe works of almes, where the caſe requires, as reſtitution, where the caſe requires that, and even then, after Zacheus's example, almes alſo; And ſo the full of the precept, is foreign, give what you have in almes, even all that you have, where all is ill gotten, and the whole lump is by that means unclean, or as much as you have taken by rapine, and oppreſſion, whatever that is (with advantage) if you have ſo much: If you have not, foreign, what you have, will by Gods mercy be accepted. And ſo in other ſins, wherein others have not been injured, or wherein no reſtitution is required, ſtill a very liberal almes-giving is required, not onelyonly ſo much, as were every mans duty, abſtracted from theſe pollutions thus contracted (as almes-giving, we know, is ſimply under precep…, and ſome degree of it is our righteouſneſs, in the ſacred ſtyle, we are unjuſt if we performe it not) but in ſome proportion to a treſpaſſe-offering, ſo much more, as a fruit of repentance, and a revenge on our ſelves, and an evidence of our true contrition for our ſins. And this, in reſpect of the quotum, ſet down indefinitely (not defining the juſt proportion, but leaving that to our choice) foreign, what we have, or are able to give, and not onelyonly ſome ſmall mite, unproportionable, as it would perhaps be interpreted, if it were here [foreign] in Gemiſthus's notion premiſed, or as that is no more than [foreign] in Tobit, out of what thou haſt.
Verſ. 44.
[Which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.]
Grown over with graſs, and they that ſee the green outſides of them, Mat. 23.27. know not what is within, viz bones of men and putrefaction, and ſo are defiled and polluted by them, (See Note on Mat. 23. ff.)
Ibid. Note f.foreign. Of the notion of foreign for pozing, Adde, as an angry ſchoolmaſter that ſeeks occaſion of ſeverity againſt a ſcholar; Theophylact expounds it by foreign, and foreign, and foreign, asking often, one queſtion after another, enſnaring.
Chap. XII ver. 15.
[*Or, no mans life if he have never ſo much abundance, depends on his poſſeſſions. Mans life conſiſteth not in the abundance of the things which he poſſeſſeth.]
Verſ. 19.
[*Feaſt. foreign. Be merry.]
Live feſtivally, pleaſe himſelf and entertain others.
Verſ. 50.
[*I am to be baptized with a baptiſme. I have a baptiſme.]
Note e. Of the notion of foreign for fixedneſs of attention, Adde,T… 6. p. 965. foreign. Chryſoſtome foreign, to look earneſtly, without ever looking off, on him that holds up the mappa or white cloth in the races.
foreignIbid. Of foreign for doubting, or ſuſpence, Adde, So in Dorotheus, *P. 806. E.foreign. 1. foreign and foreign are all one, when one is not intent on what he hath in hand, but is uncertain, and indifferent which to take to, all one with foreign following, being carried about without any certain aime.
foreignIbid. Of foreign taken for ſollicitude, Adde, Theophylact, foreign, he forbids ſollicitous care under that phraſe.
foreign.Note c. Of foreign in an expreſſion of wiſh and deſire, preferred before the ſecond rendring, Adde, unleſs we prefer that other reading, which we find in Marcus Eremita *p 923. Dde baptiſ. foreign, and I would be pleaſed, or glad, if it were already kindled.
foreign.Note d. The phraſe foreign] is all one with foreign the note of the future. So 2 Eſdr. 4.45. habet venire is uſed for foreign is to come. And in the Athanaſian Creed foreign they ſhall riſe] is rendred in Latine, habent reſurgere. So in *To. 1. p 92. li. 29.Chryſoſtome. foreign for foreign ▪ and again foreign, i. e. foreign, And ſo †Inſ…t. l. 4. c 12. Ib c. 30.oft in Lactantius, *To. 2. p. 64. l. 4.quod carne indui haberet in terra, i. e. that he was to be incarnate, and again, quòd plurimae ſectae & haereſes haberent exiſtere, that there ſhould be many ſects and hereſies.
Chap. XIII. ver. 3.
[Except ye repent.]
If you continue your preſent wicked practiſes raiſing ſedition under pretence of piety, as frequently you are apt to do (ſee Titus Boſtrenſis p. 803. C.) then as they periſhed &c.
Ibid. ver. 31.
[The ſame day there came certain of the Phariſees, ſaying unto him, get thee out, and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee.]
Upon his inſtructing the people and doing miracles, in this manner, ſome of the Phariſees unwilling that they ſhould thus ſee his power, and hear his doctrine, were very deſirous to have him gone, and for a pretence ſuggeſt the danger that he was in from Herod, if he ſhould ſtay any longer, ſaying, Go out of Galilee, Herods juriſdiction; for if thou ſtay here, he will put thee to death.
Verſ. 32.
[*This, foreign.That fox.]
Herod, (by the manner alſo of the expreſſion, left dubious,foreign. Titus Boſtrenſis. p. 805. B. intimating the ſubtlety of the Phariſees, diſguiſed by them, but by him diſcerned, who by the mention of Herods deſign to kill him, thought to drive him out of their coaſts) that I attend &c.
Note b.foreign. Ap Stob. p. 280. To the teſtimony of Simplicius concerning foreign for inſtruction, Adde, Zaleucus in his prooem to his Lawes, where foreign and foreign are put together as phraſes of the ſame importance, wiſe men and ſuch as meant to be ſafe.
foreign &c.Ibid. Note b. Of the notion of foreign] for the time of his doing miracles, Adde Theophylact, foreign, I muſt ſtay here a while and do miracles.
Chap. XIV.35.
[It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men caſt it out. He that hath ears to hear let him hear.]
It is not fit, or uſeful (as ſome things are) to enrich the ground, no nor to mix with other things, which being corrupted from their primary uſe, are yet good for that; and ſo are kept, though in a mean place, for that uſe, but is utterly unprofitable, and generally dealt with as ſuch, caſt out without any reſpect. Let every diſciple, every Chriſtian, deſigned by Chriſt to be the ſalt of the earth, lay this to heart, for he is neerly concerned in it.
foreign.Ibid. Note c. In the end, Adde, But perhaps, and indeed moſt probably, foreign here may, in the husbandmans notion, ſignify [land] whether paſture, meadow, or tillage, all which are improved by manure. So is foreign uſed Heb. 6.7. Now two ſorts of manure there are; Some things have a peculiar propriety to the enriching of ground, and are uſed alone, without mixture of any thing elſe with them, as to ſome ground, marle, lime, &c. Some things having not this propriety in any ſpeciall manner, yet being in mixture with thoſe that have, are fit for this turne, and of ſuch generally our mixum's or compoſt's are made, whe…e…n all kind of dung being one ſpeciall ing…d…nt, that mixum may wi…l be the thing …at is he…e expreſs'd by foreign or dunghill, whither, as is here intimated, many other things are caſt, as well as dung. Now ſalt, which is very good for domeſtick uſes, when that loſes its virtue, when 'tis corrupted, foreign, and ſo is no longer good for thoſe uſes, 'tis likewiſe good for nothing elſe. Other things, when they are corrupted, do but change their uſe; dung it ſelf, in the utmoſt degree of putrefaction is good for enriching of land, but ſalt corrupted, quite unlike other putrid things, is not good ſingly by it ſelf, to be laid on any ſort of land, no nor in mixture, or compoſt with any thing elſe, no not with dung, which is moſt uſefull. And this is the ſtate of a putrid diſciple, a corrupt Chriſtian, he doth hurt, whereſoever he is, but no kind of good, and therefore as a wicked, and not onelyonly unprofitable ſervant (or as foreign unprofitable is the worſt character, that can be) foreign, he is caſt out, as here the unſavory ſalt, as foreign rejectaneous, or reprobate, whereas the good Chriſtian is elect, precious, a good and faithfull ſervant, very profitable to his Maſters uſe, and honour, and the advantage of other men.
Chap. XV. Note c.N…aple. To the uſe of foreign for one engaged in a wicked courſe, Adde, 1 Tim. 5.6. She that lives in pleaſure is dead, while ſhe lives. So the Jewes have a ſaying, Ill men while they live are ſaid to be dead. And ſo the ancient Arabs. Not he that is at reſt is dead, but the living dead man he is truly dead.
Chap. XVI. ver. 25.
[And Abraham ſaid, Sonne remember, that thou in thy life time receiveſt thy good things.]
25. And Abraham with all *foreign &c. foreign, Titus Boſtrenſis, p. 818. C.mildneſs and gentleneſs, and compaſſion, without any reproaching or reviling ſaid unto him, All that I can in this thy ſad condition impart to thee, is only to tell thee what thou art now to expect, and to mind thee of the reaſonableneſs of it; For all thy portion of abundance and proſperity and eaſe, and felicity, without intermixture of afflictions, thou haſt already enjoyed, and ſpent upon thy ſelf in thy life time, without imparting them to any other though in neverſomuch want of thy releef.
Note e. The phraſe of receiving thy good things ſeems to be agreeable to the Hebrew ſtyle which uſeth foreign receiving his world] for an uninterrupted courſe of ſecular felicity, when all things ſucceed according to a mans will in this world, according to an antient ſaying of theirs, foreign, whoſoever ſhall paſs thorough forty dayes without chaſtiſements hath received his world, a full abundant reward for all the good he hath done here.
Verſ. 17.
*But foreign.[And it is eaſier.]
Which you are not to look on, as any deſigne that the Law, and Prophets, the ſubſtancial parts of the Jewiſh religion ſhould be aboliſhed, or any carnal liberty brought in, inſtead of it by Chriſtianity, that ſhall never be, See Matt. 5.17. and Note g.
Chap. XVIII. ver. 2.
[Neither regarded man]
Nor was moved with ſhame or remorſe, or compaſſion toward any man.
Ibid. Note b. Of foreign read,foreign. which Pſ. 103.9. is rendred foreign, and ſo 1 Theſ. 2.16. ſignifies long duration, &c.
Ibid. Note i.foreign Of the reading of foreign not foreign, to Chryſoſtome Adde,p. 1075. C. and Antiochus, foreign.
Ibid. ver. 38.
[Jeſus thou ſonne of David, have mercy on me.]
O thou omnipotent eternall ſonne of God of whom the Prophets have told us, that thou ſhouldeſt be born of a Virgin, of the off-ſpring of David, I beſeech thee to pardon my ſins, and ſhew thy divine power in healing me.
Ibid. ver. 42.
[Thy faith.]
Thy beleeving me to be the Meſſias, expreſs'd by thee, v. 38.
Chap. XIX. v. 14.
[ But his citizens.]
Now the reaſon of his journey to that far countrey, v. 12. was becauſe thoſe his countrey-men, &c.
Chap. XXII. ver. 41.
[Was d d withdrawn.]
Note d d. The uſe of the word,foreign. foreign is obſervable among the Helleniſts, ſignifying no more than to depart. So 2 Mac. 12.10. foreign, when they were departed thence nine ſtadia. So Act. 21.1. foreign, we were gone or departed from them. And ſo if that be the word in this place, it muſt certainly ſignifie no more, but will be thus beſt rendred, [he departed from them] But then the Kings MS. reading foreign, that is not capable of any other rendring.
Chap. XXIII.29.
[Bleſſed bb are the barren.]
Heavy dayes are ſhortly to come upon this people, miſerable ſtreights and diſtreſſes by famine firſt, and then ſoon after even utter deſtruction, &c.
Ibid. ver. 31.
[If they do theſe things on a green tree, what ſhall they do on a dry?]
The righteous and the wicked together Ezec. 21.2, 3. or the rich and the poore together, &c. And if my portion, &c. be ſo ſad and lamentable under the Roman Judge and Souldiers, what will become of the profeſt enemies of God, who, &c. and ſhall fall into the hands of whole armies of the Romans? Or if in the diſtreſs that ſhall come upon you, the rich and noble ſhall be put to ſuch ſtreights, then what will the condition of the meaner ſort be?
foreign.Note b b. This expreſſion of the dayes approaching, that they ſhall ſay foreign, bleſſed are the barren, &c. had certainly its completion, in what befell Jeruſalem in the time of the ſiege. But more particularly it may refer to one paſſage: After that Titus had incompaſs'd the city with a wall, ſo that none could come out to forage, they were forced to feed on dung, ſaith Joſephus, on ſhooes and girdles, &c. and for want of ſuch proviſion as this, one Marie, a noble and rich woman, daughter of Eleazar, bereaved of all by the Seditious, killed her ſucking child, and dreſt it, and eat part of it, and the ſouldiers breaking in upon her, and finding a part left, went away in deteſtation, and preſently the newes of it went over the whole city, and every one, ſaith *l. 7. c. 8.Joſephus, look'd upon it with horror, and with the ſame compaſſion, as if they had done it themſelves. Then was this ſpeech fit for them to take up, on hearing this horrible newes, Bleſſed are the barren, and the womb that never bare, and the paps that never gave ſuck ▪ in compariſon to thoſe that are forced to feed on the fruits of their wombs, and devour their own ſucking infants. And then that which followes; [If they do theſe things on a green tree, foreign.what ſhall be done on a dry?] may perhaps be beſt interpreted in relation to this particular fact alſo, of that noble and rich woman, Marie. If ſuch horrible things befall the wealthyeſt among you, what a diſmal ſtate ſhall all others be involved in? This may poſſibly be the meaning of the phraſe. But if not, then in that other notion of the righteous and the wicked, it may have had its completion alſo.