A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
NOW follow many more matchleſs Miracles, whereby the Lord backed his Divine Oracles and Doctrine of Truth. The firſt and next now to be gloſs'd upon is Chriſt's Caſting out of the Deaf and Dumb Devil, Mat. 12. from ver. 22, to 46. Mark 7.32. with 9.17.11.17. & Luke 11. from ver. 14, to 27. This is illuſtrated by many Remarks.
The Firſt is, Both Matthew and Mark do introduce this Miracle, by premiſing a general account of an Ambulatory Hoſpital following Chriſt from all parts. Great Multitudes followed him from place to place, Mat. 12.15. yea ſome of Eſau's Poſterity, Idumeans as well as Jews throng to touch Chriſt, Mark 3.7, 8, 9, 10. and he healed the Diſeaſes and Plagues of all that came to him, and caſt out Devils, Mat. 8.16. & 12.1…. to which is added, [When the unclean Spirits ſaw him, they fall down before him, crying, [Thou art the Son of God.] Mark 3.11. The matter was well amended ſince Satan's firſt onſet upon Chriſt in the Wilderneſs, &c. Where he then doubted, ſaying, [If thou be the Son of God,] Mat. 4.3, 6. The ſame Power can change his note to us.
The Second Remark is, As Devils truckled to Chriſt's Power in his own Perſon, ſo they did to that wherewith he impowered his Apoſtles, whom he gradually gathered to be with him to ſee his Glory, John 1.14, 39, &c. to be Witneſſes of his Works, Acts 10.39, 41. And to learn (as his Auditors) the Doctrine of the Goſpel, that they were to Preach. N. B. Note well. So that the very Apoſtles themſelves, did not at their firſt miſſion into the Miniſtry Preach by the Spirit, but what they had heard (about a Twelve-month) from the Mouth of their Maſter. When Chriſt had Called and Choſen them to the number of twelve (anſwerable to the twelve Tribes of Iſrael) and throughly inſtructed them both for Praying and Preaching work, He gives them not only a free Miſſion, Mark. 3.13. but alſo a free Commiſſion both for curing Diſeaſes, and for caſting out Devils, Mat. 10.1, 6, 8. Mark 3.14, 15. & Luke 6.12, &c. with 10 17. & 9.1. Satan falls as Lightning from Heaven before them, Luke 10.18. and that Serpent hurts them not, Mark 16.18. Nor can he finally or totally hurt either Chriſt's Miniſters or Believers, that are his Members.
The Third Remark is, Simon the Phariſee Invites Chriſt to a Feaſt, Luke 7.36. (It was fit he ſhould feaſt ſometimes, that fared ſo hard moſtly.) He is call'd Simon the Leper, Mat. 26.6. & Mark 14.3. whom Chriſt had healed of his Leproſie, and who therefore entertains his Healer (in way of Thankfulneſs) to a Dinner: and Chriſt's foregoing Words [The Son of Man is come Eating and Drinking, &c.] Luke 7.34. might poſſibly induce him to make this Invitation, as haply Chriſt's others words [Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden,] Mat. 11.28. might invite the Woman-Sinner to proſtrate her ſelf at Chriſt's-feet, &c. (leaning on his left Elbow at Meat,) Luke 7.37, 38. This was Mary Magdalen, out of whom Chriſt had caſt ſeven Devils, and became a conſort with a Court-Lady Joanna, &c. (who had been healed by Chriſt alſo) Luke 8.2, 3. The ſelf ſame Mary that was Siſter to Lazarus, John 12.2, 3. Mark 15.40. & 16.1. & Luke 24.10. Where we may not imagine Lazarus's Siſter muſt neglect to be about the Burial; Seeing Chriſt foretold that ſhe ſhould do that Office, John 12.7. This Mary (the Antients ſay) was Married to a Noble Perſon of Magdala, (call'd Papus of Judah) ſo though born at Bethany was call'd Magdalen by Marriage. This Woman Sinner meets Chriſt at Simon the Phariſee's Houſe, not as many others for curing of their Bodies, but ſhe comes for the curing of Her Soul, making her Eyes a Fountain to waſh Chriſt's feet in, that ſhe might have his ſide for a Fountain, to waſh her Soul in; and wiping them with the Hairs of her Head in ſtead of a Towel, that he might wipe away her ſins from the caule of her Heart; likewiſe ſhe kiſſed Chriſt's Feet, that he might kiſs her with the kiſſes of his Mouth, Cant. 1.2. We read not that the Virgin Mary ever did what this Mary (the great Sinner) did. 'Tis a queſtion whether Innocency or Penitency glorifie God more. This Woman loved much, Luke 7.47. Therefore brought ſhe to Chriſt an Alabaſter Box of Ointment very coſtly, John 12▪ … Preſent for a Prince, and ſuch a one as Cambyſes ſent to the King of Aethiopia, as Hero… tus and Pliny relate, ſparing for no coſt, at which Simon the Phariſee was offended (as well as Judas the Traitor) cenſuring his Betters, Luke 7.39. John 12.5, 6. Simon pretends to be more Holy, as Judas to be a better Husband, but Chriſt anſwers both their Cavils, &c.
The Fourth Remark is, After this Dinner at Simon the Phariſees Houſe, Chriſt is preſented with a ſad ſight of a Demoniack, that was both Dumb and Deaf, yea and Blind alſo, Luke 11.14. & Mat. 12.22. 'Tis ſaid in Mark 3.19, That Chriſt went into the Houſe (with his Diſciples) to wit, unto this Phariſee's Feaſt, where Chriſt's Mouth was not ſtop'd with good Chear, The Proverb is, [He that receives a Courteſie, ſells his Liberty] but ſo did not Chriſt either at Simon's Table, Luke 7.40, &c. or at Martha's, Luke 10.40, 41. or at another Phariſee's, Luke 11.37. where he ſets forth the Phariſees in their own colours, and entertaineth them with as many Menaces and Woes, as they did him with Meſſes of Meat, ver. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. & Mat. 23.13, 14, 15.25, 27, 29. But Chriſt could not reſt long in Simon's Houſe, for this Doleful Spectacle of this Demoniack was brought home to him, and the multitude were met to hear and ſee what Chriſt would do with the Devil in this Poſſeſſed; and Chriſt readily gratify'd them with the neglect of himſelf, having more compaſſion upon this miſerable man, than upon his own wearied Body. N. B. Note well. The miſery of this Poſſeſſed man was matchleſs, for (ſaith Theophylact) the Devil had ſhut up in him all paſſages of Faith and Salvation, by bereaving him of the uſe of his Eyes, Ears, and Tongue. Oh! what a great mercy have we all from our good God in the uſe of all our ſenſes, multò plures ſunt gratiae privativae quàm poſitivae (ſaith Gerſon the Chancelor of Paris.) There be more evil things we are preſerved from, than are the good things we are priviledg'd with. Alas! how ſoon may any of us be made blind, deaf, or dumb, which is aſſerted in the adage [Cuivis poteſt contingere, quod cuiquam poteſt] that which is one mans caſe (though never ſo ſad) may be any man's caſe. N. B. Note well, Such as are born deaf muſt be dumb too, becauſe language is learned by hearing it from others. And, N. B. Note well. 2. When we ſee another ſtricken with any Divine ſtroke and our ſelves ſpared, then ſhould we keep a Paſſover for our ſelves (for God's paſſing over us) and ſay that he hath puniſhed us leſs than we have deſerved, Ezra 9.13.
The Fifth Remark is, Chriſt's Favours ſeldom come ſingle to us; here was a double yea a treble Miracle of Mercy from him to this man in this deplorable caſe, 'tis ſaid Luke 11.14. Chriſt was caſting out a Devil and it mas Dumb, that is It had made the man dumb, and not only ſo, but deaf and blind too. There is a ſeries, a concatenation of mercies in this Miracle. The dumb was made to ſpeak, the deaf to hear, and the blind to ſee by the power of it. At this the People wondred, Mat. 12.22, 23. The word never works kindly till Men hear and admire it, and oh! that we could admire (with this Multitude) God's word and his multiplying Mercies on us, &c.
The Sixth Remark is, But the Phariſees (inſtead of admiring) fall on foul cenſuring of Chriſt. 1. Saying that he was Mad. And 2. That he had done this Miracle by Magick Art.
Firſt of the firſt, The Phariſees were ſo mad to ſee ſo many mighty Miracles wrought by Chriſt's Almighty hand, whereby they foreſaw not only the loſs of their Reputation among the People, but alſo the fall of their Phariſaical Kingdom. This inraged them ſo, that (as if that Devil which was caſt out of the Demoniack's Body, had got into thoſe mens Souls) they ſpread abroad a report that Chriſt was Mad, Mark. 3.21. whereof his Friends (his Mother and Brethren) hearing, came to ſee whether he was beſide himſelf (according to that malicious report) and to make proviſion for him (if they ſound it true) as for a Mad-man; but finding it falſe (thoſe Dogs, his Accuſers, were mad, not this Meek Lamb of God) however they would have interrupted him in the courſe of his Miniſtry, Mat. 12.46. [While he yet Preached to the People] and ver. 47. This muſt be a weakneſs in his Mother, who was otherwiſe full of Grace, Luke 1.28. yet was not without Original Sin (as the Sorboniſts do aſſert) but had the ſinfulneſs of other Women (in ſtoping her Son in God's ſervice, which certainly was a Sin) ſo had need of a Saviour as well as others, Luke 1.47. In this Simon's houſe Mary heard one ſay [Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee, &c.] which might puff her up to vain-glory; and out of Oſtentation might ſend for her Son out, to ſhew her Authority, &c. ſaith Chriſoſtom, as John 2.3. His Brethren believed not, John 7.5. Therefore did Chriſt give ſo ſmart a Repartee to the Meſſenger, ver. 49, 50. ſhewing that no natural Relations or Requeſts from them muſt come in competition with God's Work and Glory. In which caſe all muſt be neglected yea rejected, Deut. 33.9. though their pretences be never ſo plauſible, ſeeing [Sanctior eſt copula cordis quàm corporis] to be ſpiritually a kin to Chriſt, is more than natural, and the way to be a kin to him is to do his Will, Mat. 12.50.
Secondly, The ſame Deviliſh Malice (that lay as Venom rankling in the Phariſees Hearts) broke out oft at their Mouths to decry the Dignity and Authority of Chriſt's Miracles, and as before they had made him a turbulent Mad-man, ſo now their Blaſphemous Mouths make him an Infamous Magician, and a Contemptible Conjurer, as if he had done them by the Power of Magick: Mat. 12.24, &c. Mark 3.22. & Luke 11.15. They ſpitefully uſe the worſt of Names for the Prince of Devils (in greater deteſtation againſt Chriſt) calling him Beelzebub, Mat. 10.25. as well as calumniating his Actings by the Power of Beelzebub. N. B. Note well, This was the odious name of the Idol of Ekron, 2 Kin. 1.3. That Baalzebub is no other than the Devil of Hell: For Ekron comes of Acheron, which ſignifies Hell in Heathen Authors [Flectere ſi nequio ſuperos; Acheronta Movebo] Virgil. If the God in Heaven will do nothing for me, I will try the Devil in Hell, &c. Abimelech, when he had ſlain the ſeventy Sons of Gideon, his Father Built a Temple to Baal, whereof this bloody Baſtard made his Servant Zebub the Prieſt, which name ſignifies a Fly. Or Zebul a Dunghill, importing either that theſe Idols were but Dunghill Deities, as the word Gelulim Hebrew Excrements, is uſe in Scripture for the Heatheniſh Vanities. So Baal-zebul ſignifies the God of a Dunghill. Or Baal zebul ſignifies the Lord of a Fly, becauſe they asked help of this Idol of Ekron, againſt the Flies that ſo infeſted them for their many deviliſh Sacrifices. N. B. Note well. Oh how prodigiouſly Blaſphemous were thoſe miſcreants (the Phariſees) not only to call Chriſt a Conjurer, but alſo to make the Lord from Heaven, a Devil of Hell! Wonder it was, that at the hearing thereof, the Heaven did not ſweat, the Earth did not ſhake, and the Sea did not ſwell above all its banks, &c. N.B. our ſcandals are no leſs in ſome black Blaſphemous Mouth, &c.
The Seventh Remark is, Chriſt's confuting this curſed calumny by ſtrenuous and convincing arguments. The former of their ſcandalizing him with Madneſs, he anſwered them (as he oft did) with ſilence, and puniſhed them with contempt, committing his cauſe to him who Judgeth righteouſly. But in this latter▪ Reproach as God's Glory was highly concerned, ſo Chriſt's Cauſe and Goſpel might have deeply ſuffered, therefore makes he a moſt grave Apology in the behalf both of his Oracles and Miracles, which he maintain'd and made good by many demonſtrative undeniable arguments. As
1. Every Kingdom (ſo that of the Devils) divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand, &c. Mat. 12.25, 26. Where Diviſion is the Mother, there Diſſolution is the Daughter. The Devil is not divided againſt himſelf, for a whole Legion (which the Romans reckon ſix thouſand Armed Souldiers) of Devils were in one Poſſeſſed Perſon, Luke 8.30. yet did they ſo accord, that thoſe many did ſpeak and act as one in the Poſſeſſion. N. B. Note well, 'Twere well if that concord were found among Saints as well as thoſe Devils.
2. By whom do your Children caſt out Devils? Mat. 12.27. to wit, my Diſciples, who were Jews too, and had caſt out Devils by their commiſſion from Chriſt, yet not blamed for it; or your Jewiſh Exorciſts, Acts 19.13, 14. Mat. 7.22. Mark 9.38. Luke 9.49. whom you blame not neither, as if that Act were a beauty in them, yet a blemiſh in me as a Conjurer.
3. If thoſe Devils be caſt out by the Spirit of God, Mat. 12.28. or by the Finger of God, Luke 11.…0. (as the Spirit is the eſſential Power of the Father and Son) then the Kingdom of God is come to you, elſe ſo many Devils could not be caſt out but by a greater power to over-power him.
4. Were not this Kingdom of God too ſtrong for the Devil's Kingdom, how could the Strong-Man Armed be bound but by a ſtronger? &c. Luke 11.21, 22. and were it done by Colluſion (one Devil caſting out another by conſent, as they calumniated) why was it a torment to them to be diſpoſſeſſed, Mat. 8.28.
5. All Men and Works are either for God or Satan, there is no medium [He that is not with me, &c,] Luke 11.23. as the Devil is not, for I deſtroy his works, 1 John 3.8. Heb. 2.14. by all that I do and ſuffer, ſaith Chriſt.
6. Chriſt calls the ſpiteful cavil (againſt ſo evident works of the Spirit) the unpardonable Sin, Blaſphemy plainly againſt the Holy Ghoſt, Mark 3.29, 30. 'twas not an infirmity from Ignorance, but an enormity from malice after ſtrong convictions expreſs'd by a tongue ſet on Fire of Hell in words, and that venemous Spirit breathing out in Actions by an Helliſh perſecuting of known truth, where power is equal to malice… ſuch as ſin againſt the Father and the Son, is as a blind man running againſt a Wall, but this doing deſpite to the Illuminating Spirit, Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. is a wilful warring (with the old Giants) againſt God himſelf, &c. when thoſe final Impenitents could not cry down the credit of Chriſt's Miracles this way, the Devil taught them a new trick quite contrary, to ſay, when Meſſias comes be ſhall work no Miracles at all. Maimonides in Melach.