Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 36 · Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
OR have ye not read in the Law,5 Or have ye not read in the Law, how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath, and are blamelesse? how that on the Sabbath dayes, the Priests are appointed to undertake laborious workes, in the Temple, concerning the sacrifices, (which are double offered that day) and are notwithstanding blamelesse?
See Hose 6.6.7 I wil have mercy, &c.
See Esa 42.1.19 He shall not strive, nor cry, &c.
See Esa 42.3.20 A bruised reed shall he not breake.
Is this that Messiah,23 Is this the sonne of David? that was promised should come from the loines of David, and succeed in his kingdome?
Wee cannot denie indeed,24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said: this fellow doth not cast out devills, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devills. but that this man doth cast out devills; but this is done of him by way of compact, not by way of command; hee useth the aid and power of a greater Devill to eject the lesse.
Howsoever there may bee much collusion amongst the evill spirits,26 Aand if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himselfe: how shal then his kingdome stand? voluntarily yeelding to a seemingly forceable action, for the deceiving of men, yet a true hostility there is not amongst them; and if one devill should cast out another by strong hand, as yee see mee doe, the kingdome of darkenesse could not stand.
Yee see some of your owne nation and bloud,27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devills, by whom doe your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your Iudges. who make use of my name for the ejecting of Devills; so as in their mouthes, my name is allowed as powerfull to prevaile against the evill spirits; they shall bee sufficient witnesses to convince you, and judges to sentence you; for yee give approbation to them which make use of my name to this purpose, and yet make opposition to mee whose power enables them hereto.
28 But if I cast out Devills by the Spirit of God, then the kingdome of God is come unto you.But if I by the divine power of the Almightie Spirit of God, doe cast out devills; this, as it is a just honor to me, so it is a great privilege and hapinesse unto you, for hereby you are assured that that kingdome of the Messias, which ye have so long expected and desired, is now come unto you.
29 Or else, how can one enter into a strong mans house, and spoile his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoile his house.Which kingdome of mine cannot possibly take place, unlesse Satan bee first powerfully ejected by mee; for, since that evill spirit hath gotten so strong possession (as he hath done) of the world; how is it possible to enter upon his hold, and to spoile and defeat him, in all his wicked practices, except he be first disabled, and personally vanquished?
30 He that is not with me, is against me: and hee that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.It had beene your parts, both for your owne honour and safetie, to have set forward, and advanced this spirituall kingdome of mine; which if yee doe not, I can account you no better than the enemies thereof; for, in this case there is no neutrality; hee that is not for mee, is against me; and hee that doth not bestirre himselfe to gather with me, even whiles hee stands still, scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sinne and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not bee forgiven unto men.And now whereas the Scribes have not stucke, against the light of their owne conscience, to accuse me of casting out devills, through Beelzebub, their case is fearefull, for herein they have maliciously sinned against the evidence of Gods Spirit, convincing their hearts of the truth; and this condition is wofull, and desperate; for I say unto you, that all those sinnes which wee commit against God upon frailtie, or ignorance, or suddaine and forceable prevalence of a temptation, are yet capable of forgivenesse; but the malicious blasphemie that a man utters against the knowne truth of God, wilfully opposing the illumination, and conviction of Gods Spirit, is a sinne, as uncapable of remission, as of repentance.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonne of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.And whosoever out of ignorance, or mistaking, or by the seducement of others, shall speake words of reproach, and blasphemie against mee, the sonne of man, under the colour of this outward infirmity, and meanenesse which appeareth in me, it may bee forgiven to him; but whosoever doth despitefully, against his owne knowledge and conscience, and against the light of Gods Spirit shining into his soule, make opposition to the Sonne of God, or that saving truth that concerneth him; it shall never be forgiven to him.
There is nothing more odious to God,33 Eeither make the tree good, and his fruit good: or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is knowne by his fruit. than a false and counterfeit profession of holinesse; I could therefore wish you Scribes and Pharisies to bee such as yee seeme, either be good, and shew to be such by the fruits which ye beare; or, if yee will needs be corrupt, and wicked, let the world know you for such; howsoever your workes will descry you one time or other; the tree will be knowne by his fruit.
Yee have out of the evill treasure of your heart brought forth blasphemies against me,36 But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speake, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. whereof ye shall one day give a fearefull reckoning; for I say unto you, that even for those words which are but idle, uselesse, unprofitable, men shall be called to a strict account, in the day of judgement; how much more for wicked, and blasphemous?
Nothing will satisfie the Jewes,39 But he answered and said to them, An evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe, and there shall no signe be given to it, but the signe of the Prophet Ionas. who are a wicked and adulterous brood, but signes and wonders, whereby their infidelitie might be throughly shamed and repelled; still therefore they call for strange and miraculous workes: wherewith, although in my owne due time I shall abundantly convince them; yet now, for the present, Jonas the Prophet shall be in stead of many signes unto them.
For as Jonas the Prophet, after three dayes,40 For as Ionas was three dayes, and three nights in the whales belly: So shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. and three nights, spent in the whales belly, was restored to the light againe, and preached to the Ninivites: So shall the Sonne of man, after part of three dayes, and nights, spent in the grave, be restored to life againe, and publish, and confirme the glad tidings of salvation to men.
That Ethiopian Queene which came out of the South from Saba shall rise up in judgement &c.42 The Queene of the South shall rise up in the judgement.
Certainly,43, 44, 45. When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh thorow drie places, seeking rest & findeth none, Then he saith, I will returne into my house, from whence I came out: and when hee is come, he findeth it emptie, swept and garnished; then goeth hee, and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked then himselfe, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state, &c. it must needs be that the Jewes are in worse case, then if they had never received the knowledge of God, and of his law; for the devill hath more advantage over them, that have once knowne the will of God, and have for the time beene freed from his tyrannie, if they doe againe give way to the entertainment of his wicked motions; for then the evill spirit, finding (by consent) a second harbour there, seizeth on their hearts with more power, and freedome, then ever, and tyrannizeth over them without all controlment.
Behold, his mother,46 Behold his mother and his brethren stood &c. and his kinsmen stood without &c.
49. 50. And he stretched forth his hand towards his Disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren: for whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.And hee stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said to the messenger, Behold, you tell me of my mother, and neare kinsfolke; I do not deny due respects to my parent, according to the flesh, and to those which are of my naturall and bodily kinred; but I would have you know, that it is the spirituall kinred that I doe most affect, and stand upon; These therefore that by a true and lively faith are spiritually incorporated into mee; these that doe carefully and conscionably give up themselves to the obedience of God, my heavenly Father, these are they that may justly challenge an holy consanguinity with mee; and this conjunction of grace in the soule doth more indeare my mother and kinsmen unto me, then all earthly, and bodily regards whatsoever.