Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 36 · Chapter 19
CAP. XIX.
NEither God,8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardnesse of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. nor his servant Moses ever allowed this course of your frequent, and mis-grounded putting away of your wives, upon slight and unwarrantable occasions, onelyonly God by Moses, because hee saw your cruelty and hard-heartednesse towards your wives, (to avoid further extremities,) gave order that since yee would needs put off your wives, upon undue causes, or else doe worse, yee should give them such a writing, as might testifie that this dismision of theirs was not for any crime by them committed, but upon som other dislikes. But if yee looke to the first institution of marriage, ye shall finde that from the beginning it was not so: this liberty was not granted to the husband to put away his wife.
His disciples say unto him; If it bee so,10 His disciples say unto him, if the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. that what distaste soever the wife give unto her husband, hee may not (save onelyonly in the case of adultery) put her away, it is the best way for a man to avoyd this yoke of bondage; and not at all to marry.
Ye say it is the best way to abstaine from marriage;11 But hee said unto them, all men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. but all men are not capable of this resolution; but only they who by a speciall gift of God, have the power of continencie.
For, there are two sorts of Eunuches: some of necessity,12 For there are some Eunuches, which were so borne from their mothers wombe: and there are some Eunuches which were made Eunuches of men: and there be Eunuches which have made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of heavens sake: he that is able to receive it, let him receive. and some of will. Those which are Eunuches of necessity, are such, as either are borne such, or such as are made so by men, forceably. The other, which are voluntary Eunuches, are those, who by the power of the holy Spirit, have subdued their lustfull desires, and so brought their bodies in subjection, as that being freed from the inordinate heate of their unruly affections, they give themselves freely over to the service of God. He who findes himselfe able by the helpe of prayer and abstinence to maintaine and receive this state and gift of continencie, let him receive it.
14 But Iesus said; Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for of such is the kingdome of heaven.For of them, and such as they are, so humbly and meekely affected, doth the kingdome of heaven consist.
Upon what ground is it that thou givest mee this title of Good;17 And hee said unto him; Why callest thou me good; there is none good but one, that is God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keepe the Commandements. for herein thou affirmest a greater truth than thou art aware off. There is none good but one, and that is God, onelyonly; he is truely and absolutely good, and he alone; so as, whiles thou callest mee good, thou implyest me to be, what I am, the true God. It is a great and good demand which thou hast made, how thou mayest come to heaven; although if thou knewest the exactnesse of the Law, and thine owne weakenesse, thou wouldest easily finde that it is not doing, that can bring thee thither, but beleeving; but, if thine aime bee to purchase heaven by thy workes, behold thy taske lies open before thee, keepe all the lawes and commandements of God; which if a man doe, he shall live in them.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: What lacke I yet?Lord, if this bee all that is required of me, I am safe enough; for all these have I kept exactly, and carefully, ever since I came to the yeares of discretion; having not fayled (in respect of any maine violation) in any of them; I there no further matter then to be performed for the attaining of eternall life?
21 Iesus said unto him; If thou wilt be perfect, goe and sell that thou hast, and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.Alas young man, they selfe-love hath made thee apt to mistake thy selfe, and thy condition; the truth is, there is no one of these commandements which thou hast not broken; for the law of God is Spirituall, and doth not onelyonly reach to the outward act, but to the inward motions, and dispositions of the heart; but since thou standest upon thine owne abilities, and perfections, herein shalt thou give proofe of thy sincerite in loving God above all things, (which the Law requireth) goe thy wayes, sell that which thou hast, and give it to the poore, for the sake of that God, who shall remunerate this bounty of thine with better treasures in heaven: and when thou hast done, come and follow me, as a true and constant disciple.
24 It is easier for a Camell to goe thorow the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven.There is nothing in the world more difficult, than for that man, who hath set his heart upon his riches, to enter into the kingdome of God.
Verily I say unto you, yee that have followed mee in this mine humbled estate upon earth,28 Verily I say unto yee, that yee which have followed me; in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones judgeing the twelve tribes of Israel. shall in the day of the great restauration of all things, when the elect shall enter into a new life of unspeakeable glory; even in that great and dreadfull day, when the Sonne of man shall sit upon his throne of majesty, to judge the quick and the dead; then shall ye my Apostles, (who are now despicable and meane) have the honor to sit upon severall thrones, to second and assist this awfull act of finall judgement, of the rebellious tribes of Israel.
As for those, who have not gone so farre, as to forsake,29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands for my names sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherite everlasting life. & abandon all things, but only some particular comforts, whether houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or childrē, or lands for my names sake, because they could not injoy any of these together with the profession of my Truth, and Gospell, they shall receive (in lieu thereof) that true and solid consolation, which shall be more unto them, than an hundred fold so many severall favours, and blessings here, and at last, everlasting glory and happinesse.
But let none of you, my Disciples,30 But many that are first, shall be last, and the last shall be first. presume of his forwardnesse and precedencie of time, as if therefore hee should out-strip all others in the favour of his remuneration: for many of those which are now (as in the first houre) called to the profession of my Gospell, shall yet be cast behinde diverse others, which shall be later in time: and even those which shall come latest in time may be the first in dignity, and glory.