sowre dow that diffuseth it self to the whole lump of bread with which 't is mix'd as their disposition doth to all their sect 7. And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread Paraphrase 7. And they understood not his meaning but from the mention of leaven grosly conceited that the occasion of his speech was because they had forgotten to bring bread along with them 8. Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread Paraphrase 8. What a piece of infidelity is this thus to apply my speech to the want of bread 9. Doe ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Paraphrase 9. Will you never lay to heart or consider Have you so soon forgot how easily I am able to releive your want of bread Ye have had two competent evidences of this very lately afforded you five thousand men fed with five loaves and yet twelve baskets of fragments to spare after they were satisfied 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and 〈◊〉 many note b baskets ye took up Paraphrase 10. And so four thousand fed with seven loaves and seven baskets of fragments remaining 11. How is it that you doe not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 11. How then could ye be guilty of so grosse an infidelity as to think me still unable to provide necessaries for my self and you and consequently to speak of bread when I bid you 12. Then understood they how that he bad them not beware of the leave◠of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 12. Then they understood their mistake how that he had not spoken of bread or leaven literally but that he foretold them what kind of people all the Pharisees and Sadducees were and all that were leavened or taught or received infusions from them viz. that all the whole tribe of them were a sort of hypocrites Luke 12. 1. who pretended much piety and love of the truth and so enquired after signes from heaven v. 1. but were indeed most perversly and maliciously bent against Christ and his doctrine and would prove the most virulent persecutors both of him and them c. 10. 17. 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of note c Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I note d the son of man am Paraphrase 13. And being on his way Mar. 8. 27. to Cesarea Philippi he asked his Disciples What opinion have the multitude Lu. 9. 18. of me doe they take me for an ordinary man or a Prophet or what else 14. And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets Paraphrase 14. Some old Prophet of the old Testament either risen from the dead as 't is clear they expected Elias should come again or else that the soul of one of them was by way of transmigration which the Pharisees had borrowed from the Pythagoreans come into his body See note on Joh. 9. a. 15. He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16. And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the son of the living God Paraphrase 16. To this question Simon Peter particularly rendred an answer Thou art the Messias even the 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah for note e flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 17. This faith of thine is not built upon humane testimony but upon the miracles and doctrines which thou hast heard and seen which are the testimonies of God himself whereby he hath testified of me to thee and such as thou art Mat. 11. 25. See note on c. 15. d. 18. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this note f rock I will build my church and the gates of note g hell shall not prevail against it Paraphrase 18. And seeing thou hast so freely confest me before men I will also confesse thee Thou art c. that is The name by which thou art stiled and known by me is that which signifies a stone or rock and such shalt thou be in the building of the Church which accordingly shall be so built on thee founded in thee that the power of death or the grave shall not get victory over it the Christian Church now to be planted shall never be destroyed 19. And I will give unto thee the note h keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 19. And I will give thee as afterwards to all the twelve c. 18. 18. and more distinctly Joh. 20. 23. the keyes of the gate of this court or kingdome the Church of which every one of you is to be the steward as the keyes of the court were given to Eliakim Isa 22. 22. in token of his being steward of the house to admit and exclude whom he pleased that is both power and ensigne of power Apoc. 3. 7. to exercise censures and by them to exclude men in case of their impenitence either by laying some restraints on them in the Church or to turn them out of the gates of this city and upon repentance to receive them into the Church again And what you doe here as you ought to doe shall be valid in heaven 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must goe unto Hierusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Paraphrase 20 21. The disciples knowing that he was the Messias and having told him so v. 16. he commands that this be not publickly disclosed till after his resurrection at which time in his wisdome he thought it most seasonable telling them that it was necessary that Christ should be put to death by the instance of the Jewish Sanhedrim See note on chap. 8. b. 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying note i Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Paraphrase 22. God forbid or avert this from thee or as the Syriack reads be propitious to thy self Lord. 23. But he turned and said to Peter Get thee behind me note k Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Paraphrase 23. a snare or stumbling block moving me to that which were a sin if I should yeild to it
thus it is with God he is very unwilling that any the meanest person upon earth should be lost that might with any care or methods of ours be recovered to piety 15. Moreover If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee â—hou hast gained thy brother Paraphrase 15. To this purpose these directions I shall now give which I require to be used in the Church for ever If any fellow Christian of thine doe thee any injury and by so doing offend against God thy charity to him as it must be sure to put off all thoughts of revenge against him to forgive him freely v. 22. so will it oblige thee to use all prudent methods to reduce him to a sense and reformation of his fault and by the same reason this is to be extended to all other wilfull crimes of which thou seest him guilty those being as fit to exercise this part of thy charity towards his soul as any injury done to thee immediately and let this be the method first go and admonish him of it privately so that it have nothing of shame or reproach joyned with it and if he mend upon such admonition there 's an end thou hast reason to rejoyce as at the finding the stray sheep that thou hast been so happy an instrument of his repentance 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Paraphrase 16. But if this first method of thy charity succeed not another essay must be made take with thee one or two other men either that the crime which thou layest to his charge be so confirm'd to him by sufficient testimony Joh. 8. 17. that he be no longer able to deny it as that which cannot be contradicted or denyed is said to be established Heb. 6. 16. or that the authority of these added to that of thy private admonition may be of more force with him induce him to condemn himself at least be more likely to doe so be more weighty in the presence of two or three 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Paraphrase 17. But if he be still refractary either through non-conviction of the fact or non-contrition for it if this second admonition work not on him then make it a matter of publick cognizance tell it to the rulers of the assemblies saith S. Chrysostome see Power of Keys c. 2. § 12. or tell it in the presence of all the people that before them the Governour may rebuke him as Timothy is appointed to doe 1 Tim. 5. 20. But if this last method succeed not neither if he be still refractary thou art then to look on him as a desperate deplored sinner see Power of Keys c. 2. § 9. fit for the censures of the Church to overtake him 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 18. Which ye therefore to whom now I speak the designed rulers of the Church and your successors the Bishops are in this case to proceed to to use the Keys given to you as Stewards of the house c. 16. 19. for the ejecting of such And I assure you whomsoever see note on c. 11. k. ye shall thus cast out of the Church on earth shall without repentance and submission to your censures and reformation upon them and sincere desire to reconcile and approve themselves to you be by me excluded from steaven These censures of yours inflicted by this commission from me shall be back'd by me And so whomsoever ye shall upon sincere repentance receive into the peace of the Church again he shall by me be pardoned also 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing note b that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 19. As for the second of the three admonitions spoken of v. 16. see note on c. 7. b. this I assure you that as the assize of three men among the Jews had some power so shall any two or three Christians joyning in such a reprehension be considerable in this matter having the priviledge of Gods presence as in their prayers thus united so in their united admonitions to give them authority assistance and blessing 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Paraphrase 20. For where two or three are met or assembled for this piece of discipline as for any holy action besides there am I present with them in a special manner and will not suffer the actions which thus they undertake by my appointment to be set at nought by any 21. Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Paraphrase 21. When Christ had gone thus farre by way of returne from the last to the second and before he proceeded from that to the first Peter interposed this question the answer to whcih comes home to the first of the three also Sir seeing I am bound to forbear my brother or fellow Christian that injureth me and not to act any revenge upon him as we were taught by thee Mat. 5. 39. and seeing now upon admonishing him that hath injured me in case he repent either on the first or second or third admonition I am to proceed no farther against him but forgive him and rejoyce that I have done so much good upon him v. 15. yet because he that hath thus trespassed and repented once may possibly trespasse again and repent again see Luke 17. 3 4. I desire to be taught by thee how oft I am to do this to forgive him that though he repent of his injury aske forgivenesse and promise to doe so no more see v. 26. 29. yet oft times relapses again How oft must I be thus indulgent to him and forgive him upon his request must I doe it often or seven times 22. Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee untill seven times but untill seventy times seven Paraphrase 22. This rule is to hold eternally not only for a great but an unlimited number of trespasses supposing that the trespasser repent and promise amendment for the future Lu. 17. 4. ootherwise thou art not so bound to passe by his trespasse but that thou maist by the means prescribed v. 15. c. endeavour his reformation for in that case that is the greatest charity he is capable of 23. Therefore is the kingdome of heaven like unto a certain King which would take account of his note c servants Paraphrase 23. To
opposed and persecuted by men they shall be own'd and crown'd by God as his Martyrs or Confessors 11. Blessed are ye when note e men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Paraphrase 11. When ye shall be reviled and persecuted and have all kind of evil reports calumniously raised against you because you are professors of the faith of Christ â—this was the condition of Martyrs and Confessors in the Christian Church when Christianity it self was persecuted as ver 10. of all that constantly adhere to any part of Christian duty and are not by any temptations of persecution c. moved out of it 12. Rejoyce ye and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Paraphrase 12. Exult or leap for joy for God will reward upon you not only your integrity and your patience but their multiplied revilings and slanders with a multiplied recompense in another world For thus were the Prophets before you dealt with those that came with commissions immediately from God with whom if ye communicate in doing well and suffering patiently ye shall proportionably partake of reward with them 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt note f have lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men Paraphrase 13. You disciples all sorts of true Christians see note a. are the men that by your doctrine and exemplary piety and charity are to keep the whole land the whole world from putrefying But if your lives grow unsavoury or noysome what meanes is there imaginable to repair or recover you None certainly And then are ye unsavoury Christians the most unprofitable refuse creatures in the world and so shall be accounted of Mark 9. 50. Luke 14. 34. and dealt with accordingly 14. Ye are the light of the world A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid Paraphrase 14. As a city set upon an high illustrious place is seen by all that travail neer it and by them enquired after what it is so the Christian Church which is a most conspicuous society in respect of the difference of their lives from other men cannot chuse but be taken notice of by the rest of the world and either attract them by their good or discourage and deterre them by their evil examples Isa 60. 11. Phil. 2. 15. 15. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house Paraphrase 15. It is my design in you in the doctrine which ye are to preach and the exemplary lives which you are to live to set up a torch or eminent luminary like the sun in the firmament for all the world to be enlightned by it and directed in the actions of their lives Now ye know 't is not mens meaning when they light a candle to put it under that which will cover and shut up the light of it but to set it up at the best advantage so that it may dispense its light most freely to all that are within reach of it And so must ye diffuse your doctrine and examples to all the heathen world whose ignorance and sins render them answerable to the dark parts of the house which yet the candle when it comes to them doth illuminate 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven Paraphrase 16. Honest honourable commendable actions such as are not practised by other men 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the note g law and the prophets I am not come to destroy but note h to fulfill Paraphrase 17. To take any thing from the Law and the Prophets i. e. the rule of duties toward God and man in force among the Jews to loose mankind from the obligations that formerly lay upon them v. 18 19. and note f. to permit much lesse to cause any one morall command to be evacuated but to repair and make up whatsoever is any way wanting to restore whatsoever hath been taken from it by false interpretations of those which have striven to evacuate some parts of it to require more explicitly what was obscure before and where there is any need to encrease and adde unto the Law 18. For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth passe one note i jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the law till all be fulfilled Paraphrase 18. Till the world be destroyed and all things come to an end no one least particle shall depart from the Law or be taken away or loose its force or obligation 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven but whosoever shall doe and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heaven Paraphrase 19. By his practise and doctrine evacuate any one of the least commands of the Law or which I shall now deliver to you he shall be the least see note on c. 8. k. i. e. be despised and rejected by God in the day of judgement which is called Gods Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 1. Mat. 25. 1. or he shall be cast out of the Church be thought unworthy of having his name retained in the catalogue of Christians here or Saints hereafter as among the Jews he that did teach and do contrary to the determination of the Consistory i. e. who being a Doctor of the Law did teach any thing to be lawful which the determination of the Consistory made to be unlawful he was look'd upon as a rebellious Elder and was by law to be put to death But whosoever shall himself practise and teach others to practise all not neglecting the very least of them shall be rewarded in an eminent manner here and at the day of judgement shall be a principal Christian here and Saint hereafter advanced to the dignity of judging others and to the glory attending it in heaven 20. For I say unto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven Paraphrase 20. Shall abound more above the ordinary practise of men then the actions or righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees abounds 21. note k Ye have heard that it was said by them of old times Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement Paraphrase 21. Delivered by Moses in the Law to the Jews that they should commit no murther and that he that did so should be lyable to be tryed for his life pleadable in the lesser Sanhedrim the house of twenty three men who had
the Prophets in the Old Testament and not seldome used in the Writers of the New So Mat. 12. 22. the blind and the dumb both spake and saw that is the blind saw and the dumb spake and c. 18. Christ having mention'd the three degrees of Admonition by one alone by two or three and by the Rulers in the presence of the assembly v. 15 16 17. he then resumes to speak somewhat farther of each of these and begins first with the last what in case of such refractarinesse the Rulers of the Church are to doe Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth c. v. 18. And then v. 19. in reference to the second thing mention'd the admonition in the presence of one or two v. 16. Again Verily I say unto you that if two of you shall agree upon the earth c. it shall be done unto them of my Father From which before he proceeds back again in the first place to the first of the private admonition Peter asks a question which introduces the discourse which was proper to have been deliver'd on that subject So c. 23. 16. Christ having mention'd swearing by the Temple first and then by the Altar v. 18. he after refuming them both again v. 20. begins first with that of the Altar and then that of the Temple after it So in that c. 23. 25. having mention'd first the outside of the cup and platter and then the inside v. 26. he returns first to the cleansing of the inside then the outside of it So Rom. 212. S. Paul having affirm'd two things the first of the Gentiles that had not the Law that they should perish without it the second of the Jews that had the Law that they should be judged by it he v. 13. speaks first of the second for the hearers of the Law c. and then v. 14. of the first For when the Nations c. So Rom. 14. having set down two heads of discourse that the strong should not set at nought the weak Nor secondly the weak judge or condemn the strong v. 3. he resumes the latter first v. 4. who art thou that judgest and then v. 10. returns to the former and thou why dost thou set at nought thy brother So 1 Cor. 6. 11. After the general of washing which contains the two subsequent sanctifying and justifying the mention of our Lord Jesus Christ which is first named belongs to the latter that of Justification and the Spirit of our God to the former that of Sanctifying So 2 Cor. 2. 15. Having mention'd the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first them that are saved and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that perish he goes back v. 16. first to the latter to those a savour of death unto death then to the former to those a savour of life unto life So Philem. 5. hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all Saints 't is apparent that the Saints are the object of the Love and the Lord Jesus of the Faith So Heb. 5. where in the four first verses there are three things propounded of an high-Priest 1. that he offer for sin 2. be compassionate to sinners and to that end be himself infirm and offer for himself as well as the people 3. that he be called to this office by God himself To these three all applied to Christ the Apostle speaks particularly and to the last first So likewise Christ glorified not himself to be an high-Priest c. v. 5. 6. Then to the second v. 7 8. who in the daies of his flesh offer'd up prayers c. and then to the first last v. 9. being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation c. So Heb. 9. 1. having named two things the ordinances of worship and the worldly sanctuary he dilates first on the last of them v. 2 3 4 5. For there was a tabernacle made c. and then after comes back to the former v. 6. Now when these things were thus ordain'd the Priest went alwayes c. So Heb. 10. 33. having mention'd two acts of suffering in them the first personal in themselves by reproaches and afflictions the second by way of sympathy with the Apostles in the next verse he resumes both but first the latter for ye had compassion on me in my bands and then the former took joyfully the spoiling of your goods So 2 Pet. 3. where the Atheists objection consists of two parts 1. that God hath not made good his promise concerning his coming v. 4. 2 ly as a proof of that that there had been no sensible mutation since the beginning of the world in the latter part of the verse The Apostle makes answer first to the latter v. 5 6 7. and then comes back and satisfies the former also v. 8. c. And to instance no more two examples of this there are most clearly here in this place The first in the sixt and seventh verses for having mention'd two things v. 5. pulling out the beam in thine own eye that is reforming a mans own sins secondly casting out the mote out of thy brothers eye that is reprehending faults in other men he speaks first to the latter of these the matter of reprehension v. 6. and then v. 7. returns to the former the means that must be used for the reforming our selves prayer for grace which shall so surely bring it The second here in the sixt verse where having mention'd the Dogs and the Swine he first speaks of the Swine and after of the Dogs for certainly the treading belongs to the Swine and the rending to the Dogs for the Swine doe not use to turn and rend but the Dogs doe and therefore Munster's Hebrew reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dogs returning c. and Dogs doe not tread under their feet what is cast to them as Swine doe These are both proverbially spoken to expresse how sure good charitable reprehensions are to be cast away upon incorrigible sinners according to that of the Satyrist vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt Scauros castigata remordent Enormous vices if they be chastised or reprehended will contemn and bite again V. 9. Will he give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here no more then will he give The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being oft all one with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquid as in the Gemara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquid scriptum est is it written V. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and in some other places hath a peculiar notion neerer an Expletive then a Causall and is best rendred by the Latine scilicet the English Thus or the like as a form only of introducing the speech that comes after He shall say unto them what shall he say Why or thus he shall say I know you not c. So c. 10. 7. and so c. 26. 72. He denied with an oath
the iota or title mentioned before c. he shall be least in the kingdome of God that is indeed shall not be admitted at all which by this figure is thus express'd in relation to what went before He shall be the least as he breaks the least without which that would not have been the style in all likelyhood Thus Isai 65. 11. Yee are they that furnish the drink offering to that number Therefore will I number you to the sword c. Thus Mat. 12. 50. upon mention of his mother and brethren seeking him which was literally true of Mary c. Christs reply is in another not a literall sense Whosoever doth the will of my father the same is my brother and sister and mother So 1 Cor. 8. 2. speaking of the knowing of God in the vulgar ordinary sense of knowing he adds v. 3. but if any man love God he is known of God in another notion of knowledge for approbation and in the same kind again Gal. 4. 9. Now after ye have known God or rather are known of God and Rom. 14. 13. Let us no longer judge one another that is censure separate from communion but rather judge this quite in another sense as Judging signifies thinking fit and resolving and Rev. 22. 18 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man shall adde to these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God shall adde to him the plagues c. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man shall take away God shall take away his part out of the book of life Agreeable to these is this phrase here on mention of the dead father preceding Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me that is not let the dead but let others do that office interre the dead but thou that art a consecrated person must do that to which thou art consecrated which in all probability if it were not a proverbiall speech known among them was yet the imitation of some other proverb as Like to like the living to the living the dead to the dead c. which are not always to be required to the literall sound of the words wherein they are express'd V. 28. Tombs 'T was usuall for the Devils to abide in tombs to confirm in men that vain perswasion of the souls of men after Death being turn'd into Devils see Hieron Magius miscellan l. 4. c. 12. and for divers other ends for which the solitude of such places was advantagious to them none using to come thither but to bury their dead V. 30. Swine That there were Swine among the Gadarens contrary to the Jewish customes will not bee strange when 't is remembred that Gadara is by Josephus numbred among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grecian Cities which Pompey took away from the Jews see Is. Causab ad Baron p. 219. and that the greatest part of the inhabitants were Syrians not Jews by the affirmation of the same Josephus l. 2. de Bello Judai c. 33. See Constant l' Empereur de legibus p. 181. CHAP. IX 1. AND he entred into a ship and passed over and came into his own city Paraphrase 1. Capernaum where he now dwelt v. 7. and Mar. 1. 21 45. and c. 2. 1. and to which he removed from Nazareth Mat. 4. 13. 2. And behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsie lying upon a bed and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsie Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Paraphrase 2. By this extraordinary course of bringing the sick man discerning the great vigor of their faith 3. And behold certain of the Scribes said note a within themselves This man blasphemeth Paraphrase 3. Either in their hearts or in private discourse one with another not heard by him or his disciples 4. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts Paraphrase 4. And Jesus by his divine power as searcher of hearts discerning whither their thoughts or words whispered among themselves and not spoken audibly said unto them Why doe you passe such malicious causelesse censures 5. For whether is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk Paraphrase 5. Be cured of thy palsie and walk about 6. But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins Then saith he to the sick of the palsie Arise take up thy bed and go unto thy house Paraphrase 6. That Christ in this state of exinanition hath authority to forgive sins here to men that lie under punishment of them and consequently to deliver from their bond those that were deliver'd up to Satan and so tormented by him This power given to Christ on earth in the commission received from his Father v. 8. to be from this time continued on the earth and accordingly committed by Christ at his departure to the Apostles Joh. 20. and in them to their successors that what they forgive on earth should be forgiven in heaven and the bonds loosed 7. And he arose and departed to his house 8. But when the multitudes saw it they marvelled and glorified God which had given such power unto men Paraphrase 8. were amazed to see it and acknowledged it an incomprehensible mercy of God to send a Prophet to them with such a commission power of pardoning sin and that testified by doing an absolute miracle v. 6. 9. And as Jesus passed forth from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the note b receit of custome and he saith unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him Paraphrase 9. a tole-gather or Publican by trade busie about his work and upon Christs first word of command or call he left his trade and attended him as his constant disciple 10. And it came to passe as Jesus sate at meat in the house behold many note c publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his Disciples Paraphrase 10. And this new disciple of his made him a feast Mar. 2. 14. and that a great one Lu. 5. 27. though Matthew being the Writer of this Gospel affirm it not of himself And as Jesus was at that feast in Matthews house many other Publicans such as Matthew had been who were looked upon by the Jewes as the vilest sort of men that no Jew was to eat or drink or converse with familiarly 11. And when the Pharisees saw it they said to his disciples Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners Paraphrase 11. Why doe your master and you Lu. 5. 30. a thing which is so unlawfull ear 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that be sick Paraphrase 12. He raised his voice and directed it to the Pharisces that stood thus cavilling by and said 13. But goe ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the
think my self bound in conscience to enquire and examine whether what I meet with there were a portion of an heathen sacrifice or no For if no man be present to see and know that that which I eat is such a portion or if I know it not my self then sure I am guilty of nothing my self nor can any other come to any hurt by this means 27. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast and ye be disposed to goe whatsoever is set before you eat asking no quesion for conscience sake Paraphrase 27. Nay farther if it be at an heathens own table where 't is more probable that such portions of their sacrifices are to be met with then 't was in the shambles yet there also ye may eat freely of all and never think your selves bound in conscience to enquire whether there be any of those portions of their sacrifices there 28. But if any man say unto you This is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake note f The earth is the Lord's and the fulnesse thereof Paraphrase 28. But in case any man take notice that that which is before you was a portion of an idol sacrifice and punctually tell you of it then you are not to eat of that lest you confirm that man in or betray him to the sinne of idolatry by your example not understood by him aright and so offend against a conscience 29. Conscience I say not thine own but of the others for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience Paraphrase 29. When I say a conscience I mean not thine own but that other man's conscience That is that thou art in this case to abstain for the sake of that other man's conscience lest he be betrai'd to sinne by that meanes v. 28. and not for thy own for there is no reason in the world that that other man's conscience should make that simply unlawfull to me which I receive as a gift of God and acknowledge it from him that is render it altogether unlawfull abstracting from the scandall annex'd which were otherwise by the liberty which Christ hath given perfectly lawfull to me 30. For if I by grace am a partaker why am I evill spoken of for that for which I give thanks Paraphrase 30. And certainly abstract it from that case of scandall and there will be no reason to find fault with or accuse me for eating of that before which I say grace blesse God for it and eat it meerly as a blessing of his without any respect unto any idol-god whatsoever 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drinke or whatsoever ye doe doe all to the glory of God Paraphrase 31. The onely thing then considerable in this matter is the scandall which tends to the dishonour of God and betraying men to or confirming them in sinne and that must be provided against and care be taken that in every bit I eat or action I doe I may not dishonour God or doe hurt to my brother 32. Give none offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Paraphrase 32. Let nothing you doe be apt to betray any man to sin whether it be Jew or heathen on one side or Christian on the other 33. Even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Paraphrase 33. Even as in my ministery I conform my self to all men so as may be most for their advantage not for my own see note on Rom. 14. c. that by some means or other I may bring them to embrace the Gospel ch 9. 20 c. Annotations on Chap. X. V. 1. Under the cloud The Jewes have a known saying see Note on Lu. 13. c. that he that enters into Gods Covenant is gathered under the wings of the majestatick presence See Maimonides Tit. Isuri bia cap. 13. Whensoever saith he a Gentile will enter into covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be gathered under the wings of Gods presence or glory or majesty c. The foundation of this speech is to be taken from that plain truth that God obliges himself to take care of and protect all those that undertake obedience to him but the peculiarity of the expression referres to the manner of Gods exhibiting himself in the holy of holies viz. by the Cherubims wings overshadowing the covering of the Arke to represent to us that as the bird covers and defends the yong ones with her wings spread over them to which our Saviour referres Mat. 23. 37. so doth God that is every where present peculiarly exhibit himself to those that keep his covenant and think upon his commandements to doe them And what was thus represented in the Tabernacle and the Temple was before more really exhibited in the departure of Israel out of Aegypt For there we find mention of the cloud and the fire Exod. 13. 21. in or by which the cloud by day and the fire by night God went before or conducted them Where first it must be remembred that this going before doth not necessarily denote any distance of space from them so as a guide goes before the rider when he is onely to teach or direct him the way and he followes after but as was more agreeable to their condition at that time who were to be shielded and protected as well as led and that protection noted by Gods going before them the same God going behind them too The Lord shall goe before thee and the holy one of Israel shall be thy reward an encompassing them on every side So in Rabbi Eleezer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillar of cloud encompass'd the camps of Israel as a wall invirons a city and therefore when it is said Exod. 14. 19. that the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them I suppose it must be interpreted by v. 20. that the inner part of the cloud that was next the Israelites being a lightsome part and the external superficies of it not so now when the Aegyptians pursued the Israelites the cloud was so disposed as to be behind as well as before them shining round about them and yet so to be in respect of the luminous part of it confined to them as to give light onely to the Israelites but none to the Aegyptians that followed them And secondly that the word pillar applied to it is not to be looked on as a solid body standing and fastned on the ground and so still passing before them but as pillars were antiently built hollow as a kind of house or dwelling-place and accordingly Simeon the Anchorete is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he dwelt alwaies in a pillar a concave body over their heads and so coming down to the ground like wings inclosing and encompassing them on every side and accordingly 't is here said that