88 42. CHRIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT. to destruction, and many SECT. and spacious the way which leads to destruction; and there are many who enter into broad is the way, that leadeth destruction by it: And this they do, because they are discouraged by the hardships which there be which go in thereat attend the entrance on a religious life, or must be expected in a progress in it; as they 14 Because strait is the gate, MATT. see that strait is the gate, and rugged and painful the way which leads to eternal life; and and narrow is the way, which VII they who find it, and with a holy ardency and resolution press into it, so as to arrive at there be that find it. that blessed end, are comparatively few. See to it, therefore, that you be of that little 14 number. leadeth unto life; and few clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves: which come to you in sheep's a corrupt tree bringeth forth 15 And it concerns you so much the rather to be careful about it, as the falsehood of many 15 Beware of false prophets, who set up for religious teachers, will in some degree increase the difficulty and danger. Be therefore on your guard against those false prophets, who come to you indeed in the clothing of sheep, in the most specious forms of humility, innocence, and piety; but inwardly are ravening wolves, which seek nothing but to feed themselves by the destruc16 tion of the flock. And you will find, on a more accurate observation of their actions, that 16 Ye shall know them by you may generally know them by their fruits, and discover, through all their disguise, that their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of base character which lurks beneath, and which may justly render you suspicious as to thistles? their doctrines. (2 Tim. iii. 5—9.) For do men look to gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles; or can it be expected by you, in a common way, that you should gather spiritual advantage, or should obtain religious improvement, from the lessons of wicked 17 men? Their influence, on the whole, will be more likely to debauch than edify your 17 Even so every good tree minds; for as the fruit will be agreeable in its nature and kind to the tree that produces bringeth forth good fruit; but it, even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but a corrupt tree produces bad fruit; and evil fruit. in like manner will the fruits that men produce be answerable to the habitual frame and 18 disposition of their hearts. Nor can it indeed be otherwise in the usual course of things; for as a good tree cannot bear evil fruit, so neither can a corrupt tree bear good fruit; 19 (compare Matt. xii. 33-35. sect. lxii.) And therefore, by the way, to prevent such false pretenders to religion from being a lasting encumbrance and mischief, they shall assuredly be overtaken by the righteous judgment of God: and as you see, that every tree which, after a competent trial, beareth not good fruit, how fair and flourishing soever it may seem, is cut down, and cast into the fire; such too will be the end of hypocritical professors 20 and ungodly men, which it becomes you all seriously to consider. Upon the whole, it will be found that there is now a difference in men's characters correspondent to the great ye shall know them. difference to be made in their future estate; so that I had reason to say that you shall generally know them by their fruits: the disguise will fall off in an unguarded moment, and it will be your wisdom to observe and improve the signal. Ver. 1 IMPROVEMENT. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can good fruit. a corrupt tree bring forth 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits WHEN will the happy time come, in which christians shall form themselves on these important maxims of their great Master! When shall they be known to be his disciples, by the candour of their sentiments, the equity of their conduct, and the beneficence of their actions, as well as by the articles of their faith, and the forms of their worship! Let us all apply these charges to ourselves, in the dear and awful name of Him that gave them. What can be more dreadful to us than to think of being severely judged by that God, without whose hourly 2 forbearance and gracious indulgence we are all undone? Let us then exercise that mercy which we need; and to 3, 5 form our minds to this most reasonable temper, let us often be thinking of our own many infirmities, and be humbling ourselves before God on account of them. 7,8 Animated by the gracious invitations and the precious promises which are here given, with earnest importunity let us make our daily addresses to his throne; asking, that we may receive; seeking, that we may find; and 9-11 knocking, that the door of mercy may be opened to us. And while any of us feel in our hearts the workings of parental tenderness towards our infant offspring, let us consider it as a delightful emblem of yet greater readiness in our heavenly Father, to pity and relieve his children. May universal righteousness and charity be practised by us in the whole of our behaviour, and may we always exercise ourselves herein to have a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards men! (Acts xxiv. 16.) May we avoid all manner of injustice, and guard against the sallies of a proud and overbearing temper! May we be upright and benevolent in all our conduct; and make it our constant care to govern our actions by that most 12 equitable rule, of doing to others as we would reasonably desire they should do to us, on a change of our circumstances and theirs! Happy those generous souls, in whom the bias of self-love is so rectified, that they can in this instance hold the balance between themselves and others with an impartial and unwavering hand! 20 On the whole, let us remember that we ourselves are at last to be tried by the rule by which we are here 17, 18 directed to judge of others, even by the fruits which we produce. May God by his grace make the tree good, that the productions of it may be found to his glory and the refreshment of all around us, that we may not be cut down 19 as cumberers of the ground, and cast into the fire! The way of life which our blessed Redeemer has marked out for us in such precepts as these, may indeed to 13 corrupt nature appear rugged and narrow, and the gate strait through which we are to pass: but let us encourage 14 ourselves against all these difficulties, by considering that immortal life and glory to which they infallibly lead. Then shall we, doubtless, prefer the most painful way of piety and virtue, though with yet fewer companions than we might reasonably expect, to all those flowery and frequented paths of vice which go down to the chambers of death. kho come to you in the clothing of sheep.] It is a very low thought to suppose that our Lord here refers to the rough habit worn by false Prophets of old; for which purpose so many critics quote Zech. xiii. 4. and, very unaccountably, Heb. xi. 37. For, not to insist on the probability there is that those rough garments might be made of goats or camels hair, rather than wool, (compare 2 Kings i. 8. and Matt. iii. 4.) the beauty of the simile is lost by this interpretation. A wolf in sheep's clothing is grown into a proverb for a wicked man that makes a great profession of religion, yet cannot dissemble so well as not to be discovered by attentive observation: which was just the character of the Pharisees in our Saviour's days. See Matt. xxiii. 23-28. and Luke xi. 39--42. You may know them by their fruits.] The characters of men are not to be discovered by the doctrines that they teach; and therefore this cannot (as some have thought) be the meaning of knowing them, who were their teachers, by their fruits. It is more reasonable to explain it of their actions, which are often called fruits. (Compare Matt. iii. 8. xxi. 43. John xv. 2, 5. and Col. i. 6.)-It will be objected, that bad men may teach good doctrines, and even the worst have been known to do it in some instances. But as to this, I answer, that our Lord does not exhort his disciples to reject whatever such men taught, but only to be upon their guard against them, that they might not credit any thing merely on their authority.-I only add, that this caution would, by a parity of reason, extend to all that set up for teachers, as well as to prophets; (not to insist on the latitude in which that word is used;) so that it would at least obliquely glance on the Pharisees, whose influence over the people was so injurious to the gospel, and so exceeding mischievous to those who had a veneration for them, that our Lord found it necessary often to repeat such cautions. See Matt. xv. 12, 13. xvi. 6. xxiii. 2, et seq. Mark viii. 15. and Luke xii. 1. in Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?] These words suppose the plant was known to be a thorn or a thistle, and represent the folly of looking for grapes or figs from plants that had it not in their nature to bear them, or of expecting good from persons that were vicious and corrupt. Had Christ meant what has commonly been supposed, he would rather have said, You do not find thorns on a vine, or thistles on a fig-tree. Our Lord concludes his sermon on the mount with a lively representation of the absolute necessity of a practical regard to his precepts. Matt. vii. 21, to the end. MATT. vii. 21. is in heaven. MATT. vii. 21. NOT every one that saith THESE are the precepts I thought proper to give you; and you must govern your lives SECT. unto me, Lord, Lord, shall by them, if ever you hope to find your account in the most diligent attendance on my 43. enter into the kingdon of heaven; but he that doeth ministry: for it is not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, who is ready now in the will of my Father which words to acknowledge me as his Master, or who at last with the most passionate and MATT. earnest cries entreats my mercy, that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, and be admitted to the complete felicity in which the administration I am now opening shall finally terminate; but he only shall be entitled to that privilege, who conscientiously performs, in the main series of his life, the holy will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name: and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done inany wonderful works? unto them, I never knew you: iniquity. heareth these sayings of mine, VII. 21 It will be your wisdom to attend to these things; for though you now see me in what 22 may seem a mean and despicable form, the time will certainly come, when I shall appear as the Universal Judge: and I now forewarn you, that many will say to me in that day, when their eternal state is to be determined, Lord, Lord, have we not been employed in distinguished offices in thy church, and been furnished for them even by miraculous endowments? and in pursuance of them, have we not taught and prophesied in thy name? and in the authority of thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name have done many 23 And then will I profess wonderful works? And, nevertheless, I will then openly declare unto them, I never knew 23 depart from me, ye that work you, or never approved of your character, even when you made the most florid profession; and therefore depart from me, ye workers of iniquity and whatever you that hear me may now imagine, that separation from me will be their everlasting destruction. 24 Therefore whosoever Hear therefore the conclusion of the whole matter, and seriously attend to it. Every 24 and doeth them, I will liken one, whoever he be, and how great soever his former irregularities may have been, who tim unto a wise man, which heareth these my words, and doth them; or in the main course of his life governs his built his house upon a rock: temper and his actions by them, lays a solid foundation for present comfort, and everlasting security and joy: I will compare him therefore to a prudent man, who built his house 25 And the rain descended, upon a firm rock; And the stormy rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, 25 and the floods came, and the and beat with violence upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded on a solid rock. that house; and it fell not: And thus shall the good man's hopes be established, when they come, as all must come, for it was founded upon a to the strictest trial. But every one that heareth these my sayings, and doeth them not, how 26 26 And every one that hear constantly soever he may attend them, and whatever zeal he may profess for them, may doeth them not, shall be liken justly be compared to a foolish man, who, without any care to secure the foundation, built ed unto a foolish man, which his house upon the sand; And the stormy rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds 27 built his house upon the blew with a tempestuous violence, and struck directly on that house; and it fell at once, sand: And the rain descended, and its ruin was great and wide, as the building had been: a lively emblem of the ruin and the floods came, and the which will another day overwhelm the unhappy man who trusts to an outward profession that house; and it fell: and and form of godliness, when he does not sincerely and practically regard it. win's blew, and beat upon rock: eth these sayings of mine, and winds blew, and beat upon great was the fall of it. e 28 And it came to pass, And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these excellent sayings, the multitudes 28 when Jesus had ended these that heard him were struck with amazement at his doctrine. For in this, and his other 29 sayings. the people were astonished at his doctrine : sermons, he was still teaching them as one that had a divine authority to dictate in his own 29 For he taught them as name, and not as the scribes, their established teachers; who generally contented themselves one having authority, and not with quoting the name and authority of some celebrated doctors of the former age, and as the scribes. that frequently to confirm some trifling remark or useless ceremony of human device;8 How justly may our admiration concur with theirs that heard these savings of our Lord, while we have the Ver.28 Let us not content ourselves with applauding what we have heard, but let us go away and practise it. Shortly 24-27 will that stormy day arise which must try the foundation of our hopes. God will lay judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place. How thankful should we be that God has laid in Zion, for a foundation, a chief Corner-stone, elect and precious; with an assurance, that he that believeth on him shall not be confounded! (Compare Isa. xxviii. 16, et seq. and 1 Peter ii. 6.) But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon; lest the weight of his ruin be proportionable to the height of his hopes. (1 Cor. iii. 10.). We say unto Christ, Lord, Lord; but let us remember this will not secure our entering into his heavenly kingdom. 21 Whatever be our profession, or whatever our office in his church, the most splendid and honourable of our works 22, 23 will be vain, if we are found workers of iniquity; for our great Master will then disown us, as those whom he has never approved. Blessed Jesus! it will then be in vain to fly to thee with the importunity of prayer, and to repeat the most earnest addresses. We would now, while yet there is room for it, fall down before thee, entreating thee a Shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.) Here the kingdom of heaven must signify, that of glory above; for calling Christ, Lord, is the very circumstance which constitutes us the subjects of his earthly kingdom, or members of his visible church. Compare Matt. viii. 11. Luke xiii. 28. and 1 Cor. xv. 50. b I never knew you, or never approved of your character.] The word know is plainly used in this sense, Psal. i. 6. Matt. xxv. 12. 2 Tim, ii. 19. John x. 14. Rom. vii. 15. and perhaps 1 Cor. viii, 3. e Even when you made the most florid profession.] This is a very remarkable circumstance, that is strongly implied in the words, I NEVER knew you. d Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.] There is an incomparable dignity in this whole passage, which I have endeavoured a little to illustrate in the paraphrase. The poor despised Jesus not only calls God his Father, but speaks as the Eternal Judge, before whom men should beg and plead for their very lives, dreading banishment from him as their final destruction. e When Jesus had finished these excellent sayings.] This plainly intimates that all this discourse was delivered at once, and consequently, that several passages related by Luke as spoken at different times, are f He was still teaching them.] Beza has well observed, that these g To confirm some trifling remark, or useless ceremony of human device.] If we may judge of the teachings of the scribes in Christ's days, by the Jewish Talmuds, or even by their Mishnah, this was so eminently the character of it, that nothing could be more justly, contemptible; and their frigid and insipid comments and lessons could no more be compared with those strains of divine eloquence, with which our Lord's discourses abounded, than a glow-worm can be compared to the sun. 90 CHRIST CLEANSES A LEPER. SECT. to add the teachings of thy Spirit to those of thy word, that we may be effectually engaged to do the will of thine 43. heavenly Father, that we may finally be confessed and owned by thee, and be admitted into the joy of our Lord! 44. SECTION XLIV. Jesus, descending from the mount, cleanses a leper who applied to him for a cure. Matt. viii. 1-4. Luke v. 12-16. Mark i. 40, to the end. from the mountain, great SECT. NOW when Jesus had finished this large and excellent discourse, as he was coming down WHEN he was come down from the mountain on which he delivered it, great multitudes of people, impressed and multitudes followed him. charmed with what they had already heard, followed him to the town towards which he MATT. went, in hopes of further instruction and edification. VIII. V. to pass, when he was in a cer And when he was just in the confines of a certain city, in the neighbourhood of that Luke v. 12. And it came LUKE mountain, behold, a man full of leprosy, and dreadfully overrun with that sad disease, tain city, behold, a man full seeing Jesus, and having been informed of the many miraculous cures which he had done, of leprosy; who seeing Je12 came to him, most earnestly entreating him to have pity on his wretched case, and, first sus, (MARK, came to him, bekneeling down to him, he then fell prostrate before him, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, down to him,] fell on his face. though my distemper be to human power incurable, (2 Kings v. 7.) yet I know assuredly saying, Lord, it thou wilt, that, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me from it. MARK I. seeching him; and kneeling [MATT. and worshipped him.) thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, pleased with so strong a degree of faith, performed the cure, and did it also (Matt. viii. 2. Mark i. 40.) Mark i. 41. And Jesus, in the most condescending manner; for, being moved with compassion at so melancholy a moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched 41 sight, he took him aside from the multitude, and stretched out his hand, and touched him, hin, and saith unto him, I saying unto him, I will that thy petition be granted, and from this moment therefore be will be thou clean. [Matt. 42 thou clean. And the almighty power of his commanding word immediately took place, and as soon as he had spoken, the leprosy departed from him; and it appeared by the alteration of his countenance, that he was entirely cleansed from that loathsome and inveterate disease. viii. 3. Luke v. 13.] 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the lehe was cleansed. [Matt, vii. prosy departed from him, and 3. Luke v. 13.] 43 And he straitly charged away; thou say nothing to any man: cleansing those things [MATT. 43 And Jesus had no sooner wrought this miracle, but, having strictly charged him not to 44 divulge the matter, he despatched him presently away: Saying unto him, as he departed him, and forthwith sent him from him, See that at present thou say nothing unto any one of my having performed this 44 And saith unto him, See cure; but make it thy first business to go directly to Jerusalem, and there shew thyself but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, whose office it is legally to pronounce thee clean; and offer the gift of birds to the priest, and offer for thy and lambs, [and] all those things which Moses has commanded for thy purification, (Lev. xiv. the gift) which Moses com1-32.) that it may be for a testimony to them that the cure is really perfected; and that, nanded, for a testimony unto if I should ever be heard of as the author of it, they may see my regard even to the cere- 14.] them. [Matt. viii. 4. Luke v. 45 monial precepts of the law. But such was the impression that was made upon the leper began to publish it much, and by so great an instance of divine mercy to him, and he was so transported with joy at his to blaze abroad the matter.miraculous deliverance, that he went out into the neighbouring country, and began to publish it much, and to proclaim the matter wherever he came. LUKE V. MARK 45 But he went hear, and to be healed by him Luke v. 15. [And] so much And the more Jesus avoided the ostentation of such works, so much the more there went the more there went a fame a fame of him abroad through all the country; and great multitudes from all parts came multitudes came together (to abroad of him: and great 15 together to him, to hear him preach the gospel, and to be healed of their infirmities by him. him, from every quarter] to And after some interval of time, the resort to him was so great, that he could no longer of their infirmities. (Mark i. 1. openly enter into the city, without drawing a multitude of attendants after him, but was 45.1 Mark i. 45. -Insomuch 45 obliged for a while to be chiefly without in desert places. And, to avoid the interruptions that Jesus could no more LUKE of the crowd, he frequently withdrew into the wilderness and prayed; choosing, in these openly enter into the city. circumstances, to spend some time in more than ordinary devotion, that he might engage places 16 a blessing on the truths he had so largely delivered, and obtain that success which this eagerness of the people seemed to promise to his gospel. V. LUKE V. IMPROVEMENT. but was without in desert Luke v. 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. OUR souls are overspread with the leprosy of sin and where should we apply for help, but to the healing power and recovering grace of the great Redeemer! Be the malady ever so deep, spreading, or inveterate, we may 12 surely adopt the words of the leper before us, and say, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And how much reason have we to hope his compassion will be moved in our favour, and his power exerted in our cure! MARK I. If we have received that favour, we are under the obligation of no command to conceal it. It is, on the contrary, our duty most gratefully to publish it abroad, for the honour of our Benefactor, and the advantage of those 43, 44 who may be encouraged to make the same application, in humble hope of the same success. But when will the happy time come, that men shall be as solicitous about their spiritual welfare as about the health of this mortal body! Almighty Physician, exert thine energy in this instance, as a token of further favours! Convince men of their pollution and danger, and bow their stubborn knee, that it may bend in submissive and importunate supplication. a As he was coming down from the mountain.] I think this is a sufficient warrant for fixing this story where we introduce it; though it be contrary to the order in which many learned men have placed it. Neither Mark nor Luke are, in this respect, by any means so express in the connexion of it. Yet an attentive reader will observe, that I have not in this instance transposed either of them. The erroneous opinion that Luke vi. contained the sermon on the mount, and fixed it to an order different from Matthew's, is that by which so many have been led into a mistake here. b In a certain city: ev шa Toy TоNewv.] As Luke expresses it thus, I am apt to think it was not Capernaum, which Luke had so often named before; and consequently, that the mountain on which Christ's sermon was delivered lay at some distance from thence; whereas the plain on which some of it was repeated, was contiguous to Capernaum, into which, as Luke says, he entered at the close of it. (See Luke vii. 1. $55, and compare note b, on Matt. v. 1. p. 76.)-I speak of the confines of this city, whatever it was; because lepers were not allowed to live in towns. Compare Numb. v. 2. 2 Kings vii. 3. 2 Chron, xxvi. 21. and Luke xvii. 12. c He took him aside from the multitude.] Else, I think, there could have been no room for the charge of secrecy given below; and the supposition of such a circumstance, which certainly happened in another cure, (compare Mark viii. 23. 88.) will be a sufficient answer to the objections which Mr. Whiston has urged against following the order of St. Matthew here. See his Harmony, p. 107. and Jones's Vindication, p. 112-121. d Having strictly charged him not to divulge the matter.] Some have supposed that enßpinoɑuevos auтw implies that Christ reproved him sharply for the sin for which he had been visited with this discase, and threatened him with the fatal consequence of it if he returned to sin again: and in this case, the probability of what we have supposed is strengthened, that this was spoken to him in private, and was delivered in the same manner as the like caution was which Christ afterwards gave to the impotent man. (Compare John v. 14. § 46.) But as the word is generally used to signify the giving of a strict injunction, or a solemn charge, (as Phavorinus, Suidas, and Hesychius, have explained it.) I rather choose to understand it of the strict charge that Christ gave to the leper not to divulge the manner of his cure, which is expressly mentioned in the following verse; and in which sense it is evident that the same word is used, Matt. ix. 30. 679. where the same charge is given to the two blind men that Christ restored to sight. e See thou say nothing unto any one of my having performed this cure.] Christ probably designed by this, not only to avoid the show of any ostentation of his miraculous power, but to prevent the malice of the priests, who might have been unwilling to pronounce this leper clean, and have been ready to deny the cure, if they were told that he was healed by one they were so strongly prejudiced against; or might perhaps have censured Christ as having usurped an office that belonged to them, and taken upon him to pronounce a leprous person clean. Christ therefore would not have him to make known the circumstances of his cure to any, till he had first of all been with the priest; and, upon this account, despatched him presently away, or sent him off in kaste, that he might reach Jerusalem before the priests had any information of this miracle; as seems to be implied in the force of those words in ver. 43. crews cepadev auTov. See Grotius on Matt. viii. 4. and Lightfoot's Harmony, in loc. CHRIST AT CAPERNAUM HEALS A PALSIED MAN. 91 44. Let the compassionate air with which this cure was wrought be considered by all spiritual physicians as a lesson SECT. of condescension and tenderness; and let the modesty with which it was conducted engage us to avoid every appearance of ostentation and vain-glory. V. To conclude: since Christ himself found it proper to retire into a desert place to pray, when crowds of admirers LUKE were flocking in upon him, let it teach those who are engaged in the scenes of public business, and fill them up 16 with the greatest applause, yet resolutely to command some seasons for retirement; as remembering, that the more various and important our public labours are, the more evidently do we need to draw down succour by ardent prayer, that we may be strengthened and prospered in them. SECTION XLV. Christ, returning to Capernaum, heals a man quite disabled by the palsy ; vindicates his power of forgiving sins; and calls Matthew the publican to attend him. Mark ii. 1-14. Luke v. 17-28. Matt. ix. 2-9. MARK ii. 1. and it was noised that he was in the house. MARK ii. 1. AND again he entered into AND after Jesus had spent [some] days in devout retirement, he appeared again in SECT. Capernaum after some days; public, and entered into Capernaum; and it was quickly taken notice of, and great num- 45. bers of people soon heard that he was in the house where he formerly dwelt; and as he had been some time abroad, and greatly increased his reputation both by his miracles and MARK preaching, they flocked around him with the greatest eagerness. Luke v. 17. And it came to was teaching, that there were law sitting by, which were 17 II. And it happened on a certain day, while he continued here, that, as he was teaching the LUKE pass on a certain day, as he people, [several] of the Pharisees and doctors of the law were sitting by, who were come out V. Pharisees and doctors of the of every town of Galilee, and even of Judea, and particularly [from] Jerusalem ; and by come out of every town of appointment met here to attend his doctrine and observe his miracles; at which the Galilee, and Judea, and Jeru- governors of the Jewish church began now to be greatly alarmed. But notwithstanding salem; and the power of the the malicious views with which they came, Jesus went on as usual in his work, and the Lerd was present to heal miraculous power of the Lord was [present] to heal them, who then applied to him for the cure of their diseases. them. Mark ii. 2. And straight way many were gathered towas no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the gether, insomuch that there door and he preached the word unto them. sick of the palsy, which [lying : 2 II. And immediately so many of the neighbouring inhabitants were assembled, that there was MARK not room to receive [them] in the house, or even about the door; so desirous were they to hear how Jesus would acquit himself in the presence of such curious, critical, and prejudiced inquirers as those that were then sitting around him. And he preached the word of the gospel to them, with his usual plainness, seriousness, and authority, and confirmed it by various miracles. 3 And [behold] they come And behold, among many others in most deplorable circumstances, who were cured by 3 unto him, bringing, a man him, they come unto him, bringing a man seized with the palsy, and quite disabled by it, so on a bed] was borne of tour that he was obliged, in order to his being presented to Jesus, to be laid on a bed, or means to bring him in, and couch, and carried by four men. And they endeavoured to bring him in and lay him down to lay him before him.] [Matt. before him, hoping that so melancholy a sight would affect his compassionate temper, and engage his assistance. [LUKE, and they sought ix. 2. Luke v. 18.] Luke v. 19. And when they they might bring him in [and upon the house-top, and [un 19 V. And when they could not find any way to bring him in, and could not so much as come LUKE could not find by what way near enough to speak to Jesus because of the crowd, and feared a delay might lose so precould not come nigh] because cious an opportunity, they carried him round to a back passage by which they went up to of the multitude, they went the top of the house, (compare Mark xiii. 15.) which according to the Jewish custom, was covered the roof where he made flat; (Deut. xxii. 8.) and uncovered the roof of the apartment where [Jesus] was, broken is up, they let him (which was a room that had no chamber over it,) opening a way into the house by lifting down through the tiling, with up a kind of lattice or trap-door; (compare 2 Kings i. 2.) and when they had pulled [it] before Jesus. [Mark ii. 4.] up, or had removed the frame of it to make the passage wider,d they let down [the paraly tic] with his couch, through the tiles with which the other part of the roof was paved, into ing their faith, said unto the the midst of the company assembled, and so laid him before Jesus. And Jesus, seeing 2 was: and when they had his couch, into the midst Matt. ix. 9. And Jesus see a And after Jesus had spent some days.] Matthew has recorded so many events between the cure of the leper and the paralytic, that I should not have connected them, had not Mark so expressly asserted that some of those events, especially the dispossession of the legion, happened long after, (see Mark iv. 35, note a, 69. and Mark v. 1.9 70.) and Luke strongly intimates the same concerning the other story of the centurion's servant. (See Luke vii. 1, 2, et seq. $55.) Now I think the honour of the New Testament requires, that when one of the evangelists does expressly assert the order in which he places facts in question, and the ether does not so expressly assert it, (which is the case with Matthew here, the order of the latter, though an apostle and eye-witness, should be changed out of regard to the former. As likewise, that if none of the three assert their order, that in which any two agree to place a fact in question, should be chosen rather than that of the third. And on these e rules I have proceeded in many instances. But that the order of Matthew should be changed for that of Luke, when neither of them atsert any thing concerning that order, is what I think no inference from Luke i. 3. can justify. (See note g, on that text, p. 17.) Much less can it be allowable expressly to contradict Matthew, for the sake of keeping to the order of Luke, which yet most harmonizers seem to have done, even when he was relating what passed in his own house and presence. (See nete a, on Matt. ix. 18. 972.) Could I have persuaded myself to take such liberties with any of the sacred writers. I should not have doubted to follow Matthew and John in their order universally, as Sir Isaac Newton doth, and to transpose Mark and Luke wherever they disagree with either of them; for I cannot observe that those two do in any instance disagree with each other in any of the facts in question. As to the story of the paralytic here before us, Mark strongly connects it with that of the leper, as happening some days after it; though Matthew does not mention it till the next chapter, and places several events between them; while Luke, according to his frequent custom, mentions it only as happening on a certain day. This therefore seems to be the proper place to introduce it, and Matthew's order may be changed for the reasons given above. b From Jerusalem.] If this happened, as most commentators suppose, a little before Christ's second passover, (John v. 1.) some of these might be sent from the sanhedrim with a view of gaining some information concerning Jesus, to guide their resolves concerning him at the ensuing feast, in which they persecuted him, and sought to slay him, John v. 16. It is very probable, that the scribes at Jerusalem, hearing how expressly he had attacked their interpretation of the law, some days before, in his celebrated sermon on the mount, (which, so far as we can learn, was the first time he did it,) might summon their brethren in the neighbouring country to meet them at Capernaum, in order to attend on the next of Christ's public discourses, wherever it might happen to be. e The power of the Lord was present to heal them.] According to the common method of construction, this may seem to intimate, that the healing power of Christ was exerted on some of the Pharisees. but as they came from distant parts to attend Christ as spies, it is not probable they were diseased persons; or that, if any of them, being advanced in years, might labour under some infirmities, they were so great and visi ble, that a cure would be immediately remarked; and least of all can we suppose they had that faith in Christ which he required in those whom he intended to heal. (See Mark vi. 5. and compare John vii. 48.) It is more reasonable therefore to conclude, on all these accounts, that this is one of those few places where the relative them is referred to a remoter antecedent than that which is immediately before it. Compare, in the original, Matt. xi. 1. xii. 9. Luke v. 30. John viii, 44. Acts viii. 26. and Heb. xii. 17. See Gloss. Philolog. Sacr. p. 513–515. d When they had pulled it up, or had removed the frame, &c.] Eopucartes, which we render broken up, plainly signifies pulling out. (Gal. iv. 15.) And no man in his senses can suppose the evangelist meant to say, that they tore up the beams and rafters of the house upon this occasion; and yet this has been made the foundation of great objections against this story. We have a right to suppose this removal of the frame was done with care; because the circumstances plainly require such care, and common sense would suggest it. Woolston's perverse attack on this miracle is as plausible as any thing he has written against christianity; but I have endeavoured, in as few words as possible, to suggest an answer to the chief of his objections; and it may be considered as a specimen of the manner in which I shall proceed in other cases of the like nature: for it would be very improper to enter on the controversy at large here, especially after all the convincing and unanswerable treatises which have lately been written in defence of the evangelists; among which I apprehend none more valuable than that called The Miracles of Christ Vindicated, in four parts; to which I with great pleasure refer for a larger account of this story, and the others handled by the excellent author of it. e They let down the paralytic-into the midst.] What is suggested in the paraphrase is the most probable account of the matter, if we suppose our Lord to have been in any covered room of the house. But Dr. Shaw's hypothesis, which goes on principles which were quite unknown to me till I had the pleasure (since the first edition of this work) of reading his excellent Travels, seems to me yet more natural. From considering what is now the form of the houses in Barbary and the Levant, he supposes that To uerov signifies the court-yard round about which the house was built; and that our Lord was there. He thinks that, crowded as this area was, the bearers of the paralytic might get in at the gateway. (where perhaps Christ could neither be seen nor heard,) and might carry him up the stairs which commonly go up from thence and being got to the flat roof, might take down inwards a part of the balustrade or para pet-wall, and so let down the bed with cords by the side of the glazed and perhaps painted tiles, which might beautify the walls of the house towards this court. Many of his quotations from the ancients do, in a very agreeable manner, at once illustrate this account, and receive new light from it. See Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 373-380. MATT. IX. THE CALLING OF MATTHEW. SECT. their faith, and graciously excusing the inconveniences into which their affection had sick of the palsy, Son, be of 45. transported them, said to the man that had the palsy, Take courage, son, for thy sins are good cheer; thy sins be for-forgiven thee; and in token of it, I assure thee thy distemper shall be removed. II. 6 8 given thee. [Mark ii. 5. Luke certain of the within themselves, This man MARK But behold, such was the perverseness of some of the scribes and Pharisees, who were then sitting there, that on his saying to the man, in such an absolute and sovereign way, scribes LUKE, and the PhariThy sins are forgiven thee, they took offence at the expression; and reasoning in their sees] sitting there, and reasonhearts upon it, they said within themselves, maliciously reflecting on him, This man most ing in their hearts, [they said 7 certainly blasphemeth: Who is this that pretends to such an authority? [and] why does this blasphemeth.] [Matt. ix. 3. arrogant man thus allow himself to speak such blasphemies as these? Such a speech as this Luke v. 21.1 surely deserves the name; for who can undertake to forgive sins but God alone, the awful this man thus speak blaspheMajesty of heaven, who is affronted and dishonoured by committing them? 7 [Who is this? Why doth And immediately, when Jesus, who perfectly well knew the secret workings of their mies Who can forgive sins thoughts, perceived in his own mind that they reasoned thus in themselves, though they did Jesus [knowing their thoughts but God only? [Luke v. 21.] not openly declare their dissatisfaction and censure, he said to them, Why do you reason they so reasoned within them8 And immediately, when thus in your hearts, and so maliciously reflect upon me? [and] wherefore do you think selves, he said unto them, perceived in his spirit that 9 [such evil things of what I have now been saying? I shall be at no loss to vindicate the [Wherefore think ye evil] in reasonableness of it: for which is easier, to say to this paralytic, Thy sins are forgiven thee; your hearts: [Matt. ix. 4. Why reason ye these things or to say to him, Arise, and take up thy couch, and walk away with it? May it not justly 9 Whether is it easier to say be concluded, that if I have a power efficaciously to say the one, I may without any be forgiven thee; or to usurpation say the other likewise; and declare the sin forgiven, when I can thus mira- say, Arise, and take up thy 10 culously remove the punishment of it? But that you may know the case I put is not a vain bed, and walk? [Matt. ix. 5. presumptuous boast, but that the Son of man here on earth, though appearing in so humble and obscure a form, has yet a divine authority to forgive men's sins, (he turns about, that the Son of man hath Luke v. 23.] 11 and says to the paralytic,) O man, I say unto thee, Arise immediately; and to show thou sins, (he saith to the sick of the 10 But that ye may know art perfectly healed at once, take up thy couch on which thou liest, and, bearing it on thy palsy,) [Matt. ix. 6. Luke v. shoulders, go thy way to thine own house, for at this instant I will enable thee to do it. LUKE And immediately he was so strengthened by a secret power which went along with the word, that believing the virtue and efficacy of it, he rose up before them all, and taking up the couch on which he lay, though before he was utterly weak and helpless, he went forth, vigorous and cheerful, to his own house, humbly glorifying and adoring God for that extraordinary cure which he had now received. V. 25 26 MARK JI. 13 MATT. IX. LUKE V. 9 17 And when the multitude saw [it,] they were all amazed, and with united acclamations glorified God, who had given such mighty and beneficent power to men, and raised up so eminent a Prophet to his people. And they were filled with such a reverential kind of fear and dread, under the apprehension of so marvellous a proof of the divine presence among them, that they could not forbear saying one to another, We have indeed seen most extraordinary strange things to-day: and after all the wonders we have known, We never before saw any thing like it, nor have we heard of any such event as this in the days of our fathers. And when the evening advanced, and the day grew cooler, he went forth again by the sea-shore; and all the multitude who had before attended in, or about, the house, and many more who could not get near enough to see and hear what passed there, resorted to him, and he cheerfully went on with his work, and taught them here, after all the former labours of the day. Luke v. 22.] to the sick of the palsy, Thy power on earth to forgive 24.] and take up thy bed, and go (Matt. ix. 6. Luke v. 24.] diately he rose up before thy way into thine house. them [all,] and took up (the Luke v. 25. And imme 11 I say unto thee, Arise, ritying God. [Mark ii. 10. bed] whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, gloMatt. ix. 7.1 multitude saw it,] they were fied God, [MATT, which had 26 And [MATT. when the given such power unto men,] all amazed and they glori saying, We have seen strange things to-day: [We never saw and were filled with fear, it on this fashion.] [Mark ii. 12. Matt. ix. 8.] forth again by the sea-side unto him, and he taught them. Mark ii. 13. And he went and all the multitude resorted Matt. ix. 9. And (LUKE, passed forth from thence, he can,] named Matthew, (or And after these things, as Jesus passed out from thence, (that is, from the house in which the paralytic had been cured,) and was going down to the sea-side, he saw a man, (who after these things.) as Jesus was indeed a publican, that collected the customs there,) whose name was Matthew, [or,] saw a man [LUKE. a publias he was otherwise called, Levi, the son of Alpheus, the brother of James; (compare evi, the son of Alpheus,] sitMark iii. 18. Luke vi. 15. Acts i. 13.) and he was then sitting at the custom-house and ting at the receipt of custom: calling him to be one of his disciples, he said unto him, Follow me. consigning his books and cash to some careful hand, he arose, and left all the care and pro- (LUKE, and left all, and fits of his employment, and followed him, with most grateful acknowledgments of his con- Luke 27, 28.And immediately and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, descension, in admitting a person of his station of life into the number of his stated attendants. followed him. [Mark ii. 14. IMPROVEMENT. Ir is a pleasure to reflect upon it, that Christ was attended by such vast numbers of people, and that they who were teachers of others, should themselves sit down to hear him. But it is melancholy to reflect on the perverse purposes with which many of them came; and how few did, on the whole, receive his word into their hearts, so as to bring forth fruit unto perfection. MARK of hurting him, whose whole business in life was to do good. Yet these low, these vile purposes did not prevent Curiosity led some, and interest others; and some came to find occasion his preaching, and working miracles before them, and being ready to exert his power for their benefit. Thus courageous and resolute let us be in the discharge of our duty; thus solicitous that we may not be overcome of et seq. evil, but may (which, on the whole, is always in some degree practicable) overcome evil with good. (Rom. xii. 21.) 11. 2, LUKE V. 19 MATT. How industrious were the attendants and friends of this poor paralytic, to obtain a cure for him! What contrivance, what labour did they use, to find a proper opportunity to bring him in, and lay him before Jesus! Ought we not to be as tender and zealous, in all the offices of the truest friendship; and to imitate, so far as suits the difference of circumstances, their importunate application, and their lively faith? Theirs had its praise, and its reward. Our Lord said to this distempered person, Thy sins are forgiven thee. He pardoned all his iniquities, while he healed all his diseases. (Psal. ciii. 3.) This was a blessing that would 2 render the cure yet incomparably more valuable; and this reviving declaration had the Son of God a power to MARK add, and to pronounce. The scribes and Pharisees, ignorant and prejudiced as they were, considered such a 11. 6, 7. declaration as blasphemy. Their principle indeed was right, that God alone has power to forgive sins, and it is f Take courage, son.] Few can need to be told, that son is a title of condescension and tenderness, by which superiors addressed inferiors that were not properly their children; (compare Josh. vii. 19. Eccles. xii. 12. and 2 Tim. ii. 1.) as father was a correspondent title of respect. (Compare Kings v. 13. vi. 21. xiii. 14.) Yet it seems probable, from the use of it here, that the patient was a young man, considering that Christ himself was but a little above thirty; and if it were so, it made the case the more pitiable. Luke uses the word man on the occasion: and Christ might possibly use both; as the apostle joins men and fathers, Acts vii. 2. and men and brethren, or, literally, men, brethren, Acts i. 16. ii. 29. xv. 7, 13. xxiii. 1. and xxviii. 17. their employment was attended with so much corruption and tempta- |