b dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb fpake: and the People wondered. 15. But fome of them faid, He cafteth out devils through Beelzebub [Gr. Beelzebul] the chief of the devils. 16. And others tempting him, fought of him a fign from heaven. с 17. But he knowing their thoughts, faid unto them, Every kingdom divided against it self, is brought to defolation: and a houfe divided against a houfe, falleth. 18. If Satan alfo be divided against himself, how fhall his kingdom stand? because ye fay that I caft out devils through Beelzebub [Gr. Beelzebul]. 19. And if I by Beelzebub caft out devils, by whom do your fons caft them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20. But if I with the finger of God caft out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21. When a ftrong man armed keepeth his Palace, his goods are in peace. 22. But when a hitronger than he fhall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. iHe that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, fcattereth. 24. When the unclean fpirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, feeking reft: and finding none, he faith, I will return unto my Houfe whence I came out. 25. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnifhed. 26. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other fpirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there and the last state of 23. k that for he knew what was in man. See on Mat. 9. 4. ft Exod. 8. 19. The Magicians faid unto Pharaoh, This is the Finger of God. + Mat. 12. 29. How can one enter into a strong man's House, and fpoil his Goods, except he firft bind the ftrong man? and then he will fpoil his Houfe. htIfa. 3. 12. † Col. 2. 15. See on Joh. 12. 3 1. + Mat. 12. 30. kMat. 12. 43. 1 † Joh. 5. 14. Sin no more,'eft a worfe thing come unto thee. † Heb. 6. 4, 6. It is impoffible for those who were once enlightned. If they Year of our Lord 33. that man is worse than the first. 27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain Woman of the company lift up her voice, and faid unto him, Bleffed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou haft fucked. 28. But he faid, Yea, m rather bleffed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it. 29. And when the " Peo ple were gathered thick together," he began to fay, This is an evil generation: they feek a Sign, and there fhall no fign be given it, but the fign of Jonas the Prophet. 30. For as Jonas was a fign unto the Ninevites, fo fhall alfo the Son of man be to this generation. 31. The Queen of the fouth fhall rife up in the Judgment with the men of this generati on, and condemn them: for fhe came from the utmost parts of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32. The men of Nineve fhall rife up in the Judgment with this generation, and fhall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 33. No man when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a fecret place, nei ther under a bushel; but on a candlestick, that they which come in may fee the light. 34. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is fingle, thy whole body allo is full of light: but when thine eye is evil, thy body alfo is full of darkness. 35. Take heed therefore, that the ૧ f light manner of Sin and Blafphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the Blafphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto Men. + See on Mat. 7. 21, 24. n * See on Mat. 12. 38. • Jonah 1. 17. Jonah was in the Belly of the Fish three Days and three Nights. t Jonah 2. 10. And the Lord fpake unto the Fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land: they fhall fall away, to renew them again unto Repentance. Heb. 10. 26. If we fin wilfully after that we have received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no 5 more Sacrifice for Sins. † 2 Pet. z. 20, 21. If after they have efcaped the Pollutions of the World, through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift,they 10 are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter End is worse with them than the Beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righ- 15 reousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them: 1 Joh. 5. 16 There is a Sin + Mar. 4. 21. † Luk: 8. 16. unto Death, I do not fay, that ye 20 See on Mat. 5. 15. fhall pray for it. Mat. 12. 31. All P† See on Mat. 12. 42. Jonah 3. 5. The People of Nineveh believed God, and proclaim ed a Faft, and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the leaft of them. * Mat. 6. 22. The fame Allufion. light which is in thee be not darkness. 36. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole fhall be full of light, as when the bright fhining of a candle [Gr. a candle by its bright fhining] doth give thee light. 37. And as he fpake, a certain Pharifee befought him to dine with him: and he went in and fat down to meat. 38. And when the Pharifee faw it, he marvelled that he had not firft wafhed before dinner. 39. And the Lord faid unto him, Now do ye Pharifees make clean the outfide of the cup and the platter: but your inward part is full of ravening and wickednefs. 40. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within allo? 41. But (1) rather give alms * off such things as Mar. 7. 3. The Pharifees and all the Jews, except they wash their Hands oft, eat not, holding the Tradition of the Elders. e you thy Bread to the Hungry, and that thou bring the Poor that are caft out to thy Houfe? When thou feest the Naked, that thou cover him? Mat. 23. 25. Wo unto you, st Dan. 4. 27. Break off thy Sins by Scribes, and Pharifees, Hypo-Righteousness, and thine Iniquities crites, for ye make clean the outfide of the Cup, and of the Platter,but within they are full of Extortion and Excefs. Tit. 1. 15. Unto the Pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure; but even their Mind and Confcience is defiled. tIfa. 58. 7. Is it not to deal by fhewing Mercy to the Poor. e Luk. 12. 33. f Luk. 19. 8. Zaccheus ftood, and faid unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my Goods, I give to the Poor,- 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be firft a willing Mind, it is accepted according to that a Man hath, and not according to that he hath not. (1) It is certain that the Meaning of thefe Words is not, that Almfgiving will atone and make amends for the living a carelefs or wicked Life; for fuch a Senfe would contradi&t one great Defign of the Gospel, which is to purifie and exalt the Mind of Man, to make him like to God, and meet for Happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, which is utterly inconfiftent with a general neglect of the Duties of Religion, or with the Allowing of our felves in any wilful and deliberate Sin. Some fuppofe that thefe Words are spoken by Way of Irony. As if our Lord had faid, Ye Pharifees give Alms, and think that that will make all things clean unto you; but do not mistake, for it is as neceffary. to cleanse your Hearts, and to purifie your Selves within, as it is to give Alms, and outwardly wash and cleanfe your felves. Dr. Whitby thinks that our Lord here inftructs us, that all our Temporal Enjoyments are unclean, that is, unlawful to be used, till we have fanctified them by fome Act of Charity. Sir Norton Knatchbull's Opinion is, that the Pharifees being guilty of Rapine and Extortion, and having much ill.gotten Goods i k you have [Or, as you are able]: and behold, all things are clean unto you. 42. But wo unto you Pharifees: for ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass Over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43. Wo unto you Pharifees for yeh love the uppermoft feats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44. Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites: for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them, are not aware of them. 45. Then answered one of the Lawyers, and faid unto him, Mafter, thus faying, thou reproachest us alfo. 46. And he faid, Wo unto you alfo ye Lawyers: for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be born, and ye your felves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47. Wo unto you: for ye build the fepulchres of the Prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48. Truly ye bear witnefs that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their fepulchres. 49. Therefore alfo faid the " Wifdom of God, I will fend them Prophets and Apoftles, and fome of them they fhall flay † Mat. 23. 23. Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites, for ye pay Tithe of Mint and Anife, and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith: thefe, &c. as here. h* See on Mat. 23. 6. i Mat. 23. 27. Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites; for ye are like unto whited Sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead Mens Bones, and of all Uncleannefs. k. Pfal. 5.9. Their Throat is an open Sepulchre. I * See on Mat. 23. 4. and 15 Mat. 23 29. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites;20 Mat. 23.34.Behold, I fend un to you Prophets, and wife Men, and Scribes; and fome of them ye fhall kill and crucifie, and fome of them ye fhall fcourge in your Sy nagogues, and perfecute them from City to City. P2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. The Lord God of their Fathers fent to them by his Meffengers rifing up betimes, and fending; because he had com paffion on his People, and on his Dwelling-Place: But they mock ed Goods in their Poffeffion, and not knowing the Perfons they had wrong. ed, to whom Reftitution was due, our Lord here tells them, that they fhould give it to the Poor, and that then the refidue of their Substance would be clean, and God would accept of what they should offer to him. a = XỈ. 281 and perfecute: 50. That the blood of all the Prophets, which was fhed from the foundation of the World, may be (1) required of this generation; 51. From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the Altar and the Temple: verily I fay unto you, it fhall be required of this generation. 52. Wo unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entred not in your felves, and them that were entring in, ye hindred [Or, forbad]. * 53. And as he faid these things unto them, the Scribes and the Pharifees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54. Laying wait for him, and feeking to catch fomething out of his mouth, that they might accufe him. C 5 ed the Meffengers of God, and defpi- Gen. 9. 5. Surely the Blood of CHAP. will I require the Life of man. Pfal. 9. 12. When he maketh Inquifition for Blood, he remembreth them.- Rev. 18. 24. In her was found the Blood of Prophets and of Saints, and of all that were flain upon the Earth. b Gen. 4. 8. + 2 Chron. 24. 20, 21. See on Mat. 23. 34. * Mat. 23. 13. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites: for ye hut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: for ye neither go in your felves, neither fuffer ye them that are entring to go in. d See on Mat. 22. 15. (1) If it be demanded, How is it confiftent with Reafon and Justice to require the Blood of all the Prophets and righteous Men, which were flain from the Beginning of the World, of this Generation? I anfwer; That they, however they might pretend to reverence the Prophets, did by their Behaviour to thofe who were at this Time fent to them by God, approve of what their Fore-fathers did. Since therefore they imitated them in their cruel Treatment of Prophets and righteous Men, that teftified that they approved their Deeds, and made them Partakers of their Sin, and therefore it was just to punish them for it. But there is, I think, a better Solution of this Difficulty; for our Lord's Meaning feems to be this, That their Punishment for rejecting him, in which their City and Temple would be deftroyed, fhould be fo fevere, as if God intended to revenge on them all the righteous Blood that was ever fhed in the World, though their Punishment was in Truth no greater than their own Sins had deferved. See Archbishop Tillotson's Sermon on Luk. 11.49, 50, 51. |