praiest in secret that is as though thou wert in secret intending onely to approoue thine heart vnto God in praier then thy father seeth thee he knowes thine heart and heares thy praier This is verefied by the example of Ionas who was heard praying in the Whales bellie of Daniel praying in the Lyons denne and of Moses who is said to crie vnto the Lord when as he praied onely in heart The vse of this point is manifold 1. It serueth to admonish vs that when wee pray wee must in singlenesse of heart bring our selues into Gods presence and heartily and truely put vp our requests vnto God so as we may approoue vnto him both our hearts and our prayers for there is nothing in our prayers that can be hid from God and therefore we must not content our selues with the thing done but labour so to pray that God may be well pleased with the manner thereof Secondly hereby we are taught to make conscience not only of our doings and speeches but euen of our very thoughts and that in secret places for though we may conceale the same from men yet we cannot couer them from the eies of God he is inuisible and yet all things are naked before him Thirdly this prooueth that no prayer can lawfully be made to the virgin Marie or to any other Saint departed for he alone is to bee called vpon in praier who sees in secret but God onely sees in secret neither the virgin Marie nor any other of the Saints can see in secret and therefore praier is to be made to none but to God alone The Papists answer that Saints departed see in secret though not of themselues yet by God and in God but that is false the Angels before their fall saw not their own future fal nor the fall of man The blessed Angels in heauen know not now the time and day of the last iudgement yea the Saints departed lie vnder the Altar crying how long Lord beeing ignorant of the time of their full redemption and therfore the Saints departed see not in secret The second reason drawne from Gods promised bountie is in these words shall reward thee openly that is shall repay thee for thy praier in the day of iudgement before the Saints and holy Angels as we expouÌ„ded the same words in the fourth verse This is a notable reason to induce men to pray in a true and holy manner wherein we may see the endlesse mercie of God vouchsafed to them that pray aright if any subiect put vp a supplication to his earthly Prince he takes it for a speciall fauour if the Prince vouchsafe to admit him to his presence behold here the King of Kings will not onely vouchsafe vs accesse vnto the throne of his grace when wee put vp our supplications vnto him but if we pray aright he doth hold himselfe indebted vnto vs for the same and promiseth one day to reward vs openly This farâ—e exceedes the loue of all creatures in heauen and earth no Prince is so kinde and gratious to his best subiects as the Lord is to all that call vpon him in spirit and truth From this place the Papists would gather that prayer is a worke that merits at Gods hand eternall life for thus they reason Where there is repaying by way of reward there is something done which meriteth but vnto prayer there is a repaying therefore it doth merit at Gods hand Answ. Reward is due to man two waies either by desert or of free gift and promise now in this place God will reward man for his prayers not for their desert but of his owne free will and grace because he hath promised so to doe That this is so may thus appeare If a Begger should aske an almes of any man it were absurd to say that the begger by asking did deserue the almes and so stands the case for the merit of our prayers thereby we beg things at Gods hands and therefore can no more merit thereby then the begger can deserue his almes by asking nay rather we may gather hence that Gods rewarding them that pray proceedes from his owne free grace alone for prayer properly is a worke of man vnto God wherein man giues nothing vnto God as the Iewes did in the sacrifices or as is done in some other spiritual sacrifices of the new Testament but onely asketh and receiueth some thing from God and therefore cannot hereby merit any thing at Gods hands And by this may all other places be expounded where reward is promised to mans worke Lastly note the phrase here vsed he shall reward thee openly that is at the last day whence I gather that till the day of iudgement no seruant of God shall fully reape the fruite and benefit of his praiers This must bee well considered of all that haue care to call vpon God vnfainedly for many times after long and earnest praier we feele little or no comfort whereby we may be brought to dislike our estate as though God had no respect vnto vs but we must know that God doth often long deferre to reward his seruants that praie vnto him not doubt but Zacharie and Elizabeth prayed for 〈◊〉 in their yonger age and yet they were not heard till they were both oldeâ— and Dauid saith his eies failed for waiting on God when hee would accomplish his promise made vnto him this we may also see in the petitions of the Lords prayer for they be all according to his will yet the full fruition of the benefits there asked is reserued to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Verse 7. And when you pray vse 〈◊〉 vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling Our Sauiour Christ hauing deâ—lt against hypocrisie in prayer doth here come to the second vice which hee intends to reforme therein namely babling consisting in the outward forme of praier The words containe two parts â— commandement and a reason thereof The commandement When ye pray vse nâ— vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen doe where first we must know thâ—â— Christ reproues not repetition in praier simply but needelesse repetitions only for Psal. 51. Dauid doth sundrie times repeat his requests for the pardon of sinne and for sanctification also Moses Elâ—â— and our Sauiour Christ praied fourtie daâ—es together and in these long praiers no doubt vsed many repetitions much lesse can we pray one day together without many repetitions Here then by vaine repetitions is meant babling that is a desire and affectation to vse and speake many words in praier and vnder this one vice are condemned all sinnes of the same kind that is all superstâ—ous multiplication of words in praier as the heathen that is such as were not the people of God but alâ—â—ns from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenant of promise In this commandement are condemned many abuses in the manner of
sonne as the Lord our God is towardes all his children in Christ Psal. 103. 13. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on all that call vpon him Luk. 11. 13. If you that be euill can giue good things to your children much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him and hence it is that Christ saith Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Ioh. 16. 23. Of these two must euery one be perswaded that praies aright euery one will graunt that God is able to heare and helpe but of his willingnesse thereunto none can be assured but he that is the child of God who knoweth God to be his father Yet here must none deceiue himselfe to thinke that whatsoeuer he askes on his owne head God will graunt it for if we aske amisse we shall not receiue and therefore we must carefully marke and obserue the direction of Gods word both for the things we aske and for our manner of asking Halowed be thy name Thus much of the preface here begin the petitions which are sixe in number whereof the three first concerne God the three latter concerne our selues Againe of those which concerne God the first concernes Gods glorie it selfe the other two the meanes whereby Gods glorie is manifested and inlarged among men for Gods name is the◠glorified among men when his kingdome doth come and his will is done Now this petition for the glorifying of Gods name is rightly set in the first place for Gods glorie is the absolute end of all things Prov. 16. 4. The Lord made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill and therefore it must be preferred before all things before life it selfe yea before saluation which is life eternall Ioh. 12. 27 28. our Sauiour Christ preferres the glorie of his fathers name before his owne life And Paul preferres it afore his owne saluation for he professeth that for Gods glorie in the saluation of the Iewes he could wish himselfe separate from Christ Rom. 9. 3. In this petition as in the rest we are to obserue this order first shew the meaning of the words then propound the vses I. The meaning Name The word ascribed to God is here taken generally first for God himselfe as Psal. 20. 1. The name of the God of Iacob defend thee that is the God of Iacob defend thee Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shal cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued i. vpon the Lord. Secondly it here betokens any thing whereby God may be knowne as men are by their names and thus it comprehends ◠his diuine attributes as Iustice mercie power wisdome c. II. his word the holy scriptures which reveale to mē the true knowledge of God III. Gods Iudgements publike or priuate for thereby he makes knowne his presence his power and iustice IV. his workes and creatures for all these beare a stampe of Gods name and in them may the inuisible things of God be seene Rom. 1. 20. Halowed or sanctified To halow Gods name is to glorifie Gods name as Ioh. 12. 28. and this we doe when we giue vnto him the highest honour that may be the highest I say because there are two kinds of honour First the honour of religion when we giue our hearts to God louing him fearing him trusting and delighting in him aboue all which we testifie by all outward adoration prescribed in Gods word this is the highest honour of all Secondly there is the honour of societie which passeth betweene man and man in common wealths and it consisteth in the acknowledgement of preheminence and superioritie in another either by word or gesture ciuilly thus Subiects honour Princes and Magistrates and inferiours their superiours This is due to the creature the former to the Creator onely and that is the honour wee here pray for That we may yet the better vnderstand the meaning of this petitiō we must know that Gods name is halowed or sanctified of vs 2. waies either in God himselfe or in his works In himselfe by 3. actions 1. whē we conceiue of God in our mindes and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word to wit creator gouernour of al things most holy most wise iust mercifull c. 2. When we sanctifie the Lord in our hearts that is when we loue him aboue all feare him aboue al put our trust in him in him in all estates 3. When we praise and laud the name of God for his goodnes yea though we should neuer taste of his special fauour yet for his generall mercie iustice and most wise prouidence we ought to extoll the Lord with our mouthes Gods name is halowed or sanctified in his creatures by three speciall actions 1. When we acknowledge the wisdome of God his powerfull hand in euery creature 2. When we haue a reuerend estimation of the creatures and vse them in Christian sobrietie in regard of the stampe of Gods power and wisedome which appeareth in them 3. When wee sanctifie our moderate vse of them by the word and praier as God requireth 1. Tim. 4. 5. See the practise hereof in the word of God which is his owne solemne ordinance whereby he makes himselfe knowne vnto his Church Therein we sanctifie and halow Gods name I. when we acknowledge the wisdome mercie power of God in it II. when we haue a reuerend estimation of the word in regard of the glorious Image of God which appeareth in it III. when we vse it in a sanctified and holy manner comming vnto it reuerently with prepared hearts hungring after the graces of God which are wrought thereby and giuing our selues in heart and life to be framed and ruled thereby And thus we sanctifie God in afflictions for they are his worke when we labour to see the hand of God therein in iustice mercie and great wisdome chastening vs when we haue a reuerend regard to the hand of God appearing in them and labour to be humbled thereby for the increase of our repentance and the exercise of our faith and patience Thus then in this petition we desire in minde in heart and life to glorifie God both in himselfe and in his works and the meaning of it may be thus expressed O Lord open our eyes that we may know thee aright and may discerne thy power wisdome iustice and mercy and inlarge our hearts that we may sanctifie thee in our hearts by making thee our feare loue ioy and confidence and open our lippes that we may blesse thee for thine infinite goodnesse yea O Lord open our eyes that we may see thee in thy work◠and strike our hearts with reuerence of thy name appearing in them and graunt that when we vse any one of them we may honour thee in our sober and sanctified vse thereof The vses I. Wants to be
Stephen giueth the reason hereof namely their hard hearts whereby they resisted the holy Ghost in the ministerie of the word for which God left them to themselues so as they ran headlong to this height of impiety to persecute Gods deerest seruants The like we may see in these our daies some that haue beene professors after long hearing breake forth into open Atheisme calling this into question whether there be a God and among others there is also to be seene as vile crueltie and oppression in their particular dealings and as abhominable filthinesse as is to be found among the heathen or Idolaters all which and many other enormous sinnes proceed from this that though men professe religion yet they denie subiection to the Gospel preached so as it is not in them a Word of power for which cause God in his iustice giues them vp to hardnes of heart to commit sinne without remorse And therefore if wee would escape the fearefull iudgement of a reprobate sense let vs labour with feare trembling to become obedient to the word which we heare for if we doe not glorifie God in the meanes wherein he offers grace and mercie God will bee sure to glorifie himselfe in our deserued confusion Vers. 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt haue lost his sauour c. In this verse and the rest to the 16. Christ propoundeth the second branch of his sermon touching the office of the Apostles and in them of all Ministers wherein his intent is to mooue them to diligence in preaching the will of God to all people The Coherence of this part with the former standeth thus Christ had shewed before in diuers precepts that many are blessed whervpon some might aske how they should attaine to this happines and to those graces of the Spirit which make them fit for that estate Christ here answers that the preaching of the Gospel is the principall meanes to worke in their hearts those graces to which true happines is promised And because it is an excellent priuiledge to bring men to this estate therfore he exciteth his disciples to diligence in this Ministerie by two Reasons drawne from the properties of this worke propounded in two similitudes The first is taken from salt in these words ye are the salt of the earth amplified in the words following to the ende of the verse The second is drawne from light ver 14. 15. For the first yee are the salt of the earth yee that is you whom I haue called to be Apostles and set apart for the worke of the Ministry are salt not properly but by resemblance yet not in regard of their persons but of their ministerie because hereby they were to season men for God and to make them sauourie both in heart and life Of the earth not of Iudea only but of the whole world as may appeare by their commission Math. 28. 19. Goe therefore and teach all Nations From this description both Ministers and people may learne their dutie First for Ministers by this title of salt heare giuen vnto them Christ would teach them first how they ought to dispence the word of God both Lawe and Gospell namely so as they labour therein to expresse the properties of salt whereto Christ alludeth in his Title Now the properties of salt applied to rawe flesh or fresh wounds are principally three First it will bite and fret being of nature hot and drie Secondly it makes meats sauourie vnto our taste Thirdly it preserueth meates from putrifaction by drawing out of them superfluous moistnesse The Apostles therefore and other Ministers being salt must not onely in generall deliuer the word of God vnto the people but withall applie the same particularly vnto mens hearts consciences as salt is applied vnto meat And that for three endes first the Law must be applied to rippe vp mens hearts to make them see their sinns it must fret and bite them by the curse thereof to cause them to renounce themselues and to crie with the Iewes Men and brethren what shall we doe Secondly the Gospel must be preached that men feeling their corruption like rottennes in their soules may by the blessing of the spirit be thereby seasoned with grace and so reconciled vnto God and made sauourie in his sight This is the end of the Ministrie 2. Cor. 5. 20. We are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs steed that you be reconciled vnto God Thirdly both the Law and the Gospel must bee continually dispensed that thereby sinne and corruption may be daiely mortified and consumed both in heart and life euen as superfluous humours are dried vp by salt And this is the right dispensing of Gods word for euery discourse vpon a text of Scripture is not preaching but he that so expoundeth and applyeth the word that his ministerie may be salt vnto his hearers he it is that preacheth the word indeede Secondly Christ calling his Disciples salt teacheth them and all ministers that they themselues ought first to be seasoned by the word for how can they fitly season others by applying this salt vnto their consciences who neuer felt the biting of it vpon their owne He that is vnseasoned himselfe may speake Gods word which God may blesse to the good of others but yet in respect of himselfe it is a riddle which can not be vnderstood Thirdly this Title giueth good direction to euery Minister for his manner of preaching for if the word of God alone be that sauory salt wherewith mans heart is seasoned for the Lord then it ought to be dispensed purely and sincerely without the mixture of humane inuentions This was Pauls care my word my preaching saith he stood not in the entising speach of mans wisedome but in plaine evidence of the spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Experience teacheth vs that salt by mixture with other things looseth of his sauour and so is it with the word In deede there is a place for Arts and tongues and humane learning with euery dispenser of the word wherein he may vse them with great commendation to witte in his priuate preparation but not in the publique dispensation whereby he seasoneth mens hearts vnto God that the word of God alone must doe for to it alone belongs the promise of the spirit Isay. 59. 21. And therefore he must vse great discretion in this ministerie and labour so to speake that the spirit may take delight to accompanie the same Fourthly this Titile teacheth all Gods Ministers by patience to possesse their soules when the wicked doe fret and fume against them for their ministerie for this is a testimonie that their ministrcie is salt and bites their corrupt consciences as it ought to doe therefore they are to goe on with chearefulnes endeauouring more and more to season their hearers
the Lawe is immutable and eternall and therefore I came not to destroy it First here obserue that the Law of God is made perpetuall and vnchangeable If any man aske how this can be seeing the Apostle faith The Lawe is changed Answer The Law is threefold Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall as hath beene said now that place is principally to be vnderstood of the Ceremoniall law which indeede is abrogated in regard of the obseruation of it in Gods worship but in the scope and substance of it which is Christ crucified with his benefits whom it shadowed out it remaineth still and is now more plaine then euer it was As for the Iudiciall law though it be abrogated vnto vs so farre forth as it was peculiar to the Iewes yet as it agrees with common equitie and serues directly to establish the precepts of the Morall lawe it is perpetuall If it be said that Christ changed the Morall law in changing the Sabbath day from the seauenth day to the eight I answer Christ did so indeed by his Apostles but that is no change of the substance but of the ceremonie of the Sabbath for the substance of that law is the inioyning of a seauenth daies rest vnto the Lord. Now though the seauenth day from the creation be not kept yet a seauenth day is kept still If it be further said that the Law it selfe is abrogated for that euery one that breaketh the Lawe is not accursed according to the sentence thereof Deut. 27. 26. Answer Wee must knowe that the Law is but one part of Gods word and the Gospel another reuealing another part of Gods will besides that which the Lawe made knowne for it addes a qualification to the Law moderating the rigour thereof after this manner Hee is accursed saith the Law that faileth in any commandement except saith the Gospel he bee reconciled againe in Christ and in him haue the pardon of his transgressions And yet the Morall law remaines for euer a rule of obedience to euery childe of God though he be not bound to bring the same obedience for his iustification before God Againe this propertie of the Law in beeing vnchangeable and for euer to be kept sheweth that no creature may dispense with the Law of God Mens lawes may be abrogated and changed but Gods Law euen in the least parts thereof must stand for euer till it be accomplished to the full but if it might be dispensed with then not onely iots and titles thereof but whole lawes might bee abrogated This shewes the blasphemous impietie of the Popes of Rome who in their Canons be authorized to dispense with the lawes of God yea in the last Councell of Trent hee is priuiledged to dispense with some of the lawes of Consanguinitie against nature flatly forbidden in the word of God which is most horrible rebellion and a great disgrace vnto God Thirdly from this propertie of the Law we may obserue that it is not likely that any whole booke of Canonicall Scripture is lost for not one sentence of the Law shall passe till all be fulfilled much lesse then can whole bookes perish Sundrie men do thinke that whole bookes be loste but that opinion cals into question the fidelitie of the Church and Gods own prouidence in preseruing his word neither can it stand wel with this text that saith no title thereof shal faile Those that seeme to be lost were either humane writings as bookes of lawes and Chronicles such as our books of statutes or Chronicles be or books of philosophie such as Salomon writ or else some of them are in the Canonicall Scripture for the bookes of Samuel and the Kings were written by diuers Prophets and therfore we may more safely hold that no part of holy Scripture is lost neither shall euer faile For howsoeuer after the last iudgement the vse of the word written shall cease yet the substance thereof shall remaine in mens hearts and be kept for euer Fourthly this immutabilitie of the Law containes a matter of great terrour woe vnto al impenitent sinners for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues with a presumption of Gods mercie yet the curse of Law which is against them shall stand for euer and therefore while they goe on in sinne they haue iust cause to houle and crie for Gods iustice in that his Law is inuiolable neither will gold or siluer pacifie Gods wrath for though a man by his power and wealth were able to ouerturne heauen and earth yet that would not helpe him though heauen and earth be brought to nothing yet euery part of Gods Law must stand for euer and be fulfilled And therefore whosoeuer doe lie in any finne must in time repent humble themselues forsake their sins and betake themselues vnto Christ that he may fulfill the Law for them or else the cuise thereof shall certainly be fulfilled in them and they shall there lie howling vnder it eternally where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Fiftly this immutabilitie of the Law and so proportionably of euery part of Gods word as it prooueth the Scriptures to be the word of God so it is a most excellent ground of comfort for all Gods seruants to stablish their hearts in the assurance of all his promises A Christian heart is subiect to receiue many doubtinges of the truth of Gods promises especially in the time of triall and temptation but this must be remembred for euer that the whole word of God is immutable though mans promises may faile and their lawes be abrogated yet no iot or part of Gods word shall passe vnfulfilled and therefore they must constantly waite for the accomplishment thereof for in due time it shall be fulfilled Sixtly we are hereby taught to put on patience in afflictiōs for they come by the speciall appointment of our God who saith in his word That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen now euery part of Gods word must be accomplished and therefore Christ bade Peter to put vp his sword when he would haue rescued his apprehension for saith he I could pray to my Father and hee would send more then twelue legions of Angels to helpe me but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled which say It must be so Matth. 26. 52 53 54. Seauenthly our Sauiour Christ in this propertie of immutabilitie giueth vnto the whole Law and vnto euery sillable and letter thereof his proper force vertue and sense so as there is nothing in it not so much as one letter vaine or idle for euery commandement reueales the perfect iustice of God and euery letter serues to expresse the same comaundement And herein the Law of God differeth from mens lawes for in them bee many vaine and idle words yea oftentimes whole sentences but in the law of God it is not so Prou. 8. 8. All the words of my mouth are righteous there is no
lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them yea the Law of the Lord is perfect his statutes are right and his iudgements true and righteous altogether Now the consideration of this integritie and perfection of the law and word of God must mooue vs to studie the Scriptures with great diligence so saith our Sauiour Christ Search the Scriptures that is shake and sift them as the word signifieth search narrowely till the true force and meaning of euery sentence yea of euery word and sillable nay of euery letter and iotte therein bee knowne and vnderstood conferre place with place the scope of one place with another things going before with things that come after yea compare word with word letter with letter and search it throughly This manner of studying the Scripture is most necessarie as beeing the thing indeede which preserueth and vpholdeth the Church of God and the puritie of religion for about foure or fiue hundred years agone men left off to studie the Bible after this sort and betooke themselues to the writings of men occupying their wits wholly in vaine quidâ—ities in Philosophie and in hid mysteries of Diuinitie by which meanes it came to passe that Poperie and Apostacie from the truth spread it selfe ouer the world for many hundred yeares together Afterward God of his meere mercie put into the hearts of some men to bee carefull searchers in the word of God by which meanes the truth appeared as light out of darkenesse Thus God stirred up Luther about the yeare of our Lord 1517. who by diligent search in the Scripture and especially by serious meditation with praier vpon these words of the Apostle Roman 3. 21. That now by the Gospel without the Law the Iustice of God is made manifest did finde that by the perfect obedience of Christ our iustification was wrought and thereupon began to maintaine and professe Iustification before God to be free through and by faith in Christ onely without helpe from the works of the law against the doctrine of the Church of Rome and so by further diligence and industrie in the Scripture the truth of God shone forth more and more Let all men but especially Students in diuinitie consider this effect of searching out the Scriptures as a spurre to diligence in this behalfe By this means also errors and heresies are auoyded and suppressed the will of God is plainly reuealed And here by the way we may see how profitable and necessarie the gift of Interpretation is It is a most excellent gift of the spirit pertaining to the Ministerie and therefore most commendable necessarie is the vse thereof in Schooles of Learning Eightly this immutabilitie ascribed to Gods law that euery part thereof shall be accomplished to the full teacheth all Princes and Magistrates not onely to be keepers of Moses law in their owne persons but also within their rule and dominions to doe their best indeauour that the same bee fulfilled and kept by others For this cause did the Lord command that the Prince of his people should haue the Law written before him in a booke to read vpon continually that hee may learne to feare God and to keepe all the words of the Law to doe them and that which is there enioyned vnto Princes belongeth also vnto all Magistrates Masters and Parents within their places and charges they must be carefull to see the whole law of God practised and obeyed both in their owne persons and of those that are vnder them Lastly by this immutabilitie ascribed to the Law wee may learne what it is to fulfill the law namely to keepe and obserue to the full euery particular thing which the law commaunds vs and vpon this wee may ground two conclusions against the Papists First that no man can come to life euerlasting by his owne righteousnesse and obedience for hee that would come to heauen by his owne righteousnesse must be able to fulfill the whole law perfectly in euery respect but since Adams fall no man could keepe the lawe in all things sauing our Sauiour Christ both God and man Secondly that our fulfilling of the law must be in the obedience of Christ for he onely was answerable to the whole law in all things and therefore if we would come to heauen we must not come in our owne righteousnesse but in his as Paul wisheth to be found of God Phil. 3. 8 9. Verse 19. Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen Our Sauiour Christ hauing plainely propounded in his Apologie for himselfe the stabilitie and eternitie of the whole law doth here laie downe two notable conclusions for the vpholding thereof 1. Because the Law is immutable and eternall therefore he that breaketh one of the least of the commandements and teacheth men so shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen 2. Because the Law is eternall therefore he that keepes the commandements and teacheth men so shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen For the first by least commandement he meaneth the precepts of the Morall lawe though in the former verse by Law he vnderstood the whole law in three parts Iudiciall Morall and Ceremoniall And he calleth them litle not simply in regard of themselues as though they were so indeede for in it selfe euery commaundement of God is great and waightie but hee speaketh according to the opinion of the Iewes for the Scribes and Pharises had ordained certaine rites and ceremonies according to the tradition of their Fathers the obseruation whereof they made a greater matter of conscience then the keeping of some of Gods commandements and so esteemed them little Againe saying these least commaundements hee pointeth out what particular commaundements of the Morall law the Iewes esteemed lesse then the traditions of men namely those which afterward he expoundeth in this Chapter touching Murther Adulterie Swearing and the rest for they esteemed not all the commaundements of the law lesser then their traditions Shal be called least in the kingdome of heauen Here Christ sets downe the punishment of a false Prophet which breakes Gods commaundements teacheth men so to wit his base esteeme in the Church of God for the kingdome of God is two-fold the kindome of grace and the kingdome of glorie The kingdome of grace is the societie and companie of Gods faithfull seruantes here on earth The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of all the Saints in heauen Now here by kingdome of heauen he meaneth the kingdome of grace which is the militant Church on earth and so Iohn Baptist calleth it Math. 3. 2. Repent and amend for the kingdome of heauen is at hand that is the Church of the old Testament is now abolished and the Church of the new Testament is ready to take place
soules and shall we dispose of them after our pleasures to offend him who doth wholly support vs and that continually Secondly here note Christ saith his sunne not the sunne teaching vs that the sunne which shineth in the firmament is Gods sunne not mens God himselfe is the sole author and gouernour thereof hee continueth that beeing which it hath and the power and vertue which it sheweth forth And the same thing by proportion must be vnderstood of all other creatures both in heauen an earth the moone and starres all beasts and cattell yea and we our selues are Gods creatures and hee is our creator our Lord and gouernour Psal. 50. 12. The whole world is mine and all that is therein Now hence we must learne two things First not to abuse any creature to our lust as food raiment c. but to vse whatsoeuer we enioy to Gods glorie according to his wil. Secondly to endeauour to bee lead by the creatures which we enioy to the knowledge of our creator for they are his but alasse the practise of the world is otherwise men suffer themselues by the creatures to be drawn from God for some make their bellie their God to others riches and pleasures are their God Thirdly Christs saying of the Father that he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good doth shew vs that common bountie which God vouchsafeth to his creatures both good and bad for the rising and shining of the sunne is an excellent worke of God by which many other blessings are conuaied to the creatures For first euery thing vpon the earth receiueth heate and warmnesse from it nothing is hid from the heat thereof Psal. 19. 6. In which regard it may well be called the vniuersall fire of the whole world Secondly the sunne serueth notably for the distinction of times by daie and night weekes moneths quarters and whole yeares whereby wee know the tearme of times from the beginning and so may doe till the ende of the world in regard whereof it may well bee called the clocke of the whole world Which things considered may make vs to blush and bee confounded in our selues for that light regard we haue had of so excellent a creature whereby God conuaies so manifold blessings vpon the earth let vs therefore learne to blesse God for the sunne and to expresse our thankfulnesse by all good duties And sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Here is noted the second common blessing bestowed of God vpon the world to wit the falling of the raine vpon the ground both of good and bad Now here first obserue the forme of speech vsed by Christ saying God raineth see Deut. 11. 14. The Lord giueth raine in due season the first and latter raine This worke is attributed to God for waightie causes First to shew that the same God who ordained in the beginning that the clouds should water the earth doth by his owne power vpholde the continuance of the same blessing vnto this daie and indeede if he should not will the continuance hereof it would for euer cease to raine vpon the earth Secondly to teach vs that God disposeth of the raine that falleth restraining and enlarging it at his pleasure either for the blessing or the punishment of the place whereon it falleth and that many times without the helpe of the second causes Leuit. 26. 3 4. If yee walke in mine ordinances I will send you raine in due season and verse 19. But if you will not obey me I will make your heauen as yron and your earth as brasse Amos 4. 7. I haue with-held the raine from you and caused it to raine vpon one citie and not vpon another one peete was rained vpon and that which was not rained vpon withered Here then we learne first that wee ought to pray vnto God for his raine of blessing that is for fruitfull seasons and also to be thankfull vnto God for seasonable weather when we receiue it because hee sendeth it 2. This must teach vs to obey serue God for he hath the clouds in his hands like a spunge when he wil he presseth out the raine therof now if we obey him he wil cause it to fall vpon the earth for a blessing but if we rebell against him he will either hold it backe or powre it downe vpon vs for a curse 3. Seeing God sendeth down the raine we may gather that no man can certainly tel by the course of the heauēs the particular season of the weather day by day If the raine depended wholly vpon the celestiall bodies then should it fall alike in all places that be of like position to the heauens but that is not so for God ordereth it according to the state of the people vpon whom it falleth either for a blessing or a curse as we haue heard 4. Hence we may gather that neither witches by the help of Satan nor yet Satan himselfe can cause raine as many thinke for it is God alwaies that raineth The deuill indeede is the prince of the ayre and by Gods permission he may ioyne himselfe vnto a storme make it more terrible and hurtful as he did in the destruction of Iobs cattell children by fire from heauen by a mightie winde but yet he cannot make the matter of winde or of raine that is proper to God 5. Doth God raine vpon the earth then we may well consider why the land is so often plagued with vnseasonable raine it is no doubt for our disobedience as we haue heard Leu. 26. 19. the contempt of the word among other sins is one maine cause of this iudgement Now if we would either remoue or preuent this plague at any time we must turne vnto the Lord and repent of our sins for thereto we are called by this iudgement Amos 4. 7. And if we doe turne then wil the Lord send a gratious raine vpon our land but if we wil not turne we shal haue another raine the raine of Sodome and Gomortha for vpon the wicked God will raine snares fire and brimstone And this is certaine where God sends his iudgements for the contempt of his word and yet men doe not repent there one iudgement is but the fore-runner of a greater till they bee consumed And sith experience teacheth that after invndations of waters vsually comes plague and pestilence for the preuenting of these Iudgements let vs repent The last point to bee here obserued is this in what tearmes our Sauiour Christ expresseth who bee the friends of God and who bee his enemies His friends he calleth good and iust his enemies euill and vniust Now that we may discerne of our estate towards God in this behalfe we must see what a good and iust man is In euery such a one two things are required First true faith whereby a man laies holde on Christ for his
fruition of euery grace and blessing we aske of God according to his will Amen verse 14. For if ye doe forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you 15. But if you doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more wil your heauenly father forgiue you your trespasses These two verses contain a reason of the fift petition concerning the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which is propounded with a limitation and condition of our forgiuing them that trespasse against vs the reason here is because in this behalfe we shall finde such measure with God as we mete out vnto our brethren For the meaning of the words three points must be discussed First whome this reason doth concerne namely priuate men for priuate trespasses it reacheth not to Magistrates and publike persons in their function who be the Ministers of God to take vengeance on them that doe euill for to such the Lord saith Thiue eye shall not spare the offender but according to the qualitie of the offence must he execute iudgement vpon offenders for the remoouing of euill And so must parents and masters deale in their families and Ministers in their publike dispensation of the word for els offences would so abouÌ„d that there could be no liuing for Gods people in the world II. Point How doth these depend one vpon an other our forgiuing of men and Gods forgiuing vs Ans. We must not conceiue that our forgiuing men their trespasses is a cause why God forgiues vs for we are by nature dead in sinne and can not doe any good thing of our selues till we be enabled thereunto of God but our forgiuing is a signe that God hath forgiuen vs beeing indeede a fruit of our reconciliation with God for it is a signe of true repentance which is a fruit of faith whereby we apprehend the mercie of God for the pardon of our sinnes in Christ. III. Point How should our forgiuenes goe before Gods forgiuing vs for so the words seeme to import If you forgiue your heauenly father will forgiue you c. Ans. The pardon of sinne which God giues must be considered two waies first as it is giuen in heauen secondly as it is reuealed and assured to the conscience of man now the pardon of sinne in heauen alwaies goes before our forgiuing others but our assurance of pardon with God followes after our forgiuing of men for a mans sinnes may be forgiuen with God and yet he may long remaine without the assurance thereof in his owne conscience this we may see in Dauid for when Nathan said The Lord hath put away thy sinne no doubt it was forgiuen in heauen but yet his â—arnest prayer for pardon afterward 〈…〉 wes plainly that he did not vpon Nathans speech receiue the coÌ„fortable assurance of pardon in his owne conscience This then is Christs meaning that if we forgiue men their trespasses God will assure vs in our consciences that he hath forgiuen vs otherwise if we will not forgiue God will denie vs that assurance The vse of this point is first and cheifly this we must learne to forgiue and forget all priuate wrongs and iniuries done vnto vs whether great or final without desire of reuenge The reasons to mooue vs hereto are these First it is Gods commandement here expressely inioyned which must needs bind the conscience to obedience Secondly if we will not forgiue men God will not forgiue vs this Christ inforceth by doubling the sentence now without Gods forgiuenes there 's no saluation and therefore we must be ready to forgiue as we tender our owne saluation Thirdly the frailtie of our nature is such that we our selues are subiect to offer wrong to others this is intimated in this phrase except ye forgiue men their trespasses so that euery man is prone to trespasse against others and therefore as we would be forgiuen when we trespasse so must we also forgiue men their trespasses Now for the better performing of our dutie herein these rules must be obserued I. We shall perceiue in sundrie men many wants frailties which mens laws punish not as in old men frowardnes in others hastines and in some ambition and desire of praise now these and such like we must in loue passe by without taking notice thereof Prov. 19. 11. It is the glorie of a man to passe by an offence II. Rule If men giue vs some light occasions of offence as vpbraid vs with our ignorance vnskilfulnes basenes pouertie or such like we must lightly passe them ouer preferring the bond of peace before outward reputation III. Rule Though a man doe vnto vs that which is indeede flat iniurie yet if it doe not manifestly hinder Gods glorie or too much preiudice our good estate by hurting our good name our goods or life we must cause our priuate griefe and hurt to yeild to publique peace IV. Rule If men doe vs such great wrongs as manifestly hinder Gods glorie and our good estate in life goods or name then we must vse the helpe of the magistrate and the lawfull defence of laws prouided for that ende Alwaies remembring that in seeking to right our selues we lay aside all malice hatred and desire of reuenge and with a single heart propound Gods glorie in the reformation of the partie that doth vs wrong Secondly in this reason perswading to forgiuenes we may see that pardon of sinne before God and reformation of life goe together for here by this one branch of a reformed life in brotherly forgiuenesse is vnderstood all of the same kind but where is no reformation of life there is no pardon of sinne before God Wouldest thou therefore be assured in thy conscience of Gods speciall fauour towards thee in Christ then reforme thy life by euery law of God for this will giue thee assurance from God but if thy life be vnreformed thy hope of pardon is a meere conceit of thine owne braine and therefore if thou want reformation now beginne and if thou haue begunne then hold on and doe it more and more for thy more full assurance vers 16. Moreouer when ye fast looke not sowre as the hypocrites for they disfigure their faces that they might seeme vnto men to fast Verely I say vnto you that they haue their reward Our Sauiour Christ hauing rectified the abuses in Almes-giuing and in praier doth here come to a third Christian dutie namely fasting wherein as in the former first he seeks to reforme abuses and then prescribes the true manner thereof But before we come to these particularly I will in generall handle the doctrine of fasting for the better vnderstanding of this text and exercise of this dutie And first we must know that Christ here speakes not of a ciuill fast appointed by magistrates in their dominions for ciuill respects but of a religious fast respecting the worship of God which appeares by this that he ioyneth the doctrine of
to see whether they had done according to the cry that was come vp to the Lord. Gen. 18. 21. whereby the Lord would teach vs that before he enter into iudgement with any man or any people he first takes good consideration of the fact which causeth his punishment Secondly we must haue authoritie and warrant by calling to giue iudgement or els some thing which is answerable thereto though the iudgement be priuate as to giue admonition or iust dispraise yet without a calling we must not doe it he that giueth iudgement must be able truly to say the Lord hath called me thus to doe The Magistrate the Minister the master and euery superiour hath authoritie to iudge those that are vnder him and for priuate men in priuate iudgement though they want this authority by calling yet if they haue that which is answerable hereto that is the affection of Christian loue so as they can say with Paul the loue of God constraineth me then they may iudge Thirdly we must alwaies haue a good ende of our iudgement as well as a good beginning that is the reformation and amendment not the defaming of our brother And these three concurring in all hard speeches they cease to be rash and vniust censures Iohn Baptist calls the Pharisies and Sadduces a generation of vipers Matth. 3. 7. our Sauiour Christ calls them hypocrites and painted tombes and Herod a foxe the Prophet Isai calls the Princes and people of Iuda and Israel Princes and people of Sodom and the Apostle Paul calls the Galatians fooles Gal. 3. 1. and the Cretians lyars euill beasts slow bellies Tit. 1. 12 13. All which are hard speeches but yet no slanders because they had all of them a calling so to doe and likewise did this on good ground and for a good ende Thus much for the commandement Now follow two reasons to induce vs to make conscience of rash iudgement The former is laide downe in these words That ye be not iudged And it may be framed thus If ye iudge ye shall be iudged of men againe with rash iudgement But ye cannot abide to be iudged of rashly and therefore iudge not The second part is vnderstood but yet necessarily collected The conclusion is the commandement it selfe Iudge not This reason doth affoard vnto vs two instructions I. It giueth vs a tast and view of our owne naturall pride and selfeloue for when we heare God dishonoured by sweating or our neighbours name defamed by slandering we are not onely not grieued but oftentimes are the cause thereof and take great delight therein especially in hearing other mens faults ripped vp to their disgrace but yet we can in no sort brooke or suffer our owne good name to be called into question if our selues be ill spoken of we are presently filled with malice and enuie and cannot be at rest till we be requited or reuenged nay though we be in a good manner admonished of our fault euen in loue and after a friendly sort yet we can very hardly brooke it though the partie admonishing make knowne vnto vs that he doth it only for our good without all purpose of disgrace vnto our persons II. Instruct. Here also our Sauiour Christ affoardeth vnto vs a notable way whereby we may come to the knowledge of our own sinnes and of the hainousnes thereof When we behold sinne in our selues we hardly iudge it to be sinne we must therefore looke vpon our owne sinnes in the person of others and learne to iudge of it in our selues as we iudge of it in others When we consider of rash iudgement in others against our selues we count it a vile and grieuous sinne yea odious and intolerable and in like sort ought we to thinke of rash iudgement in our selues towards others and so for euery other sinne in our selues we ought to iudge of it as we doe when we see it in the person of others against vs otherwise if we looke onely to our selues we shall sooth vp our selues in sinne making great sinnes little sinnes and small sinnes none at all vers 2. For with what iudgement ye iudge ye shall be iudged and with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you againe This verse containes a double confirmation of the former reason drawne from the euent The first in these words For with what iudgement ye iudge ye shall be iudged as if Christ had said If ye iudge men rashly then men againe by the appointment of God in his wisdome and prouidence shall accordingly giue rash iudgement vpon you but if ye iudge men righteously then men againe by Gods appointment and prouidence shall iudge well of you for so I take the words to be meant of mens iudgement by Gods appointment in his prouidence and not of Gods iudgement immediatly Now in this proofe first we may obserue one true and maine cause of that personal defamation which is common in the world and it is to be found in the person himselfe that is defamed he hath rashly and vniustly censured others for which God in his prouidence doth most iustly cause others to defame him againe so as men themselues doe most of all wound their owne good names and by their bad cariage toward others iustly cause their owne disgrace In regard whereof we must learne first to set a carefull watch before our mouthes to keepe the doore of our lips gouerning our tongues by the word of God for when we censure others rashly we doe procure iudgement vnto our selues Secondly to be patient vnder the rash censures and slaunders of others For we must thinke that we our selues haue heretofore done the like to others and therefore it is iustice with God to reward vs in the same kinde wherewith we haue wronged others This is Salomons counsell Giue not thine heart to all the words that men speake least thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee for oft â—imes also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others Secondly in this proofe wee may also obserue the right way how to get and keepe a good name to wit by iudging others with Christian iudgement carying a charitable opinion of euery one speaking the the best of them in all companies so farforth as we can with good conscience and neuer iudging hardly of any till we be indeed lawfully called thereunto hauing a good ground for our action and doing it for a good end If thou wouldst liue long saith the Prophet and see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile that is speake not euill of any man though thou know ill by him till thou be lawfully called thereto Thirdly from the consideration of this prouidence of God whereby he ordereth and disposeth that defamers of others shal be rewarded in their kind and that by others we may gather that God knowes euery vnaduised thought of the heart and euery rash censure
make before we heare the word of God First we must wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse the Altar of the Lord the word and sacraments are holy in theÌ„selues but not so to vs out of their holy vse and therefore if we would reape profit to our selues by them we must prepare our hearts therevnto Thirdly whereas the word is vnto vs the voice of God the means of sanctification we may learne that in the congregatioÌ„ of Gods people ordinarily the pure word of God alone ought to be heard without the mixture of the words of men be they neuer so holy for it is not said of the words of any man that they are that holy thing The Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of the making of the holy oyle which was to anoint the Kings and Priests vnder the law neither might any man adde any thing thereto though it were neuer so pure and good nor make any oyle like vnto it so likewise the trumpets that serued for the Tabernacle to assemble the people the Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of them and none might vse any other though it were made of most pure gold Had the Lord this care ouer his Sanctuarie vnder the law to take the appointment of these things to himselfe alone and shall we thinke that the trumpet of his holy word which now by his appointment soundeth in the congregation of the Saints may admit a mixture with the words of men humane or diuine be they neuer so holy The ancient Church was farre from this mixture and therfore forbade the publike reading of the Apocrypha which yet are more excellent bookes then the writings of men published since the Apostles But it is saide that they onely finde fault with this kinde of preaching which cannot attaine vnto it I answer it is no point of the greatest learning to vse the sayings of Fathers and Poets in preaching and they which vse it not refraine therefrom not because they cannot doe it but because they dare not mingle the sayings of men with the word of God which is that holy thing seruing in stead of Gods owne glorious voice in all matters that concerne our faith and obedience and beeing the onely sufficient instrument of our sanctification and therefore it were to be wished that in the congregations of the Saints the pure word of God might sound alone vnto Gods people that as they are begotten alone of this immortall seede so they might be fedde alone with this sincere milke II. Point What is meant by pearles Ans. The wholesome doctrines and instructions of Gods word contained partly in commandements and partly in sweete and heauenly promises so Matt. 13. 46. the Gospel preached is compared to a pretious pearle And further we are to note that these wholesome instructions are called your pearles Christ speaking to his Disciples and other hearers now they are so called in two respects First in regard of the Apostles and other Ministers their successors because they are the Lords stewards to dispense the word and the doctrine thereof to Gods people Secondly in regard of all true beleeuers and seruants of God that haue care to know and to obey the word of God for euery beleeuer hath a speciall right vnto Gods word aboue other men to which purpose the Lord saith Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isa. 8. 16. that is commend coÌ„mit my word vnto my disciples there giuing a special right and interest vnto them in the word of saluationâ— for they haue the true iudgment and meaning thereof they keepe it in their hearts expresse the power of it in their liues they haue the vse and benefit thereof in euery estate in this world and vnto their eternall saluation in heauen From this that the doctrines of Gods word are our pearles first wee are taught to place all our riches in the word of God for that is our Iewell and our principall treasure of this Salomon saith Her merchandise are better then merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof better then gold In the valuing of this pearle Dauids practise is notable who made the testimonies of God his heritage and the very ioy of his heart Psalm 119. 111. and esteemed them aboue gold yea aboue most siâ—e gold vers 127. Secondly we must hereby learne to content our selues in all casualties and calamities of this lise with this pearle of the word of God for though we loose friends health goods or good name yet this pearle of good doctrines and sweete promises is not lost if that were taken away with the losse of outward commodities then there were some cause of discomfort but seeing this iewell remaines with vs in all estates therefore herewith we must stay and comfort our selues as Dauid did counting Gods promises his comfort in trouble Psal. 119. 50. his songs in his pilgrimage v. 54. Thirdly this must teach vs to vse the doctrines and promises of Gods worde as pearles wee must looke them vp in our hearts and haue them in faithfull keeping in our memories A man that hath an earthly iewell that is of any worth will bee very carefull to looke it vp in the surest chest he hath how much more care ought wee to haue of these true pearles of heauenly instructions As the Holy Ghost speakes of Deaconâ— they must bee such as keepe the mysterie of faith in good conscience so must euery one of vs bee carefull keepers of this heauenly pearle This was Maries practise Luke 2. 51. Shee powdered the sayings of Christ in her heart and Dauid hidde the word of God in his heart that he might not sinne against the Lord. Psal. 119. 11. IU Instruct. The doctrines and promises in Gods word are the pearles of the Apostles and ministers therefore they aboue others in all ages and times ought to haue speciall care by all good meanes to preserue the puritie of doctrine in the Church of God This is Pauls charge to Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thee that is that whole some doctrine which thou hast learned of me this neerely concerneth ministers at this day that as by the good meanes of others they haue receiued true doctrine purified from the dregges of Popery so they should preserue keepe the same froÌ„ all â—int of corruption to their posteritie The third and fourth things to be considered are touching dogs and swine where these three points are to bee handled I. What are here properly meant by dogs and swine II. Who must giue iudgement of men to be dogs and swine and III. Where they are to be found For the first By dogs and swine wee must vnderstand the enemies of Gods word yet not all enemies for so euery sinner should be a dog a swine but onely such as are malitious obstinate enemies manifestly conuicted of their enmitie to Gods word doctrine of whose
quietly alone to put his mouth into the dust and to giue his cheeke vnto the nippers Doth blessednesse belong to meeke persons hereby then wee are admonished to labour for the moderation of all our affections especially of anger hatred and reuenge and to beware of all hindrances to this blessed vertue as choller hastinesse grudging impatience vnder wrongs with all rayling reuiling chiding and brawling and all such threatning speeches which come too oft in practise that wee may forgiue but we will neuer forget yea in Action we must auoyd all quarrelling fighting contending and going to law on euery light occasion for true meekenesse admits none of all these to take place with Gods children And to induce vs hereunto consider first Christs precept and example bidding vs learne of him for he is meeke and lowely Againe consider Gods owne dealing with vs we daiely wrong him by our offences and yet he beares with vs shall we then bee so vnlike our heauenly Father that we will straight reuenge the wrongs that others doe vnto vs See Colloss 3. 12 13. As the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercie gentlenesse lowelinesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you so doe yee Lastly the fruition and practise of this grace hath the promise of blessednesse belonging to it and therefore as we would bee happie so we must get the spirit of meekenesse into our hearts and expresse the vertue and power thereof in our liues Obiect I. Here some will say If I put vp all iniuries I shall be couÌ„ted a dastard and a foole Ans. In this case learne of Paul to passe little for mans iudgement but be carefull to get and 〈…〉 this grace of meekenesse and then Christ will pronounce thee â—â—â—ssed which ought more to preuaile with thee then all mens estimatioÌ„ in the world and so it will vnlesse thou loue the praise of men more then the praise of God Ioh. 12. 48. Obiect II. Again it will be said The more I vse to put vp wrongs the more shall I haue still done vnto me Ans. That is onely so â—â—th wicked men for who else will wrong thee if thou followe that which is good Yet say they doe thy patient suffering is praise-worthy with God and he will take the matter into his hand yea Christ Iesus who iudgeth not by the sight of the eie he will rebuke aright for all the meeke of the earth Obiect III. But yet thou saist this is the way to loose all that a man hath and to be thrust out of house and harbour Ans. Nothing lesse for Christ here saith the meeke shall inherit the earth doubt not but Christ will make good his word and therefore if thou respect these outward things labour to get and exercise the spirit of meekenesse II. Point Wherein doth this blessednes of the meeke consist namely in their inheriting of the earth And this is a great happinesse for a man to be Lord of the whole earth But how can this be true sith many of Gods dearest seruants haue beene strangers on this earth thrust out of house and land and constrained to wander in mountaines and desarts afflicted and miserable yea destitute of conuenient foode and raiment Heb. 11. 37 38. Ans. The meeke are here called Inheritors of the earth not for that they alwaies haue the possession thereof but first because God giues a meete and conuenient portion of the earth either to them or to their posteritie thus hee dealt with Abraham Isaac and Iacob they had sufficient for themselues and a promise of great possessions which their posteritie did enioy Secondly if it fall out that meeke persons die in want or banishment yet God giues theÌ„ contentation which is fully answerable to the inheritance of the earth so Paul saith of himselfe and other Apostles they were as men hauing nothing and yet possessed all things meaning through contentation with the peace of a good conscience Thirdly the meeke haue this inheritance in regard of right being the members of Christ who is Lord of all Hence Paul saith to the beleeuing Corinthians all things are yours whether it be Paul or Cephas or the world things present or things to come all are yours and ye Christs Fourthly the meeke are made kings by Christ and after the last iudgement they shall rule and raigne with him for euer 〈…〉 â—eu 5. 10. And in these two last respects the meeke are more properly said to be the inheritours of the earth Obiect Yet here it will be said againe that wicked and carnall men are oftentimes the greatest Lords of the earth as Nimrâ—d in his time and the Turke at this day Answ. The right vnto the earth is two-fold Ciuill and Spirituall Ciuill right is that which stands good before men by their lawes anâ—â—ustomes and in regard therof men are called Lords of such lands as they haue right vnto in the Courts of men and so the Turke at this day is a mightie Lord of a great part of the whole world Spirituall right is that which is warrantable and approoued with God himselfe and such right and title had Adam to all the world before his fall which he lost by his sinne both from himselfe and all his posterity but yet in Christ the same is recouered to all the elect And of this right Christ here speaketh when hee calleth the meeke inheritours of the earth in regard whereof the Turke all vnbeleeuers and vngodly persons are but vsurpers of those things which otherwise ciuilly they doe lawfully possesse Here then is an excellent priuiledge of all the true members of Christ that in him they be Lords of the earth whereby first wee may see how farre most men doe ouershoote themselues in seeking earthly possessions for the manner is without all regard of Christ to hunt after the world but this is a preposterous course these men set the Cart before the horses for seeing all our right to the earth was lost by Adam and is onely recouered by Christ doubtlesse till we haue part in Christ we cannot with the comfort of a good conscience either purchasse or possesse any inheritance vpon earth In regard of certaintie men desire to hold their lands in capite that is in the Prince as beeing the best tenure but if wee would haue a sure title and hold aright in capite wee must labour to become true members of Christ and hold our right in him for he is the Prince of the kings of the earth and Lord of all the world and till we be in Christ wee shall neuer haue an holy and sanctified right to any worldly possessions Secondly this serues for a bridle against all immoderate care for the world for if wee
herewith Secondly the people of God that heare his word may learne good instruction from this Title first hereby euery one may see what he is by nature namely like vnto flesh subiect to corruption nay as vnsauory flesh and stinking cation in the nostrels of God for els what needed this salt This therefore must mooue vs to lay aside all pride of heart whereby we thinke highly of our selues yea we must become base and lowly in our owne eies in regard of the vnsauourie tast of our naturall corruption else we shall neuer feele the seasoning vertue of Gods holy Ministerie Secondly euery one must hereby learne to suffer the word of reproofe whereby his heart and conscience may be ripped vp and his sores of sinne discouered when we haue a cut or a wound in our flesh we can be content to put salt vpon it to drie vp the noysome humours that otherwise would corrupt now can we endure the smart of salt for the health of our bodies and shall we not much more suffer the word of God to rip vp our sinnes and to mortifie the same for the saluation of our soules Thirdly euery one must giue all diligence to bee seasoned throughout with this heauenly salt that the thoughts of his heart the words of his mouth and the actions of his life may be all sauourie and acceptable vnto God in Christ yea in his conuersation with men hee must labour to shewe the power of this seasoning Coloss. 4. 6. Let your speech be gratious alwaies and powdred with salt that is seasoned by the word that it may sauour of grace to those that heare vs. If we liue vnder the Ministerie of the word and be not seasoned therewith our case is dangerous for therein it is of the nature of salt which causeth barrennesse where it seasoneth not as we may see in the practise of Abimelech who sowed salt in Shechem to make the groūd barren and the place despised But if the salt haue lost his sauour wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to bee cast out and troden vnder the foote of men Here Christ amplifieth the former reason whereby hee mooued his Apostles to sidelitie and diligence in their Ministerie by the danger of the contrarie infidelitie which is as vnsauourie salt incurable and vnprofitable and so subiect to a fearefull curse and therefore saith Christ you had neede to bee faithfull in seasoning the world by your Ministerie In this amplification we may obserue foure points First the ordinarie sinne that doth accompanie the calling of the Ministerie Secondly the danger of this sin Thirdly the vnprofitablenes of such a Ministerie Fourthly the iudgement of God due vnto it I. Point As other callings haue their seuerall faults so hath the calling of a Minister noted in these words If the salt haue lost his sauour c. Salt is said to become vnsauourie when it looseth that vertue and acrimonie which it hath in seasoning that flesh on which it is cast Now Ministers are as vnsauourie salt when they become vnprofitable in their Ministerie and either doe not or cannot dispense Gods word for the seasoning of mens soules that they may be acceptable to God and reconciled vnto him in Christ. In this calling there bee especially foure kinds of vnsauourie salt First the blind watch-men that haue no knowledge and dumb dogges that cannot barke that is such as either cannot or if they can will not dispense Gods word for the saluation of mens soules Secondly Hereticall Teachers who preach false and damnable doctrine such as doth not season but poison and destroie the soule such were the false Prophets among the Iewes who enticed to Idolatrie Deut. 30. 1 2. and the false Apostles and Heretiks in the Primitiue Church whose words did fret as a canker and destroyed the faith of many And such are the Romish teachers at this day and the Iesuits and Seminaries among vs who though they be qualified with many good gifts of learning yet by mingling the word of God with their owne inuentions and humane traditions they rase the foundation they become vnsauourie salt and hereticall Teachers And here by the way who cannot but wonder that students in Diuinitie should so much affect the Postils and Comments of Friers and Popish writers as they doe doubtlesse it argueth that the word of God hath not seasoned their hearts for where such vnsauourie salt hath relish the wholesome doctrine of Gods word hath neuer seasoned Thirdly they are vnsauourie salt who teach true doctrine but yet misapplie the same Many such were in the Church of the Iewes in the daies of Ieremie and Ezekiel who much complaine of sowing pillowes vnder the elbowes of the wicked by preaching peace vnto them when they should haue called to repentance by the discouerie of their sinnes and the denunciation of Gods iudgements as also for making sad the hearts of those whom God hath not made sadde And such are those at this day who haue sinooth tongues in respect of sinne and yet are full of bitter inuectiues against the better sort By this meanes the word of God looseth his acrimonie and sharpnesse whereby the wicked should be awaked out of their slumber of securitie and the godly further seasoned and made more acceptable vnto God Fourthly they are vnsauourie salt who though they teach the truth and generally applie it well doe yet lead vngodly and scandalous liues for an offensiue and vnsauourie conuersation in the Teacher doth hinder the seasoning vertue of the word of his Ministerie in the hearts of the people and his doctrine cannot so much edifie as his course of life destroyeth because naturall men regard not so much what is said as what is done This beeing so all Gods Ministers and those also that destinate themselues to this calling must haue speciall care so to bee qualified for this worke and so to preach the word of God that it may be sauourie in the hearts and consciences of them that heare it This is a matter of great importance as well in respect of the Minister as of the people and thus shall it appeare that they are not onely no vnsauourie salt but euen such as doe season others II. Point The danger of this sinne in beeing vnsauourie salt that is vnfaithfull in the Ministerie is very great noted in these words wherewith shall it be salted Some referre this salting to the earth as if Christ had said wherewith shall the earth be salted but it doth more truely belong to the salt it selfe as Mark. 9. 5. Salt is good but if the salt be vnsauourie wherewith shall it that is the salt it selfe be seasoned Againe the interrogation wherewith imports a vehement deniall as if Christ should say If salt once loose his naturall propertie of saltnesse it can neuer be recouered now vnfaithfull and vnprofitable Ministers are vnsauourie salt and therefore their danger is exceeding great
And yet the comparison must not so be vrged as thereby to prooue the state of Ministers to be incurable if they once become vnfaithful but Christs meaning is to shewe that vnprofitable Ministers are very hardly or seldome euer made sauourie againe at least if formerly they haue beene faithfull after haue fallen from it That this is the true meaning may thus appeare for notes of negation in Scripture doe not alwaies import an absolute deniall but sometime they are put to expresse great difficultie and to shewe things that seldome come to passe Matth. 23. 33. O generation of vipers how should you escape the damnation of hell that is very hardly And so where it is said that Dauid did not decline from the way of the Lord saue in the matter of Vriah that is very seldome for he sinned grieuously in numbring the people so Matth. 13. 57. A Prophet is not without honour that is very seldome saue in his owne countrie for sometime he may be dishonoured else-where and sometime also haue honour in his owne countrie So in this place this resemblance of incurablenesse in vnfaithfull Ministers must bee vnderstood of great hardnesse and difficultie not of an impossibilitie as experience also teacheth for king Salomon was a Prophet of God who by his adulteries and idolatrie became wonderfull vnsauourie and yet no doubt he afterward recouered and became sauourie againe by true repentance whereupon he penned the booke of Ecclesiastes so Peter by his deniall of Christ became vnsauoury but yet by Gods mercie vpon his repentance he was seasoned againe This then is the danger that Ministers declining from fidelitie doe seldom or hardly recouer the reason is First because they want teachers to instruct them as they instruct the people Secondly the word in them is vnsauourie which should season them and so there is no other meanes to recouer them ordinarily Goe through all ages and obserue the examples of false prophets in the olde Testament of false Apostles in the newe and of Arch heretickes in the primitiue Church and hardly shall you find any that repented yea marke such Ministers as in our age incline to poperie and for the most part they become irreuocable Hereby then euery Minister is taught to learne and practise Pauls lessons to Timothie To take heed vnto himselfe and vnto learning continuing therin fighting a good sight hauing faith and a good conscience These things Paul doth notably vrge in that Epistle giuing good direction to attaine therevnto 1. Tim. 4. 13. 14. 16. and 6. 11 12. III. Point The vnprofitablenes of vnfaithfull Ministers expressed in these words It is thenceforth good for nothing that is as vnsauourie salt becoming vnfit to season meate is good for nothing for cast it on the ground it makes it barren nay cast it on the dung-hill and it hurts that also which otherwise serues for good vse so it is with Ministers that become vnfaithfull they are of all other most noysome both to the Church and commonwealth for Gods curse is vpon them and they are good for no societie This might be declared by many examples of such as hauing fallen to Poperie from our Ministerie haue after prooued not only deadly enemies to our Church and to the truth but the rankest Rebels Traitors vnto our Prince and State of all others Question Whether may such Ministers as become vnsauourie salt by making Apostacie from the truth as if a protestant Minister become a Masse-preist be restored againe into the Ministerie of Gods Church vpon their repentance Answer Some be of minde that they may not be receiued at all into the Ministerie after such apostacie but I finde nothing in the Scripture which should hinder their restitution if their conuersion vnto God and to his truth may appeare to be true and vnfained It is alleadged that the Priests vnder the Law falling to Idolatrie were for euer debarred from the Priests office Answer That was for special cause for the Priests were types of Christ and their outward holinesse shadowed out the perfect integritie and holines of our Saiuour Christ for which cause their was none chosen to the Priests office who had any blemish in his body Now by such opē Idolatrie they disabled thēselues frō being figures of Christ therfore were reiected Again we find that inferiour officers were not debarred frō their office in the Sanctuarie though they committed idolatrie as the Priests did It is said againe that a Minister must be vnblameable but a Masse-priest cannot be vnblameable Answ. Without true repentance none is vnblameable but by true repentance euen a Masse-priest may becom vnblameable But such as fall away become vnsauourie salt which cannot be made sauourie againe Ans. By the power of God it may and so may an vnfaithfull Minister through Gods mercie be renued by repentance and become profitable in the Church IV. Point The curse and punishment of vnsauourie salt It is cast out and troden vnder foote of men whereby Christ signifieth that vnfaithfull and vnprofitable Ministers shall be condemned both of God and man Hos. 4. 6. Because thou hast despised knowledge therefore also will I despise thee Mal. 2. 9. Therefore haue I made you to be despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my way but haue beene partiall in the Lawe See the signe of the Lords contempt in his fearefull iudgements vpon them as on Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10. 1 2. Hophni and Phinehas 1. Sam. 2. 34. And though they may escape his hand in this life yet will Christ at his comming cut them off and giue them their portion with Hypocrites where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth The consideration whereof must mooue all Ministers to beware of vnfaithfulnesse in their calling lest the curse of vnsauourie salt light vpon them The Carpenters who builded Noahs Arke were themselues drowned in the flood because neither Noahs preaching nor their owne working did mooue them to repentance And the like iudgement will befall vnfaithfull Ministers though they haue the name of such as should season others yet because of their vnfaithfulnesse they become vnsauourie God himselfe at length will cast them out and tread them vnder foote If this were laid to heart as it ought to be it would driue many from their idlenesse vanitie and couetousnes whereby they become vnsauourie vnto God Verse 14. Yee are the light of the world a Citie that is set on a hill cannot be hidde 15. Neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light to all that are in the house 16. Let your light so shine before men c. Here Christ laieth down the second reason to induce his disciples in them all Ministers to preach the word of God faithfully as if he should say By calling you are the light of the world and your condition is such that all your sayings and doings are open
minde meekenesse c. and Ephes. 2. 10. Ye are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Now this is a most excellent thing for a man to bee answerable to his calling When Dauid was a shepheard hee kept his fathers sheepe and liued as a shepheard but when he was called to be a King hee behaued himselfe like a King in gouerning Gods people and so euery Christian ought to doe beeing a newe creature he must walke as Gods childe and testifie his vocation by shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called him 1. Pet. 2. 9. Fourthly good workes serue to be a way in which we are to walke that so wee may receiue the mercies of God promised to his children and escape the Iudgements threatened against sinners for Gods word is full of most sweet promises vnto the obedient and of terrible threatning against rebellion and iniquitie Now a man by walking in good workes eschewes the paths of wickednesse wherein Gods iudgements light and holdes the waies of righteousnesse wherein Gods blessings are scattered Prou. 3. 17. Thirdly the ende of good workes in regard of our brethren is principally this that by our example in well doing wee may winne some vnto God and keepe others in the obedience of the truth and preuent offences whereby many are drawne backe The contagion of a badde example especially in men of superiour place is such that it wil not only cast their owne soules to hell but also draw many with them When Ieroboam the King sinned hee caused Israel to sinne 1. Kings 15. 34. And therefore wee must carefully looke to all our waies in regard of others and so liue according to Christs commandement in this place that others seeing our good workes may bee wonne to the truth and so glorifie God which is in heauen And thus wee see the endes of good workes Now considering good works be of such excellent vse we are hereby admonished to exercise our selues therein with all diligence for hereby we benefit our brethren wee helpe our selues and we glorifie God neither must any mans pouertie hinder him from this dutie for not onely almes deedes and large gifts to Churches and high waies are good workes but also the speciall duties of euery mans lawfull calling done in faith to the glorie of God and the good of men bee the calling neuer so base by the doing whereof in faith and obedience he may get sure testimonie of his election This exhortation is most needfull for so soone as men haue occasion to commit any sinne then they shake off the yoake of all obedience as there were no way of good workes to be walked in The Papists indeed make the merit of iustification and life euerlasting the ende of good workes but that hath bin sufficiently confuted heretofore Hitherto wee haue spoken of the first point in this conclusion touching the manner of teaching The second point herein contained is the end of all teaching namely to turne men vnto God and thereby to bring them to glorifie God That men may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen that is so teach that men may see your good workes and be wonne thereby to the faith so glorifie God Our Sauiour Christ his Commission giuen to his Disciples before his ascension bids them God make all nations my Disciples and Paul saith that hee became all things to all men that by all meanes hee might not onely instruct but saue some Hereby then all Ministers and all those that set themselues apart for this calling must learne to propound this vnto themselues as the maine ende of all their studies and labours namely to turne men vnto God that beeing conuerted they may glorifie God Againe the same ende of the Ministerie admonisheth all hearers so to yeelde themselues obedient to the Ministerie of the word that it may take place in their hearts to turne them vnto God that after their conuersion they may glorifie God This the people ought the ra 〈…〉 to yeeld vnto because it is the maine comfort that the Minister hath of all his labours to see his hearers conuerted and so inabled to glorifie God And to mooue them hereunto they are further to knowe that if they heare and be not thereby conuerted that so they may praise and glorifie God by their obedience then this Ministerie will bee a Bill of Inditement against them for their deeper condemnation at the last daie See Matthew 11. 21. 24. Verse 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them In this verse and the rest which follow to the ende of this Chapter is contained the Third part of Christs Sermon wherein hee goes about to restore the Morall law to his true sense and meaning which was much corrupted by the Iewish teachers And to the ende the same might bee the better accepted hee makes way thereto by a notable Preface verse 17 18 19 20. Wherein hee seekes as well to preuent and to remooue the false opinion which the Iewes had conceiued of him in respect of the Law as also to procure all reuerence and loyaltie to bee shewed therevnto For the Iewish teachers seeing our Sauiour Christ condemne and neglect the traditions of the Elders and not so much to respect the ceremonies of the Law as they thought hee should did thereupon iudge him to bee a deceiuer and one that went about to ouerturne the whole law of Moses This opinion Christ confuteth by three arguments First from the ende of his comming in this verse The second from the nature of the law in the 18. verse whereupon he infers two notable conclusions to procure reuerence thereunto verse 19. And thirdly from the scope of his Ministerie verse 20. For the first The Exposition Thinke not that I am come c. This comming of Christ must bee vnderstood of the manifestation of the godhead in our nature for otherwise his godhead being euery where cannot be said to come properly and as for his manhood it had not beene in heauen To destroy the Law The Law in generall is that part of Gods word which commaunds things iust honest and godly and beeing thus conceiued it is threefold Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall The Ceremoniall law is that part of Gods word which prescribed to the Iewes ceremonies rites and orders to be performed in the worshippe of God this law is laid downe in the bookes of Moses especially in Leuiticus The Iudiciall law is that part of Gods word which prescribed ordinances for the gouernment of the Iewes common wealth and the ciuill punishment of offendours The Ceremoniall lawe concerned the Iewes onely the Iudiciall lawe did indeede principally concerne them but yet so farre forth as it tendeth to the establishing of the Morall law hauing in it common
the interpretation of their ancient Teachers But here Christ checketh and reprooueth this manner of teaching and therefore the like cannot be warrantable among vs at this day whereby we see that kind of teaching reprooued wherein euery point is stuffed out with the testimonies of Fathers Schoolemen and humane writers And here also is discouered a wicked and daungerous practise of the Papists who referre all deciding of controuersies and interpretation of hard places of Scripture to the Church and to the Fathers If we say that Fathers oft dissent and the Church may erre then they send vs to the Popes breast But if this course were safe then the Iewish teachers might haue had a good defence against this charge of Christ for they had both Church and Fathers on their side and the high Priest that was then in place Indeede the Fathers must be reuerenced as lights of the Church in their time and their testimonies duly regarded wherein they agree with the written word but for the confirmation of the truth in mans conscience and for the edifying of the soule in the graces of the spirit the word of God hath the onely stroake by it alone Gods children are begotten and borne anew to a liuely hope and by it alone they are fed and nourished in the faith yea by it alone they are confirmed and stablished in the truth Thirdly in these Iewish Teachers forbidding nothing as a breach of this law but the outward sinne of murther and on the contrarie approouing of those as keepers of this law that kept their hands from this Actuall crime of blood and by consequent worthie of life euerlasting behold a plaine picture of euery naturall man for is not this the common opinion that vnlesse a man kill an other he breakes not this commandement and so for the rest if he abstaine from the outward actuall grosse sinnes of stealing adulterie and false witnes bearing then he keepes those commandements though his heart be neuer so full fraught with enuie malice lust couetousnes falshood c. But let vs obserue Christs reproofe of such erronious interpretations of Gods law as a meanes to schoole our hearts from such vaine conceits vers 22. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall be angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement and whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Raca shall be worthie to be punished by the Councell and whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished by hell fire Here our Sauiour Christ propounds the true interpretation of this Commandement But I say vnto you that is whatsoeuer you haue heard the Scribes or Pharisies teach you from themselues or from their fathers it is nothing let them not deceiue you for I that am the Law-giuer and Doctor of my Church and therefore best know the meaning of mine owne law I say otherwise vnto you whosoeuer is angrie with his brother c. Here Christ laies downe three kinds of murther and three degrees of punishments for the same The first degree of murther is Anger not anger simply but rash and indiserâ—et anger towards a brother and by Brother he meaneth first one Iew with an other to whome Christ spake secondly one neighbour with an other whether Iew or Gentile for by creation we are all brethren hauing one father which is God as Adam is called the sonne of God Luk. 3. 38. The second degree of murther is calling his brother Raca Some expound this word Raca an idle or emptie braine others an euill man others take it to signifie a loathsome man one to be spit at as we by spitting vse to shew our contempt but these interpretations cannot so fitly stand for then the third degree of murther and this second should be one and the same for to call a man emptie braine euill or loathsome and to call him foole are equall in degree Now Christs intent is to set downe distinct degrees of murther as is euident by the distinct degrees of punishment adioined thereunto A more fit exposition is this that Raca hath no perfect signification but is onely an interiection of indignation whereby a man doth not slaunder or reuile his brother but onely in gesture shew the contempt and anger of his heart against him as when in English we say fie tush or such like which words are not open raylings but onely outward signes of the inward anger and contempt concealed in the heart so that the meaning is this He that is angrie with his brother and expresseth this his anger either in gesture or countenance by frowning lookes gnashing of teeth or by imperfect speech as tush fie pish or such like he is guiltie of murther The third degree of murther is wheÌ„ a man doth shew his anger against his brother by open raylings and reproachfull names expressed in these words whosoeuer shall call his brother foole And all these three degrees are beyond the interpretation of the Iewish Teachers who onely condemned actuall killing by this commandement Now to these seuerall kinds of murther Christ addeth distinct degrees of punishment The first is to be culpable of iudgement for vnaduised anger The second to be worthie to be punished of a Councell for outward signes of this anger The third is to be worthie of hell fire for reproachfull names or raylings And here we must vnderstand that Christ speaketh not properly in setting downe these degrees of punishment but figuratiuely alluding to the custome of punishing offenders vsed among the Iewes for they had three courts The first was held by three men for meane matters and other cases of small importance The second was held by three and twentie men wherein were determined matters of great importance that could not be decided in the first court as matters of life and death and it was kept in the cheife cities of the land The third court was held at Ierusalem onely called the court of the Seauentie-two from which none might appeale to any other In it were all weightie and great causes determined and this court is here called a Councell Now Christ alluding hereto saith to this effect Lookâ— as among you Iewes there are different courts and some matters are adiudged in your courts of iudgement and others in the Councell at Ierusalem so God also he hath his Iudgement and his councell those that are rashly angrie shall vndergoe Gods iudgement and he that makes knowne his anger by speech or countenance shall be punished more grieuously and vndergoe a deeper iudgement as it were by the Lords councell but he that shall by open reuilings and raylings shew forth his malice against his brother as by calling him foole or such like he shall be worthie the most grieâ—â—us iudgement and torment of hell fire alluding to the highest degree of torment among the Iewes which was burning for before their Gouernment was taken from them by Herod the Iewes vsed these foure kinds of punishments hanging beheading
propounding it by way of answer to a secret obiection which might be framed by occasion of his former exposition of this seauenth commandement for hauing condemned the Adulterie of the heart declared by the eie some man might say What shall wee doe with our eies if an vnchaste looke bee so dangerous Our Sauiour Christ answers If thy right eie cause thee to offend plucke it out Which words must not be taken litterally in their proper sense for this is a Rule in the expounding of Scripture that when the litterall sense is against any commandement of the law thē the words must not be taken properly Now these words in their proper sense do command a breach of the sixt commandement which bindeth euery man to preserue his owne and his neighbours life and so no man can without sinne pull out his eie or cut off his hand By eie then we are to vnderstand First the eie of the bodie yet not that onely but any other thing that is deere and pretious vnto vs as our eie euen our right eie is If it cause thee to offend that is cause thee to sinne to faile in the way of obedience vnto Gods commandements Plucke it out cast it frō thee these words are a loftie kind of speech called Hyperbole whereby thus much is signified Restraine gouerne it most carefully though it be to thine owne great paine losse and hinderance For better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell These words containe a Reason of the former exhortation to this effect It is better for thee to want the benefit and vse of things most pretious and deere vnto thee in this life and so to be saued then by hauing and vsing them to perish for euer So that the true meaning of this place is this as if our Sauiour Christ had said Goe through the whole course of thy life and take a viewe of all thy waies and therein see what thing is an occasion of sinne vnto thee that take heed of and auoyde though the vse thereof be most deere vnto thee for it is better that thou shouldest want the vse thereof and so bee saued then by it to perish eternally in hell fire Also if thy right hand make thee to offend cut it off for it is better for thee Here the same exhortation and Reason is againe repeated which we must not thinke to bee a thing needlesse and friuolous for such Repetitions in Scripture haue speciall vse to signifie that the things so deliuered bee of speciall importance worthie all carefull obseruation and obedience Now by right hand here is meant any thing that is most profitable vnto vs what euer it bee if it cause vs to sinne against God it must bee auoyded and left off most carefully By this Exhortation of our Sauiour Christ wee are taught to carrie a strict watch ouer all our senses and ouer all the parts of our bodies especially the eie and hands that they become not vnto vs occasions of sinning against God and for the gouernment of the eies there bee two speciall Rules First wee must vse our sight that is open and shut our eies in obedience vnto God Salomon giuing Rules for the well ordering of the tongue sight and foote saith thus of the eie Let thine eie behold the right and thy eie liddes direct the way before thee which wordes seeme to carrie this sense That wee should order our sight according to the straite Rule of Gods word for that is the way wherein wee ought to walke Now the necessitie of obseruing this Rule may appeare by sundrie examples Eues looking vpon the forbidden fruite with desire to eate thereof against Gods commaundement was the doore and entrance of that sinne into her heart was not Cham accursed for looking vpon his Fathers nakednesse was not Lots wife turned into a pillar of salt for looking backe towards Sodome Fiftie thousand threescore and ten men of Bethshemish were slaine for looking into the Arke of the Lord against his reuealed will by all which it is plaine that we ought to vse our sight in obedience to God for which end it wil be good before we looke on any thing to consider whether the same will be for Gods glorie the good of our selues of our brethren if it be we may vse our sight if not we may not vse it Secondly we must make our eies not the weapons of any sinne but the instruments of Gods worship and seruice This we shall doe if we imploy them thus 1. In beholding Gods creatures in heauen and earth that in them wee may see Gods glorie wisedome mercie power and prouidence and thereby take occasion to magnifie the name of God 2. In beholding Gods iudgements very wishly and narrowly that therein we may see his iustice and wrath against sinne and so bee humbled in our selues and terrified from sinne 3. In beholding of the Elements of Gods Sacraments especially the bread and wine in the Lords supper which be visible words wherein we may see our Sauiour Christ as it were crucified before our eies 4. In vsing them as instruments of Inuocation by lifting them vp to heauen to testifie the lifting vp of our hearts vnto God This vse of the eies nature teacheth vs for whereas other creatures haue but foure muscles in their eies wherby their eies are turned round about man onely aboue them all hath a fift muscle whereby his eie is turned vpward towards heanen And this which is said for the well ordering of our eies must bee obserued in the rest of the senses and in all other partes of the bodie they must all be imployed and set a worke in obedience to God and continually obserued that they become not the weapons of sinne but the instruments of his glorie Secondly this Exhortation of Christ must teach vs to auoyde all the occasions of euery sinne though it bee with great losse vnto our selues in the things of this life This is the chiefe point that our Sauiour Christ aimeth at in this place and therfore it ought with speciall regard to be learned and remembred Mans nature is like vnto drie wood or towe which will burne so soone as fire is put vnto it giue a man the least occasion of any sinne and hee is as readie to commit it as drie wood is to burne though thereby hee doe as much as in him lieth to cast away his owne soule for euer Looke therefore as Mariners on the Seas haue constant and continuall care to auoyd both rocks and sands whereby they may suffer shipwracke so must wee most warily auoyde the occasions of euery sinne A most worthie example hereof we haue in Moses who was brought vp in Pharaohs Court till hee was fourtie yeares old where he enioyed all earthly pleasures and honours that his heart
simple manner for herein is that true that God hath chosen such things as to the world are foolish weake vile and despised to confound and bring to nought the wise and mightie things of the world and hereby also it is made euident that the faith of Gods elect doth not consist in the wisdome of men but in the power of God againe the preaching of the Gospel with the wisedome of words makes the crosse of Christ of none effect let no man therefore deceiue himselfe for the foolishnes of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God stronger then men Againe he that doth exercise himselfe in the word of God either priuately or publiquely must labour thereby to see his owne sinnes and Gods heauie iudgement due vnto him for them and so will he beginne to reuerence Gods word as the onely meanes of true comfort The woman of Samaria at the first beganne to cauill with Christ when shee heard him talke of the water of life but so soone as he discouered her sinne to her conscience telling her shee had had fiue husbands and he whome shee now had was not her husband then shee left off to cauill and honoured him by beleeuing his word and causing others to come and to beleeue in him The Iewes made light of the giuing of the holy Ghost vnto the Apostles at the first but when Peter had pricked their hearts they sought vnto the word and receiued it with gladnes so the Iayler though ouer night he dealt vnkindly with the Apostles putting their feete in the stockes in the dungeon yet beeing stricken with a feare by the opening of the prison doores he then fell downe before them trembling and asked what he might doe to be saued Secondly others take occasion of offence from the contents of the Bible as when they read of the Miracles wrought by the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles they say the like may be done by Magicke and so blasphemously doe father vpon the Scripture that most wicked practise of sorcerie like to the malicious Iewes who said of Christ that he cast out deuills by the power of Beelzebub Luk. 11. 15. Others denie the Historie of Moses to be true by reason of Noahs Arke which they say as it is described for quantitie could not containe a couple of euery kind of creatures with prouision and fodder for them for a whole years space of this opinion was Appelles an auncient heretike in the primitiue Church and many vpon these occasions haue become Atheists denying the truth of Gods word to their damnation To these I answer first for the Miracles that no creature men or Angels is able to doe such works as are recorded in Scripture to be done by the power of God Ioh. 9. Christ opened the eyes of one that was borne blind The deuill by his skill and man by Arte can doe much in curing blindnes caused by wounds and diseases but no power of nature nor of magick no not all the power of all Angels is sufficient to procure sight to one that was borne blind that must be done by a power creating which is in no creature Againe as Histories record the deuill is able to enter into a dead bodie and cause it to mooue and can speake in it but to raise vp one to life that had beene dead foure daies as Christ did Lazarus is a worke that all the deuills in hell nay all the Angels in heauen are not able to doe And for Appelles the heretike who tooke occasion from Noahs Arke to condemne the bookes of Moses the answer made to him in the Primitiue Church may serue the turne to wit that it was in quantitie sufficient to containe couples of all kindes of creatures and prouision for them for a whole yeares space for to omit the height and breadth of it it was three hundred cubits long and euery cubit according to the auncient measure contained nine foote which in all came to the length of halfe a mile and more Againe others say that though euery cubit had beene but one foote and an halfe long as our cubits are yet hauing three lofts it was of sufficient bignesse to containe all kinds of creatures by couples and prouision for them for a yeares space But yet put the case that we could not tell how an Arke should be made great enough to containe couples of all kinds of creatures and prouision for them should we thereupon take occasion to condemne the bookes of God that record the same and the thing it selfe God forbidde nay rather we must hereby learne to acknowledge and confesse our owne blindnesse and the shallow reach of our vnderstanding and so admire the wonderfull worke of God The way to cut off this occasion of offence taken from the Scripture is first to obserue that howsoeuer nothing is more repugnant to our nature then the word of God yet the same word of God hath more preuailed with many mens hearts to winne the same vnto it then any thing in the world besides could euer doe Humane writings are farre more plausible to naturall men then the holy Scriptures of God for the wisdome of God in Scripture is esteemed foolishnesse to mans naturall reason and yet who did euer cleaue so fast to the writings of men as Gods children haue done to the word of God for the testimonie whereof they haue beene and are content to liue and die This thing argueth plainely that there is in Scripture a diuine power for if it had beene from man and against his nature as it is man would haue contemned it Secondly this must be considered that the penmen of holy Scriptures both the Prophets and Apostles haue recorded their owne faults in penning of it which plainely argueth that they were penned by holy men of God according to the direction of the holy Ghost and are not the inuentions of politique heads to keepe men in awe for then the Authors and penmen thereof would rather haue concealed their owne faults then haue published the same in their owne workes to their discredit Lastly consider the subiect and matter of the whole Bible to wit Iesus Christ who therein hath professed himselfe to be the Sonne of God now if Christ had not beene very God and yet should haue taken that honour vnto him then the like iudgements would haue befallen him that befell others for the like offence for none euer tooke that honour vnto them who were not grieuously punished As was Adam in Paradise for seeking to be like vnto God and Herod for receiuing and applying to himselfe the blasphemous praise of the people crying The voice of God and not of man but howsoeuer most fearefull iudgements befell Gods enemies that thus sought to robbe him of his honour yet Christs ende was glorious and blessed which may mooue vs to thinke highly of Scripture as of the word
2. The third occasion of offence taken from the Church is the miseriâ— thereof for the state of the Church is oftentimes in affliction because it consisteth of such as are subiect to the contempt and reproach of the world Hence sundrie are discouraged from ioyning themselues truely to the Church and although this occasion of offence be not much among vs saue onely in reproaches yet it may be more and therefore we must learne to preuent it and to cut it off The way is this we must beleeue and remember that out of the church there is no saluation In this regard Noahs Arke was a true type of the Church for as none were saued from drowning that were out of the Arke in the generall deluge so none can be saued ordinarily from condemnation that are out of the Church for in the Church is Gods couenant of grace with the Sacraments which be the sâ—ales thereof In the Church is vocation iustification sanctification and the way to glorification but out of the Church are none of all these and therefore it is said that God added to his Church daiely such as should be saued In the Church is protection against all enemies and from all iudgements so farre forth as shal be for the glorie of God and the good of the church and in a word in the Church is liâ—e euerlasting but out of the Church is nothing but a feareful looking for of eternall woe condemnation and for this cause Moses chose rather to suffer afflicton in Gods church then to enioy all the pleasures in the world out of it whose example wee ought to follow and so shall not the miserie of the Church be any occasion vnto vs to forsake the same especially if wee consider that the whole world will profit a man nothing if hee loose his soule Matthew 16. 26. The fourth offence taken from the Church is from the Apostacie of some that liue in the Church for ordinarily in Gods Church are many Apostates as in this our Church many that were in times past Protestants are become Papists some Arrians Sabellians and some open Atheists and blasphemers Hence many fearing their falls as they pretend dare not ioyne themselues to the truth and the profession thereof But to cut off this occasion two rules must be remembred First that the falling away of any man from the truth is the worke of God discouering an hidden hypocrite 1. Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs but this is come to passe that it might appeare they were not all of vs. Secondly consider that the beginning and continuance of our religion saluation stands on Gods free election which is vnchangeable and hereupon must we staie our selues touching our estate when we see others fall away 2. Tim. 2. 19. Paul comforteth the Church against the feare of griefe which they might conceiue by the Apostacie of Himeneus and Philetus which were two pillars amongst them by this Rule The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Now because some might say God indeede knows it but we doe not to this I take it the Apostle answers when he saith and let euery one that calles vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie as if he should say Looke that you call vpon God for grace and make conscience of all sinne and by this you shall know your selues to belong to God which thing when once you know then staie thereon for Gods calling is vnchangeable Againe as these occasions are taken from the whole Church in generall so more especially some take offence from seuerall things therein as first from the wants that be in Ministers both for iudgement and doctrine Hence politicke carnall men plead thus Preaching is full of imperfection therein men publish their owne errors but the written word containeth in it the sermons of Christ and of his Apostles which are most perfect and therefore it is best to content our selues with the Scripture read and to heare no preaching by men To cut off this offence wee must remember that the preaching of the word though it bee by sinnefull man is Gods holy ordinance prescribed and enioyned as solemnely as any morall precept is either against murther or adulterie for from the beginning till the Iews came to mount Sina God himselfe preached to his Church which was then contained in some fewe families But from that time because the people could not abide the voyce of God himselfe it pleased him to ordaine the Ministerie of the word by the hand of sinnefull man Now it beeing Gods owne ordinance vnlesse we will make our selues wiser then God we must subiect our selues thereto with all reuerence albeit it be deliuered by sinnefull man Thus Corâ—elius did Act. 10. 33. and the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 2. 13. Secondly many are offended at the liues of Ministers and from the wants that be in them whether in deed or in suspition onely many take occasion to contemne their doctrine thinking as the Rulers of the Iewes said to the blind man Thou art altogether borne in sinne and doest thou teach vs Now to cut off this occasion two things must be remembred First we must distinguish of euery Minister and consider in him a double person both that he is a sinnefull man subiect to many infirmities as we our selues are and also that he is the Lords Ambassadour sent in Gods name to deliuer his will vnto vs. Now looke as we honour the Embassadour of a Prince though his person be vile and base so much more ought wee to reuerence the Embassadour of God himselfe and receiue his doctrine as from God though for his person he be subiect to manifold infirmities Secondly we must consider that it is Gods wil and commandement that though ministers be manifestly faultie and sinnefull yet their ministerie must be receiued and obeyed carefully Math. 23. 2. The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire saith Christ all therefore that they bid you obserue that doe but after their workes doe not Phil. 1. 15. Some preach Christ of enuie saith Paul and not in sinceritie but yet the Apostle reioyced therein because Christ was preached euery manner of way verse 18. And therefore as we doe not refuse meate for our bodies when wee bee hungrie though a wicked person haue dressed it so must wee not refuse or contemne the word of God the food of our soules for the sinnes of the party that deliuereth it Thirdly many take offence at the lenitie of the Church towards offenders and for the presence of wicked persons at the Lords table doe refuse to communicate with the Church now albeit men should not be admitted hand ouer head to the Lords Table but scandalous persons ought to be restrained yet the
brought before the Magistrate and made to sweare to this demaund or such like Whether they said Masse or knewe where Masse was said at such a time They answer vpon their oathes That they did not or knewe not though indeede they did which is according to their doctrine That vnto dangerous Interrogatories a man may frame a safe meaning vnto himselfe and sweare to it as in the former instance they sweare they knewe not where Masse was said meaning to reueale it to the Iudge But this is flat periurie for their oath is giuen them to answer according to the meaning of the Magistrates demaund and if a man might lawfully frame a meaning to himselfe in swearing hee might easily delude all truth and so should not an oath for confirmation be the ende of strife but the breeder thereof through surmise of false meaning in him that sweareth The third kind of periurie is The breaking of a binding oath as when a man vpon his oath promiseth to doe a thing that is lawfull and doth it not yet this is not alwaies periurie as First If God after the oath taken make the thing promised impossible to be done as if a man sweare to make another his heire of such and such lands now dwelling by the Sea side the Sea breaks out drownes all his land before he dieth Is this man periured because he performed not his promise bound with an oath no verely for God made the thing impossible Secondly if a man be bound in conscience to breake his oath Thus Dauid swearing rashly to slaie Nabal and his familie was yet staied from so doing by Abigals counsell and brake his oath and gaue God thankes for it for indeed his oath was vnlawfull beeing the bond of iniquitie and the doing of it had beene the doubling of his sinne Here it may well be demanded whether those that are sworne to the Statutes and lawes of societies and incorporations be periured if they breake the same Ans. The Statutes of incorporations bee of two sorts some are of the foundation of societies without which the incorporation cannot stand and these not beeing against the word of God cannot be broken without the guilt of periurie others are Statutes only of outward order and decencie as touching apparel gesture and such like as in some incorporations the Statutes require that euery man therein should weare the round cap hereunto many are sworne who alwaies weare it not now though I say not that they are faultlesse altogether yet they are not periured because this Statute of order binds not a man simply but either to obedience or to paie the mulct which if a man be content to paie he satisfies the Statute and benefits the societie as much as if he kept the Statute Hauing shewed what periurie is with the kinds thereof let vs see whether we be free from it After examinatiō it will appeare that mens liues are full of periurie for where is much swearing vsually there cannot but be much periurie because they that sweare in their common talke doe forget their oathes as they doe their communication But say we are cleare from periurie yet are wee in danger of Gods heauie iudgements for the breach of our vow in baptisme wherein wee promise to beleeue in God to serue him forsaking the world the flesh and the diuell now the breach of this vow is as ill as periurie for therfore may Baptisme be called a Sacrament because of the oath and vow which a Christian makes to God therein for the word Sacrament properly betokeneth the oath which a Souldier maketh to his Captaine for his fidelitie The breaking of Iosua his oath vnto the Gibeonites by Saul caused 3. years dearth and was not satisfied but with the blood of 7. of Sauls kindred And Zedekias periurie to the King of Babel was one cause of the Lords fierce wrath against Ierusalem and the Princes thereof Now shall one mans periurie cause such iudgements and shal we not thinke that among other sinnes this our periurie vnto God in breaking our vow in Baptisme bringeth vpon vs Gods heauie wrath by plague famine and vnseasonable weather Wherefore let the consideration hereof perswade vs to repentance and to a more conscionable care of performing our vow vnto God III. Point The grieuousnesse of this sinne of periurie which here the Lord forbids appeares by these three sinnes which are contained in it First the vttering or maintaining of a lie Secondly the calling on God to be a witnesse vnto a lie wherein men doe as much as in them lieth set the diuell himselfe the father of lies in the roome of God and so greatly robbe him of his honour and maiestie Thirdly in periurie a man praies for a curse vpon himselfe wishing God to bee a witnesse of his speech and a iudge to reuenge if he sweare falsly so as herein a man is his owne vtter enemie as much as in him lieth doth cast both bodie and soule to hell Quest. Seeing this sinne of periurie is so great whether may such a man be put to his oath as is certainely thought will periure himselfe if he be put to sweare I answer men that put others to sweare are either priuate persons or publike Magistrates a priuate man for his owne priuate cause may not put such a man to his oath for hee should haue greater care of Gods glorie and of the other mans soule then of his priuate gaine and therefore ought rather to depart from his temporall right then suffer his brother so to dishonour God and to hurt his owne soule But if a Magistrate bee to put such a man to his oath as is verely thought will periure himselfe he may lawfully doe it but yet he is first to aduertise the partie of the waight of an oath and of the fearefull sin of periurie and then if the order of Law and Iustice so require he may minister an oath vnto him leauing the euent to God for the execution of iustice must not staie on mans misdemeanour nor waite till they make conscience of sinne for if it did no common wealth could stand no warre could bee made Moses and the Leuites executed vengeance vpon the idolatrous Iewes without waiting for their repentance But shall performe thine oathes vnto the Lord. These words are not set downe in any of Moses bookes but are a collection from the former law of Moses gathered by the Iewish Teachers which collection though it be not expresly set downe yet is it the very sense of the Law for if a man cannot without periurie breake a lawfull binding oath then that Law which forbiddeth periurie bindeth man to performe all that he hath lawfully sworne vnto God Here then in this collection of the Iewish Teachers is set downe an excellent point touching the straitnesse of the bond of an oath In euery lawfull oath there is a double bond First it bindes one man to another for
man by oath and not otherwise may either free himselfe from temporall losses or procure to himselfe temporall benefits which be of great weight and moment for an oath for confirmation is among men the ende of all strife now we know that much strife and controuersie doth arise about worldly affaires And in this regard a man by oath may lawfully purge himselfe of infamie and slander In these foure cases a man may lawfully sweare not onely publikely before the Magistrate but also priuately so it be with due reuerence and good conscience But in common talke or on light occasion a man cannot lawfully sweare either by small or great oath for that is to take the name of God in vaine II. Quest. How must a man take an oath when by iust occasion he is called to sweare Ans. To this question the Prophet Ieremie answereth chap. 4. 2. Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in righteousnes where three vertues are required in an holy manner of swearing First truth and that respecteth two things as well the matter whereto we sweare for God may not be brought for a witnesse to a lie as also the minde of him that sweareth for his oath must be according to his minde without fraud or deceit and with intent to performe that truly which he promises thereupon Secondly Iustice or righteousnes which also respecteth two things first the thing sworne to that must be iust and lawfull and according to Gods word secondly the conscience of the swearer for a man must not sweare for a trifle though the thing be true but either by the authoritie of the Magistrate or vpon some necessarie cause of his lawfull calling and against this vertue doe those sinne that sweare vsually in their common talke though the thing be true for trifles and light matters are not a iust cause of an oath Thirdly iudgement as well of the oath as of his owne person for the oath he that sweareth rightly ought to know the nature of an oath and be able to iudge of the matter whereabout he sweareth and also discerne rightly of the persons before whome of time place and other circumstances And for his owne person a man that sweareth ought to see in his conscience that he is fit to take an oath and thereby to worship and glorifie God for he that sweareth ought to haue his heart smitten with feare and awe towards God as in all other parts of his worship Deut. 10. 20. the feare of God and swearing by his name are ioyned together and a prophane man that hath no feare of God in his heart ought not to sweare And thus much of Christs general Answer to their false interpretation Neither by heauen for it is the throne of God v. 35. Nor yet by the earth for it his footestoole neither by Ierusalem for it is the citie of the great King c. Here our Sauiour Christ commeth particularly to forbid swearing in foure seuerall kinds of oaths vsed among the Iewes vnder which he includeth all indirect oathes by the creatures and withall obserue that he addeth seuerall reasons in prohibiting these seuerall kinds of indirect oathes as that a man must not sweare by heauen because it is the throne of God c. Now as I take it Christ doth not directly forbid swearing by the creatures in this place for his intent is to forbid ordinarie swearing in common speach whether it be by God or by the creatures which here he nameth because the Iewes counted them but light oathes Yet here this point must needes be skanned Whether it be lawfull at any time to sweare by the creatures Sundrie Papists and those of the best account both for learning and deuotion make two kinde of oathes in swearing by the creatures First when a man sweares by the creature and puts it in the place of God making it a Iudge and witnesse to his conscience of the truth of the thing whereof he sweareth and this doe all condemne as wicked and vnlawfull both Protestants and Papists Secondly when the creature is named but yet the oath is directed to God in the minde of the swearer vnder the name of the creature as the creature is in relation to God a signe of his presence and this kind of swearing is taken for lawfull not onely of all Papists but of many Protestant Diuines which be of good account in our age Yet with reuerence to them all I see no reason in the word of God to warrant this kind of swearing by the creature with direction to God in the minde of him that sweareth Indeede a man may name the creature in his oath as Paul did I call God to record to my conscience and yet sweare by God for it is one thing to name the creature in swearing and an other thing to sweare by the creature Reasons against this forme of swearing by the creatures are these First an oath is part of Gods worship as hath before beene shewed now euery part of Gods worship must be referred to God directly so we pray and giue thankes vnto God directly and not in the creature and so we ought to sweare but in indirect swearing by the creatures the oath is directly referred to the creature and indirectly vnto God namely in the creature which is not lawfull Secondly a man must sweare by him that is greater then himselfe and therefore God sware by himselfe because there was no greater to sweare by where it seemeth the holy Ghost takes it for graunted that there is no lawfull swearing by the creatures because they are not greater then man and so there must be but one onely direct kind of swearing by God himselfe Thirdly Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt sweare by my name there it seemeth he prescribeth such a forme of swearing wherein the name of God in some plaine manner is expressed but in indirect oathes an other besides him that sweareth cannot tell whether he sweare by God or not because the oath is by the creature and directed to God onely in the minde of him that sweareth Fourthly Math. 13. 16. He that sweareth by the Temple sweareth by God whence I gather that an indirect oath is superfluous because it is sufficient that a man sweare by God onely and not by the creature also By these reasons I haue beene mooued to dislike of indirect oathes now let vs see what is said in the behalfe of them First it is saide that Ioseph a man commended for his faith sware by the life of Pharaoh therefore men may sweare by the creatures Ans. It may be well expounded not to be an oath but an asseueration to this effect as surely as Pharaoh liueth but say it is an oath yet this fact prooueth not the lawfulnes of this kind of swearing for no man is so good but he may be tainted with the impieties of the place wherein he liueth especially beeing so wicked a
place as Pharaohs court was Second reason 2. King 2. 4. The Prophet Elisha sweareth by Eliah's soule Ans. That place prooueth not the point in hand for the question is of indirect oathes where the name of God is concealed but in that place Gods name is prefixed as the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth Againe that phrase may be taken for a solemne Asseueration onely as it is well translated as the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee Reason III. Canticl 3. 5. There say they Christ himselfe sweareth by the creatures the Roes and the Hindes of the field Answ. Those words are not an oath but an admiration for Christ chargeth the enemies of his Church not to trouble her and he confirmeth his charge by a testimonie from the bruit beasts which may be done without an oath for it is all one as if he had said If you doe trouble my Church the Roes and Hindes of the field shall be witnesses against you because you doe that which they would not doe if they had reason as you haue now the creatures may be made witnesses vnto an Admiration as Deut. 32. 1. Moses calleth heauen and earth to witnesse and so doth the Lord Isa. 1. 2. but when a man sweareth by a thing the same is made a witnes to his conscience which no creature can be Reason IV. Paul say they sware by their reioycing which is a gift of God Ans. Those words are not an oath but an obtestation to testifie the constancie which he shewed in his ministerie and they declared in the confession of their faith now a testimonie may be drawne from a creature as we shewed before But say they the word there vsed is a note of an oath Ans. Not alwaies for sometime it betokens an asseueration as in other authors might be shewed so that I take it there ought not to be any indirect oathes wherein Gods name is concealed and the creature sworne by made a pledge of Gods presence Now I come to the reasons for which Christ forbids these indirect oaths the summe of them in generall is this because Gods name which must not be taken in vaine is set in euery one of his creatures euen in the least haire of a mans head for therein a man may see the wisdome and power of God therefore we may not sweare in our common talke no not by the least creature that God hath made Hence we learne sundrie instructions 1. That it is not lawfull to sweare by faith troth bread drinke and such like for faith to insist in one is a gift of God which beareth Gods name in it for the matter of our faith is Christ so as when we sweare by it we sweare by Christ whose name we may not take in vaine and therefore may not sweare at all by any such oathes Againe God hath set his name on euery creature he hath imprinted in them the signes of his power wisdome iustice and mercie Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of God are seene by his workes and Act. 14. 17. Raine from heauen and fruitfull season were witnesses vnto the Gentiles of Gods goodnes vnto them which serueth first to condemne the world of great ingratitude for we haue set before our eyes we daily tast and handle the good creatures of God yet who beholds in them his wisdome mercie and goodnes that thereby he might take occasion to praise his name for men are like to bruit beasts who vse the benefit of the creatures but yet neuer think on God the creator and like vnto the swine who eateth vp the mast but neuer looketh vp to the tree from whence it cōmeth yea some are so shamelesse that they denie God by their works though not in word Secondly this teacheth vs carefully to meditate vpon the creatures of God labouring therein to see Gods wisdome iustice mercy and the rest of his attributes that hereby we may take occasion to praise his name Psal. 139. 14. I will praise thee for I am wonderfully and fearefully made maruelous are thy works and that my soule knoweth right wel here the Prophet doth professe First that he did meditate on the creatures of God seriously then that his meditation made him to feare and to be astonished and thirdly to praise God Psal. 92. 5 6. Oh how glorious are thy workes therein importing that he did meditate thereon but the vnwise man saith he knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this where he sheweth that it is a great point of folly to see Gods creatures and not to behold the wonderful power and goodnes of God in them Psal. 145. 5. I will meditate vpon all thy wondrous workes and v. 10. All thy works praise thee O Lord. His example we should follow And whereas Gods iudgements are among vs we must labour in them to see Gods indignation against our sinnes and his mercy in chastening vs for our amendment that we might not be condēned with the world Thirdly if euery creature carie in it some stampe of Gods name then what should the reasonable creature doe should not men much more beare Gods image yes verely both in thought will affection and action we must therefore seeke to repaire in vs Gods image decaied in Adam and aboue all things take heede we carie not about vs the image of the deuill in any sinne for if we doe we are farre worse then the dumbe creatures Fourthly whereas euery creature beares about some part of Gods image this serues to strippe the ignorant sort of their false plea who thinke God will hold them excused because they are not booke learned but they must know they deceiue themselues for sith they are ignorant of the wisdome mercie iustice and power of God and of many other things in God which the very vnreasonable creatures might haue taught them if they had beheld the same and meditated thereon they may iustly feare least these silly creatures stand vp in iudgement against them at the last day And lastly seeing God hath set his image in euery creature we must labour to vse them all in an holy manner as meat drinke apparell and such like we must beware we abuse them not vnto our lusts any manner of way for the abuse redounds vnto the Lord whose name they beare and we know God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Now I come more particularly to the seuerall reasons annexed to the seuerall prohibitions The first particular prohibition is this Thou shalt not sweare by heauen and the reason followeth for it is the throne of God This reason is to be scanned A Throne is a chaire of estate wherein earthly Princes vse to sit in iudgement and shew themselues in glorie and maiestie Now heauen is not properly a Throne but by resemblance because that God doth in heauen and from heauen shew his glorie and maiestie vnto men In
euen friendly salutation This Christ enioyned to his Disciples when hee sent them to preach when ye come into an house salute the same Mat. 10. 12. although it may be afterward they cursed it because it was vnworthy And heÌ„ce we must learne to be kind and courteous in salutation to our professed enemies Obiect 1. This is to countenance them in their sinne wrong doing vnto vs Ans. In saluting an enemie we must put a difference betweene his person and his sinne we must shew kindnesse to his person but not countenance his sinne nay when we embrace his person if occasion be offered we must disgrace his sinne Ob. 2. 2. Ioh. 10. If any man bring not this doctrine bid him not God speed Ans. Iohn there speaks of such persons as are enemies to God to his truth to his Church such indeed we must not embrace 2. Kin. â— 14. Elisha saith to IehoraÌ„ the idolatrous king of Israel that hee would not haue looked vpon him nor seene him had it not beene for reuerence of Iehosaphat the good king of Iudah then present But priuate enemies of whome Christ here speaketh must alwaies be kindly vsed in salutation And yet there is a case wherein this kinde salutation may be denied to one that is not a publike enemie to wit when a superiour omitteth it as a part of chastisement and correction vpon the inferiour Thus Dauid denied libertie to Absalon to come in his sight for a time after he had pardoned him for killing Amâ—on 2. Sam. 14. 24. but among equalls and priuate men this must be practised yea we must salute kindly though they salute vs not againe v. 48. Be ye therfore perfect as your father which is in heaueÌ„ is perfect Here Christ inferres an excellent consequent from the former reasons wherein he exhorts his Disciples to perfection in all the duties of loue In it obserue two parts a commandement to be perfect and a patterne thereof in God For the first why doth God command that which no man can performe for who can be perfect Ans. God giues this and such like commandements for diuers causes first in regard of his elect for to them Gods commandements serue as meanes of obedience God by his grace enabling them to doe that which by command ho requires for as in the creation Gods commandement gaue beeing to the creatures so is it after a sort in the regeneration as here be ye perfect is a meanes to make Gods children perfect Secondly in regard of the wicked as well to restraine corruption in them for the peace of his Church as also to leaue them without excuse seeing the best workes they doe are short of that which they are bound to performe To come to the vertue commanded which is perfection in duties of loue Perfection in generall is twofold of the Law and of the Gospel Perfection of the law is when a man loues God and his neighbour according to the rigour of the law This is in no man in this life but this shall be in Gods elect in the life to come Perfection of the Gospel is that endeauour of obedience which God accepts in Christ at the hands of his children This distinction the Apostle maketh Philip. 3. for first he saith he hath not attained to perfection v. 12. meaning the perfection of the law and yet after he speaketh of himselfe and others as beeing perfect v. 15. Let vs saith he as many as be perfect be thus minded that is as many as be perfect according to the Gospel Thus were Noah Abraham Iob Zacharie and Elizabeth perfect that is syncere and vpright before God both in heart and life and this is that perfection which Christ here requireth Further this Euangelical perfectioÌ„ hath 2. parts either of mans nature or of his actions The perfection of mans nature is by regeneration for as in original sinne is both guilt of Adams sinne imputed corruption inherent which is the seed of all sinne so in regeneration which is the renuing of mans corrupt nature there is an abolishing of corruptioÌ„ a restoring of grace in euery part sacultie of the soule for look how far coruptioÌ„ spread it selfe by Adams sin so far doth grace extend by regeneration Of this perfection there be three branches First an vpright iudgement in the minde whereby a man vnderstands and beleeees not onely the grounds of religion but euery other doctrine truely grounded in the word and is ready to receiue it as it is further reuealed this is sinceritie in iudgement whereby it is plaine that to hold onely the grounds of religion and for other points to follow the time is a great imperfection and want of sinceritie Secondly a pure and honest heart wherby a man is free from any purpose to liue in sinne and on the contrarie is inclined to euery thing that is good Thirdly a good coÌ„science giuing testimony according to the word so excusing that a man may say with Paul I know nothing by my self meaning for which he should condemne himselfe And look where nature is renued there these three are neuer wanting Perfections of mans actions standeth in two things First in bewailing his wants and imperfections knowne and secret for it is a degree of perfection to bewaile our imperfection Secondly in setting himselfe from a sincere heart to obey God in all his commandements as occasion is offered Psal. 119. 6. I shall not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements and this indeed is the perfection of a Christian halfe obedience is nothing for as Iames saith hee that failes in one commandement of purpose and custome is guiltie of all because if like occasion were offered he would breake all the rest But it will be said a man may haue both these and yet want much of perfection Answer A thing is said to be perfect two waies either in parts when it hath all the parts of perfection though in weake measure or in degrees when it hath a full measure of perfection in euery part A child newe borne is a perfect man in regard of his parts hauing all the parts and members of a man but it is not perfect in degree till euery part grow vp to his perfection Now the child of God when hee is regenerate hath all the parts of perfection in soule bodie though in weake measure but in this life he is not perfect in degrees which is that full measure the law requireth 2. Chron. 15. 17. The heart of Asa is said to be perfect towards God all his daies and yet the high places were not taken away yea he failed in seeking to the Physition and not vnto God chap. 16. 12. Asa then had perfection of parts but to perfection of degrees he attained not in this life therfore he failed in these particulars through the weakenesse of sanctification which here is not
finished till death So then it is plaine there is a perfection in the child of God though ioyned with much weakenesse euen in this life his nature is perfect being renued in soule to sound iudgement to an honest heart and a good conscience his actions are perfect in Gods acceptance through Christ while he bewailes his imperfection and endeauours sincerely to please God in all things This is that which Christ enioynes to his Disciples this we must labour for if we wil resemble our heauenly father we can get no higher in this life but let vs attaine to this and in the life to come we shall bee perfect in degrees for then our regeneration shall be accomplished But herein men faile and come short of their dutie as first all those that spend their strength and wit to get the things of this world these men little thinke of this perfection which the Lord requires in his children it may be they will heare the word but yet their hearts are so glued to the earth earthly things that they sauour not of regeneration they know not what it meanes but if they will be Gods children they must follow Iehosaphat 2. Chro. 17. 6. who lift vp his heart to the waies of the Lord for that is the meanes to come to perfection Secondly those also are reprooued that content themselues with a small measure of knowledge and doe not striue after perfection as Christ requireth how can they haue a sound iudgement which studie not to know the doctrine of the Scripture Thirdly that generall want of Christian perfection is here reproued when men content themselues to yeeld respect to the outward duties of the first Table that concerne Gods worship and yet neglect the duties of the second Table that concerne their brethren in generall and pertaine to their functions and callings in particular This is a common fault in Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters Seruants c. they will be Christians in the Church but they neglect to shew the power thereof in their callings but this is a grieuous want of sincerity which makes them farre vnlike their heauenly father for hee is euer like himselfe and therefore looke what men professe in Gods worship that must they practise in their callings A magistrate must be a Christian vpon the Bench as well as in the Church in the administration of iustice as well as in the Congregation and so must Ministers Masters and all estates God allowes not of their seruice in the Church that serue their wicked lusts at home Ierem. 7. 9 10. Gods sacrifices vnder the law must be whole and sound not halt and lame or maimed and such should our obedience be vnder the Gospel with sincere respect to all Gods commandements It profited Herod little to heare Iohn gladly and to doe many things so long as he kept his brothers wife nor Iudas to follow Christ while his heart was vpon the bagge Let our practise of religion therefore shew forth the truth of our publike profession and so shall we in some sort resemble our heauenly Father Chap. 6. Vers. 1. Take heede that you giue not your Almes before men to be seene of them or else yee shall haue no reward of your Father which is in heauen IN the former Chapter the Euangelist hath faithfully recorded three parts of our Sauiour Christs Sermon and here hee beginneth the fourth which reacheth to the nineteenth verse of this Chapter wherein our Sauiour Christ goeth about to reforme his hearers of all abuses in doing good workes and hee instanceth in these three Almes deedes Praier and Fasting not so much commanding them as giuing direction for the right manner of performing them so as they may be acceptable vnto God From the first verse to the fift hee intreateth of Almes deedes propounding two seuerall commandements touching the manner of giuing Almes The first is in this 1. verse Take heed that you giue not your Almes before men to be seene of them which he enforceth by an effectuall reason in the words following or else re shall haue no reward of your Father which is in heauen And then exemplifieth it by a particular example of a corrupt manner of giuing Almes borrowed from the ambitions practise of the Scribes and Pharisies v. 2. The second commandement touching Almes giuing is in the 3. verse whereof he renders a reason in the 4. verse For the first commandement Take heed c. This may seeme to bee repugnant to that precept giuen before Chap. 1. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes But here is no contrarietie if we marke well for in the former chapter wee are commanded to doe good workes before men that they may see them and glorifie God for the same Now here wee are not forbidden simply to doe good workes before men but to doe them before men for this ende to haue our praise of men that we might be glorified for doing them howsoeuer it went with God Before we come to the Rule the words are somewhat to bee scanned for whereas we read them thus Giue not your Almes before men c. Some ancient Churches after other copies and translations read them thus Doe not your righteousnesse or iustice before men which must not seeme strange that in Gods booke there should be diuers readings for in former ages before Printing was inuented the Scriptures of God were conuaied from hand to hand by meanes of writing now they that writ out the copies of Scripture did now and then mistake some words and letters by negligence or ignorance and put one thing for another whereupon doe come these diuers readings yet wee must not thinke that the word of God is hereby maimed or made imperfect for the true sense of the holy Ghost remains sound perfect though it may be we cānot discerne of the right reading And the sense of Scripture is rather to bee iudged the word of God then the words and letters thereof Now it beeing here vncertaine whether reading to follow for either of them containe a sense conuenient to the place therfore I will exclude neither but from them both propound this instruction That the giuing of Almes is Iustice and a part of Righteousnesse which God requires at our hands This the Apostle sheweth plainely out of the Psalmes 2. Cor. 9. 9. He hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer And in common reason it must be so for a man is but a Steward ouer the goods which hee possesseth the poore with whom hee liueth hath title to part thereof and he must giue vnto them by Gods expresse commandement so as vnlesse he giue in some sort he plaies the thiefe robs the poore by keeping backe that which is their due In regard whereof we must learne first to acknowledge that prouiding of maintenance for the poore is not a worke of
whereby Christ enforceth the former commandement and it hath two parts the first is drawne from a speciall propertie in God to see in secret the second is froÌ„ his bounty in rewarding openly For the first the words are thus in the originall and thy father which is a seer in secret for the word there vsed signifieth a discerning seer whereby Christ would teach vs that God sees and beholds things that no man can see euen the secret thoughts and desires of mans heart Hence we must learne three things I. to examine our selues strictly not onely of our grosse open sinnes which all the world may see but also of our most inward and hidden corruptions and when we cannot see them yet we must suspect our selues of our secret wants for though men know them not no nor we our selues yet God the secret seer beholdeth them II. Neuer to hide our sinnes within our selues but freely to lay them open before God to our owne shame yea to confesse our vnknowne sinnes we must not like Adam sew fig-leaues together to couer our nakednes or flie from God thinking to hide our selues from his sight for he discerneth in secret III. To be carefull not only to doe good works but also to doe them in an holy manner froÌ„ good grouÌ„ds and to a right end for God seeth secrets and will not be shifted off with false shewes Dauid saith I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies because all my waies are before thee And the rather must we be mooued hereunto because God knowing what is in mans heart doth ofteÌ„times prooue men with temptations that he may discouer the guile of their hearts therfore that we may escape the iudgements of God due vnto hypocrisie we must labour to doe all good duties in singlenes of heart The second reason drawne froÌ„ Gods bountie vnto theÌ„ that in singlenes of heart doe good works is in these words he will reward thee openly wherin he preuenteth this obiectioÌ„ which some of his hearers might make against his former precept If I may not do good works to be seen of men then shall I loose my labour Christ answereth Not so for God the father will reward thee openly if thou doe goods from a single heart onely respecting the praise and honour of God in mans good If it be asked how this can stand with that saying of Christ Ioh. 5. 21. that the father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne I answer that in regard of deliberation of authoritie consent the last iudgement shal be executed by the whole Trinitie but yet in regard of immediate execution the father iudgeth not but Christ onely for he alone giueth the sentence both of absolution and condemnation This second reason teacheth vs sundrie things concerning praise First that God himselfe is the sole author of true praise Paul saith he which praiseth himselfe is not allowed but he whome the Lord praiseth where he compareth the world to a Theater wherein men are Actors and men and Angels be spectators but God alone is the Iudge who giueth praise and good name to euery one that deserueth it not onely in this life but in the world to come in regard whereof we must endeauour our selues so to doe all our good works that God himselfe may approoue thereof to seeke the praise of men is a fond thing seeing that not man but God is the author of true praise yea this must teach vs not to depend vpon man for praise and commendation for the good things we do but vpon God himselfe from whom all true praise commeth Secondly that God as he is a father is the sole author of true praise for Christ saith your father will reward you Now God is our father onely in Christ and therefore our vnion with Christ is the ground of all true praise He is a true Israelite saith Paul which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God This then discouereth the errour of the world in seeking after praise and reputation for some seeke it in the comlines of their bodie some in apparell and some in learning c. but all these are wrong meanes the right way to get true praise is to be in Christ to haue an humble and sanctified heart set purposely to keepe Gods commandement Psal. 119. 22. Dauid praied God to remooue from him shame and contempt because he kept Gods testimoneis as though the keeping of Gods commandements had beene the onely meanes to auoyd contempt and to procure true praise and fame Thirdly that the life to come is the onely time of true praise for Christ here saith he shall reward thee openly that is in the last day 1. Corin. 4. 5. When the Lord shall come then shall euery one haue praise of God This must teach vs not to care for the contempt of the world which followeth our profession so that our conuersation bee godly but to rest patiently contented because it is the lot and portion of Gods children and our sins deserues greater reproach alwaies remembring that the time of our praise is yet to come Yea hence we must learne not to aime at our owne praise in the things of this life but wholly to seeke the glorie of God in all things for if we seeke his glorie now the time will come when he will glorifie vs. Fourthly that the praise that God shall giue his children in the ende of the world shall be opâ—n and manifest before all men and all angels both good bad when they shall stand to be iudged by Iesus Christ this is true praise which shall neuer haue ende whereunto the praise of men is not comparable we count highly of applause and reputation with earthly princes and all men honour him whom the Prince commends how much more then shall they be aduanced whom God himselfe shall vouchsafe to praise and commend vers â— And when thou praâ—â—st be not as the hypocrites for they loue to stand and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streetes because they would be seene of men verely I say vnto you they haue their reward In this verse and the rest to the fourteenth Christ intreateth of the dutie of prayer wherein he dealeth as in the former point touching Almes-giuing for first he forbids a twofold vice in prayer hypocrisie and babling and then teacheth the contrarie vertues and the right practise of praier The vice of hypocrisie in prayer is forbidden in this fift verse and the contrarie vertue inioyned in the next The Exposition When thou prayest To pray properly is to intreate of God the gift of some good thing concerning our selues and in this sense it is onely one part of that holy worship of God which is called Invocation for 1. Tim. 2. 1. the Apostle maketh
great good as 1. Thereby to kindle their faith and to stirre vp their zeale in praier that they may more earnestly begge the things they want for this ende our Sauiour Christ reasoned with the woman of Canaan before he would cure her daughter 2. To keepe them in humilitie and to preuent spirituall pride thus hee denied to remooue from the Apostle Paul the buffeting of Satan though hee praied for it least hee should bee puffed vp through multitude of reuelations 2. Corinth 12. 7 8 9. 3. To make them esteeme more highly of the blessings of God and to stirre them vp to more thankefulnesse for the same for it is commonly true that things lightly gotten are lightly set by 3. Question How falleth it out that God doth neuer graunt some men their requests Answer 1. Because they make their praiers but not according to Gods will either failing in the time as did the foolish virgins who cried Lord Lord open to vs when the doores were shut Matth. 25. 11 12. or in the things they aske and so the sonnes of Zebedie had not their request because they asked they knewe not what 2. Because they doubt and wauer in praier for such shall not receiue any thing of the Lord Iam. 1. 6 7. 3. Because they pray for wrong ends Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse that you might consume it on your lusts Iam. 4. 5. The Use. 1. This prouident eie of God ouer all our wants teacheth vs what to doe when we are assaulted by any enemie either of bodie or soule we must first of all make God our refuge and tower of defence by getting assurance of our adoption for if we be Gods children he is our father knowing and weighing our wants and hee is most carefull to make supply thereto before we pray Gen. 25. 22. When the two twinnes stroue together in Rebekâ—aes wombe shee sent to aske the Lord thereof no doubt by Isaac her husband who before had praied for her verse 21. So when Iehosaphat was beset with many enemies he cried vnto the Lord for helpe and was deliuered 2. Chron. 18. 31. and Chap. 20. 12. And it was the Prophet Dauids practise to haue recourse to God in all his troubles for which cause he calles the Lord his rocks his resting and hiding place Secondly hereby wee are taught to haue a moderate care for the things of this life for wee haue a father in heauen who careth for vs knowing all our wants and readie to make supply thereof before wee pray In these daies most men set their hearts vpon the world and trust to outward meanes more then to God himselfe which comes from this because they want a true perswasion of their adoption in Christ for if they knew that God were their father then surely this perswasion would take place in their hearts God knowes my wants and is carefull for the supply thereof and therefore I will trust in him and obey him Thirdly this teacheth vs in any necessitie or affliction to subiect our selues to the will of God labouring to be thankfull for that estate as well as for prosperitie and studying to please and honour God therein for he is a father who seeth all our wants before we complaine and is carefull for our good knowing that affliction is better for vs then prosperitie or else hee would send vs deliuerance for it is all one with him and he delights not in the affliction of his people Fourthly this serues to arme vs against all carnall and slauish feare whereby mens hearts are oppressed either in regard of death or of the day of iudgement for though the deuill rage against vs yet when death commeth God is our father who knoweth our wants and the way to comfort vs and is both willing and able so to doe In a word this meditation serueth to stirre vs vp to all dutifull obedience in the whole course of our liues for who can but bee thankfull vnto such a father as knowes all his wants and as he is able so also he is willing and readie to make supply thereto this therefore should enlarge our hearts to blesse God that is such a father vnto vs in Christ. Verse 9. After this maner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Our Sauiour Christ hauing forbidden his Disciples all carnall and superstitious kind of praying doth here prescribe vnto them a most holy forme of true praier but before he come vnto it he giues them this commandement After this manner therefore pray yee Saint Luke hath it thus When you pray say Our father c. In which words Christ inioynes his Disciples to vse a right and holy forme of praier the patterne whereof is after set downe Now because this point is controuersall I will briefly set downe how farre forth this praier of Christ is prescribed vnto vs to wit for matter and forme we must imitate and follow it in all our praiers but wee are not tied to the very words of this praier but may freely vse them or other words at our pleasure for our Sauiour Christ oft-times praied in other words and so did the Apostles as we may see by Pauls praters in his Epistles wherein hee obserueth the matter and manner of this praier but yet vseth other words yea S. Luke setting down this very forme of praier doth somewhat alter from the words of S. Matthew Vpon this commandement it may well be demanded whether it be profitable and necessarie to vse a set forme of praier either priuately or publikely in the seruice of God Ans. I take a set forme of praier either publikely or priuately to be both profitable and necessarie set I say both fer the matter and manner and if need require for the very words also my reasons are these I. That which God hath ordained is both profitable and necessarie but God hath ordained that men should vse set formes of praier for the Priests were inioyned a set forme of praier in blessing the people Num. 6. â—3 24. and the 92. Psal. is a set praier for the Sabbath day yea all the Psalmes of Dauid some few Psalmes of doctrine only excepted are set forms of praiers to be vsed of the church of God for euer in this place Christ prescribes a set forme of praier not onely for the matter and manner but also for the words and the like did Iohn Baptist when he taught his disciples to pray II. Reason In man there be sundrie wants in prayer as ignorance in the vnderstanding distractions in the minde obliuion in the memorie both of Gods commandement and promises in the heart is much deadnes dulnes and distrust in the tongue many times is want of such conuenient vtterance as should be in him that would speake vnto God and in most men there is that bashfulnes that they cannot vtter and dispose the desires of
and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. whereof we haue spoken before all which we must labour to finde in our hearts and to expresse in our liues else this kingdome shall be taken from vs we shall neuer see the glorie of it Thirdly hence we must learne to bee contented in all estates of this life whatsoeuer the hope of the glory of this kingdome which we pray for must swallow vp all the sorrowes that earthly calamities can bring vpon vs This it was that made the Patriarks to walke contented in the state of Pilgrimes and Strangers here on earth Hebr. 11. 13 14. Yea this renues the inner man it cheeres the heart and keepes it from fainting though the outward man perish to looke after the ioyes of this kingdome which are the things not seene and therefore Christ herewith comforts his Disciples against the sorrow of afflictiō saying Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Fourthly wee must all labour in our places and callings to bring one another into this kingdome one neighbour another one friend another Ezek. 18. 30. Returne saith the Lord to the house of Israel and cause one another to returne This the Prophet Isay noteth as a practise of the subiects of this kingdome that they shall say one to another come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord Isay 2. 3. But masters of families especially must looke to the practise of this dutie and labour to bring Gods kingdome into their families for this ende they must see to these things First that there bee no manifest or open sinne permitted in their families ridde thy house of such a person if thou canst not reforme him Psalm 101. 7. Secondly instruct thy familie in the way of the Lord that they may know to liue righteously and vprightly both before God and man Thirdly set vp and maintaine the priuate worship of God in thy familie ioyne thou with them in holy duties especially in daily calling vpon the name of God In regard of these and such like duties it is that the Scripture ascribes saluation to a familie where the master or the gouernour of the house is conuerted to the faith And for the practise hereof the holy Patriarkes are commended to all posteritie God saith of Abraham I know him that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord and Iacob commands his family to put away their strange gods and to clense themselues and Ioshuah prosessed publikely that he and his familie would serue the Lord. Fiftly hence wee must learne euery day to prepare our selues to die for by death our soules enter into the glorie of this kingdome which we pray may come vnto vs and therefore we must be ready to receiue it euery day that whensoeuer our King commeth vnto vs either by death or in the last iudgement wee may passe from grace to glorie And indeede wee cannot with comfort make this petition vnlesse wee bee in some measure prepared for death and that euery day Now beeing prepared wee must waite as Iob did euery day till our changing come Looke how the godly in the olde Testament looked for our Sauiour Christs first comming in the flesh so must we waite for his comming to vs either by death or iudgement neither must any thing dismay vs in this waiting no not death it selfe for the sooner we die the sooner wee may enter into glorie And here wee may take a viewe of the monstrous hypocrisie of the world for who will not say these words Thy kingdome come but yet the most men neglect to prepare themselues for entrance into this kingdome nay many contemne the word and praier which are the meanes whereby we haue admittance into the state of grace and are prepared for the kingdome of glorie Sixtly wee may here learne of our Sauiour Christ the practise of humilitie and in all things to giue all glorie to God for though this kingdome pertaine equally to him as hee is God with the father yet because he hath it from the father as he is the son therfore he will haue it wholly attributed vnto him for he teacheth vs to say Our father thy kingdome come Lastly here obserue the necessitie of this petition in respect of our outward estate for the comming of this kingdome to any estate is a speciall cause of prosperitie and happinesse vnto it for where this kingdome is Gods hand of blessing and protection is in a speciall manner here the Lord raigneth and his glorious and blessed Angels which are mightie in strength and power keepe watch and guard in that kingdome and about that people who haue the Lord for their King and God Hence it is that this our Kingdome hath so long enioyed peace and protection from many dangerous assaults because we embrace and professe the Gospel which is the scepter of Gods kingdome and if wee could doe it in sinceritie and walke worthie of the Lord our King our prosperitie should bee as the stoods and our peace as the Sunne and Moone in heauen And therefore they that loue the peace of this kingdome must embrace and obey the Gospel and pray for the happie and flourishing estate thereof for therein standes our peace Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen The Coherence This petition dependeth on both the former thus as a meanes whereby wee doe that which wee desire in the first petition for Gods name is glorified when his will is done and as a manifestation of that which wee desire in the second petition for there wee pray that Gods kingdome may come vnto vs and hee rule in our hearts by his word and spirit now here we craue that we may doe his will and so testisie our selues to be his loyall subiects The meaning This petition is propounded in a comparison which naturally standeth thus As thy will is done in heauen so let thy will bee done in earth And it hath two parts The first respects the grace of obedience which wee pray for Thy will be done in earth The second shewes the right manner of performing it as it is in heauen For the first Thy will c. Gods will is onely one considered in it selfe as God is one yet for our vnderstanding it may be thus distinguished It is either absolute or reuealed Gods absolute will is the will of his good pleasure whereby according to his eternall counsell hee determines of all things what shall be done or what shall not be done and in what manner This absolute will extendeth ouer all creatures and ouer all their actions Ephes. 1. 11. Wee are predestinate according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Roman 9. 19. Who hath resisted his will Matth. 10. 26. Without this will
in the child of God then hee labours to get him commit some offence and sinne whereby the name of God may bee dishonoured his profession disgraced his conscience wounded Gods children offended Thus he dealt with Dauid in his sinnes of adulterie murther 2. Sam. 11. ch 12. 9. and with Peter in the denial of his master Mat. 26. 74. We therefore must pray according to this petition that we may be sanctified throughout and that our whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blameles vnto the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christ that our hearts may be established in euery good word and worke God deliuering vs from euery euill worke and preseruing vs vnto his heauenly kingdome 2. Tim. 4. 18. III. Policie When the child of God is fallen into any sin then the deuil labours to cast him asleep therein that hee might lie in it without remorse and so neuer repent of it thus he dealt with Dauid who lay in his sinne of adulterie murther without repentance one whole yere almost thus hee hath dealt with the nation of the Iewes blinding their eies and hardening their hearts from the knowledge of the Messias whom they crucified euen vnto this day and thus he dealeth with many Christians in the Church of God In regard wherof we must pray in temptation as Dauid did that he would not forsake vs ouer-long Psa. 119. 8. but though in iustice hee may leaue vs to our selues for a time yet he would please to renue his mercies towards and repaire vs by his grace IV. Policie When the Lord vouchsafeth to men the means of saluation as the word and sacraments chastisements for sinne then SataÌ„ labours to make the same void and of none effect that so they may not only misse of saluation but bee condemned more deepely for the neglect and contempt of the means vouchsafed vnto them this Paul knew well and therefore he sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to know their faith lest the tempter had tempted them and so their labour vpon them had beene in vaine 1. Thess. 3. 5. For this cause he is called that euill one who steales away the seed of the word from out their hearts Math. 13. 19. and that enuious man who soweth tares among the seed v. 28. Here therfore we must pray against this practise of Satan that as the Lord vouchsafeth the meanes of grace vnto vs so he would giue his blessing withall that they may be profitable vnto vs for without this the meanes wil turne to our deeper iudgement V. Policie When he cannot worke his will in their soules inwardly as he desires then he assaies to do them mischiefe by some outward satanicall operations as possessioÌ„ witchcraft or striking their bodies with strange diseases or abusing their dwelling places with feareful noises apparitions thus he plagued Iob in his goods and in his body when he could not preuaile against his soule when hee could not preuaile against Christ by temptation then he vexed him by transportatioÌ„ Mat. 4. 5. 8. and thus he bound a daughter of Abraham eighteene yeare Luk. 13. 16. Here therefore we pray for the comfort of Gods prouidence for the presence and assistance of the good angels that wee may be preserued though not from temptations inward in minde yet from such bodily and outward abuses and iniuries as the deuil would inflict vpon vs for herein he is curbed and restrained ordinarily in respect of that malice and crueltie which he beares to the children of God whereupon I take it the childe of God may lawfully pray against all outward crosses and afflictions so farre â—orth as they are euill and proceed from that euil one the deuil for this is Gods promise to the godly person Ps. 91. 10. There shall none euill come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy Tabernacle that is so farre forth as it is euill for otherwaies it is most true that many are the troubles of the righteous because it is many times good for them to be afflicted Psal. 119. 71. VI. Policie Lastly Satan labours to bring Gods children to some fearefull and miserable ende not so much for the bodily death as in regard of the inward horror and terror of conscience for though he seldome spares any man yet he reserues the extremity of his power malice to a mans last gaspe Indeede he is many times restrained so as many a childe of God can say at his ende in despite of Satan Lord now lâ—ttest thou thy seruant depart in peace but where he is not restrained there he labours to bring men either to presumption or despaire Here therefore we are taught to pray to God for a good and comfortable death in the Lord and that we may be so presâ—rued therein and iâ—abled by grace that our ende may neither be euill to our selues nor in appearance but that we may haue both time and grace to prepare our selues so as though our death be neuer so suddain yet we be not vnprepared for though suddaine death be very vncomfortable yet it is neuer dangerous to him that is readie for the Lord but the vnprepared death is the plague of plagues for after it there is no time nor meanes allowed vnto man to alter the state of his soule Eccles. 9. 10. Uses 1. That which we here pray for wee must endeauour to practise and therefore our speciall care must be to resist the deuill and to keepe our selues from the assaults of Satan vnto sinne whether they come from our owne corruption or from this euill world 1. Iohn 5. 18. Hee that is borne of God sinneth not but keepeth himsefâ— that the â—icked one toucheth him not This wee see may be done and it is a notable signe of our adoption and regeneration now the way to doe it is set downe by the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 1. 18 19. Fight the good fight which he expounds in the words following which prescribe 2. duties hauing faith and a good conscience To haue faith is to hold and maintaine true religion in life and death renouncing all heresie whatsoeuer whether of Iewes Turkes Papists or any other which whosoeuer would doe must not content himselfe with a shewe of godlinesse in profession but must get the power of religion fast rooted in his heart which hee must expresse in his conuersation And for this ende these rules must bee remembred First wee must haue in our hearts sincere loue to God in Christ and to his Church and true religion Christ must haue the chiefe place in our hearts our loue to God in him must be so strong that it must ouerwhelme all other affectioÌ„s so as we may truely say with Paul I count all things losse and doc iudge them to be dongue that I might win Christ and this must bee the order of our loue we must loue God and Christ for themselues the church
bold-hardie that they will raiâ—e vpon and defie the deuill and command him to be gone But without a calling thereunto we may not so doe Indeede if by Gods prouidence we be called to liue in such places necessarily then this we may doe we must not reason with the deuill but betake our selues to God by humble and earnest praier and complaine of Satans vexation making God our shelter and defence both for soule and bodie els if we presume to meddle with him without a calling from God we may iustly be foyled and abused by him as the sonnes of Sceva were because we haue no promise from the Lord to be protected from him For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen These words conteine the reason of the former sixe petitions touching which we must obserue two things in generall first that they are not a reason to mooue God whose wil is vnchaÌ„geable but to perswade the child of God that prayeth thus that God will graunt his requests Secondly that this reason is not peculiar to the last petition but generally belonging to them all as halowed be thy name because thine is the kingdome power and glorie and so for the rest The meaning Kingdome This here imports three things in God first that he is al-sufficient of himselfe to doe all things whatsoeuer needing no helpe nor instrument beside his soueraigne will Gen. 17. 1. I am God al-sufficient Secondly that he hath a soueraigne right and title to all things in heauen and earth as a King hath to those things which belong to his territories and iurisdiction Thirdly that he hath soueraigne rule and authoritie ouer all things in heauen and earth gouerning them as he pleaseth and bringing them into an absolute subiection Further the kingdome of God is twofold The kingdome of his prouidence whereby he rules and gouernes all things in heauen and earth euen the deuill and all his angels and instruments and the kingdome of grace whereby he gouernes his Church by his word and spirit and both these are here to be vnderstood Thine The kingdome is here called Gods for two causes First to shew that God hath his kingdome of himselfe and from himselfe alone thus the kingdome of grace and of prouidence are both his Secondly to distinguish God from earthly kings for though they haue a kingdome power and glorie as Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzer yet they haue all these from God not of themselues but God hath them of himselfe alone and not from any other Now because our nature is blind in the things of God I will here propound some reasons to prooue that God hath such a soueraigne kingdome as also to shew the excellencie of it First this appeares by that excellent order which God hath set in all his workes by their creation for how fitly doe times and seasons as spring time and summer autumne and winter succeede one an other how sweetely doe the heauenly creatures the sunne moone and starres serue for the creatures here below as hearbs and plants how doe these serue for beasts and foules and all of them for the vse of man as this prooues against the Atheist that there is a God so it shewes the soueraigntie and most wise regiment of his kingdome When a man sees a great armie in good array and euery one keeping his place and standing constantly he will presently commend the wisdome and authoritie of the leader why then should we not acknowledge the power and souerangntie of the almightie in that constant station of the creatures in that sweete order which they obserue from the creation Secondly the terror accusation of a guiltie conscience doth argue euidently the absolute soueraigntie of Gods kingdom for when a man hath committed some grieuous sinne either against the law of nature or the written word of God though it be so secretly that no man know of it yet wil his conscience accuse and fright him which it would not doe vnles he were to answer for that fact to God the soueraigne Lord of al. Thirdly men of death that is such as by some notorious crime deserue death though through the ignorance or negligence of magistrats they be let to escape yet ordinarily they are ouertaken with some fearefull iudgement and one way or other meete with their desert which is a speciall worke of Gods soueraigne prouidence Fourthly the Gospel preached is as contrarie to mans corrupt nature as fire is to water and yet hath it in all ages wonne men vnto it to professe it and to loue it so as they haue been content for the Gospels sake to forsake house and lands wife children yea and life itselfe This no word of man could euer doe therfore it argues plainly that some supernatural power worketh with it which draws the heart of maÌ„ vnto it Here some may say that the Deuill hath a kingdome contrarie to Gods kingdome wherein he raigneth and therfore Gods kingdome is not absolute Ans. If we regard the malice of Satan or the practise of the wicked it may seeme Gods kingdome should not be absolute because they continually rebell against his reuealed will but consider the power of God which ouerruleth Satan and all his instruments disposing most wisely of all their works to his owne glorie the good of his Church and their own ruine and then we shall plainly see that God ruleth ouer all for howsoeuer the deuill and his angels and all other his instruments oppose themselues vnto the word of God which is the law of his kingdom of grace yet God willingly permits all such works and restraines them all at his pleasure so as that which comes to passe against Gods reuealed will is not contrarie to his absolute will Thine is the power By power is meant an abilitie in God whereby he can doe whatsoeuer he will and more then he will doe for the better conceiuing of it note these two things First that God is not onely powerfull but euen power it selfe in regard of his nature as he is goodnesse and wisdome c. Men and Angels are called powerfull as receiuing power from God but God onely is power it selfe because his nature is infinite in power as in all other properties Secondly that power and will in God are one and the same for our better conceiuing of them they may be distinguished but in themselues they differ not for Gods willing of a thing is the effecting and doing of it It is not so in vs for we will many things which we cannot doe but whatsoeuer God willeth that he doth and that which he cannot doe he cannot will The Scripture saith God cannot lie nor denie himselfe nor die c. now as he cannot doe these things so neither can he wil them for they are no workes of power but of weakenesse and frailtie and therefore is God omnipotent because he can neither doe nor will the same Thine is
feruently to call for mercie and for this cause the Scripture many times ioynes prayer and fasting together IV. Point The causes or occasions of a religious fast which may iustly mooue vs thereunto and they be seauen First when we our selues haue fallen into any grieuous sinne or sinnes whereof our conscience accuseth vs and whereby we procure the wrath of God against vs then to resonne our selues and to escape the wrath of God we had neede to giue our selues to prayer and fasting 1. Sam. 7. 6. The Israelites hauing fallen to Idolairie put away their strange gods and turne vnto the Lord with weeping and fasting and when they kept the feast of Expiation which was a type of their forgiuenes by the Messias then they humbled themselues in fasting before the Lord Leuit. 16. 29. Secondly when some among vs fall into any grieuous sinne though wee our selues bee cleare from it yet then wee must fast because for the sinnes of others Gods iudgements may iustly fall vpon vs. Hence it was that Paul blames the Corinthians because they sorrowed not for the sinne of incest committed among them And in this regard euery godly person ought to humble himselfe because of the grieuous sinnes of Atheisme blasphemie oppression c. which abound among vs. Thirdly when the hand of God in any iudgement lies vpon vs so did the Israelites when they fell in battell before the Beniamites and so ought we to doe for many iudgements of God that haue laien long vpon vs. Fourthly when the hand of God in any fearefull iudgement lies heauie on others among whom we liue though we our selues be freo in this case Dauid oft times humbled himselfe not onely when his child gotten in adulterie was sicke 2. Sam. 12. 16. but euen when his enemies were sicke he fasted Psal. 35. 13. Fiftly when Gods iudgements are imminent as it were hang ouer our heads so did Iâ—hosaphat when his enemies came against his countrie and in this regard we ought to humble our selues for the professed enemies of Gods grace are daiely plotting our subuersion Sixtly when we stand in need of some needfull blessing of God especially such as concerne saluation thus Cornesius besought the Lord in prayer and fasting when he desired true resolution concerning the Messias and so ought we to doe to get assurance of our recoÌ„ciliation with God in the pardon of our sinnes Seauenthly for Gods blessing and good successe vpon the ministerie of the Gospel so did the Church for Paul and Barnabas when they sent them to preach Act. 13. 3. and so ought we to doe at this day These be the iust occasions of fasting mentioned in the word whereto wee may referre the rest and when any of these befall particular persons families congregations cities countries or kingdomes then they ought to humble themselues in fasting before the Lord U. Point The time of a religious fast this now is free in regard of conscience Indeede in the old testament they had a set time of fasting to wit the tenth day of the seanenth moneth but in the newe testament there is no set time which bindes the conscience onely men must fast as iust occasion is offered If it be said that diuers reformed Churches haue set times of fasting I answer those fasts are set for orders sake and not to binde conscience and they are ciuill fasts and not religious for the Church may alâ—er them at her pleasure The time of a religious fast is the time of mourning which is vncertaine vnto any Church and therefore the time thereof cannot be set which must bee marked because the church of Rome doth herein erre in that they bind mens consciences to their set times of religious fasts Tollet instr Sacerd l. 6. c. â— UI. Point The kinds of a religious fast and they are two priuate and publike A priuate fast is that which is performed priuately either by one man alone for some of the forenamed occasions peculiar to to himselfe as Cornelius did Act. 10. 33. when he desired to know the true Messiss or by a priuate familie vpon peculiar causes mouing them thereto and so did Hester fast with her maides Hester 4. 16. This fast was foretold by Zacharie The land shall bewaile euery familie apart the familie of the house of Dauid apart and their wines apart c. A publike fass is that which is performed publikely by diuers families assembling in one or in many congregations and this publike fast is appointed partly by the Church partly by the Magistrate the Church must iudge of the time and occasion thereof and the Magistrate must authorize and proclaime it Againe a religious fast may be distinguished otherwaies in respect of the time of continuance and manner of abstinence therin for sometime a religious fast is onely from one meale for one day as Iudg. 20. 26. sometime it is from one meale for many daies together as 1. Sam. 31. 13. they fasted seauen daies together for Saul and Ionathan abstaining from their dinners and taking some refreshing in the euening and so Daniel fasted for three weekes of daies that is each day from morning till night Dan. 10. 3. And sometime it is from all kinde of sustenance for many daies together so Hester and her maides fasted three daies Hest. 4. 16. Now the two former may be vsed of vs as occasion serueth but this last is very dangerous for it is not with vs in this regard as it was with the Iewes they liued in hot countries and so had colde stomacks by reason whereof they might fast three daies without any great inconuenience but wee that liue in colder clymates haue hotter stomacks and so haue neede of more and oftener refreshing then they had neither can we fast so long without endangering life or health now fasting must bee to humble and afflict the body but not to destroy it Thus much of fasting in generall now I come to Christs doctrine of fasting here propounded And first of his reformation of the abuses thereof then vsed among the Iewes When ye fast looke not as the hypocrites c. Quest. How doth this agree with the commandement of God Ioel. 1. 13 14. where hee bids them howle and crie in their fast which cannot be without a mournfull countenance and indeede in a true fast rightly celebrated the sorrow of the heart must needes be testified by some conuenient signes and gesture in the bodie Ans. Christ doth not here simply condemne a sorrowfull countenance in fasting when as iust occasion of sorrow therein is offered for Nehemiah looked sad but onely the hypocrisie of the Pharisies who when they fasted had a sad countenance without a sorrowfull heart for all their heauie lookes they had no broken spirits this therefore Christ saith carrie not a sad and heauie looke when thou hast no sorrowfull mourning heart mind not thy outward
aside So then the words beare this sense Take heed that you gather not riches together to hoard vp here below for your owne priuate vse and benefit alone making them your treasures in which you put your trust and place your ioy and delight But yet that we may not mistake the meaning of our Sauiour Christ I will distinctly set down what things Christ forbiddeth not pertaining to the gathering or keeping of worldly goods then what it is which he doth directly forbid There be 3. things respecting the world which Christ forbiddeth not viz. I. Diligent labour in a mans vocation wherby he prouides things needfull for himselfe and those that depend vpoÌ„ him for else he should be contrarie to himselfe inioyning man to eat his bread in the sweat of his face Gen. 3. 19. and commanding that he that will not labour should not eate 2. Thes. 3. 10. II. The fruition and possessing of goods riches for they are the good blessings of God beeing well vsed haue bin possessed of Gods children as Abraham Iob Salomon c. III. The gathering laying vp of treasure is not simply forbidden for the word of God alloweth hereof in some respect 2. Cor. 12. 14. The father must laie vp for the children and the Disciples vnderstanding of the generall famine by the prophesie of Agabus which should be in all the world gathered prouision aforehand for the brethre in Iudea Iosephs prouident wisedome is commended by the holy Ghost for hoarding vp the corne in Egypt against the time of dearth for the common good the temple of God had his treasurie by Gods appointment for the vpholding and repaire therof so that Christ doth not simply forbid all gathering and laying vp of treasure or wealth What is it then which Christ here forbids Ans. Sundry practises of couetousnes wherof the first is Excessiue seeking of worldly wealth wheÌ„ men keep no measure nor morderation therein although God giue sufficient yet they are not coÌ„tent their desire is so vnsatiable And that we may see the danger of this practise I wil here shew how far forth a man may seeke for and lay vp worldly wealth for the better vnderstanding wherof this distinctioÌ„ of worldly goods must be laid down for a grouÌ„d They are either necessarie aboundant or superfluous Necessarie goods are of two sorts either necessarie to mans nature without which no man can liue nor familie stand as meat drinke apparel lodging c. or necessarie to a mans state and condition of life without which he cannot exercise the duties of his calling wherein God hath placed him as books to a student tooles to a trades-men c. Now here ariseth the question How much of these things are to be counted necessarie so may bee prouided for laid vp Ans. The opinion and iudgement of the couetous man must be no rule in this case for his corrupt heart is vnsatiable like the sea which cannot be filled and like the fire that neuer saith it is enough Now because of the diuersitie of mens estates by reason of their difference in properties conditions there can be no certaine rule set downe for that which is enough for one will not suffice another therefore the iudgement practise of the godly wise who know how to vse the creatures as blessings of Gods prouidence must bee our rule to iudge what is necessarie other rules wee haue not in the word but what they iudge needefull according to the word that must be esteemed necessarie and accordingly prouided Yet further this may here be added that things must not be deemed necessarie onely in regard of the present vse but also with respect to the time to come wherein they may be needfull Example A trades-man hauing nothing besides his trade to liue vpon may prouide for things necessarie while his strength continueth to maintaine himselfe in old age when through decay of strength or â—ight he is not able to worke And so a man hauing many children may in the vse of lawfull meanes prouide for their portions before hand that when their age requireth hee may therewith dispose of them in some good state of life The second sort of wordly goods is Aboundance whereby I meane that plentie and store which serues not onely for necessitie but for holy comelinesse and delight The third sort is Superfluitie whereby I meane such aboundance as a man hath neither vse of for the present nor in any likelihood shall haue for the time to come Now these grounds thus premised I set downe this rule touching mans prouision for worldly wealth Things necessarie for mans person his calling a man may seeke for and lay vp but for aboundance for superfluities no man ought to labour or be careful hereto Christ hath put this barre Lay not vp treasures for your selues Salomon praies as directly against superfluitie as against pouertie Pro. 30. 8 9. Giue me not riches nor pouertie saith he but feed me with food conuenient for me and he renders this reason against aboundance lest I be ful and denie thee say who is the Lord Now hence I reason thus looke what we may aske of God that onely must we seeke for no more but we may only aske for things necessarie for to pray for aboundance we haue no warrant therfore we must only seek for necessaries not for aboundance Hereto the Apostles rule agreeth well If we haue food and raiment let vs herewith be content for they that would bee rich or abound as the word signifieth fall into temptation and snares Quest. If we may not pray for aboundance what must we doe if God giue aboundance Ans. If God blesse vs with aboundance vpon our moderate labour and care in our lawfull callings we must receiue it thankfully as good stewards lay it vp to be bestowed on good vses either in our families or in the church common wealth as God in his prouidence shal offer vs iust occasion Now this beeing euident that we must onely seeke for things necessarie and no more then we must all learne to beware of carking care be contented with things necessary when God giues theÌ„ And to moue vs hereunto consider the reasons following First it is Gods commaÌ„dement that we should be contented with things necessarie 1. Tim. 6. 8. and therefore we must make conscience of obedience in the practise of contentation Secondly they that are greedie after aboundance haue many temptations to bad dealing and so can hardly keepe a good conscience they fall into snares as the Apostle saith and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Thirdly in time of persecution which oft accompanies the Gospel the richer a man is the more danger hee is in to forsake the truth for the heart of man is naturally so
similitudes In the first wordes The light of the bodie is the eye is a parable taken from a candle in an house for as a burning candle set vp in an house lighteth the house and all that be in it so the light of this eye which is the vnderstanding lighteth the whole bodie and giueth direction to the whole man in all his actions In the next words If thine eye be single c. to the end of the 23. verse is a second similitude which standeth thus If a man haue a good and cleare bodily eye he can guide himselfe iâ— the right way and keepe his feet from stumbling and from falling but if his eye be dimme and darke then he cannot walke without stumbling and if he want an eye or that his eye be starke blind then of himselfe he cannot walke without stumbling and wandering so in like maner if the vnderstanding which is the eye of the minde be sound and cleare able to iudge of good and euill then is the whole life well ordered but if the iudgement be corrupt then is there much disorder in the life if it be cleane put out then is there nothing but brutish coÌ„fusion Thus stand the comparisons in these words Now the meaning of them is this The first words are plaine The light of the bodie is the eye that is the eye giues light for the direction of the bodie as a light in an house directs the housholders in their affaires If thine eye be single c. By eye here is meant the minde resembled by the bodily eye and the single eye is the vnderstanding mind able to iudge of good and euill of things to be done and not to be done Thy whole bodie shall be light by bodie is meant the life and by light is meant well ordered and directed for the mind is to the life for the directing of it that which the eye is to the bodie for the ordering thereof But if thine eye be wicked c. the wicked eye is the corrupt mind hauing the vnderstanding darkned iudgement so depraued that it cannot rightly discerne of good and euill what is to be done and what is to be left vndone Then all thy bodie shall be darke that is thy whole life in all thine actions shall be full of sinne and disorder Wherefore if the light that is in thee be darknesse that is if the natural light of reason and iudgment left in man after the fall be quite extinguished How great is that darknesse that is wonderfull shall his corruption and disorder be yea so full of confusion that there shall be no difference betweene his life and the life of a brute beast And this I take to be Christs proper meaning Now the words thus explaned depend vpon the former as an answer to a secret obiection which the heart of man might frame vnto it selfe against those two commandements to this effect If there be such necessitie of laying vp treasures in heauen and of auoyding to lay vp treasures in earth then why doe not the most wise and learned men of our time doe so they seeke more for earthly treasures then for heauenly Hereto Christ answers thus as if he had saide maruell not at this for they want the single eye the vnderstanding mind to discerne of things that differ they cannot iudge aright of the true treasure and so not knowing the heauenly they seeke the earthly treasure only Now that we may preceiue the words of Christ thus to answer the former obiection we must know that Christ doeth here presuppose thus much that euery mans eye is either single corrupt or blind and the single eye which is a good vnderstanding befalls not all men no not all wise and learned men but them onely to whome God in mercie giues it But the corrupt eye befalls euery man naturally And some by sinne put out the light of nature and so become senselesse in spirituall things And hence it is that all men naturally wanting the single eye and hauing the corrupt eye yea many hauing the blind eye doe not discerne of the true treasure and so leaue the heauenly and giue themselues wholy to the earthly Thus we see both the meaning and the coherence leading vs to the maine cause of couetousnes which the blind eye of the mind not able to discerne of true spirituall treasure Now in the words these three points are to be handled I. The single eye with the fruites thereof II. The wicked eye with his fruites III. The dark and blind eye with the fruites thereof I. Point The single eye is the mind of man indued with some portion of true heauenly wisdome and the fruite of it is to giue the bodie light To know this single eye the better we must search out what true wisdome is This true heauenly wisdome is no common gift which euery professor may haue but a speciall gift of God in Christ peculiar to them that doe truly beleeue in him 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ 〈◊〉 made wisdome vnto vs of God not only because he is the matter of our wisdome we being then onely truely wise when we know Christ and him crucified but also because he is the roote from whence all our wisdome springs for being ingraffed into Christ by faith we become as it were flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and so aâ—â— not onely made iust by the imputation of his obedience but doe also receiue inherent holines and wisdome from him our wisdome and holinesse beeing deriued from his as the branch is from the stocke and the fruit from the roote And this wisdome â—efâ—llâ— not at all to the deuill and his angels though they know much nor to all that are Christians in name but onely to the members of his mysticall bodie by faith This heauenly wisdome hath two actions First to discerne â—right of things that differ and to distinguish one thing from another spiritually this Paul praied for in the behalfe of the Philippians Phil. 1. 9. that their loue might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement or sense that so they might discerne things that differ that is good from euill and heauenly from earthly what to doe and what to leaue vndone which is a propertie of men of age in religion who thorough long custome attaine herunto Heb. 5. 14. And hence it is that the childe of God can I. discerne the voice of Christ the true shepheard from the voice of all false teachers II. By this gift of discerning hee can put a difference betweene the water of Baptisme and all other water and betweene the bread and wine in the Lords table and common bread and wine III. Hereby the Church and euery true member of it is enabled to iudge rightly of crosses distinguishing fatherly chastisements from Gods plagues and curses for sinne IV. Hereby hee can discerne the things of God euen his own election his
that is wisedome it selfe how to order our selues in seeking for all temporall blessings needfull to this life namely we must first seeke Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse in the performance of those duties that may bring vs thereunto and then all these needefull things for this life as food and raiment shall be cast vnto vs in the sober vse of ordinarie meanes The reason hereof is plaine for Gods kingdom is mans chiefe good and happinesse and all temporall blessings depend thereupon as appurtenances to the principall as it were intailed thereon and therefore he that would haue these dependants must get vnto himselfe the kingdome of God which is the principall While the arke of the couenant was in Obed Edoms house God blessed him and all that he had 2. Sam. 6. 11. How much more then shall God blesse them that receiue his holy spirit to rule in their heart by grace for as Dauid sâ—ith the godly man shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of water and whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper By the blessing of God we haue had his kingdome among vs for many yeares in this nation and God hath giueÌ„ vs with it peace protection with great abundance of temporall blessings Indeede God hath sundry waies corrected vs and laid his heauie hand vpon vs in sundrie iudgements as plague famine c. and often shaken his rodde at vs in the hand of our enemies and all because we haue not receiued the word of his kingdome nor yeelded obedience to it as we ought yea and we may feare the fulnesse of his wrath vnlesse we repent and amend of this sinne especially But if wee would set our selues to seeke this kingdome wee needed not to feare the want of any needfull blessing for so God promised to his people to giue them aboundance of all things if they would obey his commaundements which are the lawes and statutes of his kingdome Deut. 21. 1 2. c. This point then is to be obserued for our direction in particular Art thou a poore man and wouldest haue sufficient foode and raiment for thy temporall life then first set thy heart to seeke Gods kingdome follow the word and labour therein for regeneration and new obedience and doubt not but if thou be vpright and diligent in thy lawfull calling thou shalt finde sufficient for this life Quest. If this bee the way to get sufficient how comes it that we haue so many beggars that wander vp and downe from doore to doore Answ. They are for the most part a cursed generation which haue no regard to Gods ordinances either for their soules or bodies they ioyne not themselues to any setled congregation for the obtaining of Gods kingdome and so this promise belongs not to them but God suffers them to wander in an idle course all their life long destitute of this blessing to eate their own bread Againe art thou a rich man and wouldest continue in that estate to thine owne confort and for the good of those that depend vpon thee then set thine heart to seeke Gods kingdome with a speciall care seeke to plant religion in thy familie and thou and thine house shall flourish Art thou a student and desirest the blessing of God vpon thy labours with all things sufficient to thy state and calling then first seeke Gods kingdome and righteousnesse labour for righteousnes and true holinesse and God will lade thee with his blessings In a word whatsoeuer thou art magistrate minister merchant trades-man c. man or woman young or olde and desirest Gods blessing for thy selfe or any that belong vnto thee remember the practise of this dutie and vse the lawfull meanes which God laies before thee in thy calling and nothing doubt but though all meanes faile yet God will send sufficient Secondly this promise of temporall blessings vpon the faithfull seeking of the kingdome of God lets vs see that foode raiment and all things needefull for this life are appurtenances and dependants on Gods kingdome that is such things as ouer and besides his kingdome God will giue to them that principally seeke his loue and fauour by the righteousnesse of Christ and labour for grace and sanctification by his spirit for if hee haue giuen vs Christ how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Roman 8. 32. The consideration hereof serues for speciall vse I. To discouer vnto vs the preposterous course that men take in seeking for temporall blessings for most meÌ„ generally neglect the maine good which is Gods kingdome wholly addict themselues to seeke the things of this life they take little or no thought for the eternall state of their soules but spend their wit and strength in prouiding for their bodies which is nothing else but to gripe at the shadow and to let the substance goe Wherein we shew our selues foolish and simple like to little children who are better pleased with the gift of a nut or an apple then with the promise of rich reuenues or great inheritance II. This teacheth vs with what minde we must seeke the temporall blessings of this life namely with the same honest minde wherewith wee seeke the kingdome of God for they are appurtenances therevnto and depend vpon it and therefore with an vpright heart we must onely vse lawfull meanes moderately for the getting of them And when we haue them this may direct vs in the right ende whereto we must vse our temporall blessings namely to the furtherance of our selues and others towards the kingdome of God so wee honour God with our riches as Salomon biddes vs Prou. 3. 9. III. This teacheth vs that they which haue no right to Gods kingdome nor part in Christs righteousnesse haue no good interest into any temporall blessings as food raiment and such like for they are dependants vpon Gods kingdome and righteousnes As for the heathen before Christs comming Turks and Pagans and all profane persons that liue in the Church at this day who both heretofore now also doe enioy temporall blessings in great abundance this we must know that they haue thereto a ciuil right by Gods permission so as it is sin without good cause to depriue them thereof but yet of themselues they are but vsurpers in regard of true title sanctified vse before God for by AdaÌ„s fall we lost our right soueraigntie in the creatures it is only restored renued iâ— Christ so as they which haue not part in Christ caÌ„not haue this true title This we must obserue first to instruct our selues the better in the knowledge of our own miserable state by nature for what wretched creatures are wee that cannot make good claime nor title before God to the apparel vpon our backs nor to the meate we put into our bellies nay of our selues we haue not right to the breath we drawe in at our nosthrils And out of question this is the state of euery naturall man
When our Sauiour Christ was to die vpon the crosse hee commended his soule into his fathers hands Luk. 23. 46. And none of vs haue assurance of our continuance in life but though we be well in the morning wee may be dead in the euening or aliue at night and dead in the morning and therefore we must not forget the practise of this dutie Dauid did it in the time of trouble though hee were in health Psal. 31. 5. and though we were free from perill of death yet our daiely vexations should mooue vs hereunto for who can learne any good thing without labour and paine who can doe a good worke without let or opposition If wee would repent we are either clogged with corruptions or ouerwhelmed with temptations and if wee seeke to walke in new obedience we haue the world the flesh and the deuil all endeauouring to turne vs backe to our olde course in sinne So that if we would either auoide euill or doe good or support with some comfort our daily vexations we must commend our selues and all ours into the hands of God euery day And thus much of this reason and of Christs dehortation from distrustfull care Chap. 7. Verse 1. Iudge not that you be not iudged 2. For with what iudgement ye iudge yee shall be iudged and with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you againe IN these words and so forward to the end of the fift verse is contained the sixt part of this sermon of our Sauiour Christ concerning Iudgement and it consisteth of three parts first a commandement Iudge not then certaine reasons of the commaundement in the words following to the 5. verse and thirdly a remedie of euill and rash iudgement in the 5. verse Touching the commandement Iudge not The meaning This commandement forbids not all kinde of Iudgement but must bee restrained to vnlawfull Iudgement for there be foure kinds of lawfull Iudgement two whereof be publike and two priuate Of publike the first is ciuil Iudgement belonging to the ciuill Magistrate who is to enquire into the manners of men and according to the good positiue lawes of the country to giue iudgement either in punishing offenders or rewarding them that doe well The second kinde is Ecclesiasticall belonging principally to the minister who in the publike dispensation of the word iudgeth mens manners by reproouing and condemning their sinnes whether they be thoughts words or actions In this sense the vnbeleeuer is said to be iudged when his thoughts actions are controlled by the word 1. Cor. 14. 24. and thus Noah iudged and condemned the olde world Heb. 11. 7. Of priuate lawful iudgement the first is priuate admonition whereby one man doth in Christian and louing maner reprehēd another for his sinnes and thereby iudgeth him this is also commanded in the word of God and therefore it is not here forbidden The second is iust dispraise when the grosse faults of notorious persons are reprooued and condemned for this ende alone that others may take warning thereby thus Christ iudged the Pharisies both for life and doctrine before his Disciples calling them Hypocrites that said and did not and their doctrine leauen and that most iustly and wisely that his Disciples and others might beware of them and thus he called Herod a Foxe so discouering his subtiltie for the admonition of others The thing then here forbiddē is rash iudgemēt which one man doth vniustly giue of another and the reason why wee so vnderstand this place may be drawne from the 3. verse where instance is giuen of the iudgement here forbidden in a quicke espiall and sharpe censure of small faults in others not seeing farre grosser and greater in our selues also Saint Luke setting downe this same prohibition Iudge not expounds it in the next words by condemne not which must be vnderstood of rash censure as is plaine by S. Paul Rom. 2. 1. In that thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe because thou doest rashly cōdemne him of that whereof thou thy selfe art guiltie Now that wee may better know the thing forbidden first I will shew what rash iudgement is and in the second place make knowne the common practises thereof For the first Rash iudgement is when of an euill minde wee iudge amisse of others for some euill ende In this description first obserue the roote and ground of all rash iudgement to wit an euill minde whereby wee loue our selues too well and want the loue of our neighbour This wee testifie by beeing sharpe sighted to prie into the liues and behauiour of others and are blinde as beetles to see into our selues as also by giuing our selues exactly to censure other mens sayings and doings and with delight to heare their faults ripped vp but for our own courses we would not haue them called into question nor controlled Secondly here note the manner of rash iudgement which is to iudge amisse of others and this they doe which iudge of other mens persons and doings without a calling or vrgent necessitie secondly which giue out sentence of mens doings but not according to the law of charity which bindes a man to iudge and say the best of others alwaies so farre forth as may stand with good conscience and the word of God Thirdly here note the ende of rash iudgement for as it is ill grounded and guided so it aimes not at the reformation of the partie nor the detestation of sin in our selues and others but is directed to some wrong ende as first to testifie our hatred of the partie and desire of reuenge secondly to delight our selues with the faults of others thirdly to defame our neighbours and to bring them to an ill name that our names may beare away the praise without comparison and lastly that wee may seeme more holy then others by beeing much in censuring sinne in others The practise of rash iudgement consists in two things first the euill minde of man prepares matter of wrong iudgement and secondly giues sentence accordingly of the sayings and doings of men and likewise of their persons For the first the euill minde prepares matter of rash iudgement thus it sets it selfe to prie and inquire narrowly into the liues and behauiour of men and to see if it can find any matter in word or action worthy reproofe Indeede there is a vertue wherby one man doth obserue another in his waies but that is directed to a good ende namely to rectifie and reforme him in his wants and to further him when he doth well but for one man to obserue another for this ende to finde out matter of defamation and reproach is a fault directly forbidden by our Sauiour Christ in this place Secondly when matter is found the euill minde accordingly giues censure this censure is giuen first of the persons of men then of their speeches and actions Rash censure of mens persons is when a man thinkes otherwise of the
person of another then in conscience and by Gods word he ought to doe Example of this wee haue in Satan for when the Lord commended Iob for his fidelitie Satan tels the Lord that Iob indeede serued the Lord but it was onely for his owne profit for saith hee withdrawe thou thin◠hand from him and thou shalt see whether hee will not curse thee to thy face This then wee see is a deuillish practise and ought to bee farre from euery one of vs. Wee must remember what an auntient Diuine hath taught heretofore that there are three things exempted from the iudgement and censure of men the Scriptures the Counsell of God and the condemnation of any mans person Rash censure of mens speeches and actions is giuen many waies I. When things are well done to carpe and cauill at them without any iust cause Thus the profession of Religion at this day is accounted of many to be but counterfeit holines and the due obedience to the morall Law is nicknamed and tearmed precisenesse and the professours thereof called Puritans and Precisians for this cause onely that they make conscience of walking in obedience to Gods law II. When actions or speeches indifferent are taken in the worser part Thus was Dauids kindnesse ill accepted of Hanun king of Ammon when Dauid sent his seruants to comfort him after the death of his father for his Nobles told him and perswaded him that Dauid sent not vnto him because he honoured his father though Dauid vndoubtedly sent with an honest and vpright heart but as it were craftily to search out the citie and to spie it out and to ouerthrow it Now hereupon Dauids seruants were badly intreated and shamefully sent away whence grew the warre that ensued betweene them III. When vpon light occasion and vncerten reports we suspect and surmise euill of our neighbour suspicions indeede are sometime good beeing conceiued on a good ground and retained for a good ende as to beware of the partie and of his euill but when they are conceiued vpon light causes and for some sinister respect as the common practise is vpon no good ground to conceiue most badly this is rash iudgement IV. When we see any want in our neighbours speach or behauiour to make it worse then it was meant or then indeede it is V. When we spread abroad and publish the wants of men to defame them which might better be concealed and in conscience and charitie ought so to be VI. When we speake nothing but the truth of another but yet withall doe insinuate thereby some euill of the partie into the hearts of the hearers This practise is as pestilent and daungerous as any of the former Thus Doeg told Saul of the fact of Ahimelec vnto Dauid how he gaue him victualls and the sword of Goliah which was true but withall he did therein insinuate that Dauid and Ahimelec intended conspiracie against Saul And this telling of the truth in that sort cost the liues of fourescore and fiue persons that weare the liuen Ephod as we may read 1. Sam. 21. 7. compared with the 22. chap. v. 9. and 18. VII When in hearing the word preached and sinnes reprooued in the congregation some hearers misapply the same as for example the minister reprooues the sinne of swearing of drunkennesse or any such sinne then some one gultie hereof doth not onely surmise but also breake forth intò this speach Now the preacher meanes me he speakes this of me he censures my facts and speaches herevpon followes spite and malice against the person of the minister and also rash censuring and condemning of his ministerie They also sinne in this kinde that apply the reproofes of sinne to the person of others as when they say now such a one is touched there is a good lesson for such a one if he would learne it yea others goe further and say now the preacher meanes such a man now he speakes against such a man but this also is rash iudgement in hearing of the word they misconceiue of the purpose of the minister for his maner is not when he standeth in the roome of God to rippe vp the secrets and liues of some particular hearers but to deliuer the will of God concerning such and such sinnes vnto all it is the power of the word not the mind of the preacher that causeth it to touch thy conscience and therefore euery one ought to apply the word vnto his own heart and not to lay it vpon others or els take it to be spoken of himselfe for his disgrace for it is to misapply the word and to iudge amisse of the preacher and this is a common sinne which is the cause why many men reape so little profit by the word preached as they doe The VIII practise of rash iudgement is when in townes and cities some persons are wrongfully reputed and taken for witches this is as common a sinne throughout the world as any of the former one man will say such a one is a witch because he in conscience is so perswaded and yet the ground of this perswasion is nothing but his bare conceit Another man saith such a one is a witch because a wise man or a wise woman hath so reported of him or her and yet this testimonie is but the testimonie of the deuill who is a lyar and the father thereof if he tell truth it is with purpose to deceiue Againe another is iudged to be a witch because comming to a mans house to borrow something and beeing denied thereof he tooks it vnkindly and thereupon gaue these or such like threatning words it had beene as good you had lent it me or I will meete with you and hereupon some one in the family fell sicke or some cattell died and other things did miscarie It is no question but witches be too rife among vs and ought to be sought out and seuerely punished and there be lawfull waies of conuincing a witch but vpon these bare presumptions to iudge any one to be a witch is an vnchristian practise of rash iudgement for why may not the hand of God befall thee in visiting some one in thy family or in the death of thy cattell as well as the annoyance of the witch after some hard speeches of another A witch therefore must first be lawfully conuinced and then iudged to be a witch and not before This thing especially Iurers ought to looke vnto els if they haue but the ordinarie discretion of common people to iudge one for a witch vpon these presumptions they may easily defile their hands with innocent blood Thus much for the sinne of rash Iudgement and the practises thereof which are condemned and forbidden in this place Now because it is so common a sinne in all places and with most men counted no sinne for the common talke in all meetings is of other men and selfeloue makes the heart glad to heare other mens faults ripped vp yea this sinne will
which we speake or thinke of others els how could this be true that rash Iudgers shal be so rewarded in their kind seeing men may coÌ„ceale their thoughts and many times their words from the eyes of men To this purpose Salomon admonisheth not to curse the king no not in thy thought nor the rich in thy bedchamber for the foule of heauen shal carie the voice and that which hath winges shall declare the matter And this must teach vs to make conscience of all our speaches and thoughts that concerne others yea then when we our selues are iudged When Dauid was rayled vpon by wicked Shemei he staied himself with the consideration of this that God knew it and had appointed Shemei to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16. 10. Lastly here it may be doubted howe God can be cleared from the guilt of rash iudgement seeing in his prouidence he causeth it by his decree Answ. Though he decree it yet is he free from the fault thereof for first he decrees it not to be the cause thereof himselfe but to permit it among men leauing them to be the authors thereof secondly he decrees to dispose of it well and to order it as a iust punishment of the rash iudgement of others and so in no sort is the cause of the euill in rash iudgement howsoeuer he dispose hereof for the iust punishment of offenders in this kinde The second confirmation of the first reason is contained in this parable which tendeth to the same ende with the former sentence And with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you againe That is the Lord hath ordained that men shall be rewarded in their kind like for like Hence we may obserue this rule of Gods iustice in the punishment of sinne namely to reward men in their kind punishing them in the same things wherein they offend David sinned by committing adulterie with Bathsheba the wife of Vriah and God by way of punishment raised vp euil against him out of his owne house in the same kind for his own son Absolon deflowred his fathers coÌ„eubines in the sight of all Israel 2. Sam. 12. 9. 11. 16. 22. And experience shewes that blood will haue blood for though the murtherer escape the hands of the ciuill Iudge yet the terror vengeaÌ„ce of God doth ordinarily pursue him to destruction A notable exaÌ„ple hereof we haue in the holy league as it is called but indeed the bloodie league wherein the enemies of Gods grace and truth did confederate themselues to roote out true religion and the professors thereof from off the earth but the Lord hath rewarded them in their kind and turned their owne swords against theÌ„selues causing them to spoile one an other according to the prophesie of Isai Woe to thee that spoilest and was not spoiled and doest wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt be spoiled Isa. 33. 1. This rewarding iustice of God well obserued doth discouer vnto vs yea and denounce a fearefull woe not onely against all those that giue out rash iudgement of others but against all vsurers and oppressors who metâ— out hard measure vnto others euen cruelty without mercie but so shall they be serued againe Gods heauie hand hath heretofore laine sore vpon this land for many yeares in dearth and scaâ—fitie which also in some sort hath bin made more grieuous vpon the poore by hard hearted rich men who are like to great fishes that deuoure the lesser for they grind the faces of the poore and plucke off their skinnes from theÌ„ and their flesh from the bones by their wicked couetousnes yea doubtlesse their cruelty costs many a mans life Some in higher place by inclosing and racking of rents others of meaner sort by ingrossing and withholding the commodities of the land froÌ„ the common good till a time of dearth come wherein as the Prophet saith they may make the Epha small and the Shekel great that is sell little for much lessening the measure and enhauncing the price And indeed such a time of dearth is the worldlings day wherein they doe inrich themselues by the spoile of the poore but they must know that a feareful woe belongs vnto theÌ„ for the like mercilesse measure shall be measured to them againe and when they cease to spoile then shall they be spoiled for when the hand of God is heauie vpon the poore then no doubt is vengeance preparing for hard hearted rich men who increase the same The Lord forbiddeth to trouble the widdow or fatherles child Exod. 22. 22 2â— c. for if thou vexe and trouble such and so he call and cry vnto me I will surely heare his crie then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widows and your children fatherles This is Gods word and it must stand The Lord himselfe foretold that towards the latter day iniquitie should abound and charitie should waxe cold are not these the times whereof Christ spake for what power hath the Gospel to withdraw mens hearts from iniquitie and when was there euer lesse charitie then is now well these are forerunners of greater iudgements and therefore in the feare of God let vs make conscience of this and all other sinnes euen in consideration of this that the Lord will pay vs home in that kinde wherein we offend v. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye 4. Or how saiest thou to thy brother Suffer me to cast out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beame is in thine owne eye These two verses containe a second reason to inforce the former coÌ„mandement against rash iudgement The meaning of the words is this Why seest thou that is vpon what ground forwhat cause and with what conscience seest thou And so in the 4. v. How saiest thou that is with what face with what honestie and conscience saiest thou So much these interrogations how and why import Seest sight here is not a light or sudden beholding of the mote but a seeing with attention a serious and considerate obseruation thereof A mote the word vsed in the originall may as well be translated a straw or a peece of a straw as a mote as it hath beene in former times for it will beare eiâ—her translation yet the word beame seemes rather to haue reference to a straw then to a mote but which way soeuer it be taken it signifies small and little sinnes as sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie such as the best Christians doe commit cannot be free from in this life Again it signifies supposed sinnes such as are not indeed sinnes before God but onely in his opinion that giues rash iudgement And perceiuest not this perceiuing is properly an action of the minde standing in consideration and thinking which follows after seeing Thus the word
is vsed Luk. 12. 27. Consider the lilies of the field that is looke vpon them and then consider well thereof in your minde And Iam. 1. 23. He that heares the word and doth it not is like vnto a man that BEHOLDS his naturall face in a glasse that is to one that sees and considers of his shape So that Christs meaning is as if he had said It may be thou seest but why doest thou not well waigh and consider with thy selfe of the beame that is in thine owne eye By beame is here meant great and notorious raigning sinnes in mans heart such as wound the conscience which are like vnto a beame in the eye which doth not onely blemish but quite dash out the fight Some may here aske in what sense this is spoken seeing the eye is not capable of a beame Ans. It is spoken by way of supposition as if iâ— had bin said if it were possible that a beame could be in the eye the rash censurers fault is as a beame in the eye this kind of spech is vsuall in Scripture If I could speake with tongues of Angels saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 13. 1. that is suppose Angels had tongues and that I could speake as eloquently as they The words of the 4. v. are for substance all one with the former in the 3. The difference between them is onely this in the 3. v. Christ speaks onely of rash iudgment coÌ„ceiued in the mind but in the 4. he speaks of rash iudgemeÌ„t vttered in speech How saist thou to thy brother c. So that in both verses the words are a parable bearing this sense with what face honestie or conscience canst thou finde fault with thy brother either in thought or speach thou thy selfe beeing tainted with greater faults and offences And hence the second reason may be thus conceiued He that hath greater faults must not censure him that hath lesser But he that giues rash iudgement hath greater faults then he whom he censureth And therfore no maÌ„ ought to vse rash iudgment The proposition or first part is omitted the Assumption expressely set downe in the 3. 4. v. whereupon the conclusion follows against rash iudgement Vpon this forme of speech How seest thou why saiest thou that is with what face and honestie and vpon what ground we may learne this instruction that our speaches yea our very thoughts must be conceiued and vttered vpon good ground and in a good manner Establish thy thoughts by counsell saith Salomon and by counsel make warre teaching vs to haue direction from the word of God for the ground and maner of our very thoughts and for all our affaires Our Sauiour Christ bids vs take heede how we heare Gods word and Salomon would draw vs to this heede attention in prayer also Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God now that which they speak of diuine exercises is in this place by our Sauiour inlarged to euery thought of the heart word of the mouth that coÌ„cerns our brother Further in these words Seest thou that is with attention and consideration beholdest our Sauiour Christ acquaints vs with a common fault wherewith our nature is generally stained and corrupted to wit that we are ouersharpe sighted into other mens liues and offences this appeares in that men can easily discerne small faults in others and cannot see great offences in themselues nay wheÌ„ they can find no iust fault yet they will make those faults which indeed be none at all Example hereof we haue in the Scribes and Pharisies in their censures against our Sauiour and his disciples they theÌ„selues were hypocrits tainted with grieuous sinnes yet they pried to finde motes in Christs â—ies for when he wrought miracles cured the diseased and did good vnto all they blamed him as a breaker of the Sabbath day and as a companion of Publicans and sinners though he conuersed with them for their good so they blamed his Disciples for eating with vnwashen hands and for plucking vp the eares of corne on the Sabbath day to satisfie their hunger and for their seldome fasting This fault was in the Corinthians who censured Paul and his ministerie for want of eloquence and excellencie of words which was in other Teachers among them as may appeare by his rebuking of them 1. Cor. 4. And the Christian brethren among the Romans condemned one another in the obseruation of daies and times and in the vse of the creatures of God Rom. 14. which was nothing els but rash iudgement And this no doubt is a fault which raignes in our congregations euen among the better sort at this day for deepely is our nature stained with this corruption and so prone it is to this sinne that euen they which haue receiued true grace can hardly abstaine from the practises of rash iudgement The consideration hereof must teach vs these duties First to take knowledge of this corruption of our nature and of the want of brotherly loue in vs for why should we so soone spie a fault in another but because we want loue and charitie to his person Wee may consider the vilenesse of this practise by resemblance in some bruite creatures for we account most basely of those rauening fowles which delight in nothing but in filthie carrions and such for all the world are these rash censurers all their delight is in other mens faults which makes them so sharp sighted to spie them out Secondly when we are about to censure any man we must in regard of this corruption suspect our selues and our speeches call our selues backe to a view and consideration of that which wee are to speake for oft-times we see that which we ought not to see and thereupon speake that which we ought in conscience to conceale Physitions giue this note of a frensie to begin to take vp strawes Now when the mind looks not into it selfe but pries into other mens actions then no doubt it is not right but is corrupt and infected with a spirituall frensie and therefore the danger of this disease must cause vs to looke vnto our selues Thirdly here we may obserue a reason of the strange behauiour of men in regard of sinne for this we may easily perceiue that men with open mouth will condemne those things in others which they like and approoue in themselues now the cause hereof is for that the affections doe followe the minde such as the minde is such are the affections and mans minde naturally lookes outwarde not inwarde it sees very little faults in others but will neither see nor condemne the same faults nor greater in it selfe nay rather it causeth man to loue those sinnes in himselfe which he detests in others And therefore in the amendment of our liues we must beginne in our owne hearts and turne the eye of our minde inward to see our owne sinnes and labour first to haue our
minister yea be he what he wil nay the better is his place the wors is his fault the more he is giuen to this sinne of censuring the worse he is for the lesse he sees his owne sinnes nay let him liue vnblameably before men yet he hath a heart full of pride and selfeloue and full of disdaine toward his brother And therefore let vs take heede of this sinne euen when it beginnes to creepe vpon vs. vers 5. Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clearely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye This verse conteines a remedie against rash iudgement it depends vpon the former verses as an Answer to a secret obiection that might thence arise for whereas Christ had said Iudge not and why seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye c. some man might say belike then it is not lawfull to correct my brother by speach and by reproofe to seeke amendment of his fault To this Christ here answers that he forbids not brotherly correction and admonition but the euil corrupt and vnchristian maner of giuing admonition and correction when as men take a preposterous course in censuring and doe not beginne with themselues in the first place but with their brethren as if our Sauiour Christ had said Hypocrite thou hast greater faults then he whom thou iudgest and therefore if thou wilt take a right course in thy correction beginne with thy selfe reforme the great sinnes that be in thy selfe and then shalt thou be fitter and better able to correct and reforme thy brother So that these words containe two parts 1. the remedie of rash iudgement Hypocrite first plucke out the beame out of thine owne eye 2. the fruit hereof which is true wisdome to be able to discerne aright of our neighbours fault and also how it is to be cured in these words and then shalt thou see clearely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Of these in order The remedie against rash iudgement is for a man first to beginne with himselfe reforming first his own offences which because it is here propounded by our Sauiour Christ of set purpose as a speciall remedie against this sinne I will stand a little to shew how a man may cast out the beame out of his owne eye Hereunto foure things are required I. A man must turne the eye of his mind inward and cast his cogitations towards his owne life and conscience that so he may see and know the principall sinnes of his owne heart and life To this purpose serueth the morall law which is as a glasse to let vs see our maine and principall sinnes which be the beames in our eyes here meant And for direction herein I will note out some speciall maine sinnes which be in all men naturally and which euery one must well consider of that will cast this beame out of his owne eye The first common sinne of all men is a guiltinesse in Adams first offence that is his sinne made ours by relation or imputation for his eating the forbidden fruit was no particular or priuate sinne but the sinne of mans nature and euery one sinned in Adam that was to descend of him by ordinarie generation for though we were not borne when Adam sinned yet by his sinne we stand guiltie of eternall death before God The second common sinne is a natural disposition and pronenesse to euery thing that is euill and against Gods law when occasion is offered the sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted for the same corruption and pronenesse to euill which was in them that haue committed this sinne is in all men naturally the difference stands onely in this that all doe not fall into it And this pronenesse to euil is the second head of originall sinne The third common sinne is inward Idolatrie this is a most hainous sinne and may be thus perceiued Euery man by nature takes his heart from the true God and bestowes it on some other thing now looke whereon a man bestowes his heart that thing he makes his God and by nature we loue our selues our sinnes and the world more then God and yeeld obedience to the deuill rather then to the true God The like may be said of our feare ioy delight and of our trust and confidence all which affections we set vpon the deuill the world and iniquitie yea vpon the creature forsaking the creator who is blessed for euer and he that sees not this in himselfe hath idolatrie as yet raigning in his heart The fourth sinne is Hypocrisie which naturally raigneth in all men till grace expell it This hypocrisie stands in this when men are about any good thing they are more carefull to please God in the outward action then with the seruice of the heart Againe they seeke more to please men then God And lastly they rather endeauour to performe the outward duties of the first Table then of the second This is a huge beame in euery mans eie naturally which each one ought to see in himselfe as well as the former The fift sinne is pride not outward in apparell but spirituall inward pride of the heart which stands in this that a man thinkes himselfe out of Christ to haue in him some naturall goodnesse whereby he stands in Gods fauour and hath in himselfe perfect loue and perfect faith this sinne all men will condemne and yet it cleaues fast to euery man by nature The Church of Laodicea Reuel 3. 17. said shee was rich and lacked nothing whereas indeede shee was poore and blinde and naked This inward pride poisons Gods grace in the heart it is a maine sinne and the common cause of rash iudgement The sixt sinne is that particular sinne or sinnes wherewith euery one is most assaulted for howsoeuer the corruption of nature doth infect al men alike yet euery one that is of yeares shall find himselfe more troubled with some sinnes then with others by reason that corruption is in part either remooued or restrained in him Wherefore euery one must enter into his owne heart and there search and see what be those particular sinnes which most of all preuaile against him troubling his heart and causing him to dishonour God These be his beames which keepe Gods grace out of his heart which wee must labour to finde out in our selues II. Duty After we haue some sight of these our maine sins we must in the next place labour to see them in our selues as beames to feele the waight thereof for commonly wee either see them not at all in our selues or if we doe a little perceiue them yet wee see them not in their quantitie as beames but rather like motes or strawes Now wee shall come to see these sinnes in our selues as beames in their iust quantitie first if we compare them with other mens sinnes as with Adams first sin
to condemne but this is a preposterous course swaruing farre from this direction of our Sauiour Christ. And then shalt thou see cleerly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eie This is the fruite of the former remedie by curing himselfe first a man comes to see cleerely what his neighbours fault is and how it is to bee cured and amended Where wee may note that out of the amendment of our selues followes a spirituall gift of iudgement and wisdom whereby wee see aright how to reforme our brothers fault Hence I gather this generall doctrine that Right wisedome and vnderstanding followes the reformation of our owne hearts and liues The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord Psal. 111. 10. that is true wisdome and good vnderstanding comes from a reuerent awe of God in regard of his word and commandement so Psal. 119. 100. I was made wiser thâ—n the ancient by keeping thy coÌ„mandement first Dauid reformed himself and then hee became exceeding wise As it is said of Manasses that when hee repented and humbled himselfe he knew that the Lord was God and after Nabuchadnezzer was humbled his vnderstanding was restored to him Daniel 4. 31. for God teacheth the humble his waies Psalm 25. 9. The proud man is hee that builds vp his sinnes with posts and beames and such a one the Lord will not teach but him that pluckes downe these posts by amendment of his life will the Lord instruct in the way that he should walke Christ saith to his Disciples Ye are my friends if ye keepe my commandements and to his friends will he make knowne all things needfull that he hath heard of his father Ioh. 15. 14 15. by all which it is plaine that right iudgement followes true reformation of life Vses I. Hereby we see how to come to vnderstand the holy Scriptures read or heard namely by the amendement of our owne liues First reforme thine owne heart and life and then shalt thou haue true iudgement giuen vnto thee to be able in reading or hearing to vnderstand Gods word at least so much thereof as shall be needfull for thee and doubtlesse the cause why most men profit so little in the Scriptures though they heare and read them much is for that they looke not to the reformation of their owne liues and consciences according to the word Prou. 1. 23. Turne you at my correction saith Wisdome and I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my words The student therefore that must fit himselfe to get true vnderstanding in Gods word for the edification of Gods Church must remember this direction and labour first to plucke out the beame out of his owne eie and then shall hee see cleerely to reade with iudgement the word of God and to discerne the true way of euerlasting life for the good of Gods people but if thou come in thy sinnes thou readest without profit II. Use. Againe wouldest thou know thy selfe to be the childe of God remember then to purge thy heart and life from all sinne for thence floweth true vnderstanding and thereupon God will certifie thy conscience of thine election and reconciliation but if thou suffer thy selfe to lie in sinne thou maiest long waite for this certificate and yet neuer haue it III. Use. Many men there be that will bee of no religion because there are so many and diuers opinions about matters of religion in the world and therefore till some generall Councell haue determined of the truth of religion they will liue as they doe but these men must know that they take a wrong course If they would come to know the truth of religion they must first reforme their liues but while they liue in sinne they can neuer see what is good what is badde what is truth what is falshood in religion Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will doe my fathers will saith Christ hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe where he plainely giues vs to vnderstand that true iudgement of religion comes from obedience vnto God This is the right way to reforme an Atheist first to bring him to obedience And in a word whosoeuer thou art that wouldest in thy calling whatsoeuer it be please God and doe good to others first purge thine owne heart and life from sinne and then shalt thou see clearely wherein thou failest and how thou art to amend thy fault and afterward to doe good to others A II. generall Point Further in this remedie our Sauiour Christ opposeth Brotherly correction vnto rash iudgement and withall prescribes brotherly correction as a dutie to be practised among Gods people Touching this point foure things are to bee considered I. who is to correct II. Who is to be corrected III. What is to bee corrected and IV. In what manner For the first the partie that must correct is a brother that is any member of Gods Church so it is said Then shalt thou see cleerely to put out the mote out of thy brothers eie Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne and Math. 18. 15. If thy brother sinne against thee that is doe thee any wrong or else sinne against God and thou be priuie to it for that sinne may bee said to be against a man whereto he is priue though the wrong bee not against him because there is an offence giuen vnto him Then tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone that is correct and admonish him priuately Againe euery man is bound in conscience to saue his brothers soule which oft-times may bee done by brotherly correction and for want thereof many times the soule may perish and therefore it is euery mans dutie to correct his brother yet with this clause and caution that iust occasion be offered and time and place obserued for there be certaine particular exceptions in which a man is freed from this dutie and all because there is no iust occasion of correction offered as first if he bee not certaine of the fault committed for all lawfull correction is of faults certainely and truely knowne Secondly if the partie offending doe repent for the ende of correction is to bring the offender to amendment Thirdly if there bee no hope of his amendment Prou. 9. 8. Reproâ—â—e not a skorner that is such a one as mookes thee for thy labour Fourthly If it may in better manner and to better purpose be performed by others which for place and abilitie may and wil more fitly performe it But yet out of these cases if iust occasion bee offered euery one is to performe brotherly correction vnto his brother Here I note one particular instruction that not onely the Minister of Gods word is our Pastor but euen euery brother after a son is a pastor in regard that hee
by dogs and swine from whence the meaning of Christ may be plainely thus set downe Giue not that which is holy c. that is haue regard how to whom ye dispense the word and sacraments and if any person be openly conuicted of obstinate enmitie to your doctrine to such publish not my worde be they dogs in railing or swine in senslesse contemning and scorning of the same The Vses 1. Hence wee may see what course is to be vsed of Gods ministers in the preaching dispeÌ„sing of his holy word they must first preach publish the word of God to al men without exception grace must be offered to all good and badde then they must obserue what fruite and effect the word hath with them whether it worke reformation of life in them or not and though as yet they see not that fruit thereof in them yet they must not condemne them as dogs but rather waite and pray for their conuersion to see if at any time God will giue them repentance according as Saint Paul chargeth Timothie 2. Tim. 2. 25. Thirdly hauing waited for their conuersion he must labour to conuince their very conscience of the truth which they in heart and life denie so as he may say with Paul If our Gospel be hid it is hidde to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. but if after all this they giue euident signes of malicious and obstinate enmitie against the word scorning and rayling on the doctrine of God and on the ministers thereof then are they to be cast out by the Church and to be accounted as dogges and to be barred from the word of life till they repent This was Christs owne practise toward the Iewes at the first he preached vnto them the Gospel of the kingdome by Iohn Baptist in his owne person and by his Disciples but when as he saw some of them maliciously obstinate then he propounded his doctrine vnto them in parables vnto them that they might be hardened in sinne and after expounded the same priuately to his Disciples The Disciples likewise after the ascension of Christ preached still vnto the Iewes euen when they were persecuted by them but at length when as they saw that of obstinate malice they oppugned the truth putting it from them and iudging themselues vnworthie eternall life then they turned to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. Now in this that hath beene said we may note two things first the long suffering and great patience of God that will not haue a sinner liuing in the Church condemned till he haue brought him through all the meanes of his conuersion and till he be past hope Thus he dealt with the old world expecting their repentance an hundred and twentie yeares whereunto he then called them by the preaching of Noah Gen. 6. Secondly hereby we must learne to moderate our iudgements concerning wicked men a man must not be condemned for a dogge or for a swine till he giue euident signes of obstinate malice and wilfull contempt of the word and vntill he doe euen conuict himselfe to be such a one by a wilfull contempt of the meanes of his saluation This serues to shew their rashnesse and indiscretion that condemne our Church for no Church and our people for no people of God iudging them for dogges and swine when as they haue not yet conuicted them of obstinate malice in sinne or error It will be said they haue admonished them by writing I answer that their owne bookes haue more errors in them then they doe hold whome they admonish and so their writings can be no sufficient conuiction Secondly here obserue that men become dogges and swine by their wilfull repelling that holy doctrine of God which should purge them and make them cleane It is the naturall propertie of a dog to returne to his vomit and of a swine to his wallowing in the mire as the prouerbe is and hereof they can by no meanes be bereaued And all men by nature returne to the vomit and filth of their sinnes like dogs swine and they which will by no meanes suffer theÌ„selues to be drawen from their old sinnes they haue these properties of dogges swinerand looke as those beasts were excluded the Lords tabernacle congregation vnder the law so are these men debarred from the word sacraments and all holy things vnder the Gospel they are an abhomination vnto the Lord see Psal. 56. 6. and Psal. 50. 16. In this regard we are to be admonished to suffer our selues to be clensed and reformed by the word of God Ye are cleane saith Christ by the word which I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. 3. where he maketh the word of God the instrument of our purification to which effect he saith in his praier to his father Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. And Saint Peter saith our soules are purified in obeying the truth by the spirit 1. Pet. 1. 22. Now we are by nature dogges and swine inclined to the filth of our own sinnes returning thereto with greedines neither can we of our selues be broken of this property but when occasion is offered we doe naturally runne to our old sinnes as the swine and dogges doe to their filth and vomit In consideration whereof we ought to subiect our selues to the word of God labouring to see and feele our owne vncleannesse and to crie with Dauid Wash me throughly from my sinnes and with Peter Not my feete onely but my whole bodie that so it may be said of â—s We are cleane throughout by Christs word If we see any vncleannes in our hearts or liues we must purge it out by this word and returne no more to the filth of our former sinnes It is the propertie of Christs sheepe to heare his voice and to obey the same let vs hereby testifie our solues to be his sheepe that so we may be distinguished from dogges and swine Here it may be demanded whether we should make confession of our faith before dogges and swine Ans. Yes if we be called thereunto we are bound to doe it â—e alwaies readie saith the Apostle to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1. Pet. 3. 15. And in this place our Sauiour Christ speaketh of the pâ—â—ading and dispensing of the word not of confession Now in preaching men acknowledge the word to belong vnto their hearers but in confession they declare the word to belong vnto themselues alone Further here we are to consider diuerâ— points concerning Excommunication First the foundation thereof It is an ordinance of God for all dogges and swine by Christs commandement must be kept from holy things â— many that liue in the Church are open 〈◊〉 of the name of Christâ— some others 〈◊〉 heretâ—â—â—es and these â—â—â—â—wiâ—e are to be barred from the word and sacraments yea a man liuing in the Church may be worse in practise then an open
enemie of such like the Apostle speaketh Tit. 1. 16. They professe that they know God but by their works they denie him And such a one was Ismael who for mocking Isaac the sonne of the promise was cast out of Abrahams familie that is out of the Church of God Gen. 21. 10 11. for Abrahams familie at that time was Gods visible Church Secondly here also obserue the ende of Excommunication namely to preserue the holy things of God from pollution contempt and prophanation euen the word prayer and Sacraments which wilfull enemies would trample vpon as swine will vpon pearles And herein we may see the abuse of this ordinance when it is vsed for politicke and ciuill respects especially in the Church of Rome where it is made an instrument of the vniust deposing of Christian Princes and of exempting their subiects from due obedience and allegiance Thirdly here our Sauiour Christ noteth out the principall persons that are to execute this censure of the Church vpon wilfull and obstinate enemies that be as dogs and swine namely they to whome the disposing and keeping of the holy things of God is committed that is the lawfull ministers of the word and Sacraments for they must keepe those holy things pure which God hath committed vnto them but that they cannot doe without the exercise of this censure which God hath giuen vnto his Church Fourthly here also we may see how farre this censure of the Church extendeth against obstinate and wilfull enemies namely to the debarring of them from the vse of the Churches Ministerie in the word praier and sacraments Indeed if the partie be excommunicate for some particular crime and there be hope of his repentance because he doth not shew himselfe a dogge or a swine by wilfull obstinacie in his sinne and contempt of the Church then although he be excluded from communion with them in the Sacraments and prayer yet he may be admitted to the hearing of the word because that is a means to humble him for his sinne and to bring him to repentance which is the end of all Ecclesiasticall censures And thus much of the prohibition Now follow the reasons to enforce the same Least they tread them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rent you Here Christ renders a double reason to enforce his prohibition both drawen from the daungerous euents which would ensue by communicating holy things vnto dogges and swine for first they would â—read them 〈◊〉 their feete secondly turning against all to rent you For the first by Treading vnder feete he meanes prophaning and abâ—â—ing Now because the holy things of God must not be prophaned and abused therefore they must not be communicated vnto wilfull enemies of the grace of God In this reason see the singular care of our Sauiour Christ to keepe the scriptures and other holy things of God from prophanation This care he likewaies shewed with great zeale when he whipt the buyers and sellers out of the temple because they made his fathers house that holy place a house of marchandise and a denne of theeues Math. 21. 12. 13. And herein he must be a patterne and example vnto vs all to teach vs care and zeale in keeping the holy things of God from prophanation far must it be from vs to doe or speake any thing which may cause the world to speake euill of our holy profession and religion This is Pauls charge to seruants that they so carie themselues towards their masters that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of 1. Tim. 6. 1. for want of care herein was Gods hand heauie vpon Dauid for because by his foule facts of a Adulterie and murther he had caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme therefore the child borne vnto him must surely dye 2. Sam. 12. 14. We must therefore pray as the Apostle bids vs that the word of God may be glorified This is Christs direction in his prayer before all things to desire and seeke that Gods name may be halowed and glorified Now Gods word is his name for thereby is he knowen vnto vs yea his name is magnified aboue all things by his word Psal. 138. 2. Excellent was Dauids praier to this effect Psal. 116. 36. Take away my rebuke which I feare for thy iudgements are good that is keepe me from doing that which may bring rebuke or reproach vpon thy word or vpon thy workes for they are good Good king Hezekias is also commended for his care of Gods glorie in that he forbade his seruants to answer to the rayling blasphemies of Rabshakeh least thereby he should be prouoked to blaspheme the more as also in that he greatly humbled himselfe before the Lord vpon the hearing of it for he rent his cloaths and put on sackcloath and spread the rayling letter before the Lord thereby referring the reuenge to God himselfe chap. 19. 1. 14. And turning againe all to rent you These words containe Christs second reason against communicating holy things to malicious obstinate enemies drawne from the perill that may ensue thereupon to his disciples ministers for these dogs and swine are not onely prone to abuse the holy things themselues but also to annoy hurt by reuiling and persecution those that be the messengers of the word vnto them In this reason Christ sheweth that it is not onely lawfull but necessarie that Gods ministers should seeke to auoid and shunne the malice and rage of obstinate enemies by all lawfull meanes which may stand with Gods glorie and the keeping of a good conscience Hence he bad his disciples with the innocencie of doues ioyne the wisdome of serpents now the serpent is most wily and warie to saue her selfe from harme Obiect But it is the propertie of an hireling to flie from his flocke when he seeth the wolfe comming therefore it seemes Gods ministers may not flie in time of persecution Ans. To flie in persecution is not alwaies a forsaking of the flocke but sometimes tends to their greater good as when persecution is intended directly against the minister then he may with good conscience flie for his safetie in hope of returne for their future good els Christ would not haue said to his disciples If they persecute you in one citie flie into another Matth. 10. 23. Yea not onely the minister must thus looke to his owne safetie but his people also must doe what lies in them for his preseruation So did the beleeuers in the primitiue Church for S. Paul When his life was sought in Damascus the disciples let him downe at a window in a basket through the wall and he escaped Act. 9. 25. And at Ephesus when the great tumult was about Diana Paul would haue thrust himselfe in among the people but the Disciples seeing it would be dangerous vnto him kept him backe and would not suffer him Act. 19. 30. vers 7. Aske and it
and it is the corruption of nature that mooues men to seeke their owne aduantage and preferment by the losse and debasing of others Thirdly here we learne that in common iniuries wherein wee are wronged by others we must not requite like for like but doe good for euill we must not looke at that which they doe to vs but at that which we would they should doe Fourthly henee wee learne that in matters of commoditie whereabout we deale in the world we must not only look vnto our selues but also seeke the good of our neighbours it is the maner of men to seeke theÌ„selues only in their affairs each man will â—el as deere as he can according to the prouerb Euery man for himselfe and God for us all but neither the saying nor the practise is from God he would haue vs according to the law of nature to seeke the common good and to doe as we would be done vnto Fiftly this rule of equity cuts the throat of all those pretences wherby bad dealing is smoothed ouer in the world for ill minded persons vse to colour their doings with these and such like sayings the gripple seller saith The thing is mine may I not make of mine owne what I can the deceiuer saith he thrusts his ware on no man the vsurer saith he bids no man hire his money but others intreat it of him and giue him thanks but these pretences are nought these men follow a crooked line they ought to see in their owne hearts whether they would haue other men deale so with them the vsurer may pretend he pleasures the poore but his helpe is no better then his is that giues a draught of colde water to him that is in a burning feauer which seemes pleasant at the first but after turnes to his great annoyance Sixtly we would haue all men to shew forth their loue vnto vs wee then must be as carefull to shew forth our loue to others by the practise of all good duties This is against our nature but yet beeing the commaundement of Christ we must endeauour our selues to obey the same Lastly here we haue direction how to keepe a good conscience in all our dealings with men in the world for such things as are expressed in the word we must follow the direction thereof but where wee want a particular commandement there we must order our actions by this generall rule enter into thy conscience and there search how thou wouldest haue other men deale with thee and follow that in thy dealings with them and so shalt thou keepe a good conscience For want of this come so many disorders as are in the world and therfore happy were our times if men would doe as they would be done to Thus much for the commaundement now followes the reason For this is the Law and the Prophets The meaning By the Law we must vnderstand the fiue bookes of Moses which were the first Scripture that euer was written so Luke the 16. 31. They haue Moses the Prophets By the Prophets we must vnderstand all the rest of the bookes of the olde testament besides the fiue bookes of Moses the Prophets beeing put for the bookes of the Prophets as Matth. 2. 23. It is written the Prophets that he shall be called a Nazarite which testimonie is taken out of the booke of Iudges and it sheweth that the booke of Iudges is to bee numbred among the bookes of the Prophets and they are called the Prophets because they were written by some Prophet And here this commandement touching iâ—stice is called the law and the Prophets because it is the summe of the Law and Prophets yet some may aske how this can bee true seeing this commaundement onely concernes things to be practised and the Law and Prophets besides morall duties containe matters of faith to be beleeued I answer this commaundement must be vnderstood to be the summe of the Law and the Prophets not for all things but for that which they prescribe touching this point of iustice and equitie and the practise hereof To doe as wee would be done to is the fulfilling of that which is set downe in the Law and in the Prophets touching equitie in all humane actions Now the meaning beeing thus opened the reason standeth thus beeing drawne from diuine testimonie That which is the summe of the Law and of the Prophets touching equitie must be done But to doe as we would be done to is the summe of the Law and the Prophets therefore we must so doe From this reason we may gather a rule wherby to iudge concerning the olde Testament what is Scripture and what is not all Scripture of the olde Testament is either the Law or the Prophets that is was either penned by Moses or by some of the Prophets who were extraordinarily mooued and enabled thereunto And therefore all the bookes from Genesis to Malachie are Canonicall Scripture because they are written by some of the Prophets To this purpose S. Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets c. But for the bookes of Apochrypha they are not Canonicall Scripture because they were not penned by Moses or any of the Prophets which is plaine by this that all of them were first written either in latine or in Greeke none in Hebrew originally where as al the old Prophets sent from God writ their bookes in the Hebrew in the language of that people to whom they were sent â—aue onely that some part of Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah were in Chaldie which language the people learned in the captiuitie Secondly the Prophets could not erre either in iudgement memorie oâ— vnderstanding by reason of the immediate assistance of the holy Ghost as Act. 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs and Peter calls their word most sure But the Authors of the bookes of Apocrypha erred as may be shewed in them all Tobit 6. Raphaels counsel for driuing away the deuil by the smell of the liuer of a fish is a meere fabulous deuice for the deuil is by nature a spirit and cannot be affected with such things The storie of Iudâ—h is fabulous which saith Nabuchadnezzar was king of Assyâ—â—a when the people returned from the captiuitie and Ioakiâ— was high Priest In the addition to Hester Chap. 16. 11. Haman a is said to be a man of Macedonia but the true Scripture saith he was an Agagite comming of Agag The author Ecclesiasticus confesseth his inabilitie in writing those things but the true Prophets were all sufficient to this worke and freed from errour by the immediate assistance of the holy Ghost And Chap. 46. 13. that author writeth that Samuel prophesied after his death and shewed vnto Saul his death but the true storie Canonicall saith God had forsaken Saul and would answer him neither by dreame nor Vrins nor by Prophets 1. Sam. 28. 6. The booke of Maccabees commendeth
doctrine and style the doctrine of Scripture is the Law and the Gospel now the Law is set forth in most excellent puritie nothing therein is against right reason or common equitie In the lawes of men are many things found against reason and equitie they commaund such things as common reason would condemne and omitte many things which reason and equitie would commaund And for the Gospel in it is set downe doctrine altogether aboue mans reason touching Christs incarnation and mans redemption by his death and although these things bee aboue nature yet wee finde them true wholesome and good in experience of conscience which also prooues that they are the word of God Men may deuise things aboue nature but they can neuer be wholesome to the conscience Further for the style of Scripture the phrase is plaine familiar and yet in any one speech there is more maiestie then in all the writings of men Lastly the ende of Scripture prooues the same to bee Gods word for the Scripture sets vp Gods worshippe and mans saluation and yet giues nothing to men or Angels but all to the glorie of God but for the writings of men they doe either directly or by insinuation ascribe some thing to the writers thereof II. Argument From the effects one worke of Scripture is this It is against our corrupt nature crossing and condemning the same and yet it winneth men to the loue therof and to obedience thereto which could not be vnlesse it were the truth of God for wee abhorre and detest the words of men that be against our nature A second effect is this Gods word serues notably to comfort a man in all distresses whatsoeuer euen in the pangs of death when no word of any man can doe him the least good but onely his word that is the Lord of our soule and the God of our life III. Argument From the propertiâ—s of Scripture the first whereof is Antiquitie The Scriptures of all writings are most auntient and euermore truth is most auntient among humane writings wee haue none of certaintie in the things they record before the times of Nehemias and Ezra but Scripture sets downe things done from the beginning A second propertie is mutuall consent for though the bookes of Scripture were written by diuers men in sundry ages and times yet all agree within themselues no contradiction is in Scripture but the writings of men haue not this consent no not in the same Author IV. Argum. From the signes and miracles thereof The doctrine of Scripture teacheth and recordeth true miracles as the parting of the Sea the staying of the sunne and moone the taking away of barrennesse and the incarnation of the son of God a miracle of all miracles all which beeing wrought by the power of God shew that the Scripture which recordeth them is the infallible truth of God V. Argum. From the contraries Contrarie to the word of God is the will of the deuill mans corrupt nature the deuil hates Scripture and mans sinfull nature repines thereat when it is checked and controlled thereby now that which is contrary to these to must needs be holy and true and that is the word of God VI. Argument From testimonie There bee two kindes of testimonies touching Scripture one of holy Martyrs who in all ages haue sealed the truth thereof with their blood preferring the word of God before their owne liues It will be said that Heretikes haue died for falshood Answer There is great difference in their endes the Martyrs haue vnspeakable ioy in the spirit in their torments but Heretikes haue no such ioy but a naturall senslesse blockishnesse whereby they vndergoe these tortures A second testimonie is most principall and that is the testimony of Gods spirit for when men beginne to learne and obey the word of God then the spirit of God setles their consciences in the perswasion of the truth of Scripture whereupon it is called the sealing of the spirit of truth because it assures a man in conscience of his reconciliation with God which assurance none can haue till he be first resolued of the certaintie of Scripture which is the grouÌ„d thereof Question How may a man finde this seale in himselfe Answer When hee findes the Scripture imprinted in his heart as the signe of the seale is in the waxe and his heart is transformed into Scripture as the waxe is into the similitude of the seale then doth the spirit out of the holy Scripture seale vp assurance of the truth thereof vnto his soule None other writing of any man hath the like worke in the heart of man and from these grounds especially from this last may wee resolue our selues that the Bible is of infallible certaintie And yet for further resolution let vs see what obiections are made against it I. Obiect It is said that Scripture is against all reason Ans. This is not true for the Law is perfect reason and the Gospel is aboue reason not contrarie to reason nay holding this principle of nature that God is almightie euen the Gospel it selfe may stand with reason as that the sonne of God should be incarnate and that by his death we should receiue life which is the summe of the Gospel II. Obiect There bee falshoods in Scripture for the passage thorough the redde Sea was no miracle but might bee done in the ebbing of the Sea as in other countries there is oft-times passage through the Washes Answer The Scripture saith the water stood as walls on each side the passage which could not bee by an ebbe againe reason shewes that it could not bee by naturall course for their passage ouer was at the full of the Moone when all Seas are most full and doe not ebbe and flowe as they vse to doe at other times III. Obiect The greatest part of the world reiect the Bible as Turks and Pagans and the Iewes care not for the new Testament Ans. We must reuerence Gods worke in this withholding his mercie in Christ from some to whome he denies the meanes which is his holy word for hence it comes that some reiect the Bible because God in his secret yet most iust iudgement withholds this blessing from them And therefore though Atheists barke yet the truth is Scripture is thâ— word of God Vses 1. Seeing the word written is the certen truth of God we must take heede of beeing seduced by Popish teachers who say there be two kinds of Scripture Inward and Outward Inward Scripture is a consent of doctrine written by the holy Ghost in the hearts of all Catholikes and this say they is right Scripture The outward Scripture iâ— written in paper and parchment which hath no certen sense but as the present Church determines thereof But this is a deuillish doctrine abolishing written Scripture the true word of God and setting vp the opinions of their owne hearts making Scripture what themselues will we must therefore hold
the written word to be right Scripture and the ground of that which is in the heart for the word written carries a most certen sense beeing both text and glosse whereas their inward Scripture varieth as men doe vnlesse it be grounded on the written word II. Use. The certentie of Scripture must teach vs to beleeue Gods word and not to feare to rest our selues vpon it The Author of Scripture by his prouidence preserues his owne word so as all the men in earth for substance cannot corrupt the same and therefore whatsoeuer it saith we neede not doubt but it is the will of God III. Point From this reason we may also gather the Authoritie of Canonicall Scripture for we must doe as we would be done to because the law and the Prophets say so and hence it followes that the law and Prophets haue an high soueraigne and absolute authoritie This authoritie of Scripture stands in two things I. in power to giue iudgement II. in the all-sufficiencie thereof in and of it selfe and both these are noted here by our Sauiour Christ in this reason For the first the power of giuing iudgement is that whereby Scripture doth fully and absolutely determine of all things needfull to saluation concerning faith and maners and for this cause the laws of God are oft in Scripture called iudgements There be diuers iudgements ascribed to sundrie sorts of persons in Scripture First it giues a iudgement to euery priuate man The spirituall man discerneth or iudgeth all things and Saint Iohn biddes the beleeuers in the Church pâ—â—â—â—â— the spirits that is trie by iudgement the doctrines deliuered Secondly the Scripture giues iudgement to publike persons as to Pastors Ministers and to the gouernours of the Church Let two or three propheciâ— and the rest iudge 1. Cor. 14. 29. and the spirit of the Prophets is subiect to the Prophets v. 32. Thirdly Iudgement is ascribed to the Prophets Apostles in Scripture Act. 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs and this is an high Iudgement which befals not any priuate man or any ordinarie minister or general Councel ordinarily but is peculiat to extraordinarie Prophets that were the pen-men of holy Scripture And these three kindes of Iudgements must be distinguished the two first kinds are inferiour ministeriall kinds of Iudgement depending on an higher and more soueraigne Iudgement for priuate men and ordinarie ministers and Councels giue Iudgement yet not of themselues but by their rule which is the word of God and this Iudgement is nothing else but a ministerie pronouncing and declaring the meaning of the will of God reuealed in his word But besides this there is a soueraigne kind of Iudgement you câ—safed to the Prophets and Apostles determining absolutely in matters of faith conscience what is to be done what is not and this is the Iudgement of God himselfe whereupon the Apostles might say It seemâ—th good to the holy Ghost and to vs Act. 15. 28. And that this their Iudgement is absolute appeares by Scripture He that heareth you heareth me saith Christ to his Apostles he that refâ—sâ—th you refuseth me Luk. 10. 16 and Paul deliuering the Gospel of Christ to the Galatians bids them hold him accursed that teacheth theÌ„ otherwise Gal 1. 7. and the promise of sending the spirit of truth Ioh. 16. 13. was directly intended to the Apostles and onely in them fully accomplished For our better conceiuing hereof wee haue a resemblance of this soueraigne iudgement in the common wealth the high Court of Parliament giues iudgement of matters in law and so doe Lawyerâ— and Iudges in common Courts but yet there is great differenâ—e betweene these two the court of Paliament makes the lawe and determines absolutely in ciuill matters without controlement what must be done and what not but the Lawyers make not the law but pronounce the meaning of the law vnto men Now the Scriptures the Prophets and Apostles they are like to the courâ— of Parliament in giuing iudgement priuate men and ordinarie ministers giue iudgement like vnto the Lawyers which is not absolute but ministeriall depending on an higher iudgement Vses 1. If the Prophets Apostles haue soueraigne power to giue absolute iudgement in matters of faith and manners then we must here learne to make choice of a right Iudge for vnto one must wee appeale in matters of faith and conscience and this right Iudge is Gods word which wee must sticke vnto and to none other The commandement is plaine for matters of difficultie that concerne the conscience Isay 8. 20. To the law and to the testimonio and our Sauiour Christ referres vs to Scripture for all matters that concerne saluation Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scripture If you would know what is true in religion what is erroneous what is equitie in any matter of conscience wee must haue recourse to Scripture It will be said Scripture is an vnfit Iudge it cannot speake I answer It speakes sufficiently to determine of all matters of faith and conscience wee see in common experience a man may resolue his friend in matters of doubt as well by letter as by word of mouth why then may not the word of God sent from heauen vnto his Church resolue mens consciences in all matters of doubt for faith and manners And indeed let any man come in humilitie seriously search the Scripture and he shall finde resolution therein for any matter of conscience whatsoeuer Vse 2. By this authoritie of Scripture in giuing soueraigne iudgement we are taught to take heed of an incompetent Iudge which men for many hundred years haue set vp in their hearts to relie vnto in matters of faith and conscience and that is to put the Church in roome of the word for soueraigne iudgemeÌ„t The Church of Rome teacheth that the Church must iudge of the Scripture yea without Scripture giue soueraigne determination in matters of conscience as hauing more authoritie then Scripture because it giues authoritie thereunto but this is the ground of Atheisme and heresie and the path way to Popery the true Church of God must haue the honour of Christs spouse but yet the authoritie of soueraigne iudgement must not bee giuen to her but onely to the word of God himselfe The second part of the authoritie of Scripture is that euery part of Canonicall Scripture is Authenticall that is of sufficient authoritie of it selfe though it bee not confirmed by any other testimonie for Scripture is the word of God and the testimonie of Scripture is the testimonie of God himselfe then which none can be greater as Saint Iohn saith If wee receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God iâ— greater 1. Ioh. 5. 9. For the better conceiuing of this point conferre all the bookes that are or euer were together and thereby it will appeare that the Scripture is of it selfe Authenticall There be three sorts of
God 1. Peter 5. 7. Lastly euery calling hath his crosses no life is so quiet that it wanteth all vexations Now when crosses come vpon any man in his calling then must he beare the same by faith he must rest on Gods word and quiet his mind with the good will and pleasure of God He that beleeues saith the Prophet shall not make hast Isay 28. 16. that is he shall not be caried headlong with a desire to satisfie his owne pleasure and appetite either in seeking to be freed from euill or to enioy some blessing but shall content himselfe with the good pleasure of God And thus we see what it is to liue by saith which is the right way to life eternall Uses I. This sheweth that a great number are farre wide which thinke that if they liue vprightly among men then all is well this honest life is euer commendable among men but it is not sufficient to saluation It is but a worke of nature for a man by naturall reason may leade a ciuill vpright life as many haue done among the heathen but the life that must bring a man to heauen must be lead by faith and therefore they that would walke the way to life must walke by faith not by reason onely II. This also sheweth that they are deceiued which liue by sense measuring Gods loue and hatred by outward blessings and crosses and therefore when God takes away the meanes they will no longer trust on him but we count it a point of dishonestie not to trust our honest friend without a pawne much more then is it a dishonour to God when we will not relie vpon him without outward pledges of his fauour and therefore we must relie on God when all meanes faile for no man knoweth loue or hatred by all that is before him Eccles. 9. 1. III. Many that professe religion are deceiued that measure their grace and goodnes in religion by feeling in their owne hearts but we must not relie thereon for true faith may be in the heart without inward sense againe the deuill may put false comforts many times into a mans heart the bad man receiues the word with ioy Luk. 8. 13. looke to thy faith by Christs word and thereby iudge thy selfe and rest not in thine inward feeling IIII. This teacheth vs to acquaint our selues with all the commandements of God that be in the Bible and with all the promises that concerne the pardon of sinnes and life euerlasting for without this knowledge there can be no faith and therefore we must abandon all ignorance of these things and instruct our selues and those that belong vnto vs in the word of God that they and we may liue by faith V. These are happie dayes of peace and of many temporall blessings wherein we now liue but we must not liue alwayes in this peace God hath begun to set his iudgements among vs and if we doe not repent we must looke for further and more grieuous iudgements as the losse of his word and a sword vpon our selues our friends children what if these dayes come how must we then liue namely by faith in the word and promise of God lay holde on this and though thou loose friends goods and thine owne temporall life yet holde fast thy spirituall life by faith cleaue vnto Christ and then in the middest of swords and weapons of death thou shalt walke the way to eternall life And thus much of the way of life The second way is the way to destruction which is called the way of sinners and of the vngodly Psal. 1. 1. 6. This way hath many pathes which tend all to one end and meete in the same period and they may all be reduced to these three heades I. the way of nature II. the way of false faith III. the way of faith and nature ioyned both together The way of nature is when men liue onely by the light of nature of this S. Paul speaks Act. 14. 16. God suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their owne wayes wherein they were voide of God in Christ and so not vnder mercie The way of false faith is some thing more then the way of nature but yet it leadeth to destruction because their faith is false and profession vaine and this is the way of false religion whereof there be these three maine and principall at this day to which all other may be referred The religion of the Turkes of the Iewes and of the Papists The Turkes in their religion acknowledge Christ for a great Prophet but not to be God neither doe they looke for any saluation by him The Iewes in their religion acknowledge but one God yet out of Christ they acknowledge not his incarnation past but expect it yet to come they waite for an earthly kingdome they hold the old Testament onely and denie the new Now both these refusing Christ haue not the Father and so can haue no saluation in their religion The Papists acknowledge much truth formally but then againe they ouerturne it for they hold onely that generall faith which the Deuils may haue but for that speciall iustifying faith whereby a man is to beleeue his owne saluation the remission of his sinnes and his owne reconciliation with God in Christ that they renounce Againe the Christ of the Papist is no true Christ for they make him but halfe a Sauiour or not so much euen onely an instrument to make men sauiours of themselues for by his grace they doe workes properly meritorious and fully worthie of eternall life They robbe him also of his manhood saying it is euery where in his quantitie where masse is said for they haue the selfe same bodie that was crucified Also they denie his offices I. his Kingly office for they part stakes with him and giue it to the Pope in saying he hath power to make lawes which bind the conscience as Gods lawes doe II. his priesthood because euery masse Priest offers Christ anew and they make Saints intercessours especially the Virgin Marie III. his propheticall office saying the Scriptures are imperfect without tradition vncerten without the sense and meaning of the Church the originall copies are corrupted and the Church is aboue them in authoritie The third way is the way of faith and nature together this is the common way wherein most Protestants walke for we hold the right faith in word our profession and iudgement is right but yet our liues are lead according to nature And these three paths are all in the broad way to destruction And therefore as we hold true doctrine and right faith in word so let vs lead our liues accordingly and testifie the same by our workes especially in the times of dearth when God laies his hand on the poore and thereby tries the hearts of the rich III. Point The propertie of these waies The way to life
is to repent of our sinnes and this is a fruite of faith In true repentance there be two things the beginning and the nature of it The beginning of it is a godly sorrow when a man is greeued properly and directly because by his sinne he hath offended God who hath beene vnto him so louing a father in Christ. This causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of 2. Cor. 7. 10. and it ariseth not so much from the feare of punishment as from the consideration of Gods mercie making a man displeased with himselfe for offending so louing a God who hath beene so gratious and bountifull vnto him in Christ. The nature of repentance stands in the change of the minde when any person laies aside the purpose of sinning and by Gods blessing and grace taketh to himselfe a new purpose neuer to sinne more This is properly to repent and if this be in truth hence will follow the change of the will of the affections and of all the actions of the life It may be said that an hypocrite may repent as Iudas did Matth. 27. 3. and therefore this is not a good note of doing Gods will Answ. Iudas did repent hee was indeed grieued for his fact wishing with all his heart that it had neuer beene done but this was nothing his sorrow was onely worldly causing death as the Appstle calleth it 2. Cor. 7. 10. arising from the horror and feare of punishment not from consideration of Gods mercy it was without true hatred of sin committed without hope of mercie or purpose to glorifie God by new obedience and so was no true repentance The third worke wherein consisteth the doing of Gods will is new obedience and it is the fruite of both the former whereby a man beeing indued with faith and repentance doth according to the measure of grace receiued indeauour himselfe to yeeld obedience to all Gods commaundements from all the powers and parts both of his soule and his bodie and this I call newe because it is a renuing of that in man whereto hee was perfectly enabled by creation But here it will bee said that many who shall neuer bee saued haue attained to reformation of life and therefore this is not a true and sufficient note of him that shall bee saued Answ. True it is many hypocrites haue reformation of life but yet they faile two waies First their reformation is onely outward not inward their thoughts wills and affections still remaine wicked and corrupt Secondly their obedience is partiall onely to some of Gods commaundements not to all so Herod he would heare Iohn gladly and doe many things but yet he would not leaue his brothers wife But true obedience which proceedeth from true faith hath these heads and branches First the partie must proâ—ue what is the good will of God Rom. 12. 2. Secondly he must restraine his life from outward offences which tend to the dishonour of God and scandall of the Church 1. Thess. 5. 22. 1. Peâ— 2. 11 12. Thirdly he must mortifie the inward corruptions of his owne heart Fourthly he must labour to conceiue new motions agreeable to the will of God thence bring forth and practise good duties so performing both outward and inward obedience vnto God and by these may a man discerne the truth of his obedience and thus we see what professors they be which shall be saued Uses 1. Now considering that saluation is promised to them that â—e doers of Gods will we must hereby be exhorted to become more chearefull in doing Gods will by faith repentance and new obedience and to further vs in this dutie we must vse these helpes I. We must labour for a true perswasion of Gods mercy in the pardon of our sinnes and for the saluation of our soules this beeing truly conceiued will vrge a man to true obedience whereby he may shew himselfe thankefull to God for so great a mercie II. We must consider that we are the temples of the holy Ghost which is a wonderfull dignitie to a sinfull man and in regard hereof we must stirre vp our selues so to liue that we make not sadde the spirit of God which dwelleth in vs. III. We must consider the blessings of God bestowed vpon vs both in soule and bodie one by one and this will mooue vs to loue God which loue we shall shew in keeping his commandements for this is the loue of God that we keepe his commandements 1. Ioh. 5. 3. IV. Let vs consider the threatnings of God against sinne and his iudgements vpon theÌ„ that liue in sinne for euery place is full of Gods iudgements and these will helpe to restraine our corruptions that they breake not forth into action V. We must meditate on the word of God vse feruent praier vnto God for his grace for by this meanes Dauid did notably stirre vp himselfe to faith repentance and new obedience as we may see at large in the 119. Psalme II. Use. In that many hauing faith and repentance and outward reformation of life in some degrees shall neuer be saued we must labour to goe beyond all hypocrites in these graces in faith we must not content our selues with a generall perswasion of Gods mercie but we must labour to conceiue the same to be true and sound touching the remission of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules we must looke that it haue a sound beginning good fruits and stead fast continuance And for repentance we must labour to see that our sorrow arise from the consideration of the goodnes of God whome we haue offended that it breed in vs a change of our minds in the purpose of not sinning whereto must be conformable the will and affections and the whole man And for new obedience we must be as carefull in minde will and affections as in the outward actions of our life and to doe the will of God and than in all Gods commandements III. Vse Many there be that thinke their case good because they liue a ciuill honest life without wronging others openly or wittingly which thing indeed is commendable but yet farre short of that which is required for saluation therefore they must noâ— trust to these broken stâ—â—es of outward and common honestie though they be good things in their kind for many there be that shall neuer come in heauen which haue had farre more in them then these things are and therefore whatsoeuer these persons be they must not rest till they find some portion of true grace in their hearts by vertue whereof they may plainly see themselues gone beyond all hypocrits in the things that concerne saluation vers 22. Many will say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophesied and by thy Name cast out deuills and by thy Name done many great workes 23. And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie In these two verses
Christ returnes to explane and confirme the first conclusion of the former verse concerning those professors that shall not be saued The words containe two parts First a description of the persons by their behauiour v. 22. Secondly a declaration of their condemnation v. 23. For the first these professors are described by three arguments I. by their number many II. by the time in which they shal plead thus for themselues and stand on their profession of seruice done to Christ in that day that is in that great and terrible day of the last iudgement III. by their gifts and qualities wherewith they were indued haue we not in thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out deuills c. For the first the number of professors which shall not be saued is great For many saith Christ shall say vnto me Indeede we are not able to say how many they be which shall not be saued for that is a thing proper to God and yet the Scripture teacheth vs that the number of those which shall be condemned is greater then the number of those which shall be saued for besides that the greatest part of the world in former times did neuer heare of Christ here it is plaine that among the professors of the name of Christ many shall be condemned and v. 13. many walke in the broad way to destruction few in the narrow Whereby we are taught first that we must not frame our liues according to the example of the multitude to liue and doe as the most doe because the most shall be condemned but we must striue to enter in at the straite gate and to be of that little flocke vnto whom the kingdom of heauen is promised Secondly hence we learne not to content our selues to liue as most men and women doe that professe the name of Christ but we must labour to goe beyond the multitude in regard of the truth of our faith and repentance It was not sufficient for the wise virgins to beare the name of virgins to haue lampes burning and to goe forth to meete the bridgroome for all these things did the foolish virgins also but one thing more they had which was the oyle of grace whereby they were inlightened to goe with the bridegroome into his chamber which the foolish virgines lacking were shut out of the dooers and not admitted to come in Matth. 25. The second argument whereby these reprobate professors are described is the circumstance of time when they shal thus plead for themselues why they should not be condemned to wit at the last day when they shall come to be arraigned at the tribunall feare of Gods iudgement This is a point of great weight and moment worthy all observation that men not onely in this life and in death but euen at the last day shall thus plead for themselues Hence we learne that many professing seruice to Christ shall conceiue in their minde◠a perswasion that they are the true seruants and children of God they shall liue and die in this perswasion and yet for all this at the last iudgement they shall receiue the sentence of condemnation A thing deepely to be waighed of euery one And the consideration of it ought to teach vs all to take heed of spirituall pride and selfe-loue whereby men flatter and deceiue themselues in their estate ouerweening the good things they haue and falsly thinking that they haue that blessing of God which indeed they haue not This must mooue vs not onely to labour to be purged of this pride but also teach vs to suspect the worst of our selues and to iudge our selues seuerely in regard of vnbeleefe and hollownes of heart for this will be a meanes to make vs escape the iudgement of condemnation at the last day which Christ shal pronounce against many of those that thinke themselues to be his seruants Further obserue where Christ saith in that day he singleth out the day of iudgement as a most terrible day And saying they shall say vnto me he makes himselfe the Iudge of all the world in that day and further pointing out their particular pleading for themselues he giues vs to vnderstand that he is very God who knoweth long before not onely the speaches and actions but the very secret thoughts and imaginations of all men that haue beene that are or shall be from the beginning to the ende of the world These things laid together and well considered must stirre vp in our hearts a speciall dutie which the Apostle had learned 2. Cor. ◠11. Euen to know the terrour of the Lord that is not onely in iudgement to conceiue but also in heart and affection to be perswaded of the terrible fearefulnes of the last iudgement and in this regard not to content our selues with the gift of knowledge and with an outward profession but to labour for soundnesse and sinceritie of faith of repentance and new obedience both in heart and life This was Pauls practise in regard of the resurrection to this iudgement he endeuoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience toward God and toward man Act. 24. 16. And this dutie is most necessarie for such is our ignorance and vnbeleefe that we little regard the terrour of this day but either thinke it shall not come or though it doe we shall scape well enough The third argument here vsed is drawne from the gifts and qualities of the persons which make this plea for themselues they are such as haue prophesied in the name of Christ cast out deuills done many great works in his name To prophesie here signifieth to teach the people of God by expounding the Scripture and applying the same to the consciences for their edification and this office is called prophesie to grace and commend the office of a minister because it was the principall dutie of the Prophets themselues thus to handle the word of God for the instruction and edification of Gods people howsoeuer at some time they did foretell vnto Gods people things to come And therefore he which hath this office and dischargeth the same with good conscience doth a worke no lesse honourable then did the auncient holy Prophets By thy name The name of Christ here signifieth two things I. appointment and commandement from Christ men that preach the word of God beeing rightly called thereunto teach and preach in the name of Christ for those whome the Church calleth lawfully Christ himselfe calleth and they preach by vertue of his name Secondly it signifieth to preach in the roome and stead of Christ to preach that which Christ would preach and in that manner also which Christ would vse 2. Cor. 5. 20. We are embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by vs c. And here we may see a difference among the kinds of teaching which God requireth of men Masters teach their seruāts parents teach their children and one neighbour and friend another but all these differ
iudgement shall befall some ministers of the word that notwithstanding their preaching they shall be condemned therefore Gods people must not rest vpon the example of their ministers liues but cleaue fast vnto that wholesom doctrine which they gather soundly and directly out of the word of God his life and practise is no sure rule to follow further then it agreeth with the word of God and therefore Paul saith Be followers of me as I follow Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. But the word is a true rule and square as many as walke according to this rule Peace shall be vpon them and mercy Galat. 6. 16. Fourthly seeing some workers of miracles must also be condemned this teacheth vs not to trust them which bring vnto vs doctrines because they are confirmed by wonders for such as worke wonders may deceiue themselues in the matter of their owne saluation and therfore much more may they deceiue vs in this or that particular point of doctrine Whereas therefore sundrie points of poperie as Purgatorie Pilgrimages inuocation of Saints and such like are auouched to be confirmed by miracles which no doubt were but forgeties and lying wonders yet let it be graunted that they were true miracles that prooueth not that we should beleeue them because the word of God doth not confirme the same vnto vs for beside that which is reuealed and recorâ—ed in Scripture we must receiue no doctrine in religion be it neuer so miraculously confirmed Verse 23. And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Here Christ sets downe the iust condemnation of those men which make an apologie for themselues at the day of iudgement and wonder at their condemnation and withall he answereth them in that wherein they shall plead for themselues The words containe three parts I. A profession made by Christ to these men that he neuer knew them II. A commandement of Christ vnto them Depart from me And III. a reason of the commandement Ye workers of iniquitie For the profession of Christ Then that is in the day of Iudgement at that time when men shall wonder at their condemnation making apologies of their seruice to God euen then saith Christ will I professe c. In this phrase Christ alludeth to the fact of these hypocrites for they professed the name of Christ and did plead seruice done vnto him as if he should say Many in that day which haue professed my name in the world shall plead their seruice done to mee but I will make another profession vnto them that is I will make it cleere and manifest vnto all the world that I neuer knew them that their profession of me was in vaine The words of Christs profession are of great waight and moment containing some difficultie in regard of the sense which must bee searched out The knowledge of God whereby he knowes his creatures is two-fold Generall and Speciall Gods generall knowledge is that whereby he vnderstands and sees all things both past present and to come and in regard of this it is said All things are naked and open before his eies with whom we haue to doe Heb. 4. 13. And by vertue of this Christ here foretelleth what shall be the apologie of some wicked men at the last day And in regard of this generall knowledge all men are knowne vnto God and the most secret actions of wicked wretches Ier. 32. 18. His eies are open vnto all the waies of the sonnes of men to giue vnto them according to their waies and according to the fruite of their workes The speciall knowledge of God is that whereby he acknowledgeth approoueth and accepteth of his creature to bee his vouchsafing vnto it his speciall fauour now this enlargeth not it selfe to all euery man for some there be on whom he will shew his fauour and of them it is said The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal. 1. 6. others there be on whom he will not shew forth his mercie and of them it is said The way of the wicked shall perish Which opposition sheweth what is meant by Gods knowledge of the godly So likewise Rom. 11. 2. will the Lord destroy his people whom he knew before that is whom he approoued and loued and of this speciall knowledge hee speaketh in this place Neuer This word excludeth all times as if he should say I doe not now neither euer did approoue and accept you for mine owne yea euen in that time when you professed me preached and wrought wonders in my name euen then I say I did not accept and approoue of you From this forme of confession we are to learne sundrie points of doctrine First hereby is plainely confuted and ouerthrowne the opinion of some Protestants who hold that Christ shed his blood for all and euery man without exception and that in regard of Gods purpose and will he died for all men for Caine as well as for Abel for Iudas as well as for Peter and for them which shal be condemned as wel as for them which shall be saued But marke what Christ saith here to them that shall be condemned I neuer knew you nor approoued of you for mine But if Christ died effectually for all and euery man in the world without exception then hee bought all and euery man without exception with the price of his blood and if that then euery one without exception is Christs and those which are truely his Christ will vndoubtedly acknowledge for his owne But here we see Christ wil not acknowledge all and euery man to bee his and therefore vndoubtedly he did not purchase by the price of his blood all and euery man to bee his without exception I denie not but that Christ died for all men in the sense of Scripture but the word of God neuer saith that on Gods part and in regard of the purpose of his wil Christ died for euery man without exception And whereas it is thought to be an hard speech to say that God would haue some particular men depriued of grace and redemption by Christ let vs well consider this one thing and it will not seeme strange no not in mans reason God created man in his owne image in righteousnesse and true holinesse and he gaue vnto him a blessed estate in an earthly paradise and that not onely for himselfe but for all his posteritie for whatsoeuer he receiued by creation hee receiued not onely for himselfe but for his posterity beeing then a publike man and bearing the person of whole mankinde both in the state of his innocencie and in his fall whereupon Adam falling from that happie estate all mankinde beeing in him fell with him and so lost Gods image and that good estate which they enioyed by creation in Adam Now consider this well if God had neuer indued man with grace nor giuen him meanes to come by happinesse and yet had beene excluded
Unregenerate their estate 508. e Uâ—w of Baptisme the breaking of it is a great sinne 151. e Vâ—â—riâ— condemned 198. b W Warre whether lawfull to Christians 35. e Watchfulnes against sinne 303. b Way of life 477. b. how to walke in it 483. m. way to destruction with the paths thereof 480. e Wealth erronious seeking of it 18. m. 401. b. three things alowed about wealth 343. b. of lawfull seeking treasuring vp wealth 243. m. 344 Wicked are vsurperâ— of temporall blessings 401. m. charitie in iudging of them 168. m Will Gods will absolute and reuealed handled 275. b. speciall braÌ„ches of Gods reuealed will 276. m. wherein the doing of Gods will standeth 515. m. how to become chearefull doers thereof 518. b Wisdome true heauenly wisdome 356. e. 358. b. how it is gotten ibid. e. the actions of it 357. b. how to season naturall wisdome 359. m. the common errour in iudging men wise 541. e Witches rash iudgement concerning witches 411. m Word of God how God is sanctified in it 262. b. how to vnderstand it 430. b. Gods word an holy thing 435. m. how we should esteeme it 438. b. we must preserue the puritie of it 500. b Workes a good worke described 58. e. how to doe good workes 225. m. workes not commanded are no good workes 59. b. the person that must doe a good worke 60. m. a double faith required therein 61. b. the ende and vse of good workes 61. e. 65. m. 66. two sorts of good works 62. e. extent of good works 63. b. necessitie of good workes 63. e. how farre necessarie to saluation 64. b. how farre good 64. m. not perfectly ibid. e good workes follow iustification 509. e Workes of God must be considered 377. e Worldlings want faith 292. m. they are as Pagans 392. m Worship degrees of duties therein 102. e. directions concerning Gods worship 338. e. no difference of place for Gods worship 166. b. 258. m. to worship God in images abominable 258. m Wrong doing the propertie of an euill man 178. e. 183. e. a diswasion from it 461. m. our dutie when we are wronged 186. m. 461. e. priuate wrongs must be forgiuen 326. e The ende of the first Table A Table of places of Scripture which are either expounded vindicated or whereout some speciall doctrine or dutie is obserued Genesis Chap. Vers. Page 1 11 385. 387  31 508 2 7 387 3 17 18 508  19 343 4 6 94. 433 5 24 166 6 2 246 11 6 414 13 9 108 15 1 348 17 1 32. 166 18 21 414  27 275  32 38 20 11 166 21 23 158 22 1 2 544  8 373 28 20 21 292. 403 31 53 169 32 10 403 33 3 167 34 1 2 113 42 16 160 Exodus Chap. Vers. Page 3 7 8 26 9 27 513 13 2 221 14 15 240 16 18 19 289 21 24 174 22 2 182 32 19. 27 28 15. 152 33 11 32 Leuiticus Chap. Vers. Page 7 16 59 10 1 2 53. 265 16 29 329 19 12 149 24 14 496 25 35 191 26 23 25 38 Numbers Chap. Vers. Page 6 22 23 249 12 3 15 21 14 465 25 7 8 9. 179 26 21 24 209 35 31 98 Deuteronomie Chap. Vers. Page 4 6 536  7 454  15 16 239 5 11 149 6 13 160 7 2 203  7 8 246 9 18 19 233 11 14 208 12 8 11 362 13 1 2 498 15 8 217  9 16 17 16 17 404  18 19 78 18 18 549 24 1 142 25 7 8 9 65 27 26 75 29 19 â—0 300. 489 Ioshua Chap. Vers. Page 3 19 153 5 2 221 10 13 465 Iudges Chap. Vers. Page 6 45 49 16 29 30 488 I. Samuel Chap. Vers. Page 1 15 237 2 25 104  34 53 3 18 391 7 6 339 15 9 24  23 540 22 9 373 23 34 373 25 12 32 151  22 153  23 24 166  36 37 434 26 10 18â— 31 13 332 II. Samuel Chap. Vers. Page 1 9 16 198 7 27 28 29 452 10 3 410 42â— 11 2 3 113 12 11 418  13 326 14 24 213 16 10 417  23 360 21 17 57 I. Kings Chap. Vers. Page 3 13 386 403 10 8 112 15 34 67 18 40 59  42 232 19 12 56 20 41 24 21 9 10 13 156  27 513  28 244  29 453 22 6  II. Kings Chap. Vers. Page 1 8 497 2 4 160 3 14 121 212 6 5 157  14 19 21 20â— Â 31 155 10 16 514 19 1 156 23 25 281 II. Chronicles Chap. Vers. Page 15 17 214 17 6 215 19 2 36 32 31 544 33 13 13 429 34 32 496 35 26 457 Ezrâ— Chap. Vers. Page 7 1 5 7 84 Nehemias Chap. Vers. Page 1 3 4 26 8 1 2 84  10 189 10 1 22 340 Iob. Chap. Vers. Page 1 5 131 8 9 10 11 409  12 308 10 8 376 13 15 391 478 14 1 406  5 382 19 26 27 23 31 1 113  16 109 32 20 5 Psalmes Chap. Vers. Page 1 6 247. 525 4 6 357 11 4 164 15 1 398  4 1â—5 16 5 6 348 20 1 260 21 3 403 22 8 289 23 4 393 24 4 29 25 9 4â—9 511 32 2 226 33 1 266 34 13 417 37 5 374  11 16  25 196 38 12 13 14 15 39 9 15. 391 43 1 182 50 12 207 51 1 2 427  12 282 52 7 345 55 22 374 62 1 452 66 18 236 73 13 17 140 75 6 7 381 77 7 8 9. 454 478 78 18 â—7 453  41 447 90 12 126 361 91 10 312 92 5 6 162 378 94 6 7 166 103 13 260 455 104 16 131 106 30 31 59 98 109 10 196  6 9 203 110 3 268 111 10 358 4â—9 119 6 281  31 368  36  39 445  45 48â— Â 50 438  60 281  100 429 511  136 270  139 16 2â—0 125 1 365 538 127 2 375 380 132 1 2 3 488 139 7 8 165  14 161  21 22 202 143 6 137 Prouerbes Chap. Vers. Page 4 23 364  24 25. 119 5 15 16 191 6 6 373 8 8 77 14 2 368 16 3 374 479  4 260 18 23 199 19 6 403  11 107 317  17 195 351 20 18 420 22 2 381  9 354 2â— 22 ib.  〈…〉 195 Ecclesiastes Chap. Vers. Page 5 1 243 258  17 286 7 7 433  15 377  23 24 416 8 8 381 9 2 141 480  10 109 10 20 417 Canticles Chap. Vers. Page 1 7 397 3 1 447  5 160 Isaie Chap. Vers. Page 1 2 384  11 12 101 2 3 273 3 11 288 6 6 7 551  9 10 83 8 10 437  19 449 9 6 252 11 4 17  6 7 179 22 12 13 14 335 â—8 15 1â—6  16 292 479 30 15 391 31 1 418 38 5 133 42
stoning and burning Further the words translated hell fire are properly the fire of Gehenna for there was a place neere to the suburbs of Ierusalem called Gehenna which is a compound Hebrew word signifying the valley of Hinnon wherein was a place called Tophet Ier. 7. 31. where the idolatrous Iewes following the horrible superstition of the Nations about them vsed to burne their children vnto Molech for which fact the place became so odious to the godly that to aggrauate the heinousnes of this crime they vsed this name to signifie and betoken the place of torment appointed for the reprobate whereupon in Christs time Gehenna and the fire of hell were in signification all one Now in this valley the Iewes vsed to burne their malefactours and vnto this kinde of iudgement Christ alludeth meaning not simply hell fire the torments of the damned but a more grieuous and greater kind of punishment then the former because it was a higher degree of sinne so that Christs meaning is this Howsoeuer your Scribes and Pharisies teach you that there is no murther but actuall killing and that it onely deserues condemnation yet I which am the law-giuer say vnto you that as you haue diuers punishments in seuerall courts for diuers offences as hanging stoning and burning so God he hath diuers degrees of punishments for the seuerall breaches of this commandement he that is rashly angrie is worthie of iudgement and he that giues out any shew of his anger in gesture shall be punished more grieuously but he that shewes forth his anger by rayling and reuiling shall endure the most grieuous punishment of all First whereas Christ here maketh degrees of punishments for diuers sinnes the Papists hereon would build their distinction of sinnes into veniall and mortall Veniall sinnes say they are light sinnes as badde thoughts vaine speeches and such like which doe not deserue damnation but some temporall punishment onely such as were alotted to ciuill courts among the Iewes for here say they Christ onely makes open rayling reuiling of our brother such an heinous sinne as deserues hell fire But this distinction cannot here be grounded for Christ doth not appropriate condemnation to this tearme of hell fire but he hath reference thereto in euery phrase that here imports a punishment as to be culpable of iudgement for vnaduised anger is to deserue condemnation in hell fire and to be punished by a Councell for testifying anger by outward signes is to deserue condemnation but yet in a deeper degree And to be worthie to be punished with the fire of Gehennah for open rayling is to deserue condemnation also but yet in a deeper measure then the former for as among the Iewes by the sentence of their Courts some offences were punished by beheading or hanging greater offences by stoning and the greatest by burning all which punishments differed in degree and yet euery one was death so before God lesser sinnes deserue lesser condemnation in hell fire and greater sinnes deeper damnation and yet euery sinne deserues damnation for the wages of sinne be it neuer so little is death Rom. 6. 23. so that Christ here makes degrees of punishments according to the degrees of sinne yet so as euery sinne is mortall deseruing daÌ„nation none venial in it self Secondly we may here obserue two excellent Rules for the expouÌ„ding of the Morall law First that vnder one sinne named in a commandement are forbidden all sinnes of the same kind with all the causes thereof for Christ in expounding this sixt commandement doth not onely condemne Actuall murther but euen Rash anger in the heart and all signes thereof in countenance and gesture with all rayling and reuiling speeches as breaches of this commandement and the like he obserueth in those which follow II. Rule To the breach of euery commandement there is annexed a curse albeit it be not expressed for Christ here fetting downe the breaches of this sixt commandement threatneth condemnation to the least breach thereof saying he that is vnaduisedly angrie with his brother shall be culpable of iudgement Is it not then a wonder to see how ignorant people doe vse the commandements for prayers when as indeede if they could perceiue it they are Gods thunderbolts to throw their soules to hell for euery sinne they commit Thirdly Christ condemning vnaduised anger as a breach of this law giueth vs to vnderstand that aduised anger is not vnlawfull and true it is that all anger is not sinnefull for Christ was ofttlines angrie with the â—ewes and the Apostle bids vs to be angrie but sinne nâ—t If any here aâ—ke how we may discerne godly anger from that which is euill and vnaduised I answer two waies first by the beginning of it for good anger proceedeth from the loue of him with whome we are angrie now loue is the fulfilling of the law and therefore anger proceeding from loue and guided thereby cannot be a breach thereof but euill anger proceedeth from selfe-loue from dislike or hatred of the partie with whome we are angrie Secondly we may discerne it by the ende Good anger is for Gods glorie against sinne because God thereby is dishonoured and for our brothers good but euill anger wants these ends and intendeth priuate respects It is quickly mooued it continueth long and also carieth with it a desire of reuenge Fourthly seeing vnaduised anger with the signe thereof is a breach of this law deseruing death hereby we are admonished to beware of this headstrong affection of anger and betime to restraine and bridle the same it hath a bad beginning and an euill ende and thereby we become murtherers Now that we may ouerrule it so as it preuaile not against vs first we must lay to our hearts this commandement of God forbidding rash anger as a barre to stoppe it Secondly we must remember how louingly and mercifully God deales with vs euery day in forbearing and forgiuing vs and therefore we ought to be like minded towards our brethren Eph. 4. 31 32. The second branch of sinne here condemned is to say vnto our brother Raca whereby we may see that euery gesture expressing rash anger and despite of heart towards another is murther before God as casting downe the countenance towards him this God reprooued in Cain Gen. 4. 6. frowning nodding the head or shaking it in contempt as the Iewes did to Christ Matth. 27. 39. also contemptuous laughter and deriding hence Ismaâ—ls â—eering at Isaac is called persecution Gal. 5. 29. and the like may be said of all signes of contempt in words as fie tush pish and to thou a man in disdaine for otherwise a superiour may thou his inferiour so also when â— man contemptuoâ—sly takes a thing in snuffe though he say nothing but flings away with an heart rising against his brother All these and such like tokens of contempt and disdaine are here condemned for murther
the vertue of his resurrection to raise and build vs vp againe in newnes of life learning to know Christ vnto our selues by experience in our selues for knowledge in the braine will not saue the soule but he that is truly founded on Christ feeles the benefits of his death and resurrection in some measure in himselfe IV. Point The effect and fruit of bad hearing that is fearefull ruine and destruction resembled by the issue of building on the sands v. 27. The raine fell the floods came c. Where two things are to be noted I. the cause of this fearefull ruine the falling of the raine and beating of the floods and windes II. the qualitie of this ruine it is great and fearefull The house fell and the fall thereof was great For the first Floods and winde and raine doe here betoken trialls and temptations which are here said to befal the professors of the name of Christ. Whence we learne that euery one that doth heare the word of God and professe true religion must looke for a day of temptation and triall It is Gods will that whosoeuer taketh vpō him the profession of his name should be tried what he is Thus he permitted Adam presently after his creation to be tempted and tried the smart whereof we all feele vnto this day and God gaue Abraham a commandement of triall to kill his onely sonne Gen. 22. 1 2. Soe he left Hezekias to himselfe to trie him and to know all that was in his heart 2. Chr. 32. 31. And Iohn Baptist saith of Christ that he hath his fanne in his hand to sift and trie the good corne from chaffe Matth. 3. 12. and Luk. 22. 31. the deuill sought to winnow the disciples as wheate And S. Peter makes it a thing requisite that the faith of Gods seruants should be tried by afflictions as gold is tried in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. Vse We now haue by Gods mercie true religion among vs and are freed from the bondage of the Turke Iewe and Papist we must therefore stand fast in our profession and not suffer our selues to be depriued of true religion for times will come when we must be tried and therefore in this happie time of peace and truth which is to vs the day of grace and mercie we must labour seriously to haue our hearts indued with some good measure of lasting grace as of faith hope and loue which as good gold may abide the triall of afflictions otherwise we shall not stand for all painted shewes of grace in time of triall will vanish away like drosse and stubble before the fire The second point in this effect is the qualitie of this ruine and fall it is great and fearefull It fell and the fall thereof was great The thing resembled hereby is most fearefull to wit that such professors of religion as in the daies of peace did not ioyne practise with their profession shall fall away in the time of triall and come to most fearefull perdition this is the principall point that Christ here aimes at whereby he intends to terrifie men from dissembled profession And the consideration of it must worke effectually in our hearts for we by Gods mercie and blessing haue had the light of the Gospel for many yeares together in such measure as neuer was in this land before and yet though all of vs be hearers where is our obedience alas some among vs grow to be flat and peremptorie Atheists denying God and Christ Iesus others and the most vnder the name of religion root their hearts in the world some in profits and some in pleasures and none of these almost regard religion others professe religion and yet liue in grosse sinnes as swearing drunkennesse vncleannesse c. making no conscience of grosse impietie in their liues so that if we looke into the generall state of our people we shall see that religion is professed but not obeied nay obedience is counted precisenesse and so reproached but we must know that in the ende this prophaning of religion will soone turne all Gods blessings temporall and spirituall into fearefull curses both of bodie and soule If euer any thing bring ruine vpon vs it will be the contempt of Gods word professed and therefore let vs in the feare of God endeauour our selues not onely to know and heare the word of God but to turne vnto God from all sinne and especially in regard of this sinne of disobedience to the word of God Lastly Christ notes the qualitie of this fall to be exceeding great to shew vnto vs the great daunger of hypocrisie for there is great difference betweene these three sorts of men a sinner that makes no profession of religion an hypocrite that makes a great shew of pietie in profession and a true beleeuer whose life and conuersation is answerable to his profession For a true professor may fall into sinne very fearefully as Peter and Dauid did and yet recouer againe Also he that is a most notorious sinner as Manasses was may be conuerted and repent But when a professor that is an hypocrite in religion is tried he falls quite from Christ and makes apostacie from his profession and in this regard his fall is called great And therefore seeing professors may thus fearefully fall away let vs in the feare of God labour in some truth of heart to yeild obedience to that we heare vers 28. And it came to passe when Iesus had ended these words the people were astonied at his doctrine 29. For he taught as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes These two verses containe the issue and euent of this Sermon of our Sauiour Christ in his hearers And in them we may obserue two points first the good fruit that came of this sermon v. 28. secondly the cause reason thereof v. 29. The fruit was the astonishing of the people which S. Matthew sets out by three circumstances I. of the time when it appeared to wit after the Sermon was ended II. of the persons in whom it was wrought the people that is the multitude III. of the matter whereat they were astonished namely at the doctrine of Christ. Touching this Astonishing of the people in it many things are to be obserued I. That though the person of our Sauiour Christ were lowly and base yet his doctrine in preaching was of that force in the minds of his hearers for it did amase and astonish them This caused the officers that were sent to take him to returne without him alleadging the maiestie of his doctrine for the reason of their fact Neuer man spake as this man did Ioh. 7. 46. and when the gouernours came with a band of men to apprehend him so soone as he did but tell them he was the Christ they went backward and fell to the ground Ioh. 18. 6. This sheweth vnto vs that the voice and sentence of Christ giuen at the last day of iudgement will be most fearefull and
terrible For if his wordes were thus powerfull in his base estate of humilitie what force will they then haue when he shall come in glorie and maiestie in the cloudes accompanied with thousands of Angels when as his sight shall be so terrible that men shall call to the mountaines to fall vpon them and to the rockes to grind them in pieces if it were possible well let the consideration hereof mooue vs to be obedient to his voice in the ministerie of his word otherwise will we nill we we shall one day be subiect to that fearefull voice of condemnation Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire II. Doctrine This astonishment of the people argues some feare and reuerence in them towards Christ which is some commendation vnto them and yet it prooues not the truth and soundnes of their faith and conuersion though no doubt many that heard him were hereby conuerted for a man may be amased at Christs doctrine and yet not be conueâ—â—ed thereby Luk. 4. 22. the people of Capernaum did maruelously affect the Doctrine of our Sauiour Christ admiring at it and yet they beleeued not in him but tooke exceptions against him because he was soâ—â—â—to Ioseph the carpenter Pharaoh Saul and Ahab when they were reprooued by Moses Samuel and Eliah they were oft-times much amased and confounded in themselues and yet they did neuer truely turne from their sinnes And in this place I take it this astonishment of the people is recorded rather for the commendation of Christs ministerie then to note out the faith and conuersion of the people This we are to obserue for speciall cause for it is the ordinarie maner of the most of our hearers to marke more or lesse what is spokeÌ„ to approoue the doctrine and to speake well of the minister which be good things in their kind but yet this is not enough we must further labour to receiue the word by faith to repent of our sinnes and to conforme our hearts and liues vnto the word Luk. 11. 27. when a woman through admiration at Christs doctrine pronounced her blessed that bare him and the paps that gaue him sucke Christ tooke occasion thence to giue vnto her and to the rest of the hearers this lesson nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and doe it Act. 2. 37. at the first sermon of Peter after the giuing of the holy Ghost the people were greatly amased at his doctrine and being pricked in conscience cried Men and brâ—thren what shall we doe now Peter suffers them not to stand still in this astonishment but labours further to bring them to true faith and repentance and to haue the same by baptisme confirmed vnto them saying Amend your liues and be baptized v. 38. And so dealt Paul with the Iayler that would haue killed himselfe vpon the sudden sight of the prison doore beeing open for after he was truly humbled he brought him to beleeue It may be here demanded why our Sauiour Christ at this Sermon did no more to the most of his hearers but caused them to wonder when as the Apostles conuerted many thousands at some one Sermon and after brought the whole bodie of the Gentiles to the faith Ans. No doubt he was able to haue conuerted them all and we may perswade our selues here were many conuerted though it be not recorded and though indeede the most were onely astonished But this came so to passe that his promise made to his Disciples might be verified Ioh. 14. 12. which was that they should doe greater workes then Christ did whereof this questionlesse was one to conuert moe in their ministerie then Christ did And the causes hereof were two I. that our Sauiour Christ might shew himselfe willing to vndergoe that base estate of a seruant wherein he was borne and continued till his exaltation therefore he was content to restraine the power of his Godhead euen from his ministerie vntill he were exalted into glorie II. that he might make it manifest in his Apostles times that beeing ascended he did not onely sit at the right hand of his father that is rule as a king ouer all in his princely office but also that he did indeede gouerne his Church by his word and spirit and this reason Christ addeth Ioh. 14. v. 12. to prooue that his Disciples should doe greater workes then he did because he went vnto his father there to rule and gouerne his Church It may yet further be asked why Christ did not conuert them all seeing he was able beeing true and very God Ans. No doubt as hath beene said many were here conuerted yet not all because Christ was now the minister of circumcision as the Apostle speaketh that is though in regard of his person he were the Prophet of the whole Catholike Church yet at this time in this action he was preacher onely to the Church of the Iewes in which regard he performed this dutie as man onely and so could doe no more but deliuer his fathers will vnto them and shew himselfe willing to conuert them And in this manner he speakes vnto Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children as a henne gathereth her chickens I would but ye would not that is as the minister of circumcision in mine owne person and as God in the ministerie of my Prophets Thus much of the astonishment it selfe Now follow the circumstances whereby it is amplified and set out and they are three The first circumstance is the time when they were astonished namely when the sermon was ended No doubt they were amased in the time of his deliuerie but yet they were silent all that while and shewed no signes of their affection till the sermon was ended And this good order ought to be obserued of all Gods people in the publike ministerie of the word In the bulding of the materiall temple there was no noise or knocking heard so much as of an hammer whereby was signified that in the assemblies of the Saints where Gods spirituall temple is bulding there should be the like heauenly order obserued men should heare with quitetnes and silence and shew their affectionâ— afterward Secondly we are here taught to labour not onely to be affected in the Act of hearing while the doctrine is deliuered but to treasure it vp in our hearts that we may afterward be affected with it as this multitude was The second circumstance here noted is the persons who were thus astonied to wit the people or the multitude for after the sermon was ended they gathered themselues into companies and make knowne one to another the affections of their hearts toward Christs doctrine Hence we may gather that our Sauiour Christ deliuered his dostrine plainely vnto the conscience of the meanest and to the capacitie of the simplest els they could not thereby haue beene brought to wonder And this is a president for all Ministers to follow in the dispensation