are written in the Law concerning me and my actions and mysteries which shall not in every point be fulfilled Till all be fulfilled That is till all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets 1 Concerning me and my actions be fulfilled 2 Till all things commanded promised and threatened be fulfilled V. 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven In the words two things 1 A Threatning Whosoever shall break one of Gods Commands and teach others so he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven 2 A Promise But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments The scope of this place shews that this Verse hath respect unto the Teachers Hierom refers it to the words of the Law but others of the Ancients to the Commands of the Kingdom of Heaven which are the fulfilling of the Law Therefore Christ saith not Whosoever shall break one of the least of those Commandments but of these having respect to the foregoing Commandments to which blessedness was promised and to other Commands of an holy Example c. and also to the following Commands which contain a more large explication of things which are of eternal equity Christ argues If it were lawfull for no man to break the Law much less to break the Commands of the Gospel Heb. 2.23 Every transgression and disobedience of the Law received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Yea Christ saith Whosoever shall by his interpretation weaken the Law of Christ as the Pharisees did against whom Christ preached instructing his Apostles and Messengers to be Teachers of another Sect and that they are not to deprave the Commands of Christ by false Expositions as the Pharisees did The least of these Commandments That is there is not the least Command in these Sermons of Christ which any man can despise without the loss of salvation Some carry it to the Law of Nature contained in the Books of Moses which the Pharisees called small in respect of their traditions to which they gave a greater perfection than to Gods commands which is not to be despised Some think Christ hath respect to the distinction which the Pharisees gave of the Commands to wit greatest and least the greatest to be them which commanded external obedience as Thou shalt not kill c. the least which commanded the moderation of the affections as anger wrath c. These Commands are called least not because they were so but because they were so in the Pharisees opinion And shall teach men so That is or shall teach men so the Conjunction is put for a Disjunction he means whosoever shall teach these false interpretations of the Law in the Church and scatter his Errours as the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians then did and so led persons into seducement So That is to do as himself doth who keeps not the Commands of Christ and teaches others that they are not to be kept He shall be called least in the Kingdom of God When thou art called least in the Kingdom of Heaven suspect Hell and punishment Chrysost that is he shall be nothing accounted of when the end of the World shall come He shall be called that is he shall then be pronounced so to be by the Judg by the Sentence of which Judg it shall be declared how great every man is and in what estate he shall be Neither shall he be in no place because he shall rise again and be judged but he shall be in the last place because he shall be cast into utter darkness Some by least understand no place there at the Judgment as Psalm 1.6 The wicked shall not stand in judgment Others understand the last place this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Kingdom doth properly denote the time as Luke 14.14 Besides the Day of Judgment is called by the name of Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 To conclude by least he means none because none can be in the Kingdom of Heaven but those that are great they are sons heirs and so it is expounded v. 20. But whosoever shall do and teach These words though they principally look at Teachers yet are they not so to be bound to them that others should be excluded for it is the duty of all Christians not onely to go before others by example but by admonition and instruction Rom. 15.14 Col. 3.16 It 's said of Christ He began both to do and teach Whosoever shall do and teach both great and small Commandments that is whose bent of heart is for all the Commandments Teachers must not look for any Crown if they do not practise that which they teach others they are like unto High-way Marks which shew the way to others but do not go in it themselves The same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven That is pronounced happy and blessed at that day Dan. 12 2. They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever They shall be called great Teacher and Fathe of the Disciples and Children whom he hath begotten Hence it behoves every Teacher who expects this Crown to examine whether what he teaches unto others himself do first set upon the practise thereof lest it be said Rom. 2.21 Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Teachers that know and teach and do not practise they are like Uriah that carried the Letters of his own death or like the Philosophers that saw little fruit of their teaching of virtue because those things they taught others themselves did not practise To conclude this point I do by all that is said stablish the ten Commandments so far as what is contained in them is of the Law of Nature and not altered in the New Testament but compleated and for any other part of the Law of Nature which was commanded in the Old Testament I judg it to be established as also all the Evangelical Promises and Precepts of the Law are established by Christ and the Apostles Rom. 3. ult Do we then make void the Law through Faith Nay we establish the Law Tertul. de pudicitiâ we stablish the Law to wit in those things which being also now brought in by the New Testament are forbid cumulatiore praecepto by a more heaped Command for Thou shalt not commit Adultery Who so looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath already committed Adultery in his heart and for Thou shalt not kill who so shall say to his Brother Racha shall be guilty of Hell See then whether the Law of not committing Adultery be not safe to which the Law of not lusting hath come or been added In a word whatsoever is
Luke sets down all the Apostles were called together cap. 6.13 Mar. 3.19 John sets down c. 1.40 41. first Andrew was called then Peter therefore we must remember the fore-mentioned distinction of Discipleship and Apostleship Casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers The calls of Christ usually meet persons when they are employed in their lawful callings V. 19. And he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men Christ doth not call the learned men of the world the eloquent Orator the subtile Logician for to make his own power more manifest whiles he had such weak and simple instruments 1 Cor. 1.23 Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Follow me Leave not onely your lusts but your ordinary imployments that you may be instructed in the way that leads to life And I will make you fishers of men It 's a metaphor the sea is the world the fishes men the net the Gospel Math. 13.47 the fishers are the preachers Preachers are compared to fishers 1 For their painfulness fishermen must rise at all hours and undergo many hard storms so must preachers 2 For their watchfulness they must rise at all hours so preachers 3 For diligence Fishers must let down their net at all hours whether they take something or nothing so must preachers Men are like unto Fishes 1 As fish stands need of salt to keep it from putrifaction so do men stand need to be seasoned with the Gospel and with gracious discourse Col. 4.6 2 As fishes are begotten of water and live in it Rondel l. de pise c. 13. and are nourished by it and die without it so if you be taken by the Gospel You must be born of water and the spirit Joh. 3.5 of the bloud of Christ compared to water Ezek. 36.25 Rev. 7.14 and of the spirit of Christ without which you can neither live nor be nourished 3 As the greater fishes devour the less and the great Whale devours all so the great men of the world devour the smaller and the devil devours all unless rescued by Christ 4 Fishes as soon as they perceive the net swim away from it so natural men put away the Gospel from them Job 21.14 Acts 13.46 5 As fishes are not taken unless they take the bait so are not souls unless they receive the glorious things of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 6 As fishes wander in the sea confusedly until they be taken and put into fish-ponds so do natural men in the sea of this world till they be converted and brought into the Church V. 20. And they straightway left their nets and followed him The powerful work of Christ upon their hearts was so great that they leave their ship and nets to follow Christ yea every enjoyment they had as servants kindred calling There should nothing be too much for us to leave when Christ calls for it Luk. 14.33 we cannot else be Christs Disciples yea our very lives are to be left for Christ Matth. 10.39 God forbid we should rejoyce in any thing save Christ Gal. 6.14 Moreover what obedience they performed to Christ was speedy and present When God calls we must give present obedience so Abraham in sacrificing Isaac Exo. 22.29 Psal 119.60 we must not consider the issues and events of things when we have a clear command of God before us V. 21. And going from thence he saw other two brethren James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them We have here two called more from their Fisher-craft to be Christs Disciples whom he retains a good while with him about the doctrine of the Gospel For though men of mean parts and callings may teach yet not before they have learned themselves In that he calls poor Fisher-men we may admire the free grace of God and the greatness of his power who by such weak means could overcome the world 2 Cor. 4.7 The treasure of the Gospel was in such earthen Vessels That the excellency of the power might be of God 1 Cor. 1.26 27. V. 22. And they straightway left the ship and their father and followed him We may see 1 Their dependance upon the providence of Christ for they did not reason how shall we do to live if we leave our callings 2 All worldly things must be held with a disposition to part with them when Christ calls for them they presently left their nets This besides the command of God and example of Saints should move us that what we part with for Christs sake We shall have an hundred fold in this present world and life everlasting hereafter Matth. 19 27. 3 From their not going till they had 〈…〉 we should learn when we attempt any thing hazarâ—ious 〈◊〉 to see our call Heb. 11.8 Abraham being called 〈…〉 went not knowing whither he went The children of Fâ—â—â—â—aim going against their enemies without a call turned their backs in the day of battel Ps 79.9 compared with 1 Chron. 7.21 22. So Israel going up against the Canaanites when God forbad them by Moses to go were smitten by them Numb 14.41 42 43 44 45. 4 In that they leave ship and father learn that matters of affection as well as matters of profit must give way to Christ Gen. 12.1 2. V. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the People We have in this last part to the end of the Chapter two things 1 The diligence of Christ in preaching and working Miracles v. 23. 2 The effect hereof viz. Multitudes followed him bringing their sick unto him He went about all Galilee Persons that are not fixt to the oversight of one Church but have a Call to go into the World must not content themselves to tarry in any one place Christ went about all Galilee preaching in their Synagogues Where the seed is cast among much ground it 's probable some of it will take root and bring forth fruit And preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom That is the glad Message of the Kingdom of Heaven and the way to attain it If any man ask how Christ could be permitted to preach in the Synagogues it was partly because grave and godly and knowing men either known so to be or commanded by others were so permitted to speak so the chief Ruler of the Synagogue permitted Paul to speak unto the People Acts 13.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation to the People say on Besides Christ confirmed his Doctrine with Miracles and so all men whom malice blinded not might see that he was a Teacher come from God and therefore might easily have access into the Synagogue Now a Synagogue is the same
by our prayers Psal 93.3 4. And there was a great calm See the obedience of the mightiest creatures to God how will this condemn our disobedience See how windes yield obedience Psal 107.26 compared with 29. See the seas obedience Jer. 5.22 Let not the winde and sea overcome you in overcoming the storms of the minde V. 27. But the men marvelled saying What manner of man is this that even the wind and sea obey him Here 's a fifth circumstance they reason thus He whom winds and seas obey must be greater then all mortalls but they obey this man therefore he is greater then all men This should stir us up to confidence in the Son Joh. 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me q. d. I am God as well as my Father therefore believe on me So that as it is said of the Lord Psal 89.9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them so also doth Christ at this time The creatures are Gods executioners to punish man for sin when they exceed herein the Lord reproves them as a father doth a schoolmaster when he sees him unmeasurably to chastise his son The greatness of which miracle which made it more admirable was that whereas usually in storms when the wind ceases the sea is not calm till a good while after but here both wind ceases and the sea is calm together in an instant showing it came from a miracle not from nature For the calm was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to laugh to note that the weather and sea smiled on them with a clear countenance All expositors make the Church an arbitrary Antitype of this tossed ship as this ship was poor a mean fisher boat not to be compared to the great Merchant ships and men of war so the poor Church is not to be compared for outward glory with the kingdoms of the world And as when the proud Scribe leaves Christ the poor disciples accompany Christ through the sea so when rich and great men leave Christ the poor disciples accompany Christ through the troublesome sea of this world Again as this ship was in danger so hath the Church been oft in Egypt Babylon in the ten persecutions and Popish Tyranny ready to be swallowed up of waves but the Lord seasonably appears either by cutting off Tyrants as he did Pharaoh Exod. 14.25 and Herod Act. 12.23 Or by putting a hook in their nostrils as he did to Sennacherib 2 King 19.28 or by turning the hearts of persecutors whereby the Churches have rest as he did Paul Act. 9.31 This Church so tossed is not the Roman Church as the Papists paint the Pope to be the steers-man sitting at the helm and the Cardinals Bishops and Priests to be the Mariners but it s a company of Saints who because they will live godly suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 With these it is that Christ is present in the signes of the covenant and in the word of promise and with his supporting presence in time of storms they pretend they have no schismes nor contentions but perfect unity but this proves them not to be the true Church because the ship wherein Christ was was exposed to storms and Christ came not to bring peace but a sword Matth. 10.34 And if unity among them might prove them a Church then might it prove the Turks and Jews to be Churches who have more of unity then they V. 28. And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes there met him two possessed with devils coming out of the tombes exceeding fierce so that no man might pass by that way In these words to the end of the Chapter is set down what befell Christ when he was gone from Capernaum over the lake of Genezareth into the country of the Gerasens 1 He is met with two men possessed with devils The devils are described 1 That they came out of the tombes 2 By their exceeding fierceness that no man might pass that way 2 The complaint they make which is twofold 1 Disclaiming their interest in Christ What have we to do with thee Jesus thou son of God ver 29. Thou art the saviour of men not our Saviour 2 Their fear of a present torment Art thou come to torment us before the time ver 29. 3 Their petition If thou cast us out suffer us to go into the herd of swine v. 31. 4 Here 's Christ permission of them to enter the hogs he said unto them Go v. 32. 5 Here 's the devils execution of their mischief having once obtained a permission the devils entering into the swine the whole herd went down a steep place and perished in the waters v. 32. 6 The report hereof that was brought to the city v. 33. 7 The issue and effect the Gadarens being offended for the loss of their hogs desired him to depart out of their coasts And when he had come to the other side into the country of the Gergasens Matthew calls them Gergafens Mark and Luke Gadarens but there 's no difficulty for Gergessa or Gerasa and Gedara were towns near thereto Joseph lib. 2. de bello cap. 2. mentions both Gerasens and Gadarens These were the remainders of the Canaanites as Grotius writes and as it appears Gen. 10.16 The remainders of the people whose Land was given to Israel Deut. 7.1 supposed to be the Geshurites and Maacathites Jos 13.13 There met him two possessed with devils Mark and Luke mention onely one but the answer is easie the one was more famous then the other being possessed of a whole legion of devils Mar. 5.9 Luk. 8.30 and so was more cruel Mark and Luke prosecuting the history of the man possessed with a legion of devils do omit the mentioning the other Demoniak Coming out of the tombes They came out thence and abode there to affright men with fear of death their abode and dwelling was among the tombs Mark 5.3 Luk. 8.27 Now they might easily dwell in the tombs because they were hollow places digged out of a rock as Christs Sepulchre was Matth. 27.60 whereinto John and Peter entered Joh. 20.6 and those three women that brought spices Luk. 24.3 or else they were made of stone or brick and covered over Now if it be askt why they dwelt there it was because one of the Demoniaks being possest with a cruel devil or rather a legion of them no man would receive them to their house they being excluded from humane society resided in old Sepulchres One of these Demoniocks ware no clothes and was bound with chains and sometimes broke them Luk. 8.27 29. Matthew addes they were exceeding fierce and that they were so troublesome to passengers that no man might pass by that way Mark addes that no man could tame him and that he was day and night in the mountains and tombs crying and cutting himself with stones
they came to Jerusalem Some think 12 or 13 days after they saw the star at first hence the Feast of Epiphany or Manifestation but it 's like the next day after they saw his star they came forward though it 's probable that it was near upon a year before Herod put the infants of Bethlem to death that while being spent in acquainting Caesar with the designe and in the plotting and projecting of the business V. 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him Here is the question the Wise men propound 1 See the greatness of their faith they ask not whether he be but where he is presupposing he was born They acknowledge his natures his manhood in that he was born his Godhead in that they call the star his he the owner of it they also acknowledge his Kingly office so freely that it came to Herods ear they were neither afraid of Herod nor ashamed of Christ a politick bosome faith becomes not them that enquire after Christ The question was full of danger and amazement as casting down Herod from his throne and to set up a new King which was no less then capital 2 The ground of their faith For faith must have both a ground and an evidence Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which differences a believer and a credulous person who believs every thing Prov. 14.15 The ground of it was for we have seen his star in the East For this star it was not an ordinary star for it moved as they went and shone on the day time placed lower then the fixed stars perhaps like a blazing star Chrysostom thinks it was some invisible power or Angel figured in the shape of a star And the Lord cals them by a star rather then by an Angel as condescending to their weakness because they were much imployd about the stars Now if you ask how they came to know what this star did portend Though some think they living in the East might know it from Balaam's prophesie Numb 24.17 I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab yet I suppose they came to know this star by Divine revelation onely but whether soever they came to know it But whereas some from hence would conclude the lawfulness of Judicial Astrology it 's groundless onely this I must confess 1 That the stars have an influence here below Judges 5.20 The stars in their paths or courses fought against Sisera But I say it 's groundless 1 Because Astrologers proceed by way of observation as in such a year and such a concourse of Planets wars and rebellions to have been therefore this year the same will happen in the like concourse but here no experience or observation went before for never had a Virgin brought forth before Some have thought stars to be the causes of things But Christ was not therefore born because the star appeared but therefore the star appeared because Christ was born Others in this Age are apt to think them signes of our actions as if heaven were the book wherein God writes all future actions and events the stars are for signes oft-times as dayes and years but it seems to me in no wise signes of those things which depend upon the will of man the future motions whereof are onely known to God That Astrologers alledge experience it nothing moves me for all the predictions of Astrology are mere particulars but although they had any certainty yet it were better to be always in the fear of God then to be tormented with fear of events Luth. in Gen. cap. 1. We are not to heed Astrologers Jer. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the signes of heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them If they fore-tell us prosperous things and they lye we shall be wretched by hoping in vain if they fore-tell to us adversity and lye they make us miserable by fearing in vain if they fore-tell unhappy things to us and speak truth to what purpose is it to fore-know those things we cannot prevent and if they should truly fore-tell prosperity expectation would weary us out Lapide in Jer. 10. King Muleasses fore-told in the year 1544 that he should lose his kingdome and his life be in danger to shun it he went out of Africa and in his departure brought upon his own neck that which he would have shunn'd To conclude these Astrologers and Star-gazers and Monthly Prognosticators cannot save us from the things that shall come upon us no more then they could Babylon Jer. 47.13 They enrich your ears with words that they may enrich their own purses with money In the East By this is meant not so properly the region of heaven as the land from whence they came q.d. we living in the East saw there a star shining in the East which accompanied us these Wise men as the pillar of fire and cloud did Israel This star or such an one like it was seen in the West towards the end of Augustus reign and Pliny saith it was held to be a happy star but the Western men for want of light did misapply it And are come to worship him Here was the end of their coming viz. to worship him yet do they not finde him in a worshipful case but in a stable in a manger yet by faith they over-look all this and worship him worship is a great matter in that heaven and earth stars and prophets lead us to it for this end the Eunuch came out of Aethiopia and the Wise men from the East The world was made for this end that he that created it might be worshipped the Scripture was made for this end that he that inspired it might be worshipped The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the gesture of the body lying down to give honour Zanch. in 4. Praecept of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dog to fall down as dogs do at their masters feet The Wise men being perswaded that a Kingdome was appointed for this childe after the manner of the Eastern nations who are generally known to have worshipped their Kings they fall down to worship yet did they not onely apprehend him to be a King and so worshipped him with a civil worship but also they apprehended him to be the King of heaven and so worshipped him with a Religious worship V. 3 When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him We have here the effects of the inquiry of the Wise men which is 1 Herod was troubled Fearing as if this King would drive him out of his Kingdome and because he was a tyrant and distrusted the faithfulness of his subjects Besides Herod living long among them knew their
Egypt Because it was a Country near at hand whereunto the journey would be less And be thou there until I bring thee word Gods command should be the rule of our motion As the souldier is not to leave his station without the command of his Officer no more are we without Gods command For Herod will seek the young childe to destroy him The Angel knew this by divine revelation For God knowes the thoughts of mens hearts a far off Psal 139.2 And the motions of our wills Though the Angel might suspect it from the cruel and proud disposition of Herod yet onely he knew it from revelation There is no wisedome nor counsel can stand against God Prov. 21.30 The Angel saith not Herod will destroy but onely seek to destroy Psal 37.32 V. 14. When he arose he took the young childe and his mother by night and departed into Egypt Here is the obedience of Joseph We must go from Country friends and kindred when God calls so Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 though we know not whither Here was a long and dangerous journey for Joseph an old man to carry a woman that had lately lain in and an infant of about forty days old above two hundred miles through a vast Wilderness into Egypt to sojourn among persons utterly unknown whose language probably he knew not and that in the depth of Winter but faith overcomes all difficulties he believes the Angel that he would bring him word when it was fit to remove as he said v. 13. Faith in Joseph swallows up carnal fears 15. And was there till the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son And was there till the death of Herod Here 's the second branch of Josephs obedience We must not onely go whither God will have us but tarry there as long as he will have have us How long Christ was in Egypt and in what place and what miracles he did the Scripture is silent herein That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son The Scripture is fulfilled four ways 1 When that which is plainly fore-told is fulfilled as that a Virgin shall conceive a childe Esa 7.14 compar'd with Matth. 1.23 2 When the Scripture prophesies in general of such and such persons it may be applied to every particular as when wicked men contemned Isaiahs Ministry the Lord sends the Prophet Isaiah cap. 6.9 to preach That they should hear but not understand see but not perceive To such contemners Christ at several times applies it as Matth. 13.13 14 15. Joh. 12.39 40. and the Apostle applies it to such Jews Act. 28.26 27. so Rom. 11.8 as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day which though spoken by Esaias and aiming at the wicked that then lived under his ministry yet being spoken in general falls upon all that have a spirit of slumber 3 Analogically or by way of proportion So this Scripture Out of Egypt have I called my Son which is taken out of Hosea 11.1 That place cannot literally be meant of Christ because that Israel there meant the Prophet upbraids with unthankfulness therefore it 's meant by way of similitude As Israel the adopted Children of God were called out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses so was Christ the natural Son of God called out of Egypt by the Ministry of the Angel the Members were called out in Hosea The Head here 4 Prophesies are fulfilled by way of Type when the thing typified answers to the Type So the Prophets phrase of calling my Son out of Egypt being spoken singularly was a Type of the Son of God who was to be called out of Egypt by the Angel neither needs this seem strange for Sinah and Sion Hagar and Sarah which signifie the two Testaments are more unusual Types and further fetcht The third part of the Chapter V. 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time that he had diligently inquired of the Wise-men We have here the History of Herod's Cruelty from v. 16. to v. 19. set down 1 From the outward cause of it viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men 2 From the inward cause viz. an exceeding Wrath he conceived in his heart partly for the Indignity he conceived the Wise-men had done him and partly to hear that there was one born that should be Heir of his Kingdom and he not know who he was 3 From the cruel Edict or Command he sent forth to slay all the Infants of Bethlem two years old and under 4 From the prophetical Prediction thereof Jeremy prophesied In Rama was there a voice heard Lamentation Weeping and Mourning Rachel weeping for her Children Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wisemen We have the outward cause of Herod's cruelty viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men for they promised they would return unto him but God having admonished them of his Treachery returned not to him neither did Herod presently go to murder the Infants for about thirty days after Christ was presented in the Temple Luke 2.22 which was about eighteen days after the Wise-men came and a little while after dwelt at Nazareth in Galilee Luke 2.39 And likewise it is probable the Tyrant Herod had endeavoured to finde Christ that he might kill him alone before he would kill so many Infants which thing he knew would render him odious to all Moreover there was a common Report that when Joseph and Mary came to present Christ to the Lord at the time when Mary was purified that the Childe Jesus was openly declared by Simeon and Anna to be the Messias and from thence Herod supposed the Wise-men had deceived him Was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the Infants in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under Because the Report of the Wise-men and the Witness of Simoon and Hanna in the Temple stuck much in the mindes of men so that Herod could not without fear of a Tumult vent his Malice against Christ he deferr'd his Malice to a fitter time and hearing of his being presented in the Temple began to inquire where his abode was but when he could not finde him in all Judea he thought he was hid for fear he dissembled the matter a while thinking hereby that his Parents fearing nothing would bring him out of the place where he was hid but when after his long dissembling the Childe was no where to be found in Judea the second year when he saw his opportunity he endeavours to take away the Life of the Childe but
God 2 Cor. 7.9 3 Reformation Jon. 3.10 No man begins a new life that repents not of his old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post sactum sapere opponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Doctrine was preached by Christ Matth. 4.17 by Paul he testified Repentance towards God from whom we have gone astray and faith towards Jesus Christ as the way of our return unto him Acts 20.21 In Repentance there is a Transformation or turning from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God that they might obtain Forgiveness Acts 26.18 Sometimes Repentance is divided into 1 Mortification or dying to sin Heb. 6.1 1 In the reign so the Apostle How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Rom 6.1 2. 2 In the Reliques this is gradual step after step 2 Cor. 4 16. As the outward man is perishing the inward man is renewing penitent Souls are purg'd to bring forth more grace and less sin John 15.2 2 Vivification or living to God of this see Rom. 6.11 13. 2 Cor. 5.13 The Fruits of this Repentance are besides those mentioned 2 Cor. 7.11 as care of pleasing God in all things and fear of offending him in any thing Gen. 39.9 Indignation against all sin especially our own Isai 30.22 Hosea 14.3 8. Zeal of God's glory rejoycing to see his Name glorified and mourning to see it dishonoured What are all the Palaces of the World to a contrite heart yea Heaven and Earth seeing it is the Seat of Divine Majesty Luth. Tom. 3.457 Psalm 119 139. and others mentioned there there are also 1 A shunning occasions of Evils Gen. 39.10 2 An hatred of all sin as being contrary to that Life we live Psalm 97.10 3 A sadness and grief of heart for sinning against such a Father Psalm 51.3 Luke 15.17 18. The Soul wishes O that it were to do again I would never have done it neither is this onely in the first Repentance when we first turn to God but in the repeated acts thereof after any slip or backsliding 4 Heart-bleeding Confessions that the Soul doth not onely historically but meltingly declare his sins to the Lord Psalm 38.17 5 A forsaking of all sin Isai 55.7 8. Mead in loc Diatr par quar Prov. 28.13 To have sinned condemns not but not to repent this condemns For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand That is the Kingdom of the God of Heaven so interpreted Dan. 6.24 The Heavens do rule that is the God of Heaven rules Luke 15.18 I have sinned against Heaven that is the God of Heaven The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men That is from God or men Matth. 21.15 This Kingdom is not outward like the Kingdoms of the World having power over the Body nor of this World for then would his Servants fight to defend it John 18.36 Not stablished by Armies Swords and Garisons but a spiritual Kingdom within us Luke 17.21 Sutable to those spiritual invisible Enemies we war against who now and then employ wicked men in their Service who are but the Horses in the Devils Battels the Devils and the Angels being the Riders This Kingdom is partly militant fighting against Devil World Flesh partly triumphant 1 Cor. 15.24 Christ then ruling till he have put down all power This is called the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Because the King thereof hath his Throne in Heaven 2 Because the beginning thereof is from Heaven not from Earth 3 Because it 's governed by the power of Heaven not by earthly Magistrates Is at hand This Kingdom is said to be at hand as a Woman with childe when her tenth Moneth is come may truly say her Travel is at hand so might the Baptist say when the last Weeks of Messiah's Weeks was begun the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand To understand which consider Dan. 9.14 Seventy Weeks are determined upon thy People and upon thy holy City to finish transgression and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the Vision and to anoint the most holy The meaning is the Jews counted their years by sevens every seventh year being a year of rest for the Land and so called a Sabbatical year according to which Account the Angel tells Daniel that seventy of those Weeks of years were allotted for the standing of their Temple and Common wealth when both should be restored again after the Captivity which make in all four hundred and ninety years Now these four hundred and ninety years being expired as appeared by the coming of the Messiah and Jerusalem being destroyed within forty years after John might very well say the time was at hand V. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esaias saying The voyce of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Paths straight The Baptist gives a Reason why he preaches Repentance and that in the Wilderness because he is that voice of one crying in the Wilderness prophesied of by Esaias cap. 40. and commanding that a way should be prepared for the Messias now come in the flesh by repentance This is the same with John 1.23 I am the voice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the ways of the Lord The literal sense was that the Jews in captivity in Babylon would prepare themselves to return into Judea though the Countrey of Judea were waste and the Journey long because all Impediments were to be removed by the bounty and kindness of King Cyrus whom God stirred up to shew mercy to the Jews but mystically he sets forth the Deliverance of Gods People from sin and death by Christ The way of the Lord That is 1 Do not cause any block by absenting from the present proffers of grace 2 Believe and hope and receive this Son of God who is now offered to you and the tenders of grace that your wills may not be contrary when he calls Matth. 23.37 John 5.40 Apoc. 3.20 Make his Paths straight That is by walking in an universal obedience both by doing and suffering that we may not turn out of the way of duty because of dangers and hazards Prov. 4 25. Let thine eys look right on and let thine ey-lids look straight before thee as a man that winks with one eye taking level at a Mark that seems not so much to see with his eys as with his ey-lids Heb. 12.13 Make straight paths unto your feet avoiding all crooked walkings because of the cross lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Whiles a poor Soul goes out in crooked paths it is with him as with a Traveller who going out of his way arrives not without some difficulty at his Journeys end V. 4. And the same John had his Raiment of Camels hair and a leathern Girdle about his Loins and his Meat was Locusts and wilde Honey Here John is set forth from his Apparel and Feeding The Law of the Nazarites was to consecrate themselves to God
words in what thing every Kingdom excelled Others think the Devil flew with Christ through all the Kingdoms of the World and in a little time shewed them to him But the Text saith The Devil took him into an high Mountain and shewed them to him Some think the Devil by an imaginary Vision presented all the Kingdoms of the World But this Tentation was outward not inward Therefore I lean to the first that the Devil from that high Mountain shewed Christ onely the coast and situation of all the quarters and Kingdoms of the World saying this is Europe this is Africk this Asia this England this France Spain c. And because he shewed him the glory of them it 's like the Devil like a Painter represented unto Christ all the glorious things that were in every Kingdom by thickening of the air wherein the Devil made certain Images of things which were no less apparent to Christ than Colours in the Rain-bowe to us for neither were the eys nor imagination of Christ deluded 3 Satan shewed the Kingoms of the World by way of proportion shewing the wealth pomp and glory of some one Kingdom that was nigh that high Mountain For the Kingdoms of the World have onely a greater quantity of that which may be seen in one Kingdom We may by the way observe the order of the Tentations The first Tentation was of Distrust from which Satan being driven away by the Promise the Devil sets upon Christ by a second which was If thou ascribe so much to the Promise then cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee His third Tentation was taken out of Psalm 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession which though it were the speech of the Father to Christ yet so much Satan gathered that all the Nations of the World belonged to Christ The Devil therefore shews them to him as if he should say to Christ That way thou goest in humbling thy self thou shalt never subject the Kingdoms of the World to thy self for thou seest they are possest of them that are my Servants therefore if thou wilt worship me thou mayst become Lord and Heir of all these Kingdoms more easily speedily and surely than if thou trustest to that voice that sounded unto thee from Heaven V. 9. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the Devils proffer to Christ All these things will I give thee The condition If thou wilt fall down worship me All these things will I give thee In this Proffer see the Devils Lyes 1 He challenges that to be his which belongs to Christ for he is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 All power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.19 2 That he had power to give the Kingdoms of the World to whom he will as Luke sets it down Whereas this onely is Gods property Dan. 4.25 for though Satan be called the Prince of the World John 12.31.14.30 and the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 yet this is meant onely of the World of the Wicked in whom he reigns Ephes 2.2 Not that he is Proprietary of any Kingdom of the World Quest But how durst Satan to have the impudence to speak thus to Christ Answ Because he had seen Christ again and again to forbear to do any Miracle though sollicited thereto therefore Satan began more certainly to think he was not the Son of God 2 Because he feigned himself to be the Son of God and to be God in that he says The Kingdoms of the World were delivered to him and that he gives them to whomsoever he will Luke 4.6 3 He was blinded with the ambition of God-head even from the first and therefore he desires so to be worshipped 4 He hereby thought to try whether Christ were the Son of God for it 's like he reasoned thus If this Christ be the Son of God he will be angry at me for taking his Dignity from him and counterfeiting my self to be Gods Son wherefore being angry he will reply whence is this arrogance of thine how dares thou thus blasphemously speak thou proud and lying spirit I am the Son of God thou art Satan it 's thy duty to worship me how dares thou then require me to worship thee If thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the condition None get any thing of the Devil at a cheap rate For falling down in worship it was the manner of the Eastern People not onely to their Kings but to their God yea it was the manner of the Jews so to worship God Psalm 95.6 Dan. 3.7 Ezra 9.5 Nathan speaking to David about Adonisah's reigning he fell on his face to the ground 1 Kings 1.23 That outward sign of Reverence was not proper to divine worship when it was used out of divine worship We may know when it is done â—ightly or otherwise by the meaning of him that gives it and of him that requires it therefore Grotius out of Sozomen praises a certain Christian who having worshipped the King of Persia in a civil way being after sollicited to fall off from Christ in the same manner to worship the King again he refused Now there being no manner of Worship neither civil nor divine due to Satan Christ abhorred so much as to give him civil Worship Now for the Tentations wherein he tempted Christ they were 1 To Covetousness for the Devil knows how unsatiable the heart of man is after earthly things and to many the Devil need not proffer so largely neither a house-full of Gold as Balaam nor all the Kingdoms of the World for a handfull of Gold nay a far less matter will serve the turn Also the Devil tempts Christ to a false faith thâ—â—â—e may believe him to be the Son of God also to Idolatry that he might worship him as God also to Pride If thou wilt worship me I le make thee the greatest King in the World Now whereas most men among us would spit in their faces that should say they worship the Devil know that when thou art overcome of Covetousness and Pride in the reign thereof thou worships the Devil and on this condition Satan helps many men to glory and riches From Christ his Repulse of Satan learn we to drive him back drive back his Temptations of Unbelief by faith in God and in his providence his Temptation to Presumption by keeping our selves in the fear of God and the duties of our callings his Temptations of Covetousness and Ambition by a weaned affection to the world Not to love the World or the things thereof 1 Joh. 2.16 His Temptation to Idolatry by giving God both inward and outward worship V. 10 Then Jesus said unto him Get thee behinde me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt
hence it was called his own City Faithfull Teachers when they are rejected by one they are received by another Matth. 10.23 37. What then though thy person and Doctrine be contemned by some it will be received by others Some persons fearing God probably drew Christ thither here being come he works Miracles preaches pâ—â—â—â—ull Sermons and calls the People from their Pride and Riot asserting no doubt the doctrine of John for which he was cast into prison yea he preached upon the same text asserting the doctrine of repentance saying Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Christ indeed began his Ministry at Nazareth Luk. 4.16 and preached a gracious sermon to them and some wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth v. 22. but the greatest part being contemptuous of him and being inraged from a close application of his doctrine to their consciences thought to break his neck from v. 23. to v. 31. he went through the midst of them and came to Capernaum where the people were astonished at the powerfulness of his doctrine v. 32. In the borders of Zebulon and Nephtali The Prophet Esaias mentions these places to have been harassed by Tiglath Pileser King of Assyria 2 King 15.29 in the days of King Pekah as Ijon Abel-Bethmaacah which were in these Tribes c. and carried them captives to Assyria by occasion of which calamity Esaias cap. 9.1 2. comforts them that in recompence of their grievous vexation above the rest of their brethren they should have the first and chiefest share of the presence of the Messiah who should preach and work miracles among them and he showes how this should be v. 6 7. Unto us a childe is born and unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders c. And this was that which was fulfilled in this time when Christ came to Capernaum and the adjoyning places making Galilee the place of his preaching and Capernaum the chief seat thereof V. 14 15. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying The land of Zebulon and the land of Nephtali by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias The Evangelist means that prophesie mentioned Esa 9.1 2. which Mr. Mead translates thus According as he the first time debased the land of Zebulon and the land of Nephtali so in the latter time meaning by the incursions of the Assyrians he shall make it or them glorious Meaning by the coming of the Messias who should converse among them referring the former part of the Verse to the last Verse of the eighth Chapter which makes the sence most plain and easie If any ask why the Messias should make these people glorious it follows The way of the sea by Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people that walked in darkness viz. of affliction have seen a great light the meaning is the way of the Sea-coast from Capernaum and through Bethsaida supposed to be the great road from Syria to Egypt By the side of the red Sea or Mediterranean and then by the Mountains of Trachonitis and the Cities of Cedar and Chorâ—zin and the River Jordan and then to Capernâ—um and then by the sea of Galilee near Bethsaida Adrichom p. 115. which is supposed to be meant by the way of the sea even these inhabitants were much enlightned by the doctrine and miracles of Christ according to the prophesie of Esaias By the way of the Sea He means the inhabitants dwelling on the Sea-coasts beyond Jordan were enlightned by Christs ministry It 's said to be beyond Jordan in respect of Jerusalem in respect whereof the Scripture sets down the situation of places Galilee of the Gentiles So called either because part of it was long and even till Solomon's time inhabited by Gentiles or because that Solomon gave to Hiram King of Tyre twenty Cities in the land of Galilee which its like were peopled in a great measure with the King of Tyre's subjects who were Gentiles or because it was the outmost part of the Land and so next unto the Gentiles Because of the adjoyning sea it was inhabited with men of several sorts of nations as Aegyptians Arabians Phenicians as Strabo notes and therefore some think it was called so of old for tion is made of Tidal King of Nations Gen. 14.1 see also Jos 12.23 V. 16. The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up The people which sate in darkness saw great light He means such as lived in darkness and in the shadow of death so expounded Luk. 1.79 Darkness is taken for affliction Ps 112 4. Unto the upright ariseth light in darkness also it 's taken for ignorance and unbelief Acts 26.18 both are here meant whereas formerly the inhabitants of Zebulon and Nephtali had a mixture of Judaism and Gentilism now they come to see the truth of the Gospel And to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up By the region and shadow of death he means a natural estate for by nature all are dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 1.2 Luke 15. ult Col. 2.13 V. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Here was the sum of Christs preaching to invite men to repentance This doctrine was preached by John Baptist his fore-runner and confirmed by Christ See my Treatise of repentance also the notes in Matth. 3.2 V. 18. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers We have from v. 18. to v. 23. 1 Christ calling sundry of his Disciples amplified 1 From the place which was as Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee 2 From the occasion which was their fishing saying I will make you fishers of men v. 19. 2 Their obedience to the call of Christ They immediately left their nets and ship and followed Christ v 20 22. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee There 's a twofold call of Christ 1 To discipleship that they might be instructed in the doctrine of Christ of this the Evangelist speaks Joh. 1. There were sundry besides the twelve thus called 2 To Apostleship thus Christ took out of the number of his Disciples twelve whom he appointed to preach whom he appoints to be fishers of men of this the Evangelist Matthew speaks and it 's supposed there was a year betwixt these two Now Christ called them as he was walking by the sea of Galilee elsewhere called the sea of Tiberias because Herod had built a City there and called it by the name of Tiberius Caesar to ingratiate himself with the Emperor Tiberius Caesar Joseph Antiq. l. 8. Saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother
than he that is in the World Isai 43.1 2 When thou goes through fire and water the Lord will be with thee Rom 8.37 We are more than Conquerours How We are sure of Victory before we fight 1 Cor 10.13 5 There 's a day coming when God will reckon with all Persecutours Psalm 9.12 When he maketh inquisition for Bloud he remembereth them God will inquire who slew Hooper Bradford c. who articled against such and such who brought them before Ecclesiastical Courts High-Commissions Committees Assizes Sessions Psalm 12.5 For the sighing of the Prisoner will I arise 2 Thess 1.6 6 A great deal of good comes to Christians by suffering Persecution 1 Hereby affections come to be loosened from the World and to be fastened upon God Psalm 142.4 5 2 Christians formerly loosened one from another come now to be fastened The Children of one Father that fall out among themselves are soon united against a common Enemy 3 Persecutions tend to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil 1.12 1 By propagation or spreading of the truth Upon Stephen his Persecution many of the Brethren preached the Word of God far and near Acts 11.19 and the hand of the Lord was with them v. 21 to convert many 2 By confirmation of those who are weak in faith Phil 1.12 Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear 3 Hereby the World sees that God hath Worshippers who do not cleave unto him for worldly advantage Whiles for the hope of Israel they are bound with Chains Acts 28.20 and will not accept of Deliverance out of most painfull sufferings in hope of a better Resurrection Heb 11.35 7 Consider the cause for which thou sufferest set down 1 By the goodness of it Acts 5.41 Rejoycing they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Rom 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long Revel 1.9 John was in the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ This cause is more worth than thousands of my Life 2 By the clearness It is not wrapt up in consequences and must have Sophisters to fetch it out but it 's clear Dan 3.16 the three Children said O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this O King as if he should say We desire no clearer cause to lose our Bloud in It 's a comfort in suffering clearly to see our way 3 By the fewness of Witnesses and multitudes of Adversaries 2 Tim 1.15 4.16 when Paul came to witness before Nero all those of Asia forsook him at his first Answer 8 Consider the wofull condition that will befall Persecutours 1 Their strokes and malice falls on Christ Zach 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine Eye Acts 9.6 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 2 They have extreme horrour of conscience Jer 20.2 3 Pashur was a Persecutour he smote Jeremiah and put him in the Stocks and God threatens to make him a terrour to himself and to all his friends Zedekiah who smote Micaiah 2 Kings 22.24 in a day of trouble goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself Herod was tormented with John's death 3 Such persons as persecute have upon them at present an evident token of perdition as you that suffer persecution have of salvation Phil 1.28 4 The people of God every where are imploring God against Persecutors Luke 18.7 Shall not God avenge his own clect that cry unto him daily I tell you he will avenge them and that right speedily Herod might have lived long had it not been that the Church was imploring God against him Acts 12.5 Lam 5.59 60 61 c. 5 Persecutors come to fearfull ends Acts 12.23 Herod was eaten up of worms Jezabel thrown out of a window and eaten up of dogs why She slew the Prophets of God Revel 6.9 10 11. 6 They are branded with infamy to posterity 2 Ti. 4.14 Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil and greatly withstood my words Elimas Acts 13.10 there 's present information given among the godly who persecute 7 All godly men rejoice at the downfall of persecutors the Jews teasted when Haman was hanged When the wicked perish there is shouting Prov. 11.10 Let not this joy be out of personal hatred but because justice is glorified the Church delivered and Satans kingdome weakned 9 Submit to the providence of God in all persecutions and look to it for 1 If the hairs of our heads are noted by God much more our lives Matth. 10.29 30. 2 Persecutours cannot touch the soul Matth. 10.28 3 Our times Eberties estates are not in the hands of persecutors but in Gods hand Psal 31.13 14 15.83.4.5 Revel 2.10 for it is God gives us our cup to drink John 18.11 as mastiff dogs fall upon men when their chain is unloosed so do wicked men upon Saints when God unlooses his cham of providence 4 As in active obedience we labour that what we do may please God so in passive obedience endeavour that what God doth may please us 2 Sam. 15.25 26. Behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth him good Mark 14.36 Take away this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done 1 Sam. 3.17 It is the Lord let him do what seems him good 5 In all persecutions and sufferings commit thy soul to God desire him to take care of that so Christ Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commit my spirit so Stephen Acts 7.59 As in times of extremity we commit our jewels into the hands of trusty friends when houses are on fire and there are combustions men have principal respects to their jewels and gold oh that I could save that The worst persecutors can do is to take away life when the body dies it 's like the setting of the Sun which in short time rises again Therefore in all persecutions commit your soul to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 as into the hands of a father We reade of many deceits in Scripture but we never reade of a father that beguiled his childe We must also commit our bodies and goods to God but we must be at a point with these if God will have them but we must not be so with our souls 6 Beware of indirect means of escaping that persecution which providence casts thee into In particular beware of cowardliness compliancy to great friends and kindred base shisting tricks and distinctions gluedness of heart to earthly things 2 Tim. 4.16 Imitate Antipas who held the faith though sure to die for it Revel 2.13 7 Consider that all second causes are onely instruments in the hand of God The wicked are called Gods sword Psalm 17.13 the staff in their hand is Gods indignation Esai 10.5 6. Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord Esai 42.24 25. 2 Samuel 16.12 2 Use Consolation In sufferings and persecutions you have a kingdome
condemn all forms seeing we read of sundry in Scripture as Psal 102. v. 1 c. Esai 63.15 to the end of cap. 64. ult Numb 6.24 Yet to use a form doth argue thou art a very babe who go by a form because they cannot go alone and to use a form when thou art able to powr out thine own heart more and better then any form can teach thee is to to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing when thou hast a male in thy flock Thou art a very babe till thou art able to express thy wants in conceived prayer what man is there that is sensible of his wants that cannot declare them to man and canst thou not declare them to God Christ hath given us this breviary of prayer as a looking-glass to see our wants Himself never used it nor could he in truth say Forgive us our trespasses seeing himself had none We never read the Apostles used this prayer but onely framed their petitions according to it Acts 1.24 Matth. 26.39 We ought then to look upon this as a pattern without which we might have wandred in our requests often asking things hurtful for us we ought then hence to draw the matter of our prayers This form or patern is usually divided into three pâ—rts 1 A Preface Our Father which art in Heaven 2 Petitions which are six or according to some of the Ancients seven 3 The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. 1 The Preface Our Father which art in Heaven We call him Father 1 To shew that we are not to look upon him as a Tyrant or a Stranger that knows us not or as an hard Master but as a Father 2 To embolden us to come unto him 3 To shew his readiness to do you good Luke 11.13 If evil fathers will do good to their children will not our Father do good to his children 4 To shew that we believe our Election and Adoption 5 Assurance of his readiness and willingness to help us whereas formerly we durst not lift up our eys to Heaven Luke 15.18 Our 1 This word Our teacheth that however we believe for our selves yet Charity teacheth us to pray for others 2 To denote unto us a Communion of Saints how that they are so joyned together as if the want of one were the want of all 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it 3 That we may not disdain the meanest Christian from being our Brother in Christ if God have adopted him for his Ephes 4.5 yet may a Christian in private say My Father Matth 26.39.27.46 4 To keep us from arrogating to our selves above others remembring we are of the company of sons On earth some Saints have more noble fathers than others but to the Father in Heaven all Believers are alike related 5 To encourage the weak that they may believe that God is no less their Father than the Father of Peter Paul c. 6 That we should not onely pray for our own necessities but also for the necessities of others James 5.16 applying in private Prayer that common Fatherhood to our selves And this Father we call upon we may look upon some times personally Ephes 3.14 1 Cor. 8.6 sometimes essentially for Father Son and Spirit so Christ is called the everlasting Father Isai 9.6 7 To teach us mutual sympathy 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it Heb. 13.3 8 To teach us unity and agreement with our Brethren as members of the same body hence before we bring our gift we are to agree with our Brother Matth. 5.24 Which art in Heaven 1 To shew that how ever earthly parents have a good will to help their children yet want power yet our Father being in Heaven and being the God of all might hath power to do for us above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 Psalm 115.3 2 To take away erroneous conceptions of God wherein carnal men are ready to think of him like earthly parents 3 To denote unto us his special presence he hath in Heaven there his power wisdom goodness do most shine forth and from thence are manifested to us Psalm 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God 4 That when we come before him we should come with reverence and lifting up of heart Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens where God is not circumscriptively as the body of man bounded by such a place nor definitively as the Angels but repletively filling all place for the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him 1 Kings 8.27 5 To shew to us that though God be every where Psalm 139.7 8 9. Whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there if in the uttermost parts of the Sea thou art there Amos 9.1 2 3. yet he is said to dwell in the Heavens Psalm 2.4 Hear from Heaven thy dwelling place 1 Kings 8.30 there his majesty and glory most shines forth Psalm 112.5.123.1 yet doth he dwell in humble and holy hearts Isai 57.15 1 Cor. 3.16 As the soul of man which is wholly in the whole and in every part yet is said to be in the head or heart more than elsewhere because there more than elsewhere it exerciseth his power and effects so though God be essentially every where and in all places wholly yet he works not grace and gifts equally in all parts but he works in Heaven more than in Earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his children more than in another in the Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 than in the Saints on Earth and in the humane nature of Christ more than in any creature Hallowed be thy Name This is the first Petition and Christ his meaning is 1 That Gods glory be every where magnified it 's put in the first place because Gods glory must be preferred before all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself Thus must every one do that calls God Father So that if our credit or profit come in competition therewith we are willing to renounce not onely them but every thing else for the Lord. 2 That the Name of God which is God himself be magnified The Name of God is not so many Letters but God himself Holy and reverend is his Name Psalm 111.9 It was the speech of the men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 God is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 The Trinity is said to be holy Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts The Father is holy John 17.11 The Son holy Luke 1.35 Acts 4.27 The Spirit is holy Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God God is not onely holy but holiness in the very abstract Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his holiness that is by himself Saints are holy
1 Peter 2.5 And Angels are called holy Mark 8.38 but there is none holy as the Lord 1 Sam. 2.2 Saints and Angels are holy with a derivative holiness but in God it is essential Holiness in the creature is a quality in God it is his being and nature in the creature it 's finite and in such a measure in God it 's infinite and without measure Being then so infinitely and essentially holy let us sanctifie his Name by 1 Acknowledging him to be the true God Psal 103.1 The gods of the Heathen were impure Lechers 2 By being abased when thou comest into his presence after Jobs eye had seen God he abhorred himself in dust and ashes Job 42.5.6 Peter out of the apprehension of that great vileness in himself and holiness in Christ saith Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord Luke 5.8 3 By extolling and praising this holiness in God Glorious in holiness and fearfull in praises are joyned together Exod. 15.11 Psalm 30.4 Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Without Gods holiness what were his wisdom but subtilty his will but wilfulness his power but oppression his love but dotage his justice but terrour but his Holiness declares the perfection of all his Attributes 4 By removing all causality of sin from God he can no more be a cause of sin than the Sun of darkness Shall not the Judg of all the World do right Gen. 18.25 God may will the being of sin but man the nature of it as in a Chain that breaks none is in fault but that which breaks so in the concurrent causes of sio none is to be faulted but the immediate cause the will of man God withdrawing his restraint which he is not bound to give corruption boils out and the creature sins necessarily but voluntarily He that drives a lame Horse is the cause of his going not of his halting God is the cause of the actions of the sinner for in him we live and move Acts 17.28 but not of the corrupt turning of the will 5 By avoiding all prophanation of his holy name When a man and his father went in to the same maid they prophaned Gods holy name among the heathen Amos 2.7 so the Babylonians seeing the unholy lives of the Jews cryed These are the people of the Lord and so Gods holy name was prophaned Ezek. 36.20 A small impeachment to the name of a Prince stirrs him up to arms and will not the Prince of Princes be jealous for his holy name See Ezek. 36 2â— Ezek. 39.25 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Psal 96.8 6 By imitating God in holiness be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 as a little white is like a great white differing onely in degrees so let our holiness be like Gods Are we not Gods temples wherein his spirit dwells and were not temples severed from common uses Was Belshazzar so punished for abusing a material temple and shalt thou escape if thou prophanes a spiritual temple The lives and families of too many proves that they live the lives of heathens under the name of Christians some cry out as Corah Are not all the Lords people holy Numb 16.3 others think there 's none holy but glorified Saints but there is a people who are called to holiness and who so walk making holiness their Element wherein they live as the birds in the aire and fishes in the water Hereunto were we elected that we should be holy 2 Thess 2.13 we cannot climbe up into heaven to behold our election yet may we read it in our sanctification Without holiness we cannot prove our justification seeing the water and spirit witness with us as well as the blood 1 Joh. 5.8 Ere long heaven and earth will be on fire holiness at that time will be like pure gold which will not be consumed by the fire 2 Pet. 3.11 3 Gods Name is his Attributes which name God proclaimed Exod. 33.19 compared with cap. 34 6. I will proclaim my name before thee and the Lord passed by and proclaimed the Lord merciful gracious c. the name of God is every thing which is truly affirmed of him Thou shalt fear this glorious and fearful name the Lord thy God Deut. 28.58 to derogate from any attribute of God as to tax his justice to limit his power to question his faithfulness to ascribe that to fortune which is due to providence is a prophaning of the name of God 4 Gods Name is his ordinances Mal. 10.14 as the word Psal 138.4 Prayer Act. 9.14 The supper 1 Cor. 11.29 There ought to be a discerning of the Lords body so baptisme Matth. 28.19 Baptizing them into the name of Father Son and Spirit onely God magnifies his word above all his name Psal 138.4 5 Gods Name is taken for the honour of God and credit of Religion Rom. 2. â—4 My Name is blasphemed every day through you that is you Jews who profess my name and live loosly Ezek. 36. â—0 the loose Jews in Babylon prophaned Gods name when the heathens reported These are the people of the Lord Esa 52.5 Hallowed be thy name To hallow is taken 1 for the making of a person or thing that was unholy to become holy 1 Cor. 6.10 thus we cannnot hallow Gods name 2 For the declaration or for an appearing to be holy so God will have his name appear to the whole world that he is an holy God not onely by a reverend speaking of his essence and Attributes avoiding all swearing cursing c. but also by a holy conversation Thus we are to sanctifie God in our hearts 1 Pet. 3.15 and in our lives 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy We by our holiness should show forth the glory of Gods holiness that if there be so much holiness in poor Saints how much is there in God 3 For the publishing of a thing to be holy so we are to publish the name of God to be holy Ps 105.3.111 9. Holy and reverend is his name Psal 30.4 4 For the manifestation of Gods holiness in a way of judgement when sinners will not show forth his holiness in a way of practice so when God destroyed Nadab and Abihu he saith I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me Levit. 10.3 so God was sanctified in the destruction of Zidon Ezek. 28.22 so God will be sanctified of God in the eyes of the heathen Ezek. 38.16 23. Thy kingdome come There 's a twofold kingdome 1 of grace 2 of glory 1 Of grace this kingdom we desire may come 1 By casting down the kingdome of Satan in us 2 Cor. 10.4 2 By setting up Christ to raign in every one of our hearts thus the kingdom of God is said to be within us Luk. 17.21 governing us by his Word and Spirit 3 By stablishing all means towards the building up of this Kingdom as the preaching of the Word which is called the Gospel of the Kingdome 4
say The Lord and the light of his countenance is onely the true good 5 Earthly things cannot make us happy but God can That God can make the soul happy appears Psalm 16.11 In his presence is fulness of joy Psalm 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psalm 30.5 In his favour is life Acts 2.28 Thou wilt make me full of joy with thy countenance Now fulness of joy must needs procure satisfaction Now earthly things cannot make us happy 1 They cannot free us from misery Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 for all he had wealth and honour in abundance yet seeing the hand-writing he was startled his knees smote one against another When the rich mans Barns could not hold his Corn the Devils carried his soul to Hell So the rich man Luke 16. who lived like a Gentleman yet died and went to Hell and for temporal evils there are some evils earthly things cannot turn away as War trouble of conscience suppose they turn away some evils what avails it to have one evil turned away and another as bad lying upon us 2 Earthly things are not proportionable nothing fits the ear but sounds nothing fits the smell but odours nothing is proportionable and fit for the soul save God Hence God to Abraham Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward Men that have the most of earthly things God puts sometimes a secret disproportion betwixt them and their estates that they have no comfort therein 3 They are not everlasting nothing can be called happiness which is not everlasting Now earthly things are like a flock of birds in your backside which on a suddain take wing Pro. 23.4 5. Crowns and scepters are not for ever Prov. 27.24 Riches are not for ever and the crown doth not endure to every generation Adonibezek Belshazzar and many others have lost their kingdoms he that rides the multitude rides a skittish horse that knows not how soon it may fling him The world passeth away and the lusts thereof 1 Joh. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is like a swift flowing river That all earthly things are perishing food Joh. 6.27 appears in Hamans honour Jobs riches and Aegypts pleasures called onely pleasures for a season Heb. 11.25 and such are all your pleasures and delightful acts any of you have had in uncleanness revenge and drunkenness for not onely the world passes away but the lusts thereof 1 John 1.17 2 Reprehension of the inordinate love men have to the world seen 1 In their exceeding joy in the having of them and their exceeding sorrow in the loss of them Laban when he saw the bracelets and ear-rings Eleazar had put on Rebekkahs arme saith he to a stranger he never saw before Come in thou blessed of the Lord Gen. 24.30 31. Job did not thus rejoyce in his goods cap. 31.25 thus to rejoyce is to rejoyce in a thing of nought Amos. 6.13 like Jonas in a gourd We have a command for remisseness of joy herein 1 Cor. 7.30 31. These excessive joys procure excessive sorrows Jobs wife having lost her goods falls to rating her husband for his uprightness and provokes him to curse God 2 In that they can rejoyce to see their children worldly to see them inclined to any other vice they are grieved at it not for this 3 In their eager pursuit of earthly things How eager was Balaam for the rewards of divination for Balaks gold such were those wicked teachers Jude ver 11. who ran greedily after the error of Balaam now what is this wealth men so run after What is gold and silver but white and red earth called thick clay Hab. 2.6 What are Diamonds but the beams of the sun as some think inclosed in a piece of earth What are Margarites but the excrements of shell-fishes What is purple but the blood of a fish of that name called purple What is silk but onely the spinnings and webs of wormes Bern. Balaam had a denial from God to curse the people of God yet the desire of gold so transported him that he would make one essay more to see whether he might curse Israel Numb 22.10 11 12. compared with ver 18 19 20. 4 In their penurious pinching and scraping as the Emper Vespasian who made a gain of urine hence came the proverb sweet is the smell of gain that comes from any thing Some call such men cuminoprestas that is such as will not give a whole cummin seed but divide it in two These persons basely withhold from themselves and families There is a man saith Solomon that wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof Eccles 6.2 How much more do such withhold from good uses The Lord hath need of their asse but they will not let him go Matth. 21.3 The poor want their dues Prov. 3.27 but they are like unfaithful stewards that keep the servants wages in their hands 5 In their multitudes of imployments above the reach of 1 their capacity no man in the world his parts never so large is able to go through that business which some one man of meaner parts hath and retain communion with God how then can he of mean parts retain his communion Every mans soul is like a vessel which being once full is able to hold no more 2 Above the reach of their time as Pharaohs seven lean kine did eat up the fat so their time for worldly imployments eats up the time due for Gods service As he is a lover of pleasures more then a lover of God who suffers pastimes to devour his time for holy duties so he is a worldling who suffers worldly imployments ordinarily and usually to hinder him from religious exercises Such were the old world and the Sodomites Luk. 17.27 28. They did eat and drink they married and were given in marriage they bought they sold they builded they planted Why are not all these things lawful Yes but when mens hearts are swallowed up of these when men follow these with the exclusion of religious duties as they did the preaching of Noah and Lot then they become unlawful and forerunners of great hardness and destruction 3 Above the reach of Christian liberty The utmost of Christian liberty is that we provide for us and ours in reference to an everlasting life having our hearts remiss and loose to earthly things 1 Cor. 7.29 30. 6 In their sollicitous cares for living one saith what shall I do when I am old another saith husband what shall I and my five children do when you are dead what shall I do in a dear year and from hence to be set on work to provide excessively some have but one child or two yet are they as full of carking as if they had twenty nay some have never a child yet are they more scraping and more full of carking cares then many that have a charge 3 Use To diswade us from inordinate love of earthly things Grounds
be damned will be great 2 Outward Privileges as prophesying and doing miracles will not stand us in stead at the Day of Judgment to move the Judg to have mercy upon us O then get something else to stand thee in stead at that Day even Christ his Righteousness where with Paul then desired to be covered Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.3 2 Peter 3.11 3 There are many persons whom Christ knows with a general knowledg whom he never knew nor will know with a special knowledg of love and affection 4 That man that lives in a purpose of sin is in Gods account onely a worker of iniquity 5 That man that lives in any sin and dies therein must look at the Day of Judgment for ever to be severed from the presence of Christ V. 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon the Rock Christ coming to conclude his Sermon tells his Auditory that there are two sorts of professing hearers 1 Bare hearers 2 Doers as well as hearers to the bare formal hearing Christ threatens destruction but to the doer he promises life and salvation This he sets down 1 Plainly v. 24. 2. By way of similitude comparing these two hearers to two builders one of which built upon the Sand and the other built upon a Rock the one when assaulted by temptations fell the other in the midst of greatest storms stood Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine By hearing he means the whole profession of Christianity Rom. 2.13 in general and hearing properly taken in particular Denoting that there may be and are abundance of hearers that are no more but hearers as the stony ground thorny ground and high-way side hearers Seeing themselves in the glass of the Law of God they go away and forget their shape as men do that take a glance of the glass and are gone James 1.23 but good hearers are like some Women that look long in the glass that they may form themselves by it And doth them As if he should say I have hitherto taught you how you may lead your lives holily and have shewed you the way to the Kingdom of Heaven therefore if ye do these things I have taught you ye will be like unto a wise man that built his house upon the Rock or upon a sure foundation knowing that else all his cost and labour will be in vain now the foundation of a Christian is faith and a godly practise 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store a good foundation for time to come Obs Hearing and doing in godly hearers go together Such persons are blessed John 13.17 Luke 11.28 James 1.25 By doing Christ means a purpose of doing Learn we to joyn doing with hearing 1 Hereby we shall be able to stand against all storms and tempests 2 This will be the testimony of the honesty and integrity of our hearts Luke 8.15 The good ground with an honest and good heart having heard the Word kept it and brought forth fruit with patience 3 Such persons are blessed James 1.25 If you know these things blessed are ye if you do them No other knowledg save the knowledg of Christian doctrine though we had all knowledg of Histories Laws will stand in stead nor this neither without practise not the bearing of Christ in the womb nor giving him suck with the breast is comparable to this See Luke 11.27 28. Yet in opposition to carnal men who upon pretence of crying up practise cry down knowledg Christ tells that first there must be a knowledg before a practise And in this practise Christ intends the command of believing on his Son as the first and chiefest command without which we can never appear to comfort in the sight of the Judg. 4 By joyning doing with hearing God is honoured and glorified Matth. 5.16 John 15.8 And by the contrary God is dishonoured See Rom. 2.17 to v. 25. The Jews resting in the knowledg of Gods will and approving things that were excellent and in being guides of the blinde and not practising what they knew they caused the Name of God to be blasphemed v. 24. 1 Tim. 6.1 5 At the Day of Judgment we shall receive not according to what we have known but according to what we have done 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 22.12 Matth. 25.34 Ephes 6.8 Matth. 16.27 6 Our knowledg will onely serve to justifie Gods damning us with the heavier condemnation if we do not practise what we know Luke 12.47 1 Peter 4.17 What shall become of them that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rom. 2.7 8 9. 2 Peter 2.20 21. 7 Our comfort and crown will abound at the Day of Christ according to our care and conscience in the discharge of our duties and our misery if we do the contrary Matth. 25.20 21. Well done good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of the Lord but to the slothfull and unprofitable servant Christ saith Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness v. 26 27 28 30. 8 Practise joyned with hearing wins upon others 1 Pet. 2.12 The Heathens beholding the good works of Christians glorified God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 3.1 The Heathen husbands were won to look after the truth by the conversation of their wives whiles they beheld their chaste conversation coupled with a fear of sinning against God A holy conversation steals into the hearts of them that behold it insensibly to build them up many times to salvation as a scandalous carriage doth into the hearts of others to build them up to damnation 9 An holy practise mightily blunts the rage of Persecutors 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a patern of good works why what then When your lives and speeches are well ordered they that are of the contrary part will be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you 10 All thy hearing knowledge and parts and common gifts will come to nothing and thou wilt be deprived of them unless thou joyn an holy practise to them Matth. 25.29 Take the talent from him From him that hath not to wit a fruitfull practise shall be taken away even that which he hath It is with Religion as with other trades that bring no gain unless diligently followed 11 Thou hast no interest in the mercy of God unless thou remember his Commandements to do them Psal 103.19 Many remember Gods commands to speak of them but few remember them to do them It was wittily spoken of one If God had given us his commandements onely to preserve he might have committed them to iron Coffers if onely to talk of them better to Geese and Parrots if onely for contemplation to Owles in Ivy-bushes or to Monks in Cloisters Gods scope was not to make trial of the wits of men who could sharpliest conceive nor of their memories who
of the Earth Luke 13.28 29. They shall come from East West North and South as this Centurion came from far You are of this people O then come in Shall come That is to me and to the faith of this Centurion being called by the Word of Christ and drawn by the Spirit of Christ even all that are given to Christ shall come and he that comes shall not be rejected John 6.37 compared with 44. And shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Metaphor from a Banquet wherewith we shall be satisfied when Christ shall appear Psalm 16.11 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures Luke 14.15 Blessed are they that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of God See Luke 22.29 30. Revel 19.9 This was signified by the Parable of the Mariage Matth. 22.2 Luke 14.16 The things of grace and glory were like a well furnished Feast or Banquet set before Jews and Gentiles but the Jews cavilled at it and railed against it and persecuted it but the Gentiles that had but a Crum they embraced it so that this Banquet is the glorious things of the Gospel and the Inheritance of Heaven With Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven He names these three 1 Because he styles himself their God Exod. 3.6 2 Because the promise of Canaan a Type of Heaven was made to them 3 For their faith and holy examples these shall as it were sit at the upper end of the Table and the Gentiles shall come to sit down by them for there is one Communion of all Saints There being a common Inheritance it supposes a common Faith So that the sense is as this Centurion and stranger being perswaded of divine power in me hath obtained health for an afflicted body so very many of the Gentiles flying unto me by like perswasion shall obtain grace here and eternal salvation hereafter Besides whereas the Jews think themselves so holy that they will not eat with a stranger many strangers shall eat Bread with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Jews Ancestours whose names they brag of the Jews being shut out But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness The children of the kingdom are they to whom by priviledge of covenant the kingdom was appointed before others unless themselves withstood it 2 Because the word of the kingdom the doctrine of salvation was sent unto them Act. 13.26 Children of the stock of Abraham to you is the word of this salvation sent 3 Though they were not the kingdom to whom the inheritance was promised Matth. 25.34 Yet because they possessed a place in the visible Church they are called the children of the kingdom The Jews could have borne it that the Gentiles should have been planted in with the Jews to be one body but that the Jews should be cast out and the Gentiles taken into an empty place they could not bear this Shall be cast into outer darkness Here 's a commination and punishment against the ungrateful Jews If a King should make a sumptuous feast for his courtiers and they should not onely despise it but rail upon the King and persecute him for it would not the King not onely keep them from his Table but cast them into a most filthy prison so these Jews refusing Christ his banquet they have blindness hardness and extream outward calamities here and hell hereafter Into outer darkness Its called outer to understand this know that formerly people were wont to eat very sparingly in the morning and then to satisfie and chear themselves at supper giving themselves to their business on the day time hence they used to have their feasts at supper Mark 6.21 John 12.2 1 Cor. 11.20 See Clem. Alex. 2. Paedag. 2. Athenaeus de Caenis sapientium See for this 1 Thess 5.7 Matth. 22.2 Luk. 14.16 Rev. 19 9. Now when they had supt they had plenty of light in the house where the feast was but without it was darkness so these that partake not of this glorious supper whereof Christ had before spoken they shall be cast into outer darkness such as believe not on the Son of God shall not partake of this supper with the blessed but be cast out into outer darkness thus he that wanted the wedding garment was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness Matth. 22.13 Such persons when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom themselves shall be cast out Luk. 13.28 the door shall be shut against them Luk. 13.25 The contrary is promised to believers and conquerors Rev. 3.12 Rev. 22.15 Without are dogs wicked men are still said to be without 1 Cor. 5.12 Col. 4.5 These damned souls shall not onely have inner darkness whereby their minds shall be deprived not onely of the light of mysteries vvhich Saints shall have the Tabernacle of heaven being open to them and of the beatifical sight and light of Gods countenance and all inward comfort but also they shall be punished with outward sensible darkness which excludes sensible light 1 Concerning curious questions as 1 Whether in hell there be fire without or whether the fire of hell shine so far that the damned can behold their own and others torments I leave it undetermined 2 Where the place of hell is whether in the centre of the earth which is judged to be from the superficies three thousand five hundred miles if so the so great darkness in the earth must needs cause great darkness in hell Some think its without this visible world and the region of the blessed to which Iâ—ncline So that the damned in hell shall not onely be punished with an obstinate blindness to hate God and holiness and all good because God torments them in hell and to love all evil out of their rage against God and despair of their own salvation but also with sensible darkness Jude 6. They are reserved in everlasting chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day And marke who the persons are who are thus punished they are the children of the kingdom fruitless and carnal professors Let such as have a forme of godliness without the power tremble at this that they shall have the sorest place in hell even outer darkness which is the furthest removed from light whereas they that have a great faith as the Centurion had shall have chief place in heaven and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob. Where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Metaphor from prisoners who partly from the hunger cold and nastiness they endure and partly from the fear of the stroke of death ready to surprise them weep and wail and gnash their teeth or as men in great torments weep and gnash their teeth so shall the damned they shall have the worm of conscience eternally gnawing of them Isa 66.24 Mark 9.44 Moreover men gnash their teeth
never so seen in Israel v. 34. 2 The Pharisees blasphemed saying He casteth out devils through the Prince of the devils A dumb man That is deaf and dumb for they that are deaf from their birth are wont to be dumb for they that cannot hear cannot learn words to express themselves There were many persons would not believe there were any devils as Sadduces and others for the conviction of these when they shall see ignorant men possessed to speak strange languages they never learned as Greek and Latine they may see there are devils This cure amongst the rest hath a Behold put upon it It 's probable that this man was not dumb from his birth but made dumb by the devil because when the devil was cast out the dumb spake Now if you ask why God would suffer the devil to possess men It is to let us see the power that the devil hath in possessed men for look as when he possesses the body he makes one blinde another deaf and dumb and bindes a third that they cannot move themselves as he did that daughter of Abraham Luke 13.16 for eighteen years together so Satan when he reigns in the hearts of natural men he makes them blinde dumb deaf and senseless to all spiritual things V. 33. And when the devil was cast out the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel God hath given us our tongues to sound forth his praises and means whereby we may edifie one another hence those Satan cannot draw to blasphemy railing filthy speaking he lays snares for to make them dumb as it 's like he did this poor man Christ doth not require faith of this possessed man as he did of the blinde men because he was dumb and deaf and being deaf he could neither hear nor answer but Christ upon the intreaty of those who brought him healed him Christ requires of us onely acording to the means he gives Devil was cast out For the manner of the casting out of the devil the Text is silent it 's like Christ commanded the devil to come out of him Multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel Hyperbole for Christ had done greater miracles from which the multitude did not derogate 1 But the scope of the present wonderment was to stir up one another to look on him as the Messiah Wonder was the beginning of Philosophy Propter admirari coeperunt homines Philosophari here wonder was the beginning of salvation 2 To extol Christ above any of the old Prophets as Elias Isaias Jeremy c. none of whom had done so many and so great miracles Christ spent a whole day in doing miracles Christ did not lay staff upon the sick nor cover them with his garment but cured them with his Word V. 34. But the Pharisees said He casteth out devils through the Prince of the devils Look as the Sun Moon and Stars according to the variety of the subject have variety of influences the Sun softens wax hardens clay they beget one thing and corrupt another so the Sermons and Miracles of Christ which stir'd up admiration and reverence in the multitude in the Pharisees stir up opposition and blasphemy One cause brings forth diversity of effect as the Word 2 Cor. 2.15 and also the Supper 1 Cor. 11.29 The Pharisees said He casteth out devils Here was their blasphemy not far from the sin against the holy Ghost if not the very same out of malice to ascribe that to the devil which was done by the finger of God Men that are maliciously affected will calumniate the most glorious works of God yea and speak against Preachers and their Sermons and expositions how godly soever Through the Prince of the devils The Prince of the devils is the same that is called the Prince of this world John 12.31 As there is an order among the good Angels so is there among the devils Eph. 6.12 Thus did the Pharisees blaspheme Matth. 12.24 Luke 11.15 against whom Christ sufficiently disputes That if Satan cast out Satan how can then his Kingdome stand Now this Prince of the devils is the same that elsewhere is called Beelzebub the god of Flies an idol of the Ekronites V. 35. And Jesus went about all the Cities and Villages teaching in the Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and healing every sickness and every disease among the people We have four things considerable to the end of this Chapter 1 The mercifull and charitable affection of Christ in that he went about all the Cities and Villages preaching the Gospel and healing their diseases therein showing mercy to their souls and bodies v. 35. 2 The motive that moved him thereto which was his compassion or his yerning bowels v. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word Compassion is the feeling of another mans passion 3 The object of this compassion it was forlorn souls who were as sheep without a Shepherd For though they had Annas and Caiphas and many others Priests Scribes and Pharisees who boasted themselves to be Pastors yet Christ did not acknowledge them so to be 4 The remedy Christ propounds for relieving these famished souls which was that Christ speaks unto his Disciples and in them to all other Christians who were potent with God to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers Two grounds Christ gives for our so praying 1 The greatness of the harvest multitudes of hearers not yet converted and many converted persons who stand need of building up 2 The fewness of labourers that is of such who were able and willing to work in Gods Vineyard Jesus went about all the Cities Here 's Christ his unweariedness in doing the Lords work It appears they had Synagogues both in Cities and Villages John 18.20 Jesus said I spoke openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing Now Christ went up and down to preach among them Where people have any desire after means of grace some help should be afforded to them Acts 16. When Paul in a Vision saw a man of Macedonia saying Come over and help us Paul gathered that he had a call to go thither Moreover because the Apostles and Christ could not go every where they vvent onely to the Cities and Villages that from thence the Gospel might be scattered up and down in the Country And Villages For even the souls of persons in Villages ought to be precious such was Cenchrea a Village and Haven near to Corinth Many Preachers thrust together in Cities for outward accommodations yea even there vvhere their Ministry is loathed vvhiles many poor breathing souls in the Villages are hunger starved There may be a temptation upon Teachers herein who are heartless in preaching unless they have a numerous auditory to hear vve may desire to preach to many because vvhere there are many in likelihood some vvil be
gained yet not to preach onely to many for vvhere the Gospel comes but now and then people are apt to receive it vvith more relish as in fishing so in preaching in fresh vvaters vvhere the net is cast seldome there is now and then the greatest draught of fish so where the Gospel comes but seldome persons often highly esteem it vvhiles the commonness of Manna begets a loathing of it Besides poor people in Villages have not so much proud arguments against the Gospel as those who live in Cities have Let no man think himself too good to preach in Villages considering the Lord Christ hath gone before herein and considering the vvorth of a soul Christ vvas both a Catechist of and a Preacher to poor Country people Peter and John preached in the Villages of the Samaritans Acts 8.25 Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome So called because the subject matter of it is to hold forth the Kingdome of Grace and Glory 2 Because it holds forth the means thereunto See Matth. 4.23 Mark 4.11 Col. 4.11 Healing every sickness and every disease There 's a distinction betwixt sickness and disease Sickness is any distempered inequality of humours whereby the body is more or less disabled from its proper service Disease is some malady that affects us in one kinde as fever consumption Christ healed all these 1 That persons might see his divine power while no sickness nor disease was too hard for him 2 That having their bodily maladies cured they might seek to him for their souls V. 36. But when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion to them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepherd Moved with compassion Though they had Pharisees and Lawyers yet they studied their own profit not the good of the flock eating the fat and clothing themselves with the wool but did not feed the flock the diseases did they not strengthen nor heal that which was sick nor binde up that which was broken nor bring again that which was driven away Ezek. 34.2 3 4. They put on a pretence of Religion for gain sake and were distracted into miserable parties They profest themselves to be guides of the blinde the light of them that were in darkness the instructors of the foolish Rom. 2.17 18 19. but they were not so for they corrupted the Law and were partial therein making void Gods commands by their traditions Now Christ considering all this was moved with compassion towards these poor people whose condition was sad having none to break the bread of life unto them Their sad condition is seen 1 In what danger is the City when it hath no Seer the body when it hath no eye It 's not enough for children to have a loaf of bread by them but some must divide it unto them 2 Because of natural ignorance Man naturally is like a sheep gone astray Isai 53.6 which brings not it self home unless it be sought Luke 15.4 the Eunuch could not understand without some guide Acts 8.30 3 The flock is in danger to be torn by Wolves Acts 20.29 Use 1. Be exhorted from Christs example to have compassion to the souls of men Grounds hereof 1 The preciousness of the soul more worth then a world because a world cannot redeem it A mans soul is himself Luke 9.26 What should it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose himself If thou losest thy soul thou losest thy self We have 2 hands eys ears if we lose one we have another but we have but one soul lose thy soul thou loseth thy self Our bowels yern to see a boat or ship full of passengers on sinking how much more to see a soul sinking into the pit of hell We weep and sympathize with them who are in bodily affliction Job 30.25 Did not I weep for him who was in affliction And shall we not sympathize with soul-miseries instances of yerning affections to the souls of men Samuel for Saul 1 Sam. 16.1 Jeremy for the King Queen c. Jer. 13.17 Paul spoke of sundry Professors weeping Phil. 3.18 Of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping Christ wept over Jerusalem for their omission of a day of grace Luke 19.41 2 Consider what a loss the loss of one soul is It 's a remediless loss therefore such a love of soul we should have upon us that if any pains or study would save a soul if any cost or travel would do it if denying a mans credit profit ease or pleasure if stooping and laying our hands under the feet of souls would do it if prayers and tears and sweating our selves to death would do it if sacrificing our lives to stinking prisons howling wildernesses and burning flames would do it we should not think any thing too much to the saving of one soul 3 It 's the highest degree of alms We all yern towards perishing bodies let us also to perishing souls yea it 's such an alms as every one can give as Peter and John said Silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee Because they fainted As the bodies of men faint when nourishment is withdrawn so also do souls And were scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepherd As sheep expose themselves to the prey of Wolves and wilde beasts and cannot bring themselves home unless the Shepherd gather them home Psal 119.176 I have gone astray like a sheep seek thy servant so it is with men by nature God must seek them and bring them back yea he must keep them in with his Shepherds crook and defend them Now this poor multitude had not such Shepherds but such as onely sought themselves and not the good of the sheep V. 37. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few V. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest The harvest truly is plenteous By harvest he means multitudes of people who were ready to receive the Gospel Joh. 4.35 The fields are white ready to harvest They were ready to receive the doctrine of salvation and so to be brought into the barne of the Church Christ hereby inflames the minds of the Disciples to go out to preach Herein are two arguments 1 The good success former Prophets and teachers had that their doctrine took root and grew up to a harvest 2 From the easiness of the work it was in a great measure made ready to their hand being come to a harvest As Corn perishes if it have none to gather it so people of good affections if they have none to build them up The labourers are few Obs 1 The office of a preacher is to be a labourer 1 Thess 5.12 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord 1 Tim. 5.1 Hence a minister is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under-rowers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
are these The first Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother James the son of Zebedee and John his brother Names of the twelve Apostles They were twelve that as the twelve Patriarchs were the fathers of the Jews so these were the fathers of all Christians Hence when Judas was dead Matthias was chosen in his place and Christ being about to build his spiritual Kingdome sets forth the Image of the Jewish Commonwealth to denote that the promises of the everlasting Kingdome are fulfilled in him It was also needfull for us to know their names from whose agreeing testimony the Truth was to be received many pretending an Apostleship which proved to be false 2 Cor. 11.13 Rev. 2.2 The first Simon who is called Peter Not in respect of dignity but order for among the Preachers of the Gospel there must be a priority of order though no supremacy of Jurisdiction for Peter disclaims it 1 Pet. 5.4 Not as being Lords over Gods heritage Yet what is this to the primacy of the Roman Bishop for how doth it follow that Peter had a primacy of age and eloquence and therefore had a primacy of authority and how doth it follow more to the Bishop of Rome then to the Bishop of Antioch and Constantinople Peter might be called first because first called to the Office though Andrew was called before him to Disciple-ship his primacy might be also in respect of faith and confession not in respect of honour and degree Also Gal. 2.9 James is set before Peter and at the Council Acts 15. they agreed to James his sentence And Andrew Philip and Nathaniel did acknowledge Christ before Peter John 1.41 45 49. did acknowledge him And though Peter made that confession that Christ was the son of the living God Mat. 16.16 yet did he speak in behalf of all the Apostles See Joh. 6 69 70. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Simon called Peter To distinguish him from Simon the Canaanite Andrew So called from his virility and nobleness in his preaching and suffering for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies manliness or virility James the son of Zebedee Put to death by Herod Acts 12.2 called the son of Zebedee to distinguish him from James the younger son of Alpheus Matth. 10.3 He was elder brother to John hence set before him though John for his grace was most dear to Christ And John his brother James and John called sons of thunder some render the word to signifie gracious and mercifull V. 3. Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the Publican James the son of Alpheus and Lebbeus whose sirname was Thaddeus Philip A Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of horses Bartholomew q.d. The son of Tholmai or Tholomeus So we read of Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus Barjona the son of Jona Thomas Sirnamed Didymus John 20.27 Matthew the Publican So called not because at present he was a Publican but because he had been one The other Evangelists conceal this but he out of humility acknowledges it James the son of Alpheus Called James the less or little so called Mark 15.40 called so in respect of age or stature called the Lords brother Gal. 1.19 because born of Mary the sister of the Virgin Mary as Jerom which was called Mary Cleophas Joh. 19.25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his Mother and his Mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas for it 's thought Alphaeus and Cleophas were all one This James penned the Epistle And Lebbeus whose sirname was Thaddeus Some we read of had two names as John whose sirname was Mark Acts 12.12 25. so this man had three names one of them was Judas for some relate that what name had the four letters of the name of God in their name the Hebrews were wont to change that name And so we may reconcile Luke who calls him Jude and Mark that calls him Thaddaeus This Judas was the brother of James Acts 1.13 V. 4. Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot which also betrayed him Simon the Canaanite Not as if he were a Canaanite for all the Apostles were Jews but because he was of Cana in Galilee For his zeal called Simon the Zelot Luke 6.15 Acts 1.13 And Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him So called quasi Isch Kerioth a man of Carioth of the Tribe of Juda Jos 15.25 Christ chose Judas though he knew he would betray him that he might bring about mans redemption and to comfort us if we should be betrayed of our near friends Concerning these Apostles note 1 They are the foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem Rev. 21.19 compared to twelve several precious stones 2 Christ joyns them together in pairs as Peter and Andrew James and John c. that every one of them might not onely have help from his companion but witness from him and to commend brotherly love as among all Christians in general so among Preachers in special 3 These Apostles were sundry of them Christs kinsmen as James and John and James the son of Alpheus whom he chose not to enrich with temporal things but spiritual blessings and to suffer much hardships in the witness of his name to show that as we should endeavour to gain others to the faith so in particular our kindred and alliance 4 In that Christ calls them by two and two see the benefit of society Eccl. 4.9 10 11. Moses and Aaron conducted the people out of Egypt Joshua and Zerubbabel out of Babylon and the Disciples by two and two are sent to bring persons from darkness to life V. 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not These twelve Jesus sent forth That is these men of mean quality Fishermen to confound the wise Go not into the way of the Gentiles The scope of their office was to stir up the Jews to the hope of their salvation now at hand by Christ and to make them attentive to hear him therefore Christ limits them to Judaea because Christ was sent from the Father as the minister of circumcision to fulfill the promises made unto the Jewish Fathers Rom. 15.8 Therefore Christ at first would have the doctrine of grace preached onely to this people but after his resurrection when the vail was taken away he would have it preached to all nations Matth. 28.19 Act. 1.8 Besides had Christ sent his Disciples to preach to others as well as to them they would have excepted against Christ from being the Messias because the Messias was onely promised unto the Jews and not unto the Gentiles Quest But was it not unjust to deny means of salvation to the Gentiles Answ No for God hath power to do with his own what he pleaseth 2 God is not bound to give means save where he pleaseth gifts are dispensed according to the will of the giver Quest Why did Christ forbid
his disciples to go to the Samaritans and yet he himself would go to them and convert them Joh. 4.40 Answ It might be because they were in the same condition with the rest of the heathen and so the Gospel was not to be given to them at first 2 Or else because Christ himself intended to go thither therefore there was no need for his Disciples to go thither 3 Christ did not wholly forbid his Disciples to go to the Gentiles but onely that the first fruits of their ministry should be given to the Jews Act. 13.46 These Samaritans were neither Jews nor Gentiles but a mixture of Jewish and Gentile Religion together 1 King 17.24.33 V. 6. But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel To the lost sheep of the house of Israel Christ was sent Matth. 15.24 By these lost sheep Christ means the Tribes of Juda Benjamin and Levi who came back out of Captivity to whom sundry of the other Tribes joyned themselves or at least the godly among them he calls them lost sheep because they wanted good pastors and teachers after his resurrection he tells his Disciples that they should be his witnesses in all Judaea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth Act. 1.8 Mean time they as all other preachers ought to do must contain themselves in the bounds of their lawful calling 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the flock of God which is among you Feed the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers Act. 20.28 These Israelites were called sheep Psal 74.1.79.13.80.1 They were called lost because every man by nature is in a lost condition Psal 14.3 4. Matth. 18.10 Sundry of these were reprobates yet called by the name of sheep because they were adopted unto God for a people and were a national Church V. 7. And as ye go preach saying The Kingdom of heaven is at hand Here was the summe of the preaching Christ enjoyned these twelve to wit whereas the Jews expected a carnal and temporal kingdom wherein by the driving out the Romans and all their other enemies the Messias would place them Christ therefore bids his Disciples tell them that though there were a glorious Kingdom promised to the Jews upon earth yet that kingdom being far off there was another kingdom near at hand wherein the Lord Jesus should throw down Satans kingdom and set up his own translating his people thereinto Col. 1.13 and therefore that with a willing mind they should receive this king not onely by his power and providence ruling in the world but also ruling in their hearts every purpose by true and unfained repentance being brought under his government which other tearms express thus Luk. 24.47 That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem Neither did the twelve onely repeat these words but under them is expressed the benefits by Christ the manner of receiving and applying Christ and his benefits the resurrection last judgement heaven hell the burning of the world the denial of our selves both in lusts and enjoyments the future punishment that would betide those who refused the present grace offered But because faith and repentance was the preparation to this kingdom doubtless they insisted hereupon especially Great is the benefit of faithfull preaching which makes the kingdom of God which was far from us to be nigh unto us By this preaching it is that lost sheep are brought home into Christs fold V. 8. Heal the sick cleanse the Lepers raise the dead cast out Devils freely ye have received freely give Christ shows that his disciples should use the power of doing miracles together with their preaching with all freeness and readiness that they should not spare their miracles when there was any need thereof when they were desired thereto or their doctrine stood need of confirmation for hereby they should not onely get authority to their doctrine but good will to their persons and these miracles should supply their want of learning and language There are many whom other adjurers and inchanters and your witches could not cure very many of our men I say Christians have healed and do heal adjuring them by the name of Jesus Christ Crucified under Pontius Pilate disarming and casting out devils from men that have possessed them Just Mart. Apol. 1. p. 35. The power of his name Devils fear and tremble who being adjured by the name of Christ Crucified under Pontius Pilate obey us Just cont Triph p. 191. see the same p. 235. also p. 243. and Justin adds if you adjure devils by the name of your kings prophets or righteous men they will not be cast out Now as when God sent Moses to Israel to bring them out of Egypt he enabled him to do sundry miracles to gain belief to his words and that the people might know he was sent of God so doth Christ give his Disciples the like power for the same end Onely whereas some of Moses miracles were for terror the miracles of the Disciples were profitable and beneficial to those who partook of them Freely ye have received freely give As if he should say The scholers of Physicians get the skill of healing diseases with a great expence of time and study and not without great charge of money but you have received this power in a moment without any cost or labour therefore having received freely give freely You must not make sale of miracles to covetousness or vain glory for he well knew how the heart of some of them to wit Judas hung after money and the seeds of covetousness as well as other sins were in the hearts of the rest So Elisha would take nothing of Naaman for healing his Leprosie 2 King 5.16 and Gehezi taking money herein was smit with the same Leprosie When Magus would have bought this power Peter said Thy money perish with thee Act. 8.20 Reasons why they might take nothing for doing miracles 1 The selling of them perverts the end wherefore they were given which was not to satisfie any mans covetous lust but to confirm the Gospel 2 It s absurd for an Embassadour to make sale of the Princes favour which he is commanded in the Princes name to bestow upon his subjects 3 That whiles such Miracles were done freely the name of God might be more glorified and the Doctrine which they confirmed accepted for men do less esteem those benefits which themselves in some sort can recompense Quest Whether doth this precept Freely you have received freely give belong to one or both these precepts or to the latter onely Heal the sick cleanse the Lepers Answ Some of the learned think it belongs onely to the latter Howbeit to covenant for a Reward for such an act which is directly appointed to the glory of God is say some doubtless contrary to the glory of God hence it had been unlawfull directly or indirectly to compact with any man for any Miracle done for
Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall ly down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain these things being promised at the conversion of the Jews or at the Reign of Christ here on earth they lookt to have them fulfilled at his first coming in the flesh when in stead of this expected peace all was on fire by wars and persecutions now Christ speaks these things to them that they should not be offended when they see all things tend to commotion and violence John 16.4 They shall cast you out of the Synagogues and whosoever kills you will think he doth God good service these things have I spoken unto you that when the time comes you may remember that I have spoken to you Quest What peace is this we must not think Christ to bring Answ 1 A quiet estate free from persecution and the cross 2 Tim. 3.12 John 16.33 In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace If all the world would subscribe to the Gospel it were easie to be a Christian but because the greatest part is opposite to Christ and his Truth therefore we cannot confess Christ but we must be hated and opposed by the world 2 Christ did not bring a peaceable agreement in wickedness Psalm 94.16 Prov. 28.4 There was a peaceable agreement in those who agreed to build the Tower of Babel Gen. 11.4 and in Pilate and Herod in persecuting Christ 3 The peace Christ brings is peace of conscience John 14.27 Ephes 2.17 Rom. 5.1 Christ being the Prince of peace brings peace to the hearts of Saints Isai 9.6 Col. 1.20 Ephes 2.14 and slays the enmity betwixt God and us v. 16. but he brings not peace betwixt the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 Quest What is meant by a Sword Answ War is not meant but Separation and Division as Luke 12.51 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is disagreement in Faith and Religion and from thence opposition and persecution disagreement of understanding draws with it a disagreement of will as an agreement of understanding especially in the things of Faith draws with it an agreement of wills How came the multitude of believers to be of one heart Acts 4.32 Why because they were of one minde Hence 1 Cor. 1.10 that the Corinthians might have no divisions among them and might all speak the same thing he beseeches them that they would be joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment as if he should say unless that be there will be divisions now for such an agreement it must be in very generals or else no two Saints can agree together Besides if there be a defect in unity of opinion it must be supplied by a conjunction in the judgment of charity if this grace be in us though there may some light differences arise yet as boughs of the same tree being severed one from another by windes they soon come together again because they are united in one root so will dissenting Christians united in Christ and in love to one another soon come together again Quest How can Christ be said to bring a Sword or contention among men is not this a sin Answ The proper end of Christs coming or the Gospels coming is not to set men together by the ears for what a blessed Life should we have would every man obey it but by accident so Luke 2 34. Christ is said to be for the fall and rising of many in Israel so he is called a stone of stumbling and rock of offence which is by accident 1 Peter 2.8 2 Christ is said to bring a Sword from the necessitated opposition and separation Saints have to the worlds practises 3 Christ is said to bring a Sword from the slanderous calumnies of the World because they impute that to Christ which their own Lusts are the cause of Now this division arises 1 From the contrary dispositions in wicked men and godly Contraries oppose one another The Gospell calls for Saints to shew humility self denial c. now the principles of the world are contrary 2 Neither side can make abatement of their principles Christ and the Gospel cannot give ground wicked men will not hence arises contention 3 The Gospel of Christ offers violence to Satans Kingdom hence the Devil rages himself and inrages his instruments as the Princes of the world when a Foreign Prince invades their Territories arms his subjects against that Prince so doth Satan stir up instruments against the Saints of God and Preachers of his word Acts 14.1 2 4. Acts 16.19 Acts 17.4 5 6. Acts 19.24 Acts 22.22 Acts 24.5 Acts 28.22 Let the Devil alone he will let you alone Luke 11.20 21. But if once you assail him then look for sore opposition Psalm 2.1 2 3. The nations will rage and the Kings of the earth stand up against the Lord this is the cause why Antichrist makes war with the Saints of the most high Rev. 14.7 8. 4 Saints count the Gospel wisdom the world counts it foolishness if thou art a King or Prince or Teacher of Churches and seriously embracest the word the world will count thee mad and foolish Luth. Tom. 4.140 Use To apply this 1 Think not that to be truth because all are in peace Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophesied falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and the people love to have it so In a Family or City when all went in one way of prophaneness all were in peace but if some of them by Gods grace shall be called home Oh what a storm doth Satan stir up against them Peace is a singular blessing yet better there should be thousands of tumults and seditions then that either Satan should hold the souls of men in peace or that errour and confusion should be throughout the Churches 2 Exhort 1 Wonder not at the factions and divisions in Towns Churches and Families about matters of Religion Christ hath foretold it as Ishmael persecuted Isaac Gal. 4.29 so is it now Christs kindred thought he was mad Mark 3.21 2 Exhort Carry wisely under oppositions made against thee for the truths sake 1 Arm thy self with patience against their revilings so did Christ 1 Pet. 2.21 23. answer their reasons but pass by their railings If we must not rail against the Devil much less against opposers of truth 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 2 Confute their oppositions by the holiness of your lives Many arguments how strong soever will not do the cause of God so much good as one scandalous practice doth it hurt 1 Pet. 2.12 Let your conversation be honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation 3 Do not unbosome your selves to them who are contrary to you in point of religion Many out of
his father because he keeps him in from prophaneness the servant is angry with his master and will not tarry with him because he is too strict how oft doth the husband rise against the wife for this Jobs wife upbraided her husband with the business of his integrity Dost thou yet retain thine integrity Michal scoft at David for his dancing before the Ark 2 Sam. 6. V. 37. He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Here is a consolation against the former evil to wit he that shall leave relations and friends for Christ Christ vvill count such a man vvorthy of him Christ adds these vvords above me least any should think Christ to forbid love of parents Wee may love them but not above Christ if vve doe Christ vvill not think us vvorthy of him that is he vvill not account such in the number of his Disciples The sum is Christ vvould have his Disciples suffer all manner of extremities rather then to be taken off from faith and obedience to him and he that vvill not suffer this is not vvorthy of him that is he is unvvorthy to be called a Christian neither hath he any part in his Kingdom of grace or glory Under father and mother he means all relations whatsoever whether Magistrates Masters Husbands Kinsmen Friends and all the good things we have or hope to have from them as Wealth Honour Lands It might seem very sharp that we must make them who are in the same society with us Enemies Christ therefore tells us that upon no other terms we can be his Disciples therefore we must see the price of being Christs disciples The sum is Christ is to be loved sovereignly and every creature subordinately Luke 14.26 If our love to any creature hinder us from following Christ let us learn to count it dung for Christ Gal. 6.14 Phil 3.8 When a case comes that either God is to be denied or a creature then is a creature to be denied The reverence of Parents is to be cast off if it cannot stand with the reverence of God the will of God being known we must not dispute of laws or prescriptions but we must obey Gods command without any deliberation because neither the Pope parents or Caesar have this title I am the Lord thy God Luth in Gen. 27. Love is an affection whereby the soul is carried out to enjoy something it esteems to be good There are three things in love 1 Affection whereby we are inclined to some known good 2 Desire that we may be united to it 3 Joy whereby we rest in that good thing obtained These three are in every ordinary subordinate good But in the supreme good all the appetites and affections of Saints are carried soveraignly to him and with much joy rest in him If we love not Christ soveraignly we love him onely as a creature neither is it enough to love the Lord Jesus better then many things if there be any thing we love above him or equal with him whatsoever thing we so love we make an Idol See my treatise of the love of Christ To love Christ thus 1 Beware you be not ensnared with the fear of men or any hardships 2 Nor with favours of men V. 38. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me As in the former Verse we were to forgo any thing for God loving him soveraignly so are we required to suffer any thing for him loving him undividedly He that taketh not his cross By cross he means every affliction that lies in the way of duty whether it be an office which cannot be had with a good conscience or the favour of this or that man Many give a lift at the cross but finding it heavy they let it fall down again Others think when they have taken up some one or few crosses they have done enough whereas taking up the cross is a continual duty Hence it 's put in the present tense And Luke saith it 's a duty daily to be done Luk. 9.23 for what week or month is there but if a man will be true to his conscience he shall finde some cross or other lying in his way Christ doth not mean onely crucifying or the death of the cross which every Christian for Christ is called to take up but also Christ means all other crosses This death of crucifying was usual among the Romans invented by cruelty it self if Cicero may be believed among whom the word came to be used for all kinde of disprofit or suffering as the Phrase abi in malam crucem denotes and the Latine word crucior Now these words of taking the cross and taking up the cross mentioned Luk. 9.23 and that of bearing the cross Luk. 14.27 are the words used in the suffering of Christ Matth. 27.32 Mark 15.21 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Joh. 19.17 to show that the manner of calling sufferings by the name of the cross was taken from that suffering upon the cross So that to take up the cross is to have a disposition for all manner of sufferings for Christ whether prisons death or banishment So Paul Acts 20.24.21.13 So Peter though he went in his own strength yet the bent of his heart was right Mark 14.31 Luk. 22.33 Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death Christ calls these sufferings by the ignominious name of the cross that Christians may not expect worldly glory and domination but rather scoffs and mocks and crucifyings Moreover in that Christ saith we must take up the cross it denotes unto us a voluntary obedience that we neither fret at God or man who hath been any ways instrumental in our sufferings this should something quiet our mindes that as Christ adjudges all his Disciples to the cross so doth he us to our crosses and in that Christ saith his cross he means not that we should create crosses for our selves but only take from the hand of God bear upon our shoulders those which the Lord lays on us We are ready to think our own cross heavier then others crosses but if all the crosses of the world were laid on an heap and an equal dividend were made of them I question whether thy share would not come to more Some man can bear poverty but cannot away with infamy or disgrace Others will suffer disgrace but not imprisonment others imprisonment but not corporal punishment but a Christian that is worthy of Christ must take up all Means to take up the Cross 1 Think often of it resolve with thy self thou must not live always in peace but there will a change come when thou must part with thy dearest comforts 1 Pet. 4.12 Think not strange concerning the fiery trial be thinking what the truths of God may cost thee before
recompensed me according to my righteousness Look upon the Kings of Judah from David and so along whose hearts were perfect with God and see how God made their Kingdoms prosper witness Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah c. 6 Sincere souls may be comforted against all disasters whatsoever Art thou being sincere reproached Job being so comforted himself cap. 16.19 Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high Job 23.10 He knoweth the way that is with me so the Margin Joseph doubtless had comfort when his Mistress slandered him 1 Cor. 4.3 4. When sundry at Corinth censured Paul saith he I regard not mans day or mans judgement I know nothing by my self So in time of sickness and death great will the comfort of sincerity be Isai 57.2 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Mark the perfect man the end of that man is peace Ps 37.37 The having the loyns girt about with truth is part of a Christians armor in an evil day Eph. 6.14 Job saith c. 27.5 6. Till I dye I will not let my integrity go from me my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live It will be a matter of comfort in death to write down some of the great actions or turnings of our lives wherein we have acted uprightly Hypocrites in prosperous times are very confident but when an evil time comes their hope is as the giving up of the Ghost but sincere souls when God shall ask them By conscience lovest thou me They can return this answer Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee John 21.15 It was a speech of a godly woman when she came to die that she had nothing to comfort her but poor sincerity her name was Mrs. Juxon Quest But what is this sincerity which is so comfortable and whereunto you so exhort us Answ It is to do what we do unto God having a bent of heart to all Gods commandements with an earnest desire to avoid the contrary out of conscience to God and from faith and love 1 Kings 9.4 If thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked in integrity of heart and uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee 1 See uprightness and integrity consists in having a bent to do all God commands The contrary is unsoundness See Matth. 19.21 22. Col. 4.12 Perfect and compleat in all the will of God q. d. where there is one the other will be 2 It must be done unto God or out of conscience to God Isai 38.3 Noah was perfect in his generations how doth that appear Why Noah walked with God Gen. 6.9 that is in his actings he made himself present with God and God present with him else to part with any thing as with life and goods to give the body to be burned and all a mans goods to the poor and so consequently to do any command for these two are the hardest commands would not argue sincerity unless what we do be done out of conscience to God 3 It must be from faith and love 3 Use Trial. Try thy sincerity 1 At whose eye do you look in all your services Psalm 16.8 I have set the Lord ever before me Hypocrites in some particular actions may set God before them as Abimelech Gen. 20.6 Those that kill'd the Apostles thought they did God service in it John 16.2 The Jews in opposing Christs righteousness had the zeal of God in it that is they lookt at God in it Rom. 10.2 But sincere persons have a desire to and purpose for to set God ever before them yea if any by-ends come in they are troubled at it 2 From whom do you expect a reward hence a conscientious Preacher preacheth with all his strength though people be not gathered Esa 49.4 5. Hence that Servants may be sincere they are bid to expect their reward from God Col. 3.23 24. Why for ye serve the Lord Christ Hence a Christian doth good to unthankfull yea to enemies Psalm 35.12 13. Luke 6.35 36. Hence a sincere soul doth duty when it hath no reward with men nay contrarily shame and blame 3 The doing good and avoiding evil in secret They do good in secret Job 31.18 19. Esa 38.3 Hypocrites will do good where there are many eyes to behold them Matth 6.2 Matth. 23.5 but very seldom do they any good in secret but sincere souls do good in secret Their alms prayer and fasting they strive that it may be in secret Matth. 6.1 c. So on the other side they avoid evil in secret Joseph durst not come near his Mistress though none but he and she were in the house Job durst not lift up his hand against the fatherless though he saw his help in the gate Job 31.21 He eschews hellish thoughts and groans under them crying Cleanse me Lord from secret sins then shall I be upright Psalm 19.12 13. Contrarily hypocrites and wicked men will venture to do evil in secret all their care is to cover it from the eye of man Hence they stick not to plot mischief in secret Psalm 64.2 4. They will slander in secret Deut. 27.24 Moses calls it a smiting their neghbour secretly They do secretly accept persons Job 13.10 In a word it s a shame to speak of the things that are done of them in secret Eph. 5.12 Yet may they refrain from open and scandalous sins and live and dye without any such though usually God leaves them to fall into some open sin that so their name may rot Prov. 10.7 4 The singling out God from all other objects that come what will come they will not leave the Lord. Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing save in the cross of Christ Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ He means both active and passive love which the Lord hath to us and we to the Lord. Hypocrites on the other side are double minded their hearts are divided betwixt God and some lust James 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes Sometimes they are for God sometimes for the world hence where any soul sincerely turns to God he purifies himself from double mindedness James 4.8 9. 5 Sensibleness of and groaning under inward distempers Rom. 7.15 23. Troubled under hardness of heart Isa 63.17 Unbelief Mark 9.23 Privy pride 2 Cor. 12.7 8. From a principle of tenderness of conscience they have received and a blessed light God hath set up in their hearts they are sensible of such evils as the world counts nothing yea they are more troubled for these then wicked men are for grosse evils they complain of themselves for not striving with God to keep off his judgements for their close hypocrysie heaviness in the service of God dulness Isa 64.7 There 's none that stirs up himself to take hold of thee A sincere soul though he do duties outwardly plausible yet is he not contented
them Matth. 10.33 they know else we cannot be Christ his Disciples Luke 14.26 33. Till such times as we have a purpose of heart and an habitual intention to leave all that we have for Christ and to suffer whatsoever the rage of men shall inflict upon us we are not sincere with God Matth. 19.17 Luke 14.27 12 Whom dost thou make thy end A sincere man makes God his end Rom. 14.7 8. None of us that is of us sincere Christians that lives unto himself but whether we live we live unto the Lord he doth all to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves There 's a twofold end 1 Absolute and ultimate 2 Subordinate and conditional Hypocrites make God their subordinate and conditional end Isai 66.5 Your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified They lookt at Gods glory in casting out his Saints So Jehu he had a zeal for the Lord of hosts 2 Kings 10.16 but the Lord was not his last end but his last end was to get a Kingdom to which all other ends were subservient Contrarily a sincere man makes God his last end as he studies prays preaches labours but why surely in order to God and his glory God is the end of his ends his last end whereto all his subordinate ends refer that is an absolute end which if all other ends were laid aside moves a man to do a thing The end a godly man aims at is to be acquainted with his duty and to discharge it in faithfulness all his projects and endeavours are running heaven-ward Slothfulness carelesness and remisness in the things of God and vehemence eagerness and intentness in our own affairs argues that the World is our absolute and last end and that God is onely the subordinate and inferiour end 3 Caution If the principal thing that Christ looks at in the actions of Christians be the sincerity of their actings then let us take heed of hypocrisie in all our services This is twofold 1 Gross hypocrisie which is when a man knows he dissembles with God or man Absalom pretended a vow at Hebron but intended the Murder of Amnon Such was Jezebel in her pretended Fast for Naboth and the Elders of Jezreel Jezebel knew that she proclaimed the Fast onely to get Naboths Vineyard and the Elders did it for fear they should provoke Jezebel Such was Judas in his pretending the poor when he would have had the Ointment sold John 12.6 and in his saying Hail Master and kissing Christ So the Scribes and Pharisees in their praying in the corners of the streets so the Pharisees Mat. 23.15 in their making long prayers and devouring Widows houses they were like whited Sepulchres appearing outwardly beautifull but within full of hypocrisie and iniquity v. 27 28. these are like those who at Stage Plays wear a Vizard they have Eliahs Mantle but not his Spirit They know they dissemble with God and the World and if they had the ends they aim at then farewell God and Religion These persons who for length of time go on thus are seldom converted 2 Close hypocrisie which is when a man thinks his actions are good and words and actions sincere mean time the rot tenness of his heart is known to God Prov. 16.2 Prov. 30.12 There is a generation pure in their own eys and yet is not washed from their filthiness Such was Cain Gen. 4.3 the Pharisee Luke 18.12 Paul in his Judaism Phil. 3.6 the Jews that went about to stablish their own righteousness yea many Papists and formal Protestants and Professors The mischief of this close hypocrisie is that it makes way for gross hypocrisie as in Saul who first formalized Gods worship after grosly dissembled Judas first clave to Christ for gain after betrayed him with a kiss Such close hypocrites were the Laodiceans Rev. 3.17 Concerning this I shall lay down four things 1 What it is 2 Cautions 3 What signes of it 4 What remedies against it 1 What it is There are many descriptions given of it some thus It 's when a man will do something in Gods worship but will not do it thorowly for example a man is not willing to let the duty go altogether for then were he prophane nor will perform it zealously for then were he holy but when he goes betwixt both does something but will not do it thorowly Others thus Hypocrisie is when a man doth works like unto good works but are not either because not commanded of God or because not done as he commands being done without faith and love for to deceive others for praise or profit sake Polanus l. 8. c. 10. p. 643. Others It 's a corruption of the will Wheatly Gods Husb. p. 14. whereby it inclines it self to seem good by doing some good and leaving some evil for ones own sake For the word Hypocrite some derive it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies under and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies judgement because an Hypocite hides his judgement whiles his outward man goes one way his minde another his tongue speaks one thing his heart another Budaeus derives it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from counterfeiting so it signifies one that takes on him the person of another as Players do who on the stage appear sometimes as Beggars sometimes as Kings Translators and Interpreters fearing the name Stage-players would not be acceptable to godly ears retained the Greek word Hypocrite Mat. 6.5 When ye give alms pray be not like these Stage-players At the second hand it signifies all others which carry themselves with other faces then their own as Stage players do feigning honesty and godliness in shew when they are indeed wicked Herod is an image of the great men of the world who seem to favour the word but privily laugh at it and destroy it yet so that they would not seem to have destroyed it yea they praise John and love Christ Luth. Tom. 4.345 Hypocrisie is an outward shew of goodness not in the soul What Hypocrisie is which a person knowingly or overweeningly takes upon himself for some base and sinister end that he may seem good to others or to himself mean time harbouring some darling sin that he will not forsake and shunning some duty he will not close with 1 This takes in both gross and close hypocrisie gross hypocrisie whiles a man shall make 1 an outward shew of goodness not in the soul as Jehu 2 King 10.16 Come see my zeal for God his zeal was primarily to secure a Kingdome at the second hand or by accident for God 2 When a person shall knowingly take up such a profession contrary to what he knows is in his intent as Ishmael Jer. 41.6 Judas 3 To do this for base and sinister ends as the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23.29 they builded Prophets tombs to cover malice 4 He harbours some
laid down in the Old Testament which was not either ceremonial or proper to the Jewish Common-wealth onely and peculiar to their Church-state onely or hath not been nullified by some Commandment of the New Testament is and ought to be of perpetual observation by all Christians as being holy just and good and I must say as Justin to Tripho I am altogether perswaded there is no Scripture diverse from another I will rather confess I understand not the things that are spoken Page 225. For to diminish any thing from Gods Word is far from me onely I have endeavoured to reconcile where any thing seems contrary in the New Testament to the Old One Title of the Word is greater than Heaven and Earth said Luther Among all the gifts of God this is one of the largest he that takes away this doth as it were take away the Sun out of the World for take away the Word what is the World but a Hell notwithstanding all the glorious things in it Howbeit I shall not forbear to write what Justin Martyr who when he writ his second Epistle to the Emperor Antoninus he saith it was then 150 years from the birth of Christ from which taking the 33 years of Christ his being on earth and the years of the life of Justin he was within much less then an 100 years after Christ his ascension yet see how he disputes against Tripho p. 175 Apol. 2. p. 65. 176. Justin have you nothing against us but that we are not circumcised nor keep your Sabbaths and holy days nor live according to the prescript of the law Tripho we wonder at you that boast of true Religion and would excell other men when your life differs nothing from them as that ye keep neither holy days nor Sabbaths neither have circumcision moreover you place your hope in a crucified man hast thou not read that the soul that is not circumcised shall be destroyed you slighting this Covenant and Testament you have no respect of the following commands and ye go to perswade your selves that you know God doing nothing of those things which those that fear God do Justin we worship no other God but him that made heaven and earth and hope not in any other God but in him in whom you hope but we hope not by Moses nor by the law for then should we do as you but now I have read O Tripho that there hath been a latter law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a Testament most soveraign of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Testament I say it behoves all mortal men to keep whosoever aspire to inherit the kingdom of God for the law which was proclaimed in Horeb is now old and is onely yours but this is common to all seeing that a law brought against a law the latter abolishes the ancienter and the latter Testament derogates from the former Christ the everlasting and final law is given to us and a faithful Testament after which Testament there will not be further law precept nor any command These and much more Justin saith I cite this to abate the heat of some who are too much inclining to Jewish observations for my self I judge as before the old Testament to be in force the former restrictions and limitations by me laid down being observed and so doth Justin pag. 190. Dost thou acknowledge these things O Tripho they are laid up in your writings yea rather in ours then in yours for we believe them and obey them but ye whiles ye read them do not attain the mind and sense of them cont Triph. and we confess those Commandements are sweeter then hony and the hony comb as appears by that that we do not deny his name unto death Ibid. see the same more fully pag. 202. ibid. V. 20. For I say unto you except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Christ retorts the accusation of the Scribes and Pharisees that they opposed and depraved the law not in the least Commandements but in the greatest which Christ sets down generally in this verse specially in the following verses in this verse because they teach such a righteousness as excludes out of heaven for they did not onely teach a righteousness of works but obliged their hearers onely to outward duties so that if they did not kill a man or lye with another mans wife nor take away with their hands another mans goods they were just in those commands respectively Except your righteousness exceed That is except your righteousness overcome that obedience which they require The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees He names these sects because they had gotten an opinion of holiness above other sects as the Herodians and Esseans from which holiness they were far enough but if you ask what this righteousness was we may see from Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel 1 Phil. 3.6 which consisted 1 In an outward unblameableness and in opposing such sins as hindred civil society Now whereas the law forbad heart sins as well as outward offences the Pharisees interpreted sin rather according to to the mind of their counsel then to the mind of Gods law and for these inward sins they were done away by their daily sacrifice And therefore Tripho disputing against Justin saith The commandements of the Gospel seem to be so great and wonderful that they cannot be performed of any man to wit the commands of inward innocency And therefore Josephus censures Polybius for ascribing the death of Antiochus to an intentional sacriledge though not committed For the Pharisees outward righteousness see Matth. 23.25 26. 2 In civill righteousness and just dealing with men otherwise they could never have gained that opinion of sanctity 3 In partial righteousness for doubtless they observed some of Gods commands with much seeming devotion as in paying tithe of Mint Annise and Cummin Matth. 23.23 mean time they omitted judgement mercy and faith Hence 1 See the folly of men Carnal professors who content themselves with either 1 Civility in dealing justly with men as the Pharisee Luke 18.12 Or 2 With formality because they pray read fast give almes yet all these things did the Pharisees External righteousness is that most look after never looking to the evils of their hearts as malice pride c. neither to suppress them nor to be humbled for them 2 See how far many are from heaven who have not so much as these Pharisees had not so much as an external righteousness open swearers drunkards scoffers at goodness 3 See that if you come to heaven you must get a righteousness exceeding all pharisaicall righteousness this is had onely by Christ who being made over unto us for righteousness by faith Gal. 2.16 Phil. 3.9 is made over also for sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 working in us uprightness which is called by the name of righteousness Job 27.5 6. Psal 32. ult If
you ask how the righteousness of one can save so many I answer even as the sin of the first Adam could condemn many Ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven That is into the state of glory because the kingdom of heaven is joyned with the word enter See Matth. 18.3 Matth. 19.23 Joh. 3.5 Acts 14.22 2 Entering into the kingdome of heaven is opposed to hell fire Mark 9.47 48. This name of the kingdome of heaven was never mentioned in the old Testament but onely wrapt up in certain signes shadowes and types And therefore this not entring into the kingdome of heaven is not meant of a Church consisting of Pastor of People as if such persons that practised external or partial righteousness were unworthy to be teachers in the Church but Christ speaks to all his disciples that they look that they have a righteousness both of doctrine and life exceeding Scribes and Pharisees Now Christ doth not show what this more abundant righteousness is because his scope was not here to teach what this righteousness is but onely to convince the Pharisees who were teachers of a false righteousness V. 21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement Christ proves in speciall to the end of the Chapter that the Pharisees were falsifyers of the law and so retorts the accusation that was by the Pharisees cast upon him upon themselves because either they depraved the words of the law as concerning murder divorce and swearing c. or else coldly expounded it of the letter never looking to the obedience of the heart Ye have heard that it was said by them of old These words are refer'd to the time of Moses 1 Because the word old hath respect unto a long continued oldness Luk. 9.8 19. Act. 15.21 2 Pet. 2.5 Revel 12.9 2 Because the words that Christ recites and mentions are the same that are found in the Law sometimes without addition of any Interpretation as v. 27 31 33 38. So that Christ speaks not onely to them that had spoken to him but to the Disciples and to the multitude and to the imperfections of the Mosaical Law This Covenant of the new Testament much excels that Covenant given on Mount Sinai Gal. 4.24 Heb. 8.6 Christ was the mediator of a better Covenant which was stablished upon better promises But indeed both these interpretations are to be taken for Christ doth oppose himself to the Law of Moses as to the Scribes and supplies the imperfections and defects of them both for the Law of Moses was imperfect and therefore Christ perfected it by the Law of the Gospel Thou shalt not kill Many thought that by this Law onely murther was forbid but Christ teacheth that wrath strokes reproaches and murtherous words the fore-going of murther was forbid And whosoever killeth shall be in danger of judgement That is shall be put to death by the Civil Magistrate Exod. 21.12 14. Levit. 2.17 Numb 34.16 17 18 19.30.33 this was to be done lest the land should be defiled with bloud for though now judgement of life and death was executed by the Romans yet was their manner of judgement known to all and fresh in every mans memory Josephus saith there were seven of these Judges to which there were fourteen Assessors who were mostly of the Levites to these there were one or two supernumeraries which make up three and twenty which the Hebrews generally say was the number Now to speak a little concerning this command of killing there was a two-fold killing 1 Casual when a man meant no harm yet accidentally kil'd a man as by throwing a tyle from an house or an axes head flyes off and kills a man as he was hewing wood in this case the thing being done ignorantly there was a City of refuge Exod. 21.13 Deut. 19.5 6. Numb 35. Such a man was to remain in the City of refuge till the High Priests death and if the avenger of blood took him without that City he might kill him 2 Voluntary when persons have murtherous intentions either by sword pistol club or poyson to take away any mans life so those that hinder conception or procure abortion by potions ignorant Physicians so those who shall desire the death of their parents or friends to have their estate or the death of their husbands or wives or children because they are straitned to maintain them or out of a desire to enlarge their condition so those that shall not feed the poor in some cases when they are in danger of perishing This command is a hedge for the preservation of the life of man 1 This murther is either of the heart as wrath envy hatred c. 2 Of the tongue as to wish evil to our neighbour as to wish him dead or to give him provoking speeches 3 Of the hand This is so much more hainous by how much the person is more near related to us in consanguinity By the Cornelian Law among the Romans such were sowen in a sack and cast into the sea as being unworthy to partake of any of the Elements Nor is the inventor onely but also the shedder of blood guilty Not onely David who contrived Uriahs death but also Joab who was the shedder So not onely Ahab and Jezabel were guilty of Naboths death but also the Judges and Elders of Jezreel and the sons of Belial who witnessed against him were all murtherers 1 Kings 21.8 to verse â—5 Now that murther escapes not without punishment we see not onely in Abimelech who slaying Gideons sons had his brains beat out with a piece of a Milstone Judg. 9. But also in Zachariah the son of Jehojada whose blood was shed by Joas and by his Nobles in which same year came the Syrians with a small Army and slew all the Princes 2 Chron. 24.23 24. and the Servants of the King conspired against him and slew him v. 25. Joab that murdered Abner was put to death by Solomon and Absalom that murdered Amnon was himself slain by Joab Yea the intentional Murder of Haman was punished with the actual destruction of himself and his sons Yea the Jews that murdered Christ his Bloud is yet on them and on their children The old World before the Floud much guilty of Murder as appears Matth. 23 35. in the end the Floud sweeps them away If it be askt whether the Revenger of Bloud may transact with the Murderer for satisfaction I answer He may not Deut. 19.12 If it be asked whether Intercession may be made for a Man-slayer Answ Yes for casual Man-slaughter but not for voluntary Murder If it be askt whether the Magistrate may put any Malefactour to death Ans Yes Gen. 9.6 He that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed which was a Law of Nature before the Jewish Laws As when the Chirurgion cannot provide for the safety of the whole body without