minde meekenesse c. and Ephes. 2. 10. Ye are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Now this is a most excellent thing for a man to bee answerable to his calling When Dauid was a shepheard hee kept his fathers sheepe and liued as a shepheard but when he was called to be a King hee behaued himselfe like a King in gouerning Gods people and so euery Christian ought to doe beeing a newe creature he must walke as Gods childe and testifie his vocation by shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called him 1. Pet. 2. 9. Fourthly good workes serue to be a way in which we are to walke that so wee may receiue the mercies of God promised to his children and escape the Iudgements threatened against sinners for Gods word is full of most sweet promises vnto the obedient and of terrible threatning against rebellion and iniquitie Now a man by walking in good workes eschewes the paths of wickednesse wherein Gods iudgements light and holdes the waies of righteousnesse wherein Gods blessings are scattered Prou. 3. 17. Thirdly the ende of good workes in regard of our brethren is principally this that by our example in well doing wee may winne some vnto God and keepe others in the obedience of the truth and preuent offences whereby many are drawne backe The contagion of a badde example especially in men of superiour place is such that it wil not only cast their owne soules to hell but also draw many with them When Ieroboam the King sinned hee caused Israel to sinne 1. Kings 15. 34. And therefore wee must carefully looke to all our waies in regard of others and so liue according to Christs commandement in this place that others seeing our good workes may bee wonne to the truth and so glorifie God which is in heauen And thus wee see the endes of good workes Now considering good works be of such excellent vse we are hereby admonished to exercise our selues therein with all diligence for hereby we benefit our brethren wee helpe our selues and we glorifie God neither must any mans pouertie hinder him from this dutie for not onely almes deedes and large gifts to Churches and high waies are good workes but also the speciall duties of euery mans lawfull calling done in faith to the glorie of God and the good of men bee the calling neuer so base by the doing whereof in faith and obedience he may get sure testimonie of his election This exhortation is most needfull for so soone as men haue occasion to commit any sinne then they shake off the yoake of all obedience as there were no way of good workes to be walked in The Papists indeed make the merit of iustification and life euerlasting the ende of good workes but that hath bin sufficiently confuted heretofore Hitherto wee haue spoken of the first point in this conclusion touching the manner of teaching The second point herein contained is the end of all teaching namely to turne men vnto God and thereby to bring them to glorifie God That men may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen that is so teach that men may see your good workes and be wonne thereby to the faith so glorifie God Our Sauiour Christ his Commission giuen to his Disciples before his ascension bids them God make all nations my Disciples and Paul saith that hee became all things to all men that by all meanes hee might not onely instruct but saue some Hereby then all Ministers and all those that set themselues apart for this calling must learne to propound this vnto themselues as the maine ende of all their studies and labours namely to turne men vnto God that beeing conuerted they may glorifie God Againe the same ende of the Ministerie admonisheth all hearers so to yeelde themselues obedient to the Ministerie of the word that it may take place in their hearts to turne them vnto God that after their conuersion they may glorifie God This the people ought the ra 〈…〉 to yeeld vnto because it is the maine comfort that the Minister hath of all his labours to see his hearers conuerted and so inabled to glorifie God And to mooue them hereunto they are further to knowe that if they heare and be not thereby conuerted that so they may praise and glorifie God by their obedience then this Ministerie will bee a Bill of Inditement against them for their deeper condemnation at the last daie See Matthew 11. 21. 24. Verse 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them In this verse and the rest which follow to the ende of this Chapter is contained the Third part of Christs Sermon wherein hee goes about to restore the Morall law to his true sense and meaning which was much corrupted by the Iewish teachers And to the ende the same might bee the better accepted hee makes way thereto by a notable Preface verse 17 18 19 20. Wherein hee seekes as well to preuent and to remooue the false opinion which the Iewes had conceiued of him in respect of the Law as also to procure all reuerence and loyaltie to bee shewed therevnto For the Iewish teachers seeing our Sauiour Christ condemne and neglect the traditions of the Elders and not so much to respect the ceremonies of the Law as they thought hee should did thereupon iudge him to bee a deceiuer and one that went about to ouerturne the whole law of Moses This opinion Christ confuteth by three arguments First from the ende of his comming in this verse The second from the nature of the law in the 18. verse whereupon he infers two notable conclusions to procure reuerence thereunto verse 19. And thirdly from the scope of his Ministerie verse 20. For the first The Exposition Thinke not that I am come c. This comming of Christ must bee vnderstood of the manifestation of the godhead in our nature for otherwise his godhead being euery where cannot be said to come properly and as for his manhood it had not beene in heauen To destroy the Law The Law in generall is that part of Gods word which commaunds things iust honest and godly and beeing thus conceiued it is threefold Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall The Ceremoniall law is that part of Gods word which prescribed to the Iewes ceremonies rites and orders to be performed in the worshippe of God this law is laid downe in the bookes of Moses especially in Leuiticus The Iudiciall law is that part of Gods word which prescribed ordinances for the gouernment of the Iewes common wealth and the ciuill punishment of offendours The Ceremoniall lawe concerned the Iewes onely the Iudiciall lawe did indeede principally concerne them but yet so farre forth as it tendeth to the establishing of the Morall law hauing in it common
vndoubtedly is our miserable and wofull case in our selues And there is no way to escape this curse but onely this we must humble our selues before God and confesse against our selues the murther of our hearts declared in our gesture speech and behauiour then we must labour to be grieued for these sinnes for which ende we must applie vnto our selues Gods fearefull iudgements due vnto vs for them Thirdly we must earnestly sue vnto God for mercie and pardon as for life and death like as poore prisoners doe when the sentence of death is to be pronounced against them yea we must crie with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed and giue the Lord no rest till he send into our consciences the comfortable message of mercie and pardon by his good spirit This done we must labour in our callings for the time to come to procure and further the welfare and safetie of our brethren as well as our owne we must not seeke our selues but the common good eschewing those things that may grieue our brethren and doing those that may be good and comfortable vnto them that so by new obedience we may shew forth thankefulnes for Gods mercie and fauour towards vs. Hitherto we haue hādled the three degrees of murther which Christ condemneth by this law beyond the doctrine of the Iewish teachers Besides these there is a fourth degree here condemned which is actuall killing This Christ doth not here name because he taketh it for graunted euen by the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisies Now because it is the main sinne of this cōmandement therfore here it is to be handled which we wil doe thus first we wil shew when killing is murther and when it is not and then handle the kinds thereof For the first Killing is not alwaies murther for sometime a man hath power giuen of God to kill and it is no sinne now God giues a man power to kill three waies I. by the written word thus Princes and Gouerners and vnder them executioners are allowed to kill malefactours that deserue death and thus souldiers are warranted to kill their enemies in a lawfull warre II. by an extraordinarie Commandement and so Abraham might lawfully haue killed his sonne if the Angel of the Lord had not staied his hand III. by an extraordinarie instinct which is answerable to a speciall commandement and so Phinees slue Zimri and Cosbie without guilt of murther But killing is murther when men of their own wills without warrant from God slay others and this sinne is plainely and directly forbidden in this commandement II. Point The kindes of killing be two either voluntarie or casuall Uoluntarie killing is when a man killeth of purpose and intent and this sinne is so hainous that it defileth the land where the blood is shedde till it be purged by the blood of him that shedde it And this purpose to kill is twofold either with deliberation and fore-desire of reuenge as when a man hath caried a grudge in his heart long before or without deliberation when a man without all former malice is suddenly caried by furie and anger to slay his brother and this second kinde of killing is distinguished from that which is vpon deliberation by the name of manslaughter and also fauoured by the lawes of some Countries because it is not done of set purpose but through sudden anger before the blood be cold but Gods law maketh both of them murther and admitteth no recompense for the life of the murtherer nay beside it adiudgeth the murtherer to eternall death both in soule and bodie To this voluntarie murther we must referre those that giue commandement counsell or helpe vnto the murtherer for he that commandeth is the principall Agent and the murtherer is his instrument Againe it is voluntarie murther to strike an other though with purpose onely to wound if death follow thereon And that also which is committed by a drunken man for his will is free though sense and reason be blinded Casuall killing commonly called chance medlie is when a man killeth an other hauing no purpose to doe him hurt The presumptions of casuall killing be these First if a man kill an other hauing no ill will or anger towardes him nor to any other for his sake neither is mooued thereto by couetousnes or any affection Secondly if he be doing the lawfull duties of his particular calling Thirdly if he be well occupied doing some lawfull worke beside his calling And lastly if he be doing a thing which he ordinarily practiseth keeping his vsuall place and time And albeit this kind of killing if it be meerely casuall is no sinne yet the partie committing it in old time was bound to come to his answer thereby to purge and cleare himselfe from suspition of murther as also to auoide the hatred and daunger of the friends of the partie killed and lastly to keepe and maintaine the hatred of murther among Gods people Now this sixt commandement is not to be vnderstood of casuall but of voluntarie killing And this also must be obserued that Christ giueth the name of murther to all the occasions thereof that he might breede in our hearts an hatred of them all as of murther it selfe verse 23. If thou then bring thy gift to the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leaue there thy gift before the Altar goe thy waies first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Here Christ propounds a Rule of concord by seeking reconciliation with them whome we haue wronged and it depends vpon the former verse as a consequent and conclusion drawne therefrom as may appeare by the first wordes If then or therefore as if he had said If rash anger and the testification thereof either in gesture or reuiling speech be murther and deserue condemnation then we are with all diligence to seeke to be reconciled to our brethren whensoeuer any breach of loue is made betweene vs and them The Exposition If thou bring thy gift to the Altar Here Christ alludeth to the Iewes manner of worshippe vnder the law which was to offer in the Temple sacrifices vnto God both of propitiation and thanksgiuing And though Christ here onely name this one kind of ceremoniall worshippe yet vnder this he comprehendeth all manner of true outward worshippe whether Legall or Euangelicall as if he should say If thou come to worship God any way either by offering sacrifices or by praying vnto God by hearing his word or receiuing the Sacraments and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee that is that thou hast any way wronged and offended thy brother this appeareth to be the true meaning by the like wordes of Marke If thou hast ought against thy brother meaning for iniurie done vnto thee by him forgiue him and therefore our brother hath something against vs when we haue wronged or offended
Stephen giueth the reason hereof namely their hard hearts whereby they resisted the holy Ghost in the ministerie of the word for which God left them to themselues so as they ran headlong to this height of impiety to persecute Gods deerest seruants The like we may see in these our daies some that haue beene professors after long hearing breake forth into open Atheisme calling this into question whether there be a God and among others there is also to be seene as vile crueltie and oppression in their particular dealings and as abhominable filthinesse as is to be found among the heathen or Idolaters all which and many other enormous sinnes proceed from this that though men professe religion yet they denie subiection to the Gospel preached so as it is not in them a Word of power for which cause God in his iustice giues them vp to hardnes of heart to commit sinne without remorse And therefore if wee would escape the fearefull iudgement of a reprobate sense let vs labour with feare trembling to become obedient to the word which we heare for if we doe not glorifie God in the meanes wherein he offers grace and mercie God will bee sure to glorifie himselfe in our deserued confusion Vers. 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt haue lost his sauour c. In this verse and the rest to the 16. Christ propoundeth the second branch of his sermon touching the office of the Apostles and in them of all Ministers wherein his intent is to mooue them to diligence in preaching the will of God to all people The Coherence of this part with the former standeth thus Christ had shewed before in diuers precepts that many are blessed whervpon some might aske how they should attaine to this happines and to those graces of the Spirit which make them fit for that estate Christ here answers that the preaching of the Gospel is the principall meanes to worke in their hearts those graces to which true happines is promised And because it is an excellent priuiledge to bring men to this estate therfore he exciteth his disciples to diligence in this Ministerie by two Reasons drawne from the properties of this worke propounded in two similitudes The first is taken from salt in these words ye are the salt of the earth amplified in the words following to the ende of the verse The second is drawne from light ver 14. 15. For the first yee are the salt of the earth yee that is you whom I haue called to be Apostles and set apart for the worke of the Ministry are salt not properly but by resemblance yet not in regard of their persons but of their ministerie because hereby they were to season men for God and to make them sauourie both in heart and life Of the earth not of Iudea only but of the whole world as may appeare by their commission Math. 28. 19. Goe therefore and teach all Nations From this description both Ministers and people may learne their dutie First for Ministers by this title of salt heare giuen vnto them Christ would teach them first how they ought to dispence the word of God both Lawe and Gospell namely so as they labour therein to expresse the properties of salt whereto Christ alludeth in his Title Now the properties of salt applied to rawe flesh or fresh wounds are principally three First it will bite and fret being of nature hot and drie Secondly it makes meats sauourie vnto our taste Thirdly it preserueth meates from putrifaction by drawing out of them superfluous moistnesse The Apostles therefore and other Ministers being salt must not onely in generall deliuer the word of God vnto the people but withall applie the same particularly vnto mens hearts consciences as salt is applied vnto meat And that for three endes first the Law must be applied to rippe vp mens hearts to make them see their sinns it must fret and bite them by the curse thereof to cause them to renounce themselues and to crie with the Iewes Men and brethren what shall we doe Secondly the Gospel must be preached that men feeling their corruption like rottennes in their soules may by the blessing of the spirit be thereby seasoned with grace and so reconciled vnto God and made sauourie in his sight This is the end of the Ministrie 2. Cor. 5. 20. We are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs steed that you be reconciled vnto God Thirdly both the Law and the Gospel must bee continually dispensed that thereby sinne and corruption may be daiely mortified and consumed both in heart and life euen as superfluous humours are dried vp by salt And this is the right dispensing of Gods word for euery discourse vpon a text of Scripture is not preaching but he that so expoundeth and applyeth the word that his ministerie may be salt vnto his hearers he it is that preacheth the word indeede Secondly Christ calling his Disciples salt teacheth them and all ministers that they themselues ought first to be seasoned by the word for how can they fitly season others by applying this salt vnto their consciences who neuer felt the biting of it vpon their owne He that is vnseasoned himselfe may speake Gods word which God may blesse to the good of others but yet in respect of himselfe it is a riddle which can not be vnderstood Thirdly this Title giueth good direction to euery Minister for his manner of preaching for if the word of God alone be that sauory salt wherewith mans heart is seasoned for the Lord then it ought to be dispensed purely and sincerely without the mixture of humane inuentions This was Pauls care my word my preaching saith he stood not in the entising speach of mans wisedome but in plaine evidence of the spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Experience teacheth vs that salt by mixture with other things looseth of his sauour and so is it with the word In deede there is a place for Arts and tongues and humane learning with euery dispenser of the word wherein he may vse them with great commendation to witte in his priuate preparation but not in the publique dispensation whereby he seasoneth mens hearts vnto God that the word of God alone must doe for to it alone belongs the promise of the spirit Isay. 59. 21. And therefore he must vse great discretion in this ministerie and labour so to speake that the spirit may take delight to accompanie the same Fourthly this Titile teacheth all Gods Ministers by patience to possesse their soules when the wicked doe fret and fume against them for their ministerie for this is a testimonie that their ministrcie is salt and bites their corrupt consciences as it ought to doe therefore they are to goe on with chearefulnes endeauouring more and more to season their hearers
to the person of the worker and hee thereby is vnited to Christ who renueth the minde will and affections of the worker from whence the worke proceedeth and so it is as pure water comming from a clensed fountaine Secondly faith couereth the wants that be in good workes for the best worke done by man in this life hath it wants now faith apprehendeth Christ and his merits and applieth the same vnto the worker whereby his person is accepted and the imperfection of his worke couered in the sight of God and this must prouoke vs to labour for faith Lastly I adde the ende of a good worke namely Gods glory in mans good The honour of God must bee the principall ende of euery good worke now Gods honour stands in reuerence obedience and thankefulnesse so that when we doe any good worke we must doe it in reuerence vnto God in obedience vnto his commandements and in token of our thankefulnesse vnto him for his manifold mercies The good of man must herein also be respected the Apostle saith The Law is fulfilled in one word thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe how can this be seeing to loue the Lord our God is the great commandement of the Law It must therefore thus be vnderstood that the lawe of God must be practised in the loue of our neighbour and not apart by it selfe Againe the ende of a mans life and of all his actions is to serue God in seruing of man and by seruing of man to serue God as when we pray which is a good worke we must not onely respect our selues but pray for others as for the Church of God and for our brethren as well as for our selues yea and for our enemies So we must heare the word and receiue the Sacraments that thereby we may be better able to further our brethren in the way of saluation this our Sauiour doth here expresse saying that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father in heauen as if he should say Glorifie you God and also cause others to doe the same First here we may see what to iudge of the workes done by Papists It is commonly thought that they abound with good workes but it is not so their best workes are sinnes before God for they faile principally in the maine ende of well-doing which is to glorifie God in the good of men for a Papist doing a good worke according to the Rules of their religion doth it to satisfie Gods iustice for the temporall punishment of his sinnes and to merit heauen by it and so erreth quite from the right end of a good worke respecting therein his own good and nothing at all the good of others Secondly hereby wee may see for our selues how farre wee come short in our good workes for commonly wee faile in the maine ende thereof men spend their daies and strength in labour and toile but all is for themselues for their owne pleasure their owne profit and preferment without respect to the good of their brethren now all such actions wherein men seeke themselues only and not Gods glorie in the good of others be sinnefull in the doer though otherwise good in thēselues And therefore we must learne in all our actions to aime at the glorie of God in the good of men II. Point Thus we see what a good worke is now follow the differences of good workes Good workes be of two sorts First those which God in his word hath directly commanded as parts of his worshippe such are praier thanks-giuing receiuing the Sacraments hearing the word and releeuing the poore and these are the more principall kinds of good workes The second sort are actions indifferent sanctified by the word and praier and done to Gods glorie as to eate to drinke and such like for howsoeuer in themselues they bee neither good nor euill beeing things neither commanded nor forbidden and therefore in respect of the things themselues may with good conscience be either vsed or refused yet because God hath commanded the manner how they must be vsed namely by beeing sanctified by the word of God and praier and the ende thereof to wit Gods glorie therefore when they are so vsed they become good workes Vpon this difference of good workes obserue the largenesse thereof how farre they extend There be three estates ordained of God the Church the Common wealth and the Familie and for the preseruation of them there be sundrie callings required some whereof are prescribed of God and others left to bee appointed by men as all trades and such like now not onely the callings appointed by God and the duties thereof are good workes but euen all inferiour callings appointed by men for the good of these three estates and the duties thereof bee they neuer so base if they bee sanctified by praier and done to Gods glorie are good works Example A man is called to be a shepheard and doth willingly accept thereof now though the calling be but base and meane yet the workes thereof beeing done in obedience to God for the good of his Master are good workes yea as good in their kind as the best workes of the highest callings and the same may be said of all lawfull callings and the workes thereof bee they neuer so base for God iudgeth not the goodnesse of the worke by the excellencie of the matter whereabout it is occupied but by the heart of the doer This point must be learned for the Papists conceit doth sticke fast in mens hearts That there are no good workes but the building of Churches and Hospitals the mending of high waies giuing of large almes c. but we must learne that euery action of a mans lawfull calling done in obedience to God for the good of men is a good worke before God and therefore we must so walke euery one of vs in our callings that the duties thereof may be acceptable to God Againe this will hence follow that in these our daies we may as wel abound in such works as be good indeed as the Papists did in their superstitious Thus much of the differences of good workes III. Point Now more particularly in the text are further set down three points touching good workes the Necessitie the Dignitie and the Vse of good workes The necessitie of them appeareth by Christs commanding of them saying Let your light so shine c. for hereby hee bindeth all Christians after the example of his Disciples to walke in good workes If it be said that Christ hath freed vs from the law and therefore we are not bound to doe good works I answer Christ hath freed vs from the lawe in regard of the curse and rigour thereof but not as it is a rule of Christian obedience Quest. How farre forth are good workes necessarie to saluation or to vs that do them Ans. There be three opinions touching the necessitie of good workes First of the Papists who
equitie it concerneth all people in all times and places What the Morall lawe is I will describe in three points First It is that part of Gods word concerning righteousnesse and godlinesse which was written in Adams minde by the gift of creation and the remnants of it be in euery man by the light of nature in regard whereof it bindes all men Secondly it commaundeth perfect obedience both inward in thought and affection and outward in speech and action Thirdly it bindeth to the curse and punishment euery one that faileth in the least dutie thereof though but once and that in thought onely Galatians 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to doe them The summe of the Morall law is propounded in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements which many can repeat but fewe doe vnderstand That wee may further conceiue aright the Morall lawe wee must make a difference betweene it and the Gospel for the Gospel is that part of the word which promiseth righteousnesse and life euerlasting to all that beleeue in Christ the difference betweene them stands especially in fiue things First the Law is naturall and was in mans nature before the fall but the Gospel is spirituall reuealed after the fall in the couenant of grace Secondly the Law sets forth Gods iustice in rigour without mercy but the Gospel sets out iustice and mercie vnited in Christ. Thirdly the Law requireth a perfect righteousnesse within vs but the Gospel reuealeth our acceptance with God by imputed righteousnesse Fourthly the Law threatneth iudgement without mercy and therefore is called the ministerie of condemnation and of death but the Gospel shewes mercie to mans sinne in and by Christ if we repent and beleeue Lastly the law promiseth life to the worker and doer of it Doe this and thou shalt liue but the Gospel offereth saluation to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly not considering faith as a worke but as an instrument apprehending Christ by whom we are made righteous The Church of Rome in a manner confound the Law and the Gospell sauing that the Gospel which is the new Law reuealeth Christ more clearely then Moses Law did which they call the old Law But this is a wicked opinion which ouerturnes all religion beeing the cause of many grosse points in poperie which could not stand if they would acknowledge a true distinction betweene the Law and the Gospel They say for their defence that the precepts of both are the same for substance that both require righteousnesse both promise life and threaten death both commaund faith repentance and obedience and therefore they are the same Answer First the laws and precepts of the Law and Gospel are not the same for Adam in his innocencie knew the Law but hee knewe nothing then of beleeuing in Christ and though both require righteousnesse promise life and threaten death yet the manner is farre different as before was noted So likewise they differ in the commaunding of faith for the Gospel commandeth faith not as a worke done as the Law doth but as an instrument laying hold on Christ. Againe the Law commaundes faith generally as to beleeue in God and to beleeue his word to be true but besides this the Gospel requires a particular faith in Christ the Redeemer whom the Law neuer knewe Thirdly the Law commandeth not repentance for the knowledge of the Law was in Adams heart when hee needed no repentance true repentance therefore is a sauing grace wrought and commanded onely by the Gospel And fourthly for obedience though it bee commaunded both by the Law and the Gospel yet not in the same manner The Law commaundeth obedience euery way perfect both in parts and in degrees and alloweth none other but the Gospel commaundeth and in Christ approoueth imperfect obedience that is an indeauour in all things to obey and please God if it be without hypocrisie Againe the Law commandeth obedience as a worke to bee done for the obtaining of saluation but the Gospel requires obedience onely to testifie our faith and thankefulnesse vnto God The Church of Rome therefore erreth grosly in cōfounding the Law and the Gospel which indeed are farre differing so we must beleeue if we would come into hold the right way that leadeth vnto life Now whereas Christ saith Thinke not that I came to destroy the Law by Law he meaneth principally the Morall law and in the second place the Ceremoniall law also Next obserue the opposition that Christ maketh betweene the Law and the Prophets thereby signifying vnto vs that by the Law hee meaneth that part of Gods word concerning Righteousnesse and Iustice which Moses penned by Gods commaundement and by the Prophets hee meaneth that part of Gods word which is contained in the writings of all the Prophets in the old Testament after Moses which bookes of the Prophets contained in them either an interpretation of Moses Lawe or predictions of the state of the Church in the newe Testament Againe by destroying the Law we must not vnderstand a breach of the Law such as is made by mans sin but such a dissolution as taketh from it all vertue and power whereby it is a Law and so to destroy the Prophets is to put an ende vnto them so as they should nothing auaile either to the interpretation of the Law or to the foretelling of the state of Gods Church vnder the Gospel But to fulfill them Christ fulfilleth the Law three waies by his doctrine in his person and in men By his doctrine he fulfilleth the Law two waies both by restoring vnto it his proper meaning and true vse as we shall see afterward where he correcteth the corrupt interpretations thereof by the Pharises as also by reuealing the right way wherby the Law may be fulfilled Secondly in his person he fulfilleth the Lawe two waies First by becomming accursed to the Lawe in suffering death vpon the crosse for vs. Secondly by performing perfect obedience vnto the Law doing all that the Law required for the loue of God or of his neighbour in which respect he was said to haue beene vnder the Law Thirdly Christ fulfilled the Law in men Men bee of two sorts Elect and Reprobates In the Elect he fulfilleth the Lawe two waies First by creating faith in their hearts whereby they laie hold on Christ who for them fulfilled it Secondly by giuing them his owne spirit which maketh them indeauour to fulfill the Law which in Christ is accepted for perfect obedience in this life and in the life to come is perfect indeede In vnbeleeuers Christ fulfilleth the Law when he executeth the curse of the Law vpon them for that is a part of the Law and the execution and enduring of the curse is a fulfilling of the Lawe And thus doth Christ fulfill the Law so that the
meaning of the words is this Whereas you thinke that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets by making them of none effect you are deceiued nay on the other side know that the ende of my manifestation in the flesh was to fulfill the law both in my doctrine and person and also in the persons of men both good and badde In this Apologie of Christ for his behauiour towards the Law obserue what malice some of the Iewes especially the Scribes and Pharises bare vnto him for Christ was the Author of the Law and yet they maliciously suspect and charge him with the abrogation therof so as he is faine to cleare himselfe in this behalfe The like hath beene the malice of wicked men in all ages against the deerest seruants of God Act. 6. 14. Stephen is accused to speake blasphemous words against the Law Act. 21. 28. Paul is charged with the same crime And such is the malice of the Papists against all Euangelicall reformed Churches because wee denie Iustification by workes therefore they condemne vs for enemies to good workes and in many other points they fasten vpon vs notes of reproach for holding the truth Yea among our selues the like malice doth appeare in those that brand their brethren with odious names because they shew forth more care then others of their dutie to God but let all Gods children beware of this Pharisaicall practise Againe obserue the Titles vnder which he comprehendeth the whole Scriptures of the olde Testament The Law and the Prophets Luke 16. 31. they are called Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 27. Christ beganne at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures there Moses and the Prophets containe all the Scriptures of the old Testament Here then we may note a propertie of the bookes of the olde Testament namely that euery one of them was written either by Moses or some other of the Prophets And by this wee may knowe the Canonicall bookes of the olde Testament and distinguish them from the bookes called Apocrypha for the Apocrypha bookes were not penned by any of the Prophets who spake and writ in the Hebrew tongue the natiue language of the Iewes but by some other in the Greeke tongue which was not the language of the olde Prophets These bookes may bee regarded in sundrie respects as containing many worthie Rules touching manners in which regard wee may preferre them before other writings of men so farre forth as they are consonant with the Scripture and so the Church of God hath of long time reuerenced them but yet they are no part of the Law nor of the Prophets And therefore the Church of Rome doth notably wrong and abuse the world in stiling these Apocryphall bookes for Canonicall Scripture Thirdly Christ in this his Apologie sheweth a sweet consent betweene the Law and the Gospel They are not contrarie one to the other for Christ who is the substance of the Gospel came to fulfill the Laweâ— and therefore Paul saith that by faith wee establish the Law and Hebrewes 9. 19 20. c. When Moses had giuen the Lawe vnto the people hee offered sacrifices and sprinkled the blood thereof vpon the booke and vpon the people which was a type of the shedding of Christs blood as it is there expounded which did notably signifie this consent betweene the Law and the Gospel in so much as without Christ the Law could not stand Now this consent betweene them standeth herein The Law requireth perfect obedience and threateneth death to the least breach thereof not propounding any way for the fulfilling thereof out of our selues but the Gospel directeth vs to Christ who as our suretie hath fulfilled the Lawe for vs for which cause Christ is called the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth And through Christ it is that the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Verse 18. For truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things bee fulfilled Here our Sauiour Christ propoundeth the second argument for the clearing of himselfe from their false imputation of destroying the Lawe and it is drawne from the nature of the Law which is immutable The Exposition For This sheweth the dependance of this verse vpon the former Truely I say vnto you This is a forme of speech which our Sauiour vsed when he would solemnely auouch any waightie truth and propounding this in his owne name herein he sheweth himselfe to bee the Doctour of his Church whome we must heare in all things for hee speaketh as one that cannot lie The thing hee saith is this Till heauen and earth perish one iotte or title of the Lawe shall not passe In which wordes he setteth downe the stabilitie and the vnchaungeablenesse of the Lawe and that hee might fully expresse his mindâ— hee borroweth a phrase from the Hebrewe Alphabet wherein Iod is the least letter One iot signifying that not so much as this little letter Iod shall passe out of the Lawe Againe by Title some thinke is meant the Hebrewe vowels but properly it signifieth a line bent crooked or the toppe of an horne so that here it properly signifieth the bending or bowing that is in the top of some Hebrew letters insinuating that not so much as the least part of a letter in the Law should passe away Now these things must not be taken properly for it hath beene and may be that in the Hebrew copies of the old Testament some letters should bee changed as may appeare by the diuers readings in sundrie copies for that may be without the losse of any sentence but Christs meaning is this That not the least parcell or sentence in the Law shall passe away making parts in the Law to be as titles in the Alphabet Till heauen and earth perish that is neuer so much this phrase insinuateth for though heauen and earth shall be changed in regard of their qualities yet the substance of them shall neuer passe to nothing and in this sense is the word Till vsed else-where 1. Sam. 15. 35. Samuell came no more to see Saul till the day of his death that is neuer Till all things be fulfilled that is till euery thing commanded in the Law bee done so as it shall no more vrge a man to any obedience which shall neuer bee for it must eternally bee fulfilled so that this phrase hath the like sense with the former importing thus much euen for euer and euer so that this is the meaning of this verse That the Law of God is vnchangeable not onely in the whole but for euery part thereof and the fulfilling thereof shall neuer haue an ende Christs reason then stands thus If the Lawe bee immutable and for obseruation eternall then I came not to destroy it but
the Lawe is immutable and eternall and therefore I came not to destroy it First here obserue that the Law of God is made perpetuall and vnchangeable If any man aske how this can be seeing the Apostle faith The Lawe is changed Answer The Law is threefold Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall as hath beene said now that place is principally to be vnderstood of the Ceremoniall law which indeede is abrogated in regard of the obseruation of it in Gods worship but in the scope and substance of it which is Christ crucified with his benefits whom it shadowed out it remaineth still and is now more plaine then euer it was As for the Iudiciall law though it be abrogated vnto vs so farre forth as it was peculiar to the Iewes yet as it agrees with common equitie and serues directly to establish the precepts of the Morall lawe it is perpetuall If it be said that Christ changed the Morall law in changing the Sabbath day from the seauenth day to the eight I answer Christ did so indeed by his Apostles but that is no change of the substance but of the ceremonie of the Sabbath for the substance of that law is the inioyning of a seauenth daies rest vnto the Lord. Now though the seauenth day from the creation be not kept yet a seauenth day is kept still If it be further said that the Law it selfe is abrogated for that euery one that breaketh the Lawe is not accursed according to the sentence thereof Deut. 27. 26. Answer Wee must knowe that the Law is but one part of Gods word and the Gospel another reuealing another part of Gods will besides that which the Lawe made knowne for it addes a qualification to the Law moderating the rigour thereof after this manner Hee is accursed saith the Law that faileth in any commandement except saith the Gospel he bee reconciled againe in Christ and in him haue the pardon of his transgressions And yet the Morall law remaines for euer a rule of obedience to euery childe of God though he be not bound to bring the same obedience for his iustification before God Againe this propertie of the Law in beeing vnchangeable and for euer to be kept sheweth that no creature may dispense with the Law of God Mens lawes may be abrogated and changed but Gods Law euen in the least parts thereof must stand for euer till it be accomplished to the full but if it might be dispensed with then not onely iots and titles thereof but whole lawes might bee abrogated This shewes the blasphemous impietie of the Popes of Rome who in their Canons be authorized to dispense with the lawes of God yea in the last Councell of Trent hee is priuiledged to dispense with some of the lawes of Consanguinitie against nature flatly forbidden in the word of God which is most horrible rebellion and a great disgrace vnto God Thirdly from this propertie of the Law we may obserue that it is not likely that any whole booke of Canonicall Scripture is lost for not one sentence of the Law shall passe till all be fulfilled much lesse then can whole bookes perish Sundrie men do thinke that whole bookes be loste but that opinion cals into question the fidelitie of the Church and Gods own prouidence in preseruing his word neither can it stand wel with this text that saith no title thereof shal faile Those that seeme to be lost were either humane writings as bookes of lawes and Chronicles such as our books of statutes or Chronicles be or books of philosophie such as Salomon writ or else some of them are in the Canonicall Scripture for the bookes of Samuel and the Kings were written by diuers Prophets and therfore we may more safely hold that no part of holy Scripture is lost neither shall euer faile For howsoeuer after the last iudgement the vse of the word written shall cease yet the substance thereof shall remaine in mens hearts and be kept for euer Fourthly this immutabilitie of the Law containes a matter of great terrour woe vnto al impenitent sinners for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues with a presumption of Gods mercie yet the curse of Law which is against them shall stand for euer and therefore while they goe on in sinne they haue iust cause to houle and crie for Gods iustice in that his Law is inuiolable neither will gold or siluer pacifie Gods wrath for though a man by his power and wealth were able to ouerturne heauen and earth yet that would not helpe him though heauen and earth be brought to nothing yet euery part of Gods Law must stand for euer and be fulfilled And therefore whosoeuer doe lie in any finne must in time repent humble themselues forsake their sins and betake themselues vnto Christ that he may fulfill the Law for them or else the cuise thereof shall certainly be fulfilled in them and they shall there lie howling vnder it eternally where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Fiftly this immutabilitie of the Law and so proportionably of euery part of Gods word as it prooueth the Scriptures to be the word of God so it is a most excellent ground of comfort for all Gods seruants to stablish their hearts in the assurance of all his promises A Christian heart is subiect to receiue many doubtinges of the truth of Gods promises especially in the time of triall and temptation but this must be remembred for euer that the whole word of God is immutable though mans promises may faile and their lawes be abrogated yet no iot or part of Gods word shall passe vnfulfilled and therefore they must constantly waite for the accomplishment thereof for in due time it shall be fulfilled Sixtly we are hereby taught to put on patience in afflictiōs for they come by the speciall appointment of our God who saith in his word That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen now euery part of Gods word must be accomplished and therefore Christ bade Peter to put vp his sword when he would haue rescued his apprehension for saith he I could pray to my Father and hee would send more then twelue legions of Angels to helpe me but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled which say It must be so Matth. 26. 52 53 54. Seauenthly our Sauiour Christ in this propertie of immutabilitie giueth vnto the whole Law and vnto euery sillable and letter thereof his proper force vertue and sense so as there is nothing in it not so much as one letter vaine or idle for euery commandement reueales the perfect iustice of God and euery letter serues to expresse the same comaundement And herein the Law of God differeth from mens lawes for in them bee many vaine and idle words yea oftentimes whole sentences but in the law of God it is not so Prou. 8. 8. All the words of my mouth are righteous there is no
lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them yea the Law of the Lord is perfect his statutes are right and his iudgements true and righteous altogether Now the consideration of this integritie and perfection of the law and word of God must mooue vs to studie the Scriptures with great diligence so saith our Sauiour Christ Search the Scriptures that is shake and sift them as the word signifieth search narrowely till the true force and meaning of euery sentence yea of euery word and sillable nay of euery letter and iotte therein bee knowne and vnderstood conferre place with place the scope of one place with another things going before with things that come after yea compare word with word letter with letter and search it throughly This manner of studying the Scripture is most necessarie as beeing the thing indeede which preserueth and vpholdeth the Church of God and the puritie of religion for about foure or fiue hundred years agone men left off to studie the Bible after this sort and betooke themselues to the writings of men occupying their wits wholly in vaine quidâ—ities in Philosophie and in hid mysteries of Diuinitie by which meanes it came to passe that Poperie and Apostacie from the truth spread it selfe ouer the world for many hundred yeares together Afterward God of his meere mercie put into the hearts of some men to bee carefull searchers in the word of God by which meanes the truth appeared as light out of darkenesse Thus God stirred up Luther about the yeare of our Lord 1517. who by diligent search in the Scripture and especially by serious meditation with praier vpon these words of the Apostle Roman 3. 21. That now by the Gospel without the Law the Iustice of God is made manifest did finde that by the perfect obedience of Christ our iustification was wrought and thereupon began to maintaine and professe Iustification before God to be free through and by faith in Christ onely without helpe from the works of the law against the doctrine of the Church of Rome and so by further diligence and industrie in the Scripture the truth of God shone forth more and more Let all men but especially Students in diuinitie consider this effect of searching out the Scriptures as a spurre to diligence in this behalfe By this means also errors and heresies are auoyded and suppressed the will of God is plainly reuealed And here by the way we may see how profitable and necessarie the gift of Interpretation is It is a most excellent gift of the spirit pertaining to the Ministerie and therefore most commendable necessarie is the vse thereof in Schooles of Learning Eightly this immutabilitie ascribed to Gods law that euery part thereof shall be accomplished to the full teacheth all Princes and Magistrates not onely to be keepers of Moses law in their owne persons but also within their rule and dominions to doe their best indeauour that the same bee fulfilled and kept by others For this cause did the Lord command that the Prince of his people should haue the Law written before him in a booke to read vpon continually that hee may learne to feare God and to keepe all the words of the Law to doe them and that which is there enioyned vnto Princes belongeth also vnto all Magistrates Masters and Parents within their places and charges they must be carefull to see the whole law of God practised and obeyed both in their owne persons and of those that are vnder them Lastly by this immutabilitie ascribed to the Law wee may learne what it is to fulfill the law namely to keepe and obserue to the full euery particular thing which the law commaunds vs and vpon this wee may ground two conclusions against the Papists First that no man can come to life euerlasting by his owne righteousnesse and obedience for hee that would come to heauen by his owne righteousnesse must be able to fulfill the whole law perfectly in euery respect but since Adams fall no man could keepe the lawe in all things sauing our Sauiour Christ both God and man Secondly that our fulfilling of the law must be in the obedience of Christ for he onely was answerable to the whole law in all things and therefore if we would come to heauen we must not come in our owne righteousnesse but in his as Paul wisheth to be found of God Phil. 3. 8 9. Verse 19. Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen Our Sauiour Christ hauing plainely propounded in his Apologie for himselfe the stabilitie and eternitie of the whole law doth here laie downe two notable conclusions for the vpholding thereof 1. Because the Law is immutable and eternall therefore he that breaketh one of the least of the commandements and teacheth men so shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen 2. Because the Law is eternall therefore he that keepes the commandements and teacheth men so shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen For the first by least commandement he meaneth the precepts of the Morall lawe though in the former verse by Law he vnderstood the whole law in three parts Iudiciall Morall and Ceremoniall And he calleth them litle not simply in regard of themselues as though they were so indeede for in it selfe euery commaundement of God is great and waightie but hee speaketh according to the opinion of the Iewes for the Scribes and Pharises had ordained certaine rites and ceremonies according to the tradition of their Fathers the obseruation whereof they made a greater matter of conscience then the keeping of some of Gods commandements and so esteemed them little Againe saying these least commaundements hee pointeth out what particular commaundements of the Morall law the Iewes esteemed lesse then the traditions of men namely those which afterward he expoundeth in this Chapter touching Murther Adulterie Swearing and the rest for they esteemed not all the commaundements of the law lesser then their traditions Shal be called least in the kingdome of heauen Here Christ sets downe the punishment of a false Prophet which breakes Gods commaundements teacheth men so to wit his base esteeme in the Church of God for the kingdome of God is two-fold the kindome of grace and the kingdome of glorie The kingdome of grace is the societie and companie of Gods faithfull seruantes here on earth The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of all the Saints in heauen Now here by kingdome of heauen he meaneth the kingdome of grace which is the militant Church on earth and so Iohn Baptist calleth it Math. 3. 2. Repent and amend for the kingdome of heauen is at hand that is the Church of the old Testament is now abolished and the Church of the new Testament is ready to take place
by Christs comming and therfore repent and amend and Math. 11. 12. from the time of Iohn hitherto the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence So then the meaning of this first conclusion is this Whosoeuer breaketh one of these least commandements of the Moral law which afterward I shall expound and teacheth men so to doe he shall be contemned and not counted worthie to bee a member of the Church of God in the new Testament In this conclusion in the practise of the Iewes Christ setteth forth two notable corruptions of an hollow heart towards God The first to set little by the commandements of God esteeming no more of them nay lesse then of mens lawes and traditions but Saint Iames saith he that breaketh one commandement bee it neuer so little is guiltie of all though hee make shewe of keeping all so likewise hee that maketh light and base account of one commandement contemneth all though he seeme to honour the rest neuer so much Though Herod heard Iohn gladly and obeied his doctrine in many things and so seemed to make some account of some commandements yet because he would needs liue in incest against the seauēth commandement he did in effect contemne and breake them all so at this day there are many who professe religion and giue testimonie thereof by hearing the word and receiuing the sacraments and herevpon they would be counted louers of Gods lawe yet in the course of their liues and in their particular callings they will not sticke to oppresse the poore and to deale vniustly for their aduantage to prophane the Sabbath for a little profit or pleasure and to sweare and curse when they are a little prouoked Now howsoeuer such persons may make a glorious shew of profession outwardly yet by these and such like particular actions they shew plainly that they haue but Pharisaicall hearts which indeed make little or no account of Gods commandements Let vs therfore euery one looke into our waies and search in our owne hearts whether this corruption be in vs or no and if it be let vs repent and forsake it and labour to become like Dauid who had respect vnto all Gods commandements and so shall we not be despised in the Church of God The second corruption of an hollow heart noted likewise of Christ in these Iewes is to place the ceremonies rites and traditions of men aboue the commandements of the Morall law Herewith he doth expresly charge the Iewish teachers Matth. 15. 3. Why doe ye transgresse the commandements of God by your traditions And this is also the practise of the Church of Rome at this day they account eating flesh in Lent and on their fasting daies a deadly sinne yet they will dispense with threasons murthers of Christian Princes they allow of Stues they permit and pardon Sodomie and yet vtterly forbid mariage in some estate which the holy Ghost calleth honourable among all men In these and many moe they preferre their owne traditions before the most holy commandements of God yea many ignorant persons among vs are tainted with this corruption for be not some feast daies appointed by the Church as Christs natiuitie all Saints and such like obserued by them with greater conscience and reuerence then the Lords owne Sabbath Though the memorie of Christs natiuitie may be celebrated yet the Lords day should haue the speciall honour Now for the reforming of this corruption we must labour to haue the same minde that was in Dauid who grew into admiration with Gods commandements and thereupon invred himselfe to the obseruation of them We must therefore labour to haue an high estimation of the lawes of God and this will be a notable meanes to drawe vs to a reuerend feare and obedience towards to the same one cause why men do not so highly aduance the law of God as they ought is because they doe not sufficiently waigh the dignitie thereof In euery commandement therefore we must first deepely consider the waight thereof then labour to vnderstand it aright thirdly learne to admire the wisdome and iustice of God therein and lastly endeauour to yeeld loyaltie and obedience thereunto Secondly in this Rule our Sauiour Christ puts a difference between a false Prophet and a true The false Prophet breakes the commandements of God in his owne person and also by his doctrine teacheth others to doe the like But the true Prophet and seruant of God in the Ministerie endeauoureth the aduancement of Gods glorie as well by integritie of life as by soundnesse of doctrine Thirdly in the punishment of a false Prophet here set downe wee haue good direction for our iudgement touching the present Church of Rome namely that shee is not worthie to be esteemed a part of Christs Church on earth by the sentence of our Sauiour Christ because shee breakes Gods commaundements and teacheth men so for whereas the second commandement forbiddeth the worshipping of Images yea and the making of Images to resemble God the Church of Rome doth not onely allow the contrarie against this commandement but teacheth others so to doe saying that it is lawful to resemble the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost in Images either painted or carued and to worshippe them therein yea and to worshippe the very Images of Christ and of Saints as also the Saints themselues with religious worship Againe they plainely breake the tenth commandement which forbiddeth the first motions vnto sinne with delight though without cōsent of wil by teaching that concupiscence after baptisme is no sinne And as they deale with the commandements so deale they with the Prophets who giue testimonie vnto Christ for first they destroy his manhood by their forged transubstantiation secondly they ouerturne his kingly office by making the Pope the head of the Church and giuing him power to make lawes to binde the conscience Thirdly they ouerturne the Priesthood by their massing Priesthood wherein they daily offer vp an vnbloodie sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Fourthly they rob him of his propheticall office in giuing liberty to the Pope to make new Laws to expound the Scriptures as supreame iudge these things they teach therefore that Church is not worthy to be counted a member of Christs Church But seeing God in great mercie hath vouchsafed vs this fauour in this land that we should receiue and embrace his holy word to publish and teach the same and so esteemeth vs worthie to be accounted a member of his Church wee are therefore to reioyce in this mercie and to praise God vnfainedly for this vnspeakable blessing and to shewe forth our thankefulnesse not onely by teaching and receiuing the truth of his word but also by yeelding obedience in all things thereunto yea our earnest and daily prayer must be because it is so great a blessing to be counted worthie of his kingdome that
God would continue the truth of his will to vs and to our posteritie for euer The second Conclusion Whosoeuer shall keepe them and teach men so the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen that is hee shall bee honoured in the Church of God and esteemed a worthie member thereof because by this meanes he endeauoureth to keepe the law vnchangeable for euer In this conclusion two points are to be considered the office of a faithfull Teacher and his reward his office is two-fold First in his owne person hee must be a doer of Gods commandements Secondly in his publike Ministerie hee must teach men so to doe Here first obserue the order of these duties Doing must goe before Teaching This order Christ propounds and that doubtlesle on speciall grounds First because a man cannot with ioy and comfort fitly teach others before himselfe bee a doer of the thing hee teacheth for if a man teach others from the instruction of the spirit hee shall finde his owne heart inclined by the same spirit to the obedience of the word he teacheth Againe the experience of the fruite and efficacie of the word in his owne person is the best Commentarie a man can haue for the opening of it vnto others The writings of men with the knowledge of artes and tongues are excellent helpes yet if a man want the spirit of God framing his heart to beleeue and obey the word hee teacheth whereby he should become a doer of it doubtlesse the word wil seeme but a dreame or riddle vnto him neither can he fitly apply the same vnto others hauing neuer had experience of it in his owne soule This then should mooue all Ministers and such as set themselues to this calling first and chiefly to labour to become doers of the word themselues other helpes of learning are to bee fought for with all diligence to make them fit and able Ministers of so great mysteries but especially they must labour for the spirit of grace to frame their hearts to embrace and their liues to obey the word which they teach that so they may be fitted according to our Sauiour Christs direction Now this spirit is attained by knocking ut heaâ—â—n gates by praier Luke 11. 13. and by opening the doore of our hearts when our Sauiour Christ knocketh thereat by his woâ—d Reuel 3. 20. Secondly in â—aying downe this dutie our Sauiour Christ propoundeth a singular comfort to such faithfull Ministers as be grieued with the vntowardnesse of their people hee propoundeth not the conuersion of the people as a propertie of a faithfull Teacher but the doing and teaching of the will and word of God And doubtlesse a man may bee a faithful Teacher and yet not conuert many vnto God hence the Prophet complaines that hee had laboured in vaine and spent his strength in vaine nay the same Prophet is sent to blinde the eies of his people to make them dull of hearing and to harden their hearts by his Ministerie which was a heauie case but yet that saying of the Apostle Paul must be remembred that howsoeuer vnto some his Ministerie was the sauour of death yet vnto God it was alwaies the sweet sauour of Christ So that a Minister mourning truely for his people to see their hardnes of heart may comfort himselfe with this that in a good conscience hee endeauoureth to obey the word of God and to teach men so II. Point The reward of a faithfull Teacher is this hee shall bee counted great in the kingdome of heauen that is he shall be honoured and counted worthie to bee a member of Christs Church both in this life and in the life to come This must be remembred to incite all Ministers to become faithfull Teachers both in life and doctrine To get respect in Princes courts is much sought after on earth O then how should this high respect with God preuaile in our hearts to incite vs to be faithfull in this calling Verse 20. For I say vnto you except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen These words are commonly taken to bee a Reason of the former verse by way of answer to a secret obiection which the Iewes might frame there-from to this effect Thou saiest whosoeuer breaketh one of these least commandements and teach men so shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen But our Teachers the Scribes and Pharises looke to haue chiefe place in the kingdome of heauen and yet if thy doctrine be true they breake Gods commandements and teach others so to doe Now here-to Christ should answer thus I say vnto you except your righteousnesse exceedes theirs ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen But if we marke well the words may more fitly be referred to the 17. verse as a third reason to prooue that Christ came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them because he exacts at euery mans hands a more perfect and exact righteousnesse then that which the Scribes and Pharises either haue in themselues or require in others without which no man can enter into the kingdome of heauen In this verse are three points to be handled First what these Scribes and Pharises were Secondly what was their Righteousnesse and thirdly what is that true Righteousnesse whereby a man may enter into the kingdome of heauen and stand iust before God For the first a Scribe is a name of office whereof there were two sorts among the Iewes Ciuill who as Publike Notaries did register the affaires of Princes and such a one was Shimshai Ezra 4. 8. And Ecclesiasticall who were imployed in the expounding of the Scripture such a one was Ezra Ezra 7. 1 5 6. And those of whom our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 13. 52. Euery Scribe taught vnto the kingdome of heauen is like a good housholder and Matthew 32. 2. the Scribes and Phraises sit in Moses chaire that is they are expounders of the law of Moses And such Scribes are meant in this place to wit men in Ecclesiasticall office descending from the tribe of Leuie who expounded the Law vnto the people and these were all one with the Priests and Leuites vnder the Law and therefore Ezra is called both a Scribe and Priest Nehem. 8. 1 2. The name Pharise betokeneth a sect not an office for there were three speciall sects among the Iewes The Essenes the Sadduces and Pharises The Essenes were like Popish Monkes and Friers which did separate themselues from the people vowing and dedicating themselues to liue in perpetuall sanctitie The Sadduces were a sect that did expound the law according to the letter and syllable and with-all denied the resurrection and the immortalitie of the soule as is plaine Acts 23 8. The Pharises were such as did forsake the common exposition of the Scribes and taught and framed a more exact
sinnefull conception al which our Sauiour Christ was free from for at the very time when hee bare our sinnes hee was in himselfe more holy then all men and all Angels Fourthly it is said that if Christs righteousnesse bee made ours then wee are made Sauiours Answer It followeth not for Christs merits and righteousnesse are conuaied and applied vnto men not as they are in Christs person in whom they are sufficient to saue ten thousand worlds but as they serue to saue and iustifie that particular person onely to whom they are imputed so that this remaines an vndoubted truth that that righteousnesse which brings saluation is Christs righteousnesse onely Here some may say How is Christs righteousnesse made ours and wee assured of it Answ. It is made ours by sauing faith which the holy Ghost creates in the heart and soule as an hand whereby wee may laie hold on Christ and applie his righteousnesse vnto our selues as hee is offered vnto vs in the promises of the Gospel Some obiect that if Christs righteousnesse be made ours by our beleeuing it to bee ours then if a man beleeue his neighbours house to be his it is his also and so for any other thing Answer There is not the like reason in these things for it is a meere fancie and imagination for a man to beleeue his neighbours house to be his hauing no ground for it besides his owne conceit but when a man beleeueth Christs righteousnesse to be his he hath Gods commandement and promise for his warrant and assurance that it shall be imputed vnto him and withall that faith so grounded maketh Christs righteousnesse as truely his as any thing a man hath is his owne beeing giuen him of another Now this sauing faith laying hold on Christs righteousnesse for mans iustification is neuer seuered from sanctification by the spirit with the fruits thereof whereby the old man beeing mortified and the new man in Christ renued according to his image in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse the whole person is turned vnto God and made carefull to please him both in thought word and deede and hereby doe wee receiue assurance of our iustification for true sanctification is the earnest of the spirit of adoption in our hearts whereby we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption Doth that righteousnesse whereby we must be iustified and saued in the day of our Lord come from Christ onely and not from our selues then we see what iust cause we haue to humble our selues and to acknowledge our great vnrighteousnesse and want of all goodnesse in our selues and when wee can doe this vnfainedly wee haue gone one steppe in the way to true happinesse Secondly we also must hereby learne to esteeme all things as drosse and dongue with the Apostle in respect of Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse for he it is that brings vs to heauen and therefore wee must honour him aboue all and value his righteousnesse as that most pretious iewel which when a man hath found hee will sell all that he hath to get and keepe it Matth. 13. 46. Thirdly we must hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse for it is the fountaine of all blessednes and without it we are most miserable yea though wee had all the world beside yet without it wee loose our saluation Now what will it profit a man to winne all the world if he loose his soule Fourthly seeing Christs righteousnesse is made ours by faith we made assured of it by sanctification of heart and life wee must labour for true faith whereby our hearts may bee inwardly renued we must not content our selues with an outward holinesse for that will neuer bring a man to heauen but our endeauour must be for inward holinesse whereby we shal be preferred with God aboue all the Pharises in the world and get assurance of eternall happinesse And this faith wee must shewe forth in all holy exercises as when we heare the word wee must lend the inward eare of the heart with the bodily eare and when we fall downe to praier we must bowe the knees of our hearts and in fasting from meate wee must abstaine from sinne yea in all things wee must be carefull to serue God in spirit and truth for which cause wee must pray with Dauid Lord renue a right spirit within me that so feeling Christ to liue in vs by grace wee may bee assured that Christs righteousnesse shall bring vs vnto glorie Verse 21. Ye haue heard that it was said of olde Thou shalt not kill for whosoeuer killeth shall be culpable of iudgement Our Sauiour Christ hauing laid downe his Preface doth here begin his interpretation of the Law beeing indeed the onely true doctour of his Church and herein especially hee doth meddle with the second Table beginning first of all with the sixt Commandement touching Murther In the handling whereof hee obserueth this order First hee setteth downe the false interpretation of this law by the Scribes and Pharises in this verse Secondly hee sheweth the true meaning of it v. 22. And lastly hee propoundeth rules of concord and agreement betweene those that be at variance verses 23 24 25 26. For the first The Exposition Ye haue heard that is you Iewes which now heare mee whether Scribes Pharises or others you haue heard that it hath beene said of old that is by your auncient Teachers the old Scribes and Pharises who haue expounded this law vnto you and that this phrase must be vnderstood of the ancient Iewish Teachers may plainely appeare because in the next verse hee opposeth his owne teaching thereunto and would haue these his hearers that before had learned a false interpretation of this law from their old Teachers now to learne of him the true exposition thereof The Law is this Thou shalt not kill The exposition of the ancient Iewish Teachers was this for whosoeuer killeth shall be culpable of iudgement that is whosoeuer laieth violent handes on another to take away his life for they knew no other murther neither did they extend this commandement to forbid any sin but actual murther shall be culpable of iudgement that is shall be held guiltie of murther both in the courts of men and also before the iudgement seate of God where hee shall receiue the deserued punishment thereof This was the interpretation of the Iewes Here first obserue that Antiquitie is no infallible marke of true doctrine for this exposition of this commandement was ancient received from ancient Teachers and yet Christ the doctour of truth reiecteth it as false and corrupt and therefore the argument which the Papists vse for the stablishing of their religion drawn from Antiquitie is of no effect Secondly by these words of Christ ye haue heard it hath beene said of olde wee may easily gather after what manner the Scribes and Pharises expounded the law namely they left the Scriptures and followed
of heart and therefore it standeth vs in hand to make conscience of euery gesture of our bodie of the casting of our eyes of our laughter and of all passionate words lest thereby we shew any contempt or anger towards our brethren If it be saide how can euery gesture expressing rash anger or contempt be murther seeing the law permits a widow to spit in the face of her husbands brother or next kinseman euen before the Elders of the citie if he refused to raise vp seedâ— vnto his brother Ans. First the Lord might command her so to doe thereby to manifest his great dislike of want of loue in him towards his dead brother Secondly I answer the words may as fitly be translated thus and spit in his sight that is spit on the ground before his face that he might see her and that seemeth to be the true meaning of that place for it was very vnseemely for any one much more for a woman so publikely to spit in a mans face And in that sense is the word vsed in the same booke Deut. 4. 37. where God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt in his face that is in his sight Secondly vnder this branch of murther by signe of contempt are many abuses of the tongue most iustly condemned as first bitternesse of speech when men that be at variance giue out hard and grieuous words one against an other these are as pricks of swords as the wise man saith and therefore the holy Ghost chargeth vs that all bitternes anger and wrath be put away from vs. Secondly all wrangling and contentious speech betweene parties disagreeing when as neither will yeild but each one thinks to haue the last word Philip. 2. 14. Doe all things without murmuring and reasoning for that springs of choler and stout stomacke cleane contrarie to meekenes and patience a fruit of the spirit Thirdly crying also is here forbidden whereby men or women beeing at variance in priuate speeches doe through choler and malice lift vp their voices that they may be heard a farre off This is a fruit of raging anger and surie Fourthly threatning speeches are also here condemned when as men from an inward dislike and rage in their owne priuate cause doe giue out menacing words against others Eph. 6. 9. Masters are forbidden thus to deale with their seruants much lesse then may one brother thus threaten an other Fiftly all kind of girding and taunting others by priuie and close nipps is here condemned although there be no open rayling for thereby men seeke to disgrace their brethren and to glad their owne hearts by grieuing others which is more then to say Raca The third degree of murther is in Reviling tearmes calling our brother foole or such like this also is a sinne against the ninth commandement by robbing him of his good name for one sinne in diuers respects may be against many commandements It is a breach of this sixt commandement in that hereby we grieue and trouble our neighbour and so farre as a reproach can goe make him wearie of his life Vpon the ground of this degree of murther be all grieuous practises of men against their brethren iustly condemned for bloodie practises As first Usurie whereby men binde their brethren to returne gaine for the bare lone of money or other goods which naturally yeild no increase without all respect to their necessitie or to the successe of the imploying of it Hereby many are brought to great pouertie reuiling tearmes doe nothing so much pinch the poore as this oppression Secondly the hoarding vp of corne till times of dearth that thereby they may gaine the more these men make a priuate gaine of Gods common iudgement vpon the poore Indeede it is not vnlawfull in time of plentie to lay vp stoare against a time of dearth but to doe it with the hurt of the poore is to sucke their blood and to eate vp Gods people as when men keepe their garners full and suffer the poore to starue the peoples curse lies on such Prou. 11. 26. Thirdly fighting and striking by priuate persons or by others in their priuate causes for they wound or weaken the bodie of their neighbours which is more then to grieue him by reuiling speeches Fourthly the detaining the foode of the soule by those that cannot or will not preach is a damage against eternall life and therefore Paul to cleare himselfe from blood in this behalfe said He kept nothing backe Act. 20. 26 27. Fiftly to giue offence by word or deede whereby others are occasioned to fall this is vncharitable walking Rom. 14. 15. whereby we doe as much as in vs lieth destroy him for whome Christ died As this is cruell in all so especially in publike persons as Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters and such like because their practises are Rules to their inferiours They are like lights in an hauen which guides the shippes that saile by night which standing amisse leade the shippes vpon rockes and sands and so cause shipwracke Hauing seene the true meaning of this Law expounded by Christ let es here further obserue how he restoreth the true vse thereof We must not thinke that he did onely here intend the rectifying of our iudgements for vnderstanding and not also strike at the reformation of our hearts and liues for practise Touching the vse of this law therefore Christ here teacheth vs two things first to descend into our owne hearts and there to search how we haue broken this commandement as whether we haue borne in our hearts any malice against our brother and whether we haue expressed the rash anger of our hearts by speech or gesture or haue any way wronged him by reuiling tearmes or other iniuries against his life if we haue Christ tells vs we are murtherers Secondly Christ setting downe the curse to euery degree of murther teacheth vs vpon due examination of our hearts fuiding our selues guiltie in any degree to cast downe our selues before the Lord to accuse and condemne our selues crying out that all shame and confusion belongs vnto vs this we must doe that by the view of our miseries we may be mooued more earnestly to sue for mercie And indeede if we examine our hearts and our behauiours throughly we shall finde that we are all murtherers For though we may be free from actuall killing yet our consciences will tell vs that the motions of wrath and malice and the signes of vnaduised anger haue broken forth both in our wordes and gesture for who can say he neuer snuffed at an other by way of contempt or dislike who can cleare himselfe from deriding and disgracing others now these things and such like make vs guiltie of sinne against the law and so subiect to the wrath and curse of God which must needes be fulfilled though heauen and earth should passe away This
God for God commands that the sunne goe not downe vpon our wrath and it is his ordinance we should receiue the Sacrament to shew forth Christs death when it is administred by the Church against both which he offendeth that abstaineth because he is at variance with his brother for Christ wil not haue the gift that is brought to be taken away but there left a while till reconciliation be made Fourthly in this Rule of Reconciliation we may see there be degrees in the duties of Gods worship all are not equall but some more and some lesse necessarie The first and highest degree of holy worship is prescribed in the first Commandement as to loue seare and to reioyce in God aboue all and to beleeue in him and all his promises The second degree of holy duties is to loue our neighbour as our selues to seeke peace and reconciliation with them whome we haue wronged or offended Thus much doth Christ here import in preferring the practise hereof before the offering of sacrifice The third degree consists in the outward ceremoniall duties of Gods worship commanded in the first Table as the outward actions of Gods worship and the outward solemnitie of the Sabbath for these giue place to the workes of loue and charitie commanded in the second Table and therefore Christ saith first be reconciled and then offer thy gâ—â—t Now by this distinction of holy duties we haue a good direction for our behauiour that seeing the loue of God and of our brethren are the two highest degrees of good workes therefore we are aboue all things to seeke after them and to preferre the doing of them before the outward worship of God for that we see commeth in the last place But the practise of men iâ— otherwise generally they are more forward in outward ceremonies then in the maine duties of the loue of God and of their brethren like to the Pharisies who passed ouer â—udgement and the feare of God and were very strict in tything mint and â—ue but this is a preposterous course and cleane contratie to this precept of our Sauiour Christ. Thus much of this Rule in generall Now I come to more particular obseruatiâ—us out of the words I â—aue thy gift at the Altar Here Christ approouâ—â—h of this worship of God among the leâ—â—es by offering sacrifices from whence it followeth that sacrificing aâ— the Alâ—ar and by proportion other ceremoniall worship was not abrogated either at Christs birth or baptisme for here Christ alloweth of them and therefore they ceased onely at his death when vpon the crosse he said It is finished then he put out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs. Thy gift that is thy sacrifice whereof the Iewes had two kindes Propitâ—atorâ—e and Graâ—â—latorâ—e or of thanksgiuing and they are here called gifts because in sacrificing the people gaue some thing vnto God in which respect a sacrifice differeth from a Sacrament wherein God giues some thing vnto vs. Now the sacrifices of the law wherein men gaue something vnto God signified two things first that Christ should giue himselfe vnto his Father for our sinnes secondly that we should wholly giue our selues vnto God both in soule and bodie to serue him and therefore God saith Prov. 2â— 26. My sonne giue me thy heart Rom. 6. 13. Giue your members 〈◊〉 we â—pons of righteousnes vnto God as they that are aliue from dead workâ—â— Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you gâ—ue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God this we ought to doe in token of thankefulnes for Gods endlesse mercies and this we then doe First when we acknowledge our selues not to be our owne but Gods in Christ Secondly when we consecrate and dedicate our selues to the seruice of God that both in heart and life we may shew our selues thankfull for our creation preseruation Redemption especially But lamentable is the case with men in this behalfe in stead of giuing themselues to God men bequeath themselues to the deuill and become his slaues and vassals they make their hearts his dwelling place by malicious wicked and lustfull thoughts they consecrate the faculties of their soules with all the parts of their bodies vnto him in the practise of sinne this ought not to be seeing Christ gaue himselfe for vs let vs giue our selues wholly vnto him And there remembrest that is doest call to minde that thy brother hath ought against thee c. By this Christ teacheth vs that whensoeuer we come to doe any seruice vnto God we ought first of all to enter into our owne hearts and there to search and trie our owne estate in respect of offences giuen to God or man whereof we haue not repented that so before we come to Gods solemne worship we may be reconciled both to God and to our brethren The want of this brings many a curse vpon mens soules euen in the meanes wherein they thinke to receiue Gods blessing and therefore we must looke to the practise of this dutie that we doe it speedily and from our hearts This we had neede to looke vnto in respect of God whome we daily offend for if he haue ought against vs and yet we stand out against him by impenitencie who can saue vs from his wrath Let vs thinke on Elies speech If one man sinne against an other the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him verse 25. Agree with thine Aduersarie quickly whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Seriaâ—t and thou be cast into prison 26. Verely I say vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast pated the vttermost farthing Our Sauiour still goeth on with his former Rule of concord and Reconciliation Now because the meaning of the words is controuersall it shall not be amisse somewhat to discusse the diuers expositions that are made hereof The Papists say that by Aduersarie is meant God commanding men in his law and by way is meant the space of time in this life by Iudge they vnderstand Christ by Serieant Gods Angels by prison hell and because in hell there be many places therefore here by prison they vnderstand purgatorie and by the vttermost farthing veniall sinnes as if this were the meaning Agree with God whiles thou art in this life betweene this and the day of Iudgement least thou come before Christ and he cause his Angels to cast thee into Purgatorie and there thou remaine till thou haue satisfied for thy least veniall sinnes This exposition they stand vpon the more because hereupon they would build their doctrine of Purgatorie But this cannot be the true meaning of this place for the reasons following First these words depend vpon the former and are a continuance of the rule of Reconciliation
must be opened namely what is Adulterie here forbidden Adulterie properly is the breach of wedlocke by such parties some one whereof at the least is either maried or espoused I call it the breach of wedlocke to note the propertie of this sinne which is not in any other sinne vnlesse it be of this kinde though the sinne bee farre more grieuous Idolatrie is a more hainous sinnâ— then Adulterie beeing a breach both of the first and second commaundement of the first Table and yet it comes short of Adulterie in this qualitie of breaking wedlocke for wedlocke may bee kept of those which are Idolaters Secondly I say betweene any parties if one bee maried meaning the husband as well as the wife to confute the opinion of some Iewes and by some lawes also maintained that the man hath a priuiledge aboue the woman so as hee breaketh not wedlocke when he goeth in to another woman besides his wife which is false for though he haue a prerogatiue ouer his wife in beeing her head yet hee hath no priuiledge to free him from matrimoniall fidelitie but is as much bound to keepe himselfe vnto his wife as she is to keepe her selfe to him The preheminence of superioritie cannot free the husband froÌ„ the bond of mariage the husband is bound to the wife as much as the wife is to the husband and shee hath power ouer his bodie as much as he hath ouer hers 1. Cor. 7. 4. Thirdly I say or espoused because Adulterie is not onely committed by such parties whereof one or both be fully maried but also by them whereof one is single and the other contracted onely and therefore is the same punishment alotted to both for contract in right is mariage Thus wee see the sinne here directly forbidden according to the letter of the Law Now though the Lord vnder this one includes all the sinnes of the same kind as we shall anone perceiue yet the Pharises tooke this litterall signification for the whole meaning and taught that the sinne here forbidden was bodily adulterie onely and so made the adulterie of the heart to be no adulterie which exposition Christ here confutes First here obserue the fraud and cunning of these Pharises they would seeme faithfull interpreters of the Law in that they keep themselues so close to the words that they will not passe one iot beyond the litterall sense but yet in the meane time they omit the full meaning and true vse of this Law The like hath beene the practise of heretiks in all ages as the Arrians who denied that Christ was God stucke fast to these words of Scripture the father is greater then I and to such like And the Papists to vphold their breaden God by transubstantiation will needes keepe tke litterall sense of these words of Christ This is my bodie whereby they ouerturne the nature of that sacrament And the like might be shewed by sundrie examples in all ages whereby we are taught not to stand vpon the proprietie of the words of Scripture onely but to labour to haue the true spirituall sense ioyned with them Secondly here obserue how grieuous a sinne Adulterie is in that Christ by name doth expresly forbid it among all the sinnes of this kind yea the very Pharises doe euery where condemne it for though they would easily dispense with disobedience to Parents yet the woman taken in Adulterie must be put to death Iohn 8. 4 5. The greatnes of this sinne might be shewed by many arguments for if he be worse thou an infidel that careth not for his familie then farre worse is the Adulterer for he destroyeth his familie Salomon we know maketh Adulterie worse then theft and yet theft is a notorious sinne greatly hated and seuerely punished of all nations Againe Adulterie destroyeth the Seminarie of the Church which is a godly seed in the familie and it breaketh the couenant betweene the parties and God it robs another of the pretious ornament of chastitie which is a gift of the holy Ghost it dishonoureth their bodies and maketh them the temples of the diuell and the Adulterer maketh his familie a Stewes for as Dauid dealt with Vrias so his owne sonne Absalon dealt with him and lastly it bringeth Gods vengeance vpon the posteritie and therefore Iob calleth it a firâ— which shall deuoure vnto destruction yea the greatnesse of Gods punishment vpon Adulterers partly in this life and principally after death may plainely shew the greatnesse of this sinne for this and other sinnes God in his wrath ouerthrewe Admah and Zebomi Sodome and Gomorrah with five and brimstonâ—â— from heauen and the place where they stood it made a poole of poysoning water vnto this day And although the Lord doe not shew such extraordinary reuenge against sinne yet his wrath is a consuming fire against whole families townes and kingdomes for this sinne though Dauid repented of his Adulterie yet for that very sinne the sword must not depart from his house for euer And for the life to come Adulterers and whâ—remâ—ngers God will Iudge Againe neither fornicators nor adulterers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God they may indeed repent and so bee saued but then they cease to be adulterers Now if Adulterie be so grieuous a sinne worser then theft c. then we must wish that in all places it were as seuerely punished as theft is so would families be reformed and become good Seminaries both for Church and common wealth Secondly the grieuousnesse of Gods wrath against this sinne must admonish euery one to beware thereof for it brings the besome of destruction to sweepe all away both in Church and common wealth Verse 28. But I say vnto you that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart Here our Sauiour Christ laies down the true sense of this commandement and as we see hee speaketh as the Law-giuer and Prophet of his Church who hath absolute power to giue lawes and to expound the same But I say vnto you The Pharises said there was no adultery but that which was outward and bodily but Christ plainely confuteth that and saith he that looketh on a woman to lust after her that is either in looking on her lusteth or by looking lusteth after her that is desireth to increase his lust he hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart Here then our Sauiour Christ setteth down two things touching the interpretation of this law First the occasion of adulterie which is looking to lust Secondly that the â—ust of the heart that is the motion and inward inclination of the heart vnto this sinne is adulterie before God though it neuer come into action For the occasion To looke vpon a woman is not sinne but may bee done lawfully yea thereby a man or woman may glorifie God as the Queene of Sheba by beholding Salomons person and hearing his
propounding it by way of answer to a secret obiection which might be framed by occasion of his former exposition of this seauenth commandement for hauing condemned the Adulterie of the heart declared by the eie some man might say What shall wee doe with our eies if an vnchaste looke bee so dangerous Our Sauiour Christ answers If thy right eie cause thee to offend plucke it out Which words must not be taken litterally in their proper sense for this is a Rule in the expounding of Scripture that when the litterall sense is against any commandement of the law thē the words must not be taken properly Now these words in their proper sense do command a breach of the sixt commandement which bindeth euery man to preserue his owne and his neighbours life and so no man can without sinne pull out his eie or cut off his hand By eie then we are to vnderstand First the eie of the bodie yet not that onely but any other thing that is deere and pretious vnto vs as our eie euen our right eie is If it cause thee to offend that is cause thee to sinne to faile in the way of obedience vnto Gods commandements Plucke it out cast it frō thee these words are a loftie kind of speech called Hyperbole whereby thus much is signified Restraine gouerne it most carefully though it be to thine owne great paine losse and hinderance For better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell These words containe a Reason of the former exhortation to this effect It is better for thee to want the benefit and vse of things most pretious and deere vnto thee in this life and so to be saued then by hauing and vsing them to perish for euer So that the true meaning of this place is this as if our Sauiour Christ had said Goe through the whole course of thy life and take a viewe of all thy waies and therein see what thing is an occasion of sinne vnto thee that take heed of and auoyde though the vse thereof be most deere vnto thee for it is better that thou shouldest want the vse thereof and so bee saued then by it to perish eternally in hell fire Also if thy right hand make thee to offend cut it off for it is better for thee Here the same exhortation and Reason is againe repeated which we must not thinke to bee a thing needlesse and friuolous for such Repetitions in Scripture haue speciall vse to signifie that the things so deliuered bee of speciall importance worthie all carefull obseruation and obedience Now by right hand here is meant any thing that is most profitable vnto vs what euer it bee if it cause vs to sinne against God it must bee auoyded and left off most carefully By this Exhortation of our Sauiour Christ wee are taught to carrie a strict watch ouer all our senses and ouer all the parts of our bodies especially the eie and hands that they become not vnto vs occasions of sinning against God and for the gouernment of the eies there bee two speciall Rules First wee must vse our sight that is open and shut our eies in obedience vnto God Salomon giuing Rules for the well ordering of the tongue sight and foote saith thus of the eie Let thine eie behold the right and thy eie liddes direct the way before thee which wordes seeme to carrie this sense That wee should order our sight according to the straite Rule of Gods word for that is the way wherein wee ought to walke Now the necessitie of obseruing this Rule may appeare by sundrie examples Eues looking vpon the forbidden fruite with desire to eate thereof against Gods commaundement was the doore and entrance of that sinne into her heart was not Cham accursed for looking vpon his Fathers nakednesse was not Lots wife turned into a pillar of salt for looking backe towards Sodome Fiftie thousand threescore and ten men of Bethshemish were slaine for looking into the Arke of the Lord against his reuealed will by all which it is plaine that we ought to vse our sight in obedience to God for which end it wil be good before we looke on any thing to consider whether the same will be for Gods glorie the good of our selues of our brethren if it be we may vse our sight if not we may not vse it Secondly we must make our eies not the weapons of any sinne but the instruments of Gods worship and seruice This we shall doe if we imploy them thus 1. In beholding Gods creatures in heauen and earth that in them wee may see Gods glorie wisedome mercie power and prouidence and thereby take occasion to magnifie the name of God 2. In beholding Gods iudgements very wishly and narrowly that therein we may see his iustice and wrath against sinne and so bee humbled in our selues and terrified from sinne 3. In beholding of the Elements of Gods Sacraments especially the bread and wine in the Lords supper which be visible words wherein we may see our Sauiour Christ as it were crucified before our eies 4. In vsing them as instruments of Inuocation by lifting them vp to heauen to testifie the lifting vp of our hearts vnto God This vse of the eies nature teacheth vs for whereas other creatures haue but foure muscles in their eies wherby their eies are turned round about man onely aboue them all hath a fift muscle whereby his eie is turned vpward towards heanen And this which is said for the well ordering of our eies must bee obserued in the rest of the senses and in all other partes of the bodie they must all be imployed and set a worke in obedience to God and continually obserued that they become not the weapons of sinne but the instruments of his glorie Secondly this Exhortation of Christ must teach vs to auoyde all the occasions of euery sinne though it bee with great losse vnto our selues in the things of this life This is the chiefe point that our Sauiour Christ aimeth at in this place and therfore it ought with speciall regard to be learned and remembred Mans nature is like vnto drie wood or towe which will burne so soone as fire is put vnto it giue a man the least occasion of any sinne and hee is as readie to commit it as drie wood is to burne though thereby hee doe as much as in him lieth to cast away his owne soule for euer Looke therefore as Mariners on the Seas haue constant and continuall care to auoyd both rocks and sands whereby they may suffer shipwracke so must wee most warily auoyde the occasions of euery sinne A most worthie example hereof we haue in Moses who was brought vp in Pharaohs Court till hee was fourtie yeares old where he enioyed all earthly pleasures and honours that his heart
want thereof ought not to keepe the godly from this Sacrament for another mans euill conscience cannot defile thy good conscience another mans sinne cannot hurt thee vnlesse thou doe some way communicate with him therein Christ was more carefull in his dutie then euer man was and yet hee communicated with the wicked Iewes Scribes and Pharises in the seruice of God vnder the Law The fourth head from whence offence is taken is the state of the wicked principally in regard of their prosperitie Hence some holy ones suspect their owne estate and religion as either not good or not regarded of God This befell Dauid Psal. 37. when hee sawe the prosperitie of the wicked and their increase in riches with peace and ease hee said Certainly I haue clensed mine heart in vaine â—nd washed my hands in innocencie Hence also Ieremie reasons with God why the way of the wicked should prosper and they bee in wealth that transgresse rebelliously Hence vndoubtedly at this day many call into question the good prouidence of God Now the way to cut off this offence is to enter into the sanctuarie of God as Dauid did that is to come to the assemblies of Gods people where the word is preached for there a man shall see the manifold reasons why God will haue his owne people afflicted also the fearefull end of the pleasures of the wicked namely a fitting of them to further destruction Againe from this same ground doe many rich men take offence for hauing the world at will they blesse themselues with this perswasion that God loues them and thereupon take occasion to condemne all religion and to goe on in the pursuite of worldly profits and delights And this is one maine cause why among the rich we haue so few good and sound Professors because that from a false ground of outward things they perswade themselues of Gods loue fauour But to cut off this offence we must remember that mans case is the more fearefull when he wants all crosses for God chasteneth euery child whom he receiueth Heb. 12. 6. it is a marke of Gods child to be in affliction if he profit thereby the stalled oxe commeth sooner to the slaughter then the oxe that is vnder the yoke and the sheepe that goeth in fat pasture commeth sooner to the shambles then that which goeth on the bare commons so oftentimes God fatteth the wicked with the blessings of this life as hee did the rich glutton that he may more iustly condemne them in the world to come Lastly we must remember what Salomon saith No man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is before him that is of all outward things all things fall alike vnto all both good and bad therfore no man must so blesse himselfe with his outward estate that he be drawne to esteeme of religion as a thing needlesse or superfluous Verse 31. It hath beene said also whosoeuer shal put away his wife let him giue her a Bill of diuorcement 32. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adulterie and whosoeuer shall marie her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Our Sauiour Christ proceeding further to restore the seauenth commaundement to his perfection doth here confute a false interpretation of a Politicke law of Moses giuen by the Scribes and Pharises For this ende first he laies downe the wordes of Moses politicke law but yet so as containing in them the false interpretation of the Iewish teachers ver 31. then hee opposeth the truth of God against their false interpretation and maintaineth the first institution of mariage v. 32. For the first Moses politicke law was That hee which put away his wife should giue her a Bill of diuorce This law the Iewish Teachers did falsly interpret for the better perceiuing wherof these three points are to be handled touching Moses politicke law 1. what kinde of law it was 2. the straitnesse of that law 3. what effect and force it had For the first the law is set downe Deut. 24. 1. when a man marieth a wife and she finde no fauour in his eies because he hath espied some filthinesse in her then let him write her a bill of diuorce and put it in her hand and send her out of his house This law was not morall but ciuill or politicke for the good ordering of the common wealth Now among their particular lawes some were laws of toleration and permission which were such as did not approoue of the euill which they concerned but did onely tolerate and permit that euill which could not be auoided for the preuenting of a greater euil which otherwise would fall out As when the sea hath made â— breach into the land if it cannot possibly be stopped the best course is to make it as narrow as may bee Such was the law concerning vsurie Deut. 23. 20. permitting the Iewes to exercise it vpon a stranger but not towards a brother and the like was the law touching polygamie Deut. 21. 15. If a man had two wiues the one hated the other loued and they both haue borne him children if the first borne be the sonne of the hated though shee were maried to him the latter yet her seed was legitimate and her sonne had the right of the first borne In both which lawes were tolerated that which God condemned onely for the preuenting of a greater euill Vnder this sort comes our law of vsurie for taking tenne in the hundred not approuing but permitting so much for the auoyding of greater vsurie Vnto this kind the Papists would reduce their law of permitting Stewes for the preuenting of greater sinnes but that law can haue no title to such permission for a law of permission is to diminish that euill which by man cannot possibly be cut off altogether now that sinne which they would preuent by their Stewes might be cut off among them if they would giue allowance to Gods owne ordinance of lawfull mariage vnto all sorts and sexes So likewise this law of Moses for diuorce was a law of permission not approouing of the giuing a bill of diuorce for euery light cause but tolerating of it for the preuenting of greater mischeife euen of murther for the nature of the Iewes was this if a man once tooke dislike to his wife he would neuer be at rest till he had shed her blood if they might not bee parted asunder Now this law of diuorce was giuen to restraine this great euill for hereby a man was tolerated to put away his wife when shee found no fauour in his eies lest hee should kill her yet so as he gaue her a bill of diuorce wherein hee must set downe the cause why hee put her away whereby also many were restrained from putting away their wiues because it was a great shame for a light occasion so highly to transgresse Gods holy institution who made them by mariage
one flesh The truth of this may appeare by the Lords owne complaint against his people to whom he speaketh as to a wife that had forsaken her husband without a cause on his behalfe Isay 50. 1. Where saith he is that bill of your mothers diuorcement wherby I sent her away As if he should say I gaue her no bill but her departure and separation from mee is by her owne sinnes which phrase sheweth what was the custome of the Iewes in this case II. Point The straitnesse of this law appeares in this that the man onely was permitted to giue this bill vnto his wife but the wife might not giue it to her husband for Moses saith Whosoeuer shall put away his wife neither is there any place in Scripture to prooue that the wife had this libertie so to deale with her husband If it bee asked whether the wife in a iust cause as for adulterie had not the like libertie I answer If we respect Gods institution touching mariage the right of diuorce is equall to them both for in regard of the bond of mariage they are equally bound one to another Here indeed this libertie is permitted onely to the man by this politicke law not that he had more right but to preuent the euill of the hardnesse of his heart who taking displeasure at his wife would rather spill her blood then continue with her If it be alleadged that a man is the womans head I answer that is for regiment and direction in her place but not in regard of breaking the bond of mariage whereby he is bound to his wife as well as she to him as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 4. III. Point The force and effect of this law was this It made the Bill of diuorcement for any cause giuen to be tolerable before men mariage after such a diuorce lawfull and warrantable in the Courts of men Deut. 24. 4. But yet in the court of conscience before God the diuorcement it selfe and second mariages made thereupon were both vnlawfull for God hateth this separation Mal. 2. 15. And whether partie soeuer marieth another vpon this diuorce commits adulterie Matth. 19. 9. This must be remembred for the true vnderstanding of this law of Moses the first words whereof are a permission to this effect If a man do conceiue such a dislike against his wife as that he wil not abide with her but will needes put her away then he may but yet so as hee giue her a bill of diuorce which doth not acquit him before God but before men onely Hauing thus shewed the true meaning of this law it remaineth now to see what the Pharises taught touching diuorce Their doctrine was this that hee which gaue a bill of diuorcement vnto his wife for any light occasion was thereby acquitted from her before God and thereupon might marie another without the guilt of adulterie and also that another man might lawfully marrie her that was thus diuorced That this was their meaning may appeare by the contrarie answer of our Sauiour Christ wherein he crosseth and confuteth this their interpretation in the words following Verse 32. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adulterie and whosoeuer shall marrie her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Here Christ answereth not to Moses law but to the corrupt interpretation of the Scribes and Pharises whereby they depraued that law By fornication Christ meaneth not euery sinne of that kinde but onely the sinne of adulterie or that which is greater in that kind namely incest Adulterie is a sinne that is committed by two parties one whereof is either maried or espowsed as hath beene shewed before Causeth her to commit adulterie That is giueth her occasion to marie againe and so to commit adulterie because their first bond remaineth stil and he that marieth her that is diuorced that is for any small cause not for adulterie he also commits adulterie Here then two points are set downe First that he who puts away his wife for any light cause causeth her to commit adulterie Secondly hee that marieth her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Yet vnto both these Christ putteth an exception in the case of adulterie The Papists and some others would restraine the exception to the first part of the sentence and make it a negation to this effect He that puts away his wife beeing no fornicator c. But the truth is that the exception belongs to the whole answer of our Sauiour Christ denying diuorce saue onely for adulterie and permitting no mariage after diuorcement saue onely where the diuorce is for adulterie First whereas our Sauiour Christ opposeth vnto this politicke law of Moses concerning diuorce the law of nature touching mariage Ge. 2. 24. He giueth vs an excellent distinction between all politicke laws and the law of nature which is the morall law for that is a law of eternall equitie commaunding good and forbidding euill simply without respect of man but politicke lawes are tempered according to the cōditions of men and though they doe not approoue yet sometimes they permit euill for the auoyding of greater mischiefe yea they tolerate that which before God and in conscience is condemned This point must teach vs not to content our selues with performing obedience to the politicke lawes of men for the lawes of men may tolerate that which Gods law doth condemne so the law of this Land in practise tolerates vsurie but vsurers must not hereupon thinke that all is safe well with them and that they sinne not in taking ten in the hundred because the law of the land permits it for our law tolerates that for the preuenting of greater vsurie when as the law of God doth vtterly condemne the same Againe our laws are open for men to goe to law at the first vpon euery light occasion without seeking former means of agreement but yet such men as doe so are guiltie of sinne before God notwithstanding their libertie by our politike lawes Some politike lawes also tolerate contracts of mariage made without consent of parents yet such children sin against the law of God for herein God requires childrens subiection to their parents and gouernours And the like might be shewed in many other points so that it is no sufficient iustification of our actions to say the lawes of men allow vs so to doe Secondly hence we may learne that a man cannot lawfully and with good conscience put away his wife except it be for adulterie the text is cleare both heare and also Math. 19. 7. which confuteth the ciuill laws of some countries the popish constitutions that allow other causes of diuorce besides adulterie Here they obiect sundrie things in their defence against this doctrine As 1. the saying of Christ Whosoeuer forsaketh Father or Mother wife c. shall receiue much reward Math◠19. 29. Here say they is diuorce for
brought before the Magistrate and made to sweare to this demaund or such like Whether they said Masse or knewe where Masse was said at such a time They answer vpon their oathes That they did not or knewe not though indeede they did which is according to their doctrine That vnto dangerous Interrogatories a man may frame a safe meaning vnto himselfe and sweare to it as in the former instance they sweare they knewe not where Masse was said meaning to reueale it to the Iudge But this is flat periurie for their oath is giuen them to answer according to the meaning of the Magistrates demaund and if a man might lawfully frame a meaning to himselfe in swearing hee might easily delude all truth and so should not an oath for confirmation be the ende of strife but the breeder thereof through surmise of false meaning in him that sweareth The third kind of periurie is The breaking of a binding oath as when a man vpon his oath promiseth to doe a thing that is lawfull and doth it not yet this is not alwaies periurie as First If God after the oath taken make the thing promised impossible to be done as if a man sweare to make another his heire of such and such lands now dwelling by the Sea side the Sea breaks out drownes all his land before he dieth Is this man periured because he performed not his promise bound with an oath no verely for God made the thing impossible Secondly if a man be bound in conscience to breake his oath Thus Dauid swearing rashly to slaie Nabal and his familie was yet staied from so doing by Abigals counsell and brake his oath and gaue God thankes for it for indeed his oath was vnlawfull beeing the bond of iniquitie and the doing of it had beene the doubling of his sinne Here it may well be demanded whether those that are sworne to the Statutes and lawes of societies and incorporations be periured if they breake the same Ans. The Statutes of incorporations bee of two sorts some are of the foundation of societies without which the incorporation cannot stand and these not beeing against the word of God cannot be broken without the guilt of periurie others are Statutes only of outward order and decencie as touching apparel gesture and such like as in some incorporations the Statutes require that euery man therein should weare the round cap hereunto many are sworne who alwaies weare it not now though I say not that they are faultlesse altogether yet they are not periured because this Statute of order binds not a man simply but either to obedience or to paie the mulct which if a man be content to paie he satisfies the Statute and benefits the societie as much as if he kept the Statute Hauing shewed what periurie is with the kinds thereof let vs see whether we be free from it After examinatiō it will appeare that mens liues are full of periurie for where is much swearing vsually there cannot but be much periurie because they that sweare in their common talke doe forget their oathes as they doe their communication But say we are cleare from periurie yet are wee in danger of Gods heauie iudgements for the breach of our vow in baptisme wherein wee promise to beleeue in God to serue him forsaking the world the flesh and the diuell now the breach of this vow is as ill as periurie for therfore may Baptisme be called a Sacrament because of the oath and vow which a Christian makes to God therein for the word Sacrament properly betokeneth the oath which a Souldier maketh to his Captaine for his fidelitie The breaking of Iosua his oath vnto the Gibeonites by Saul caused 3. years dearth and was not satisfied but with the blood of 7. of Sauls kindred And Zedekias periurie to the King of Babel was one cause of the Lords fierce wrath against Ierusalem and the Princes thereof Now shall one mans periurie cause such iudgements and shal we not thinke that among other sinnes this our periurie vnto God in breaking our vow in Baptisme bringeth vpon vs Gods heauie wrath by plague famine and vnseasonable weather Wherefore let the consideration hereof perswade vs to repentance and to a more conscionable care of performing our vow vnto God III. Point The grieuousnesse of this sinne of periurie which here the Lord forbids appeares by these three sinnes which are contained in it First the vttering or maintaining of a lie Secondly the calling on God to be a witnesse vnto a lie wherein men doe as much as in them lieth set the diuell himselfe the father of lies in the roome of God and so greatly robbe him of his honour and maiestie Thirdly in periurie a man praies for a curse vpon himselfe wishing God to bee a witnesse of his speech and a iudge to reuenge if he sweare falsly so as herein a man is his owne vtter enemie as much as in him lieth doth cast both bodie and soule to hell Quest. Seeing this sinne of periurie is so great whether may such a man be put to his oath as is certainely thought will periure himselfe if he be put to sweare I answer men that put others to sweare are either priuate persons or publike Magistrates a priuate man for his owne priuate cause may not put such a man to his oath for hee should haue greater care of Gods glorie and of the other mans soule then of his priuate gaine and therefore ought rather to depart from his temporall right then suffer his brother so to dishonour God and to hurt his owne soule But if a Magistrate bee to put such a man to his oath as is verely thought will periure himselfe he may lawfully doe it but yet he is first to aduertise the partie of the waight of an oath and of the fearefull sin of periurie and then if the order of Law and Iustice so require he may minister an oath vnto him leauing the euent to God for the execution of iustice must not staie on mans misdemeanour nor waite till they make conscience of sinne for if it did no common wealth could stand no warre could bee made Moses and the Leuites executed vengeance vpon the idolatrous Iewes without waiting for their repentance But shall performe thine oathes vnto the Lord. These words are not set downe in any of Moses bookes but are a collection from the former law of Moses gathered by the Iewish Teachers which collection though it be not expresly set downe yet is it the very sense of the Law for if a man cannot without periurie breake a lawfull binding oath then that Law which forbiddeth periurie bindeth man to performe all that he hath lawfully sworne vnto God Here then in this collection of the Iewish Teachers is set downe an excellent point touching the straitnesse of the bond of an oath In euery lawfull oath there is a double bond First it bindes one man to another for
after their fall Secondly because he commits euil and wickednesse continually without ceasing and therefore is compared to an hunger-bitten Lyon who goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure The most wicked man that is or euer was will sometime doe good Pharaoh humbled himselfe and confessed his sinnes to Moses and Saul desires to worship God with Samuel Herod also heard Iohn Baptist gladly and did many things according to his Ministerie but the deuil herein differs from all wicked men that he doth nothing but practise wickednesse he is alwaies murthering and neuer ceaseth to seeke mens destruction Thirdly because he practiseth sinnes of all sorts and degrees in himselfe and by his Ministers for the sinnes that be in the world be all from him either originally or by furtherance The vilest man that is doth abstaine from sinne sometime yea by nature he hateth some sinnes the proud and prodigall man cannot abide couetousnesse and the drunkard may abhorre idolatrie but the deuil continually practiseth sinnes of all sorts and therefore is iustly called the euill one Here theÌ„ we may see a reason why we are called the childreÌ„ of wrath and of the deuil by nature namely because by nature we carrie in vs about vs as liuely an image of the deuil in sin as any childe doth of his naturall father For first in our corruption we are guiltie of Adams sin in eating the forbidden fruit Secondly our nature is stained with originall sinne which is not a practise but a pronenessâ— vnto all manner of mischiefe and wickednesse that is committed in the world Seest thou a man kill his father or mother or betray his Master as Iudas did to Christ though it may be thou abhorrest such sinnes yet doubtlesse the seed thereof is in thee yea if God in mercie did not keep vs from it our corruption would carrie vs to the blasphemie against the Spirit And thirdly froÌ„ this naturall corruption do arise innumerable euil thoughts words and deeds in the course of our liues in all which we beare the image of the deuil till God bring vs to repentance and therefore iustly may we be called the children of wrath and of the deuill by nature hauing the same corruption in vs that is in the deuil though not in the same degree and manner Hence we learne First to be ashamed and confounded in our selues yea to hang downe our heads for what cause hath hee to be puffed vp with selfe loue that is by nature in himselfe like to the deuil Secondly this teacheth vs aboue all things to labour to haue the image of God renued in vs in righteousnesse and true holinesse which was lost in Adam that so the deuils image in sinne and wickednes may bee defaced Thirdly this must cause vs to make no account of any worldly thing that pertaineth to vs but all our ioy must be in Christ hee must bee our wisedome and righteousnesse our riches and all things else because by him we are renued from the deuils likenesse to the image of God Verse 38. Ye haue heard that it hath beene said an eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth c. Here Christ returnes to the commaundements of the second Table intending to restore the same to their proper sense and withall to confute the erroneous interpretation therof giuen by the Iewish Teachers And first he commeth to a particular Iudiciall law of Moses pertaining to the sixt commandement touching the Requitall of like for like in which as in the former he first sets downe the words of the law of Moses but yet to be vnderstood with the erroneous interpretation of the Scribes and Pharises verse 38. Then he giues the right sense of that law and withall confuteth the false interpretation of the Iewish teachers v. 39 40 41. For the first the words of Moses law here set downe An eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth are written Exod. 21. 24. whereto as to the former Christ prefixeth this preface It hath beene said thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that he is about to lay downe the law of God in the false sense of the Iewish Teachers for the better perceiuing whereof we must obserue the true meaning of that law An eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth wherein the Lord requireth requitall of like for like not by euery priuate man but by the publike Magistrate As if a man did put out his neighbours eie then the Magistrate should put out his â—ie and strike out his teeth that strikes out his neighbours teeth this appeares to be so because reuenge is directly forbidden to euery priuate person and plainely appropriated to the Iudge Deut. 19. 18 19 21. But the Iewish Teachers expounded this law of priuate reuenge as though God had said to euery priuate man If thy neighbour plucke out thine â—ie plucke out his againe and if hee strike out thy tooth strike thou out his tooth this is the false interpretation of the Iewes Quest. How could they so farre ouershoote themselues in so cleare a case seeing in all the bookes of Moses it is plainely referred to the Magistrate Ans. There may be two reasons giuen thereof First it is a naturall opinion that a man may reuenge himselfe in his owne cause priuately and not waite for recompence of the Magistrate and answerable hereunto there is a mightie strong desire of reuenge in euery mans heart by nature when he is iniuried now it is like that these Iewes followed their corrupt nature and headie affections in the interpretation of this law Againe the Iewish people were mightily giuen to reuenge by their naturall disposition as may appeare by the law of the Cities of Refuge and by mentioning of the Reuenger of blood which plainely imports that the Iewes would haue blood againe of him that shed blood whersoeuer they met with him Now the Iewish Teachers framed their doctrine to the common disposition and behauiour of their people and so falsified the truth of God as many times it fals out that the common practise of men makes sinne to seeme no sinne In the person of these Iewish Teachers we may see the policie of the deuil whose intent is and hath beene in all ages to ouerturne religion and to this end he endeauours to cause men to temper religion to their naturall disposition and common opinion in outward manners whereby he ouerturneth both religion and people This appeares in other points among the Iewes as well as in this case of reuenge They were a people giuen much to couetousnesse as may appeare by the law of toleration for taking vsury of strangers and by their hardnesse of heart so much reprooued by all the Prophets Now the deuill perceiuing this to be their naturall disposition makes Gods doctrine of saluation seeme to them a doctrine of earthly benefits for hee caused them to dreame of an earthly king for their Messias
man to be mercifull and to lend Psal. 112. 5. where wee see that wretched practise of many rich men condemned to the pit of hell who are so far from lending to the poore that they hoard vp their store till a time of dearth that then they may inrich theÌ„selues by poore mens want thus they increase Gods iudgement vpon the poore and as it were grinde their faces and tread vpon them as the holy Ghost speaketh But they shall one day find that they ought to haue lent vnto the poore in their necessities yea and when the hand of God in common want lieth more heauie vpon the poore they ought then to open their hands more liberally towards them It is an vsuall common practise that when a man beginnes to decaie in his estate no man will lend him any thing â—uâ—â— because he beginnes to decay therfore they withdrew their helpe least he should not pay them againe But this ought not to be so it s Christs commandement that the rich by lending should sustaine such a one as by reason of want is readie to fall into decay Secondly this coÌ„mand of Christ binds the Rich not onely to lend but to lend freely without taking any increase for they must lend not looking for any againe yea Exod. 22. 25. the Lord expressely forbids to take increase of the poore where we see the common practise of Vsurers condemned to the bottome of hell who lende vnto the poore vpon bonds for increase these are they that liue on the blood and life of the poore whose sinne is euery where condemned and ought to be hated as bloodshed it selfe But the rich will say they are intreated so to doe and are greatly thanked for so lending Ans. This excuse will not serue the turne for Sauls armour bearer was a murtherer for killing his master though Saul earnestly besought him so to doe 2. Sam 1. 9. 16. Thirdly here further learne that a man must lend and yet not alwaies take againe the principall indeede he may require and receiue his owne els there should be no lending but all giuing which two are here distinct but yet when the poore that borowed is fallen inâ—o further pouertie the Rich must turne his lending into giuing and forgiue the principall or part thereof as their seuerall estates shal require Deut. 24. 10 11 12. A man may take a pledge for his debt of the poore but yet if the pawne be a thing necessarie to the poore mans life he must not take it or at least not retaine it till the sunne setting Fourthly some may here aske seeing Christ bids oâ— lend looking for nothing againe whether may a man at no time with good conscience receiue increase for his lending Ans. Lending is twofold of due or of curtesie lending of due is the loane of the rich vnto the poore when his necessitie compells him to borrow and for this a man cannot with good conscience take any increase Lending of curtesie is when one rich friend lends vnto an other this is not forbidden in the word of God but is left to a mans owne libertie and discretion neither hath it any promise of reward Now in this case of curtesie I doe not finde in Scripture that all taking of increase is simply condemned nay in some cases both the law of nature and the lawes of all countries doe allow it As first when the increase is giuen onely in way of thankefulnesse as a blessing to require in kindnes a good turne receiued for ingratitude is abhorred of all and the low of nature requires to doe good for good and all Diuines almost both Protestants and Papists doe allow this kinde of increase Secondly when a man sustaineth dammage by his lending he may receiue increase by way of satisfaction for his losse Thirdly when a man is contented to aduenture his principall in the hand of him that borroweth then also may he take increase like as a man may receiue hire for his hourse or for the vse of any other goods standing to their losse Exod. 22. 14. Thus we see what the will of God is for giuing and lending vnto the poore now hence the poore may receiue instruction First hereby all may learne that God will haue some poore among his people to receiue and borrow of the rich which may serue to perswade the poore to be contented with their meane estate esteeming it to be the best for them because God in his wisdome and prouidence hath ordained it Secondly the poore must take occasion from their outward pouertie to seeke to be rich in God through grace Iam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith Herein they may match and goe beyond the richer sort which is a matter of great ioy Iam. 1. 9. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted that is with God who counts them rich Revel 2. 9. Thirdly hence the poore must learne to carie themselues submissiuely towards the rich of whome they receiue great helpe and comfort by their giuing and lending Prov. 18. 23. The poore saith Salomon vttereth supplications noting their humilitie which reprooues many poore who are so proud hearted and ingratefull that they will not affoard the rich a good word but this beseemeth none much lesse those that are to liue by the rich Psal. 101. 5. Him that hath a proud looke and bigh heart I cannot suffer vers 34. Ye haue heard that it hath beene said of old thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie In this verse and the rest to the ende of this Chapter our Sauiour goeth about to purge the generall commandement of the second Table touching the loue of our neighbour from the corrupt interpretation of the Iewish teachers and to restore it to his true and proper meaning And as in the former so here he first laies downe their false doctrine touching this commandement v. 43 and then consutes the same v. 44 45 c. In laying downe their false interpretation he propounds the law of Moses touching brotherly loue Leuit. 19. 18. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour which must here be vnderstood in their false sense who by neighbour meant a friend as if God had said Thou shalt loue thy friend Then he adjoyneth their tradition gathered from the law of God misconceiued namely to hate a mans enemie In these Iewes we may obserue two manifest abuses of Scripture which ought not to be in any Teachers to wit misinterpretation and a false collection The word they misconstrue is Neighbour which in the olde Testament is taken two waies either strictly and more properly for a familiar friend and acquaintance in which sense it is commonly taken or more generally for any one that in any kind of societie is neare vnto vs as by consanguinitie habitation office traffique or beeing onely in
the same place with vs for so is the Samaritane saide to be neighbour to the man that fell among theeues because he found him lying in the way where he traueiled and had compassion on him Now the Iewish teachers leaue the generall signification of the word which expressed the true meaning of the holy Ghost and take the speciall signification and so restraine this law of loue to friends onely Whereby we see how necessarie it is that the tongues wherein the Scriptures were penned should be well knowne and vnderstood for the mistaking of the signification of a word by the Iewish teachers caused a manifest errour to be taught among them for truth And this maketh greatly for the honour of the Schooles of learning where the studies of the Tongues is professed And herein also an other thing may be noted in the Iewish teachers that in the time of Christ they were ignorant in their owne tongue and therefore no maruell though at this day they knowe not the proprieties thereof seeing their Common-wealth is decaied and they dispersed among all people Their second fault is a false collection and consequent that because a man must loue his friend therefore he must hate his enemie this is against the rules of Arte for vnlesse the contraries be equall a consequent will not thence follow in this sort Here then obserue the necessitie of the studie of humane Artes and among the rest especially of the Arte of Logicke whereby we may discerne betweene true and false collections Againe here obserue an infallible note of a false teacher to wit to temper the word of God to mens naturall affections and so to expound it as they may both stand together The Iewes were a people that loued their friends entirely and hated their enemies bitterly now answearably doe their Teachers expound this law whereby they ouerturne both the law of God and the saluation of the people Thirdly marke here the fruit of corrupt doctrine namely to corrupt good manners The Iewes were a people that did much bragge of their Ancestours and priuiledges and in regard of themselues contemned all forraine Nations yea they hated them and therefore they were â—oâ—e in contention with Peter for going to Cornelius a Gentile Act. 11. 2. now this their malice proceeded partly from nature and partly from the false doctrine of their Teachers which was that they might hate their enemies The like may appeare in many practises of Poperie to this day for when that Superstition was aloft the people were taught a distinction of times and places in regard of holinesse the fruit of which doctrine stickes fast in the hearts of many vnto this day for they thinke Churches and Chappell 's to be more holy then other places and therefore some will neuer pray but when they come into some-such place And doe they not make great difference of daies and times all which are fruits of Poperie In regard whereof we see it is necessarie that the puritie of Religion in faith and manners should be strongly maintained by the syncere ministerie of the word for many disorders in mens liues come from the vnsound handling of the Scriptures Whereby we may see Gods vnspeakeable mercie and goodnesse towards vs in vouchsafing vs an holy Ministerie wherein the puritie of doctrine is and hath beene long and may be still through Gods mercie maintained and published This ought to mooue vs to all thankefulnesse vnto God and to endeauour to shew the fruit of this true Religion in all holinesse and pietie both of heart and life towards God and man vers 44. But I say vnto you Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Here our Sauiour Christ propounds his Answer vnto the former false doctrine of the Iewish Teachers for the hating of an enemie Wherein first he laies downe a generall Rule containing the summe of his whole answer saying Loue your enemies then he expounds that Rule in the same v. and after prooueth it v. 45 46. Of these in order For the first Loue your enemies In this Rule two things must be knowne I. what is an enemie II. what it is to loue our enemie both these are euident in the words following wherein Christ expounds this rule Blesse them that curse you c. An enemie then is any one that of hatred doth wrong vnto his neighbour either in word by cursing or euill speaking or deede by striking and persecuting him But what is it to loue our enemie Loue properly is an affection of the heart whereby one is well pleased with an other But here more generally loue comprehendeth these two things first to be louingly affected in heart towards an enemie secondly to vse an enemie louingly in speech and action so it is taken 1 Ioh. 3. 18. Loue not in word and tongue onely but in deed and truth And Rom. 10. 1â— Loue is the fulfilling of the Law For the first loue in the heart comprehendeth all good affections that one man beareth to another aâ— mercie compassion meekenesse and desire to doe vnto them what good we can as it is more plainely expressed Luk. 6. 36. Bee ye therefore mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull And for the second that kinde vsage which loue expresseth in word and deede is here set out vnto vs in three branches First blesse them that curse you where is commaunded all good speech both vnto our enemie and of our enemie The second Do good to them that hate you where is prescribed all louing vsage in action by affoarding them helpe reliefe and comfort any way we can The third Praie for them that persecute you that is for their good estate in this life so farre forth as it serueth for Gods glorie and for their conuersion and saluation in the world to come See the euidence of these things in examples for the affection of the heart take Christs example who so loued his enemies that he was contented to shed his owne hearts blood for them and to suffer the pangs of hell vpon the crosse for their saluation For loue in courteous speech see Dauid's practise towards Saul his professed enemie for though Dauid had him in his hands and might haue killed him sundrie times nay though he was prouoked thereunto by his seruants yet hee spared him and with all tearmes of reuerence towards Saul appeased his seruants calling Saul his master and the Lords annointed Thus louingly also in speech did Paul behaue himselfe to Festâ—s Agrippa though they were heathen men and his enemies For doing good in action to an enemie read Exod. 2â— 4 5. If thou meete thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astraie thou shalt bring him to him againe and if thou seest thine enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilt thou cease to helpe him thou shalt helpe him vp againe with it and Prou.
worke there must be a two-fold faith Iustifying faith and a generall faith Iustifying faith whereby the person doing the worke must be reconciled to God and stand before God a true member of Christ for of this it is said without faith it it is impossible to please God And Christ saith every braÌ„ch that beareth not friute in me the father taketh a way and without me yee can doe nothing where it is plaine that whosoeuer would doe a worke acceptable to God must first be in Christ and the reason is euident for first the person working must be acceptable to God before his worke can be approoued but no mans person is approoued of God before he be in Christ and therefore iustifying faith whereby we are vnited vnto Christ is cheifely necessarie By generall faith I meane that whereby a man beleeues that the worke he doth is pleasing vnto God Hereof Paul saith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne A worke may be good in it selfe and yet sinnefull in the doer if he want this generall faith Now vnto this are two things required first a word of God commanding the worke and prescribing the manner of doing it secondly a promise of blessing vpon the doing of it for euery good work hath his promise both of the things of this life and of a better these things must be knowne and beleeued vpon these grounds we must pray giue Almes and doe euery good worke and so shall they be approoued of God Now by this double faith required in euery good worke we see how those that are bound to practise good works as euery one is more or lesse ought to labour to be acquainted with the word of God that they may doe their works in faith for els though the worke be good it may be sinne in them because it is not of faith which is the miserable state of ignorant persons who through want of faith cannot doe good workes in a good manner The second thing required in the doing of a good worke is loue loue I say ioyned with faith for faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 9. indeed faith doth some things of it selfe as apprehend receiue and applie Christ and his righteousnes to the beleeuer which is the proper worke of faith But other things it doth by the helpe of an other and so faith bringeth forth the workes of mercie and performeth the duties of the first and second table not properly by it selfe but by the helpe of loue and therefore here I say that in euery good worke is required that loue whereby faith worketh Now the kinds of loue required in wel-doing are two first the loue of God in Christ for as we know God in Christ so must we loue him secondly the loue of our bretheren yea of our enimies for howsoeuer in our vnderstanding these two may be distinguished yet in practise they must neuer be seuered but must alwaies goe hand in hand to mooue vs to doe the workes of mercie and all the duties of our calling as Paul saith of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles The loue of God constraineth vs to preach the Gospel 2. Cor. 5. 14. The third thing required in doing a good worke well is humilitie whereby a man esteemeth himselfe to be but a voluntarie and reasoable instrument of God therein This vertue will make a man giue the honour of the worke to the principall Agent that is to God himselfe who worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure The fourth thing required in wel-doing is simplicitie or singlenes of heart whereby a man in doing a good worke intendeth simply and directly to honour and please God without all by-respects to his owne praise or the pleasing of men This is a speciall vertue directing a man to the right ende in euery good worke which is the obedience and honour of God in mans good This vertue was in Paul who in simplicitie and godly purenesse had his conuersation in the world thus he preached the Gospel and so ought we to doe euery good worke Now that this sinceritie may shew it selfe we must take heede of a speciall vice which is contrarie vnto it namely the guile of the spirit mentioned Psal. 32. 2. which maketh a man intend and propound false ends and by-regards in doing good workes as his owne praise and delight or to please men thereby And that we may auoid this spirituall guile we are to know that it may and doth vsually preuaile with men in foure cases I. when those doe practise vertue in whome God onely restraines the contrarie vice thus ciuill honest men that haue no religion may practise iustice temperance mercie and other morall vertues because they are not inclined to iniustice intemperance and the contrarie vices but these actions in them are no good works before God because they proceede not from sanctified hearts sincerely intending to obey glorifie God hereby II. When men doe good works for feare of diuine iustice and the penalties of mens laws and such for the most part is the repentance of the sicke I graunt indeede that some doe truly repent in this estate but commonly such repentance is vnsound and proceedeth not from a single heart but from feare whereby being vnder Gods hand they seek to auoid his iudgement Such also are the outward duties of religion performed by our common Protestants who come to Church and receiue the Sacraments chiefly for custome sake and to auoide the daunger of mens lawes III. When men doe good works for the honour praise of men This is a dangerous thing vpon this ground a man may preach the word vse prayer and professe the Gospel yea and be zealous for Gods glorie as Iâ—hâ— was and hence it comes that many fall away to loosenes of life from a strict profession of religion because they receiued not the truth in simplicitie of heart with purpose onely to obey please God but rather to get the praise of men IV. When men doe good works from some corruption of heart preuailing in them as wheÌ„ a man is both proud and couetous yet more proud then couetous couetousnes bids him not to giue to the poore but yet pride desiring the praise of men preuailing in him causeth him to giue to the poore And so when couetousnes preuailes in a proud man it will cause him to abstaine from riot proud apparell which yet his pride would perswade him vnto In all these cases spirituall guile corrupts the worke that otherwise is good in it selfe and therefore we must haue a watchfull eye vnto singlenes of heart in our well-doing and to the rest of the vertues before named that so we may be able to say with good conscience that our works are such as God approoueth vers 4. That thine Almes may be secret and thy father that seeth in secret he will reward thee openly Here is the reason
of blood God will not heare them though they make many prayers If therefore we call vpon God as on our father we must be sine to loue his children as our brethren for this commandement we haue of God that he which loueth God should loue his brother also and he is not of God that loueth not his brother 1. Ioh. 3. 10. IIII. Here we see that all true beleeuers whether high or lowe poore or rich are in an equall condition in regard of God for God is no respecter of persons and here Christ teacheth euery one to say Our father In earthly kingdomes there be differences of estates and degrees some be noble some base some rule others serue and obey but with God in Christ there is neither bond nor free c. Coloss 3. 11. The beleeuing shepheard may call God his father as well as the beleeuing King and haue as good a place in Christs kingdome Which serues notably both to encourage the poore to embrace the Gospel in sinceritie seeing their meane outward estate can nothing preiudice or hinder their high acceptance with the Lord if they be faithfull as also to admonish the rich and noble in this world not to bee puffed vp with these outwarde thinges to contemne the poore for these things giue them no title to the kingdome of God nay not many noble nor mightie after the flesh are called but God hath chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith Iam. 2. 5. Which art in heauen These words shewe towardes what place we must dispose our selues in praier our father to whome we pray is in heauen and therefore thither must we direct our hearts our eyes our hands and all that is in vs. Indeede the Iewes vnder the law looked towards the Temple and in the Temple towards the mercie-seat because the Lord had there promised the manifestation of his presence and therefore Daniel turned his face towardes Ierusalem when he praied in Chaldea but now in the new Testament difference of place in respect of Gods presence is taken away and we are not tyed in praier to looke East or West North or South but men may now euery where and euery way lift vp pure hearts and hands vnto God towardes heauen thou must dispose thy heart because thy father to whome thou praiest is there and looke which way thou wilt or goe whither thou wilt heauen is not nearer nor further off Which shewes euidently two notable and grosse Popish fooleries in the matter of Gods worship the first is their going on pilgrimage from place to place to serue God the better for God whome thou must worship is in heauen in respect whereof all places are alike goe whither thou wilt thou art not nearer and stirre no foote thou art not further off Their second foolerie which is also abominable before God is to worship God in an Image at Crosses and in Crucisixes c. these they vse to put them in minde of God and of Christ but this they learne by the precepts and traditions of men and therefore it is but meere vaine and foolish worship in the sight of God Christ teacheth vs to set our hearts towardes heauen and not to poâ—â—e on dumme Images here on earth II. Instruct. Is God in heauen then when we pray we must come before God with all reuerence feare and trembling for he is in heauen a most glorious God full of all maiestie and power Eccles. 5. 1. Be not rash with they mouth nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a word before God why so for he is in heauen and thou art vpon earth therefore let thy words be fewe Now this reuerence must shewe it selfe first in the holy disposition of the heart and affections towardes the Lord when the minde is not caried away with by-thoughts but applyeth it selfe wholly and onely to the present seruice it hath in hand secondly in the comely gesture of the body beseeming so holy an action done to so high a maiestie Thirdly in the humble and reuerend vttering of our requests hauing before hand well considered the things we are to vtter before God But goes the case thus with men in their ordinarie praiers nothing lesse for beside the multitude that pray without vnderstanding euen the better sort in the time of praier haue their minds running vpon other matters some about their profits others about their sports or such like now is not this pharisaicall praier wherein the lippes draw neare to God but the heart is farre remooued Againe many shew no reuerence in gesture or in speach some disdaine to bow to God in prayer and others doe rush vpon God in many words without premeditation But all these sinne grieuously for howsoeuer vnreuerent praying troubles few mens consciences because it is not easily discerned beeing against the first table yet it is to be esteemed as a disgrace vnto the Almightie and beeing carelessely practised when it is once knowne it is plaine mockerie of Gods maiestie worser then mocking of father or mother and therefore we must with all carefulnes auoide it and set our hearts with all reuerence towards God in prayer III. Hence we must learne to aske of God in prayer heauenly things especially these earthly blessings may be asked so farre forth as they are helpes to further vs towardes our euerlasting inheritance in heauen to which we are called 1. Pet. 1. 3 4. But to be euer groueling in the earth is against the nature of him that hath a father in heauen IIII. Our principall care must be how to come to heauen for there our father is ordinarily a child desires to be with his father and is best pleased on his mothers lappe or in his fathers armes herein therefore we must testifie our selues to be the sonnes and daughters of God by our vnfained desire to be in heauen where our father is It is vnnaturall for a child not to be delighted with his fathers house and so it argues them to be void of grace that haue no affection towards heauen and heauenly things let vs therefore delight to pray whereby we may creepe into our fathers bosome and though our bodies be on earth yet in affection and desire let our soules mount vp to heauen here we are but pilgrimes if God be our father our hearts must be vpon our home which is heauen where our father is Now the words of this preface thus opened containe a twofold notable ground and proppe to all our praiers to wit that God is both able and willing to heare and helpe when we pray for his beeing in heauen imports that he is almightie and therefore can heare and helpe vs our God is in heauen and be doth whatsoeuer he will And beeing a father yea our father in Christ he must needes be willing and readie to graunt our requests for no father is so tenderly affected towardes his naturall
stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou Gods speciall kingdome is that whereby hee ruleth his elect and chosen people working his will not onely by them as he doth in his generall kingdome by the deuils themselues but in them also by his holy spirit and it is called speciall because it is not exercised ouer all the world but onely ouer the elect whom hee hath ordained to eternall life This speciall kingdome of God is two-folde either of Grace or of Glorie The kingdome of grace is a spiritual estate wherein God makes men willingly subiect to his written word by his spirit I call the kingdome of grace a spirituall estate both because it is principally exercised in the conscience and also because this regiment in the conscience is by the spirit of God Secondly I shew wherein it consists namely in a voluntarie subiection of the whole man in soule and bodie and spirit to the will of God reuealed in the word Psalm 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly in the day of assembling thine armie in holy beautie And this subiection stands in three things in Righteousnesse Peace and Ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17 18. In Righteousnes that is First in Christs righteousnesse imputed and secondly in the righteousnesse of a good conscience the ground whereof is sanctification by the spirit which Christ giues to them whom he doth iustifie In Peace that is peace of conscience towards God and peace with Gods Church yea with all creatures so farre forth as is needfull for them Now vnder peace we must comprehend loue and all duties of loue for as righteousnesse concernes the person in soule and bodie so peace respects all duties and actions of the life Righteousnesse is the root from whence springeth this peace with euery action thereof for when the heart is sanctified the life is reformed Lastly in ioy in the holy Ghost this is a fruite of both the former respecting especially the state of affliction for when a man is iustified and sanctified and hath peace towards God then ariseth in his heart a spirituall delight in God in all estates yea though great afflictions light vpon him for Gods cause yet he beareth them with inward ioy and delight knowing that the spirit of glorie of God resteth vpon him and that he shall be glorified with Christ if he suffer with Christ which things while he compareth together hee little esteemeth the afflictions of this life in respect of the glorie that shall be reuealed for the light affliction that is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie These are the branches of this spirituall subiection which whosoeuer hath is a good subiect in the kingdome of grace as the Apostle saith in the next verse he that in these things serueth Christ is acceptable vnto God and approoued of men The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of Gods elect in heauen whereby God in Christ becomes all things vnto them immediately 1. Cor. 15. 28. This estate of glorie is a subiection also but yet such a subiectiō as is indeed a glorious regimēt for there we raigne with Christ in whom and through whom God himselfe becomes honour peace health foode raiment and all things needfull to the perfection of felicitie Now these two beeing Gods kingdome differ thus The state of grace is the beginning and entrance to the state of glorie and the state of glorie is the perfection of the state of grace This state of glorie is the citie and the state of grace as it were the suburbs of it In this life wee liue in the kingdome of grace but the kingdome of glorie is reserued for the life to come and this speciall kingdome of God in both these estates doe we here pray for Thy kingdome This imports that there is another kingdome euen the kingdome of Satan which is a kingdome of darkenes full of all disorder and confusion through sinne which greatly hindereth annoyeth Gods kingdome of grace especially Come That is to vs men in the world and then it commeth when God doth erect establish the same in their hearts now vnto perfection it comes by 5. degrees 1. When God giues vnto men the outward meanes of saluation wherein he doth reueale his grace fauour in Christ as the Gospel preached which is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. And so Christ hauing relation to his preaching which he confirmed by miracles among the Iewes saith The kingdome of God is come vnto you Luk. 11. 20. and beeing demaunded by the Pharisies when the kingdome of God should come he tels them it was among them Luk. 17. 21. meaning that it was brought vnto them by the ministerie of Iohn Baptist of himselfe and of his Disciples although indeed it were without profit to many of them 2. When the word preached inlightens the minde so as a man knowes and vnderstands the mysterie of the Gospel which is the law of this kingdome 3. When a man is thereby regenerate and so brought into this kingdome for by regeneration we haue effectuall entrance into the state of grace wherein Christ rules in vs by his word and spirit and wee yeeld subiection vnto him 4. At the ende of this life when the bodie goeth to the earth but the soule to God that gaue it beeing translated to the ioyes of heauen in the glorie of this kingdome 5. At the last iudgement when body and soule beeing vnited againe are both made partakers of the glorie of this kingdome and this is the full and perfect cōming of it So then our request to God in this petition is to this effect O Father let thy kingdome come to vs that be pilgrimes and strangers here on earth prepare vs for it and enter vs into it that be yet without renue vs by thy spirit that we may be subiect to thy will confirme vs also in this estate that our soules after this life and both soule and bodie at the day of iudgement may be fully glorified yea Lord hasten this glorie to vs and to all thine elect The Uses 1. Wants to be bewailed The wants we are taught to bewaile in this petition either concerne our selues or others First we must lament and mourne for our owne miserable estate by nature whereby we are the seruants of sinne and so in thraldome and bondage vnder Satan sinne leads vs into bondage for he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and where sinne raigneth there the deuill hath dominion And hence it comes that wee rebell so much against the kingdome of God and refuse to stoop to the scepter of his word Indeede this bondage is weakened in Gods children but none is wholly freed from it in this life as Pauls complaint declares Rom. 7. 14. The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin The naturall man is dead
will may be done As first that we may haue grace to denie our selues our owne wills and affections for naturally we are herein vnlike God and like the deuill and this must euery one learne that would be Christs disciple Luke 9. v. 23. Secondly that God would incline and dispose our hearts towards his holy word that we may not onely know but obey Gods reuealed will This was Dauids vsuall request Psalm 119. 27. Make me to vnderstand the way of thy testimonies and 36. Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies For how should we doe the will of God vnlesse we know it and how shall we know it vnlesse our hearts affect the meanes of grace and of obedience Thirdly that God would hasten that time and state vnto vs wherein we shall perfectly doe the will of God that is our state of glory Fourthly that vnder euery crosse which God shall lay vpon vs wee may possesse our soules with patience so subiect our selues to Gods absolute will Thus Paul prayes in behalfe of the Colossians that God would strengthen them by the power of his might vnto all patience long suffering with ioyfulnesse Colos. 1. 12. Fiftly that God would turne the hearts of men from sinne bring them euery where to the obedience of his will 3. Use. Duties to be practised Because wee must seeke to practise that which we aske in praier therefore hereby we are also taught to endeauour our selues after these good duties First to prooue what is the good will of God and acceptable Rom. 12. 2. We must by often triall of our actions by the word of God become expert in Gods will vse in all things makes perfect and therefore in all our affaires wee must consult with God whether the things wee goe about be agreeable to his will Most men will haue an eie to the lawes of the land in their ciuill affaires as in buying and selling and why should we not bee as wife for our soules in the matters of God Doe we not dissemble with God when wee say with our tongues Thy will be done and yet in life and conuersation haue no regard to square our works thereby Secondly wee must be strict in the matter of sinne making conscience of euery euill way yea euen of the first motions vnto sinne that neuer come to consent for this petition for obedience respects not only our words and deedes but our secret thoughts for euen they must be brought to obedience to God 2. Cor. 10. 5. Thirdly we must seeke to cut off all things that hinder vs from doing Gods will wee must mortifie and crucifie the lusts of the flesh and all sinnefull motions of our corrupt hearts for these make vs rebells against God in transgressing his will This is a hard thing to doe and vnto a naturall man of himselfe altogether impossible and therefore we must vse spirituall meanes for the deedes of the flesh must bee mortified by the spirit Roman 8. 13. Now the ground of this worke is the death of our Sauiour Christ applyed by faith to our corrupt heart for the old man is crucified with him as the Apostle Paul saith that the bodie of sinne might bee destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne Roman 6. 6. This therefore must wee doe if we thinke our selues to haue part in Christ wee must perswade our hearts that when our Sauiour Christ was vpon the crosse in our roome and stead bearing the punishment of our sinnes then were wee in regard of the old man crucified with him the vertue and efficacie whereof wee shall vndoubtedly finde in our selues for the mortifying of sinne when we doe truely beleeue for our fellowshippe with Christ beginnes in his death and if we be dead to sinne how can the motions thereof yet liue and raigne in vs When a malefactour is put to death he ceaseth from his badde courses and so if our corruption be crucified with our Sauiour Christ it must not raigne in our hearts to bring forth the fruits of sinne Let vs therefore meditate on the death of our Sauiour Christ and apply it to our selues by faith and consider the vilenesse of our sinnes in the bitternesse of his passion and then no doubt we shall be mooued to striue against euill motions for if we be Christs we haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Fourthly we must not liue inordinately but in that sort which God inioyneth Christians in his word euery one must haue a double calling the generall calling of a Christian common to all that liue in the Church concerning the seruice of God in righteousnesse and holinesse and a particular lawfull calling in some set state of life tending to the good of the Church cōmon wealth or familie wherin a man must glorifie God in the good of men this is to liue in order he that wanteth both or one of these liues inordinately for God would haue euery man to abide in that vocation wherein hee hath called him euery one therefore according to his gift and grace receiued of God must liue in a lawfull calling and hee that doth not so resisteth Gods will Whereby wee see that wandring beggers are not to bee suffered in Church or common wealth for they liue without any calling and so transgresse Gods will yea their course of life is here also condemned that spend their life in sports and gaming for such a life is rebellion against God who wil be glorified in workes done by vertue of our lawfull calling Fiftly it is the will of God that through manifold afflictions wee should enter into his kingdome and therefore when any crosse befalls vs walking in our lawfull callings wee must endeauour to subiect our selues patiently to the will of God therein in prosperitie we are cheerefull and thankfull but when affliction comes our nature would repine O remember we say in all estates Thy will be done and therefore in the most bitter crosses that can befall vs wee must labour to say with Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed bee the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. So did the Prophet Dauid beeing banished his kingdome by his owne sonne 2. Sam. 15. 26. But if hee thus say Behold I haue no delight in thee beholde here I am let him doe to mee as seemeth good in his eies and Chapter 16. 10 11. when Shemei cursed him he staied Abisna◠from reuenge vpon consideration of Gods will to haue it so saying Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him In earth as it is in heauen Hauing spoken of the grace of obedience desired in this petition we now come to the manner how it must bee performed to wit In earth as it is in heauen that is of vs men liuing on earth as the blessed Angels and glorified Saints doe it in heauen for the Angels that excell in strength doe Gods commandements
truely repented at their conuersion to bee reconciled vnto God 2. Corinth 5. 20. meaning by renuing their repentance And Dauid was the true childe of God yet beeing left vnto himselfe hee fell into two grieuous sinnes wherein he lay almost a whole yeare without repentance during all which time he had not pardon of them actually for Nathan rebuked him to bring him to repentance and vpon his confession pronounced them pardoned yea and Dauid himselfe afterward for the fuller assurance of mercie to his soule most earnestly intreated pardon hereof at the hands of Gods Psal. 51. So that this petition is most necessarie as well for actuall pardon of sinnes present as for the more ful assurance of sinnes past The meaning This petition is propounded in the forme of a comparison which naturally standeth thus As wee forgiue our debters so forgiue thou to vs our debts and it hath two parts a request for pardon and a reason thereof Our request for pardon is this Forgiue vs our debts In the word debt is a figuratiue kinde of speech taken from bargaining wherein God is resembled to the Creditour Man is the debter the Law is the bond or obligation and sinne is that debt of ours for which we stand bound to God by the law this appeares by this that in the Euangelists the word sinne and debt are vsed promiscuously as Luk. 11. 4. compared with this of Matthew and Luke 13. 4. Now sin makes vs debters vnto God not for that we owe it vnto him for we are bound by the law to yeeld the contrarie obedience but because vpon default of obedience vnto God whereto wee are bound by the law we are bound for our sins vnto punishment which is as it were a second debt Euen as a man that is bound in an obligation to another through default of performing the condition thereof is bound to paie both the principall and the forfeiture the punishment of sinne which is eternall death being that forfeiture whereto we stand bound before God for want of obedience which is as it were the principall The consideration of this resemblance for which sinne is called a debt serues to direct vs in some points of religion as first it confutes their opinion who hold that our whole iustification consists in the remission of sinnes and that the same is wrought by the shedding of Christs blood alone for we owe to God a double debt first obedience and for default thereof we stand bound to punishment these two debts are different and distinct one from an other and they must both be paid and Gods iustice satisfied either by our selues or by a furetie before we can be accepted as righteous vnto life Now we our selues can discharge neither therefore Christ our suretie must doe both and so he hath for our second debt of sinne whereby we stand bound to punishment Christ discharged by his death and passion wherein he made his soule a sacrifice for sinne and our debt of obedience in perfect loue to God and man he also paid to God in fulfilling the law for vs whereupon it is true that the righteousnes of the law is fulfilled in thē which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But say they the Scripture euery where ascribes our whole redemption and iustification to Christs blood-shedding and to his death and passion Ans. Christs blood-shedding must be considered two waies first as a part of his passion whereby we are discharged from punishment secondly as a part of his obedience wherein he testified singular loue both to God his father and vnto mankind for in suffering he obeied and in obeying he suffered now because his bloodshedding is a part of both therefore is our whole redemption ascribed thereunto not excluding but including his actuall obedience therein it beeing a part thereof Secondly debt in this place betokening sinne as it binds vnto punishment sheweth plainly that sinne and punishment goe alwaies together and therefore the Popish doctrine is false and erroneous which parteth them asunder by making some sinnes veniall not deseruing the punishment of death which is the wages of sinne Forgiue vs This forgiuenesse here asked is a free and full discharge from sinne and the punishment thereof without any satisfaction on our part and this God doth when he is content for Christs sake not to impute sinne vnto vs but to account it as not committed and the punishment thereof as not due vnto vs beeing fully and freely contented with the all-sufficient satisfaction made by Christ in his death and passion This forgiuenesse Hezekias expressed when he saide to God Thou hast cast all our sinnes behinde thy backe and Michah saying He will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea So that our request to God is this that whereas our sinnes binde vs vnto punishment the Lord would be pleased for his Sonnes sake freely to remit all our sinnes and neuer to impute them vnto vs and to be fully contented with the suffering of Christ that the punishment of our sinnes be neuer laide vpon vs. Quest. But of what sinnes doe we here aske pardon Ans. Both of sinnes past and present for howsoeuer the child of God hath his sinnes past fully pardoned at once on Gods part vpon his true repentance yet he is not able so to receiue pardon as God giues it but must receiue it by little and little and as it were droppe by droppe this we may see in Dauid who had the pardon of his sinne pronounced by Nathan the Prophet and yet after that he penned the 51. Psalme wherein he begges mercie and forgiuenes most earnestly for that sinne which God had alreadie pardoned aiming no doubt at a more full and comfortable assurance of Gods pardon in his owne heart for this cause also in his olde age he praies for the pardon of the sinnes of his youth Psal. 25. 7. Againe here we pray for the pardon of sinnes present both that they may be actually forgiuen and also that our hearts and consciences may be setled in the assurance thereof The vses First by this petition we are taught to bewayle our carnall securitie for naturally we goe on from day to day in following the pleasures and profits of this world and neuer thinke of our debt to God by sinne till the euill day of death or distresse approach vnto vs like to desperate bankrupts that neuer regard their debt till the sergeant be vpon their backe This is that sinne which Christ foretold should raigne in the latter daies Math. 24. 39. and I appeale to the conscience in the veiw of all estates and conditions whether it be not so for though iniquitie doe abound yet no man saith what haue I done Ier. 8. 6. yea this is the sinne of many professors for the nature of man is prone to incroach vpon Gods favour But we must know that this securitie cannot stand with
bold-hardie that they will raiâ—e vpon and defie the deuill and command him to be gone But without a calling thereunto we may not so doe Indeede if by Gods prouidence we be called to liue in such places necessarily then this we may doe we must not reason with the deuill but betake our selues to God by humble and earnest praier and complaine of Satans vexation making God our shelter and defence both for soule and bodie els if we presume to meddle with him without a calling from God we may iustly be foyled and abused by him as the sonnes of Sceva were because we haue no promise from the Lord to be protected from him For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen These words conteine the reason of the former sixe petitions touching which we must obserue two things in generall first that they are not a reason to mooue God whose wil is vnchaÌ„geable but to perswade the child of God that prayeth thus that God will graunt his requests Secondly that this reason is not peculiar to the last petition but generally belonging to them all as halowed be thy name because thine is the kingdome power and glorie and so for the rest The meaning Kingdome This here imports three things in God first that he is al-sufficient of himselfe to doe all things whatsoeuer needing no helpe nor instrument beside his soueraigne will Gen. 17. 1. I am God al-sufficient Secondly that he hath a soueraigne right and title to all things in heauen and earth as a King hath to those things which belong to his territories and iurisdiction Thirdly that he hath soueraigne rule and authoritie ouer all things in heauen and earth gouerning them as he pleaseth and bringing them into an absolute subiection Further the kingdome of God is twofold The kingdome of his prouidence whereby he rules and gouernes all things in heauen and earth euen the deuill and all his angels and instruments and the kingdome of grace whereby he gouernes his Church by his word and spirit and both these are here to be vnderstood Thine The kingdome is here called Gods for two causes First to shew that God hath his kingdome of himselfe and from himselfe alone thus the kingdome of grace and of prouidence are both his Secondly to distinguish God from earthly kings for though they haue a kingdome power and glorie as Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzer yet they haue all these from God not of themselues but God hath them of himselfe alone and not from any other Now because our nature is blind in the things of God I will here propound some reasons to prooue that God hath such a soueraigne kingdome as also to shew the excellencie of it First this appeares by that excellent order which God hath set in all his workes by their creation for how fitly doe times and seasons as spring time and summer autumne and winter succeede one an other how sweetely doe the heauenly creatures the sunne moone and starres serue for the creatures here below as hearbs and plants how doe these serue for beasts and foules and all of them for the vse of man as this prooues against the Atheist that there is a God so it shewes the soueraigntie and most wise regiment of his kingdome When a man sees a great armie in good array and euery one keeping his place and standing constantly he will presently commend the wisdome and authoritie of the leader why then should we not acknowledge the power and souerangntie of the almightie in that constant station of the creatures in that sweete order which they obserue from the creation Secondly the terror accusation of a guiltie conscience doth argue euidently the absolute soueraigntie of Gods kingdom for when a man hath committed some grieuous sinne either against the law of nature or the written word of God though it be so secretly that no man know of it yet wil his conscience accuse and fright him which it would not doe vnles he were to answer for that fact to God the soueraigne Lord of al. Thirdly men of death that is such as by some notorious crime deserue death though through the ignorance or negligence of magistrats they be let to escape yet ordinarily they are ouertaken with some fearefull iudgement and one way or other meete with their desert which is a speciall worke of Gods soueraigne prouidence Fourthly the Gospel preached is as contrarie to mans corrupt nature as fire is to water and yet hath it in all ages wonne men vnto it to professe it and to loue it so as they haue been content for the Gospels sake to forsake house and lands wife children yea and life itselfe This no word of man could euer doe therfore it argues plainly that some supernatural power worketh with it which draws the heart of maÌ„ vnto it Here some may say that the Deuill hath a kingdome contrarie to Gods kingdome wherein he raigneth and therfore Gods kingdome is not absolute Ans. If we regard the malice of Satan or the practise of the wicked it may seeme Gods kingdome should not be absolute because they continually rebell against his reuealed will but consider the power of God which ouerruleth Satan and all his instruments disposing most wisely of all their works to his owne glorie the good of his Church and their own ruine and then we shall plainly see that God ruleth ouer all for howsoeuer the deuill and his angels and all other his instruments oppose themselues vnto the word of God which is the law of his kingdom of grace yet God willingly permits all such works and restraines them all at his pleasure so as that which comes to passe against Gods reuealed will is not contrarie to his absolute will Thine is the power By power is meant an abilitie in God whereby he can doe whatsoeuer he will and more then he will doe for the better conceiuing of it note these two things First that God is not onely powerfull but euen power it selfe in regard of his nature as he is goodnesse and wisdome c. Men and Angels are called powerfull as receiuing power from God but God onely is power it selfe because his nature is infinite in power as in all other properties Secondly that power and will in God are one and the same for our better conceiuing of them they may be distinguished but in themselues they differ not for Gods willing of a thing is the effecting and doing of it It is not so in vs for we will many things which we cannot doe but whatsoeuer God willeth that he doth and that which he cannot doe he cannot will The Scripture saith God cannot lie nor denie himselfe nor die c. now as he cannot doe these things so neither can he wil them for they are no workes of power but of weakenesse and frailtie and therefore is God omnipotent because he can neither doe nor will the same Thine is
the same vnto vs. So that it is not here to be taken as it is commonly onely for a bare assent of the people answering the Minister in the congregation but for a part of the praier belonging both to Minister and people that pray in faith whether publikely or priuately and that so much more excellent then the former by how much our faith excelleth our desire yea it is the seale of our hearts which we must set to euery petition for to ratifie and confirme the same vnto our selues as when we say Halowed be thy name our hearts must say Amen that is as I desire grace to glorifie thy name so I beleeue Lord thou wilt enable me thereunto and so for the rest The vse I. FroÌ„ the vnion of this word with the petitions we learne that euery child of God must beleeue particularly and certenly the pardon of his own sinnes endeauour by grace to attaine thereunto if as yet he cannot be perswaded of it This the Papists denie teaching that a man must onely beleeue in generall that remission of sinnes belongs to Gods Church hope well for himselfe and they make it presumption for a man to arrogaâ—e particular certenty vnto himselfe But it is no presumption because we must beleeue to receiue froÌ„ God that we aske according to his will now God bids vs aske forgiuenes of our particular sinnes therfore we must beleeue it so by faith may be assured of it as for their generall faith it differeth not from the faith of deuills for they beleeue there is remission of sinnes in Gods church And to say we hope well when we are not assured by faith is to bewray both ignoraÌ„ce negligence in the matter of our saluation for faith is the ground of things hoped for therefore their hope without faith must needs be a blind presumption And here further we may note that by their opinioÌ„ they abolish a great part of the Gospel for with the gracious promises of mercy in Christ made therein the Gospel coÌ„mandeth euery penitent person that beleeueth to applie the same promises particularly to himselfe this part of it they cut off so depriue the child of God of all true comfort II. This testification of our faith ioyned to our requests shewes that all praier ought to be made in a knowen tongue for els the assent affiance of the heart cannot be giuen together Ob. The word here vsed is an hebrew word which was vnknowne to the Greek churches now if one word of maine vse in praier may be in vnknowne toÌ„gue why may not many so a whole praier Ans. Though this word Amen be hebrew yet by vse it became as familiar wel knowne in the Greek Church so in other Churches as any word of their owne dialect as many Latine words as nisi prius and other tearmes of law by common vse become familiar and wel knowne in our English tongue The vse of the Lords prayer The principall vse of this prayer is to be a patterne and direction whereby the Church of God and euery member of it may frame their praiers to God on any occasion And because many through ignorance faile in this point therefore I will stand somewhat to shew how the Lords praier must be made a patterne to our praiers For this ende we must applie the seuerall petitions of this praier both to the speciall times of praier as morning and euening and also to the speciall occasions whereupon we pray which may be reduced to some of these three to wit 1. some waightie businesse we haue in hand 2. some affliction we are in or in danger of 3. or in regard of death Now to applie the petitions to each of these seuerally I. In the morning A fit praier for that time before we set vpon the duties of our calling may thus be framed from these petitions 1. we must desire the Lord to giue vs grace to seeke the aduancement of his glorie that day following in the duties of our calling in euery thing we take in haÌ„d 2. that he would rule in our hearts by his grace guide vs by his word that whole day 3. enable vs to doe his will that day and not our owne euen with readines delight 4. strengthen vs to depend vpon his prouidence that day for all things needefull for this life 5. that he would humble vs in our selues for our sinnes giue vs repentance for them pardon in Christ Iesus that so no iudgment light vpon vs for them and that our hearts may be enclined to loue mercy towards our brethren as we desire mercie with God for our owne soules 6. That God would strengthen vs against temptation that neither the world the flesh nor the deuill preuaile against vs. And of all these we must gather assurance because all soueraigntie and power and glorie belongs to God II. At euening also we may fitly applie these petitions for the comfortable coÌ„mending of our selues to God that night 1. intreating God to blesse our rest vnto vs that thereby we may be fitter to glorifie God 2. That we may rest and sleepe safely as his true subiects vnder his gracious regiment 3. That we may doe his will as well in rest as in labour in the night and secretly as in the day sight of men 4. That he would blesse our rest sleepe that it may coÌ„fortably serue for the preseruation of our liues 5. That he would forgiue the sinnes of the day past that so no cuâ—se terrour nor feare meete with vs for them the night following 6. That he would keepe vs in our rest from all sinnefull lusts from all wicked motions and suggestions either waking or sleeping III. When we enterprise any waightie matter or businesse of our callings we may fitly applie these petitions in praier to God for abilitie good successe therein for whatsoeuer we take in hand we must doe it in the name of the Lord 1. we must pray that in this whole businesse our hearts may be set sincerely to seeke the aduancement of Gods glorie 2. That the Lord would vouchsafe to guide and gouerne vs in doing the worke whatsoeuer it be 3. That in doing of it we may make conscience to doe the will of God and to obey him from the beginning to the ende of it 4. That we may by faith relie vpon Gods prouidence for the issue and effect of our whole endeauour 5. That none of our sinnes may bring a curse vpon vs in the worke 6. That neither Satan nor any other enemie of our soules may hinder vs by temptation but that God would deliuer vs from them all IV. When any affliction lies vpon vs or ours we may hence frame holy requests to God Intreating 1. that we may honour God by patience and obedience in that affliction and not dishonour him 2. That God would shew in vs the
and pleasant to vs till we finde this precious treasure hid therein II. Dutie Hauing found this treasure we must highly prize and value it euen aboue all that we haue or can get nay more worth then all the world besides So did the man in the parable Matth. 13. 44. esteeme the treasure hid in the field aboue all his goods And Paul so esteemed of Christ crucified that he counted all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ and iudged them as dung that he might winne Christ. This high esteeme of Christ is needfull if euer we meane to lay him vp for our treasure and then haue we made good progresse in this heauenly purchase when we truely value Christ in our hearts at so high a rate and therefore we must endeauour our selues hereunto and labour so to frame our whole conuersation in speaches and in action that they may testifie at how high a rate we value Christ. And because the word of God reueales Christ Iesus vnto vs in which regard it is called a treasure therefore it also must be highly valued euen aboue all carthly things Thus Dauid did Psal. 119. 72. The Law of thy mouth is better vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer verse 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue much fiue gold hereof wisdome saith my fruite is better then gold euen then much fine gold and my reuenues better then â—ine siluer It were happie for vs if wee did thus value the word of God Many hold there is but one truth and so that be knowne it is no matter whence it is learned whether out of Gods word or the writings of men but they are sarre deceiued for the Scriptures of God onely are that truth which is according to godlinesse and they alone discouer vnto vs this heauenly treasure and therefore they must haue the preheminence in our hearts and be esteemed farre aboue all the writings of men which if we would doe we should feele that power and comfort of the word in our hearts which naturally we lacke III. Dutie Hauing found out and rightly valued this true treasure we must seeke to get it for our selues and make it our owne so did the man in the parable Matth. 13. 44. when he had found the treasure hid in the field and so Christ here commandeth lay vp treasures for your selues Now that we may get this treasure to our selues we must conscionably vse such meanes as God hath appointed for this purpose to wit I. heare the word of God preached with all reuerence care and diligence labouring to mixe it with faith in our hearts II. receiue the Sacraments with all reuerence and due preparation III. pray to God in faith earnestly and constantly for the pardon of our sinnes and the fiuition of this treasure The reason hereof is plaine for the word and Sacraments are as it were the Lords two hands wherewith he reacheth out this heauenly treasure and all spirituall blessings vnto vs and our faith is the hand of our soule wherewith we receiue them now by our praiers we testifie this faith and sanctifie vnto our selues the two former meanes IV. Dutie Hauing gotten this treasure we must labour to make it sure vnto our selues And to this purpose we must follow Pauls counsell and charge to rich men 1. Tim. 6. 17 18 19. Charge the rich men in this world that they be not high minded neither trust in vncerten riches but in the liuing God that they doe good and be rich in good workes laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life where marke how by trusting in God and by liberalitie and bountie we are exhorted to lay a good foundation What will some say must we be saued by our Almes-deedes and good works Ans. Not so for the ground of our saluation is Gods election and loue in Christ which he himselfe hath laid vp in heauen for vs. But the foundation which wee must lay vp for our selues is in our owne consciences for our assurance in Gods foundation and this we lay by our good works of loue mercie and iustice all which be fruits of faith and beeing done in faith and with singlenes of heart to Gods glorie they are sure testimonies of our portion in the true treasure Iesus Christ for hereby we know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. V. Dutie Hauing got this treasure sure to our selues we must vse it as a treasure Hereunto three duties are required I. we must haue our conuersation in heauen for there Christ our treasure is and where our â—reasure is there will our hearts be and if our hearts be on Christ in desire in ioy and delight it cannot be but our liues will be holy and heauenly though our bodies be here on earth but let vs beware that our affections be not set on things below for then is not Christ our treasure at all II. We must turne our earthly goods into heauenly treasures This we doe by imploying them in works of mercie for he that giues vnto the poore lends vnto the Lord Prou. 19. 17. so that the mercifull man hath the Lord for his debter for the Lord sends the poore maÌ„ as his messenger vnto the rich to borrow of him such things as the poore man lacketh and the Lords returne of paiment is in heauenly blessings and therefore Christ himselfe as it were explaning this point bids sell that ye haue and giue almes make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that cannot faile in heauen where no theefe commeth neither moth corrupteth This then is the Lords owne direction for this happie exchange of earthly goods for heauenly treasures then which who can wish a better increase III. We must rather part with all that we haue then with Christ Iesus friends goods countrey libertie nay our owne life and deerest hearts blood must all goe for this treasures sake so doth the good purchasser part with all he hath for to â—â—ie the field in which this treasure is Matth. 13. 44. but if we will rather part with Christ then with some or with all of these then wee vse not Christ as the true treasure Thus we see how Christ becomes our treasure let vs therefore make conscience to practise these fiue duties so long as we liue for when Christ becomes our treasure marke what will follow we shall finde in our hearts such sweet content therein that neither prosperitie shall lift vs vp too high nor aduersitie cast vs downe too low nothing shall daunt vs while we haue this treasure sure no kind of death no not the day of iudgement Thus much of the commandement now followeth the particular reason thereof where neither moth nor canker corrupteth c. This reason is drawen from the vnchangeable certentie and safetie of this
deale with a broken ioynt wil handle the same very tenderly and so must they be dealt with in reproofe that sinne of humane fiailtie Example of this mildenes in reproofe we haue in Nathan who reprooued Dauid in a parable and so brought him to condemne himselfe the Apostle Paul reproouing the Coâ—inthians in the beginning of the first Epistle doth include himselfe Apollos in the same reproofe as though they had bin guiltie of the same crime 1. Cor. 4. 6. And giuing direction to Timothy how to carrie himselfe in the Church of God though he allow him to vse rebuke reproofe 2. Tim. 4. 2. yet he bids him Exhort an Elder therein giuing good directioÌ„ for admonition if the partie be an Elder though reproofe be not vnlawfull yet it is not so fit as exhortation and the like mildenesse must be vsed toward all those that sinne of humane frailty But if the offence proceede from wilfulnes and obstinacie then the iudgements of God must be denounced against them to driue them to repentance 4. Euery one that is to correct another must consider himselfe and his owne estate knowing that of himselfe he may fall into the like offence So Paul bids them that are to seeke the restoring of such as are fallen to consider theÌ„selues Galat. 6. 1. 5. Brotherly correction must bee deliuered with Doctrine and instruction 2. Tim. 4. 1 2. I charge thee before God to reprooue exhort and rebuke with all long suffering and doctrine He that will admonish must first himselfe be resolued that the thing done is a sinne then he must propound it to the partie as a sinne out of Gods word and deliuer the reproofe not in his owne name but in the name of God so as hereby the partie may know himselfe to haue offended and also say that he is reprooued of God himselfe rather then of man This ought all superiours to practise in correcting and admonishing their inferiours they must not goe thereto in rage but in long suffering nor rudely but with doctrine that the partie offending may see his fault And thus much for this dutie of brotherly correction Vers. 6. Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs neither cast yee your pearls before swine least they tread them vnder their feet and turning againe all to rent you Hitherto the Euangelist hath set down the seuerall heads of Christs Sermon more at large but from this verse to the ende of the Chapter he handleth briefly the points which follow This verse dependeth not vpon the former but herein our Sauiour Christ laies down a new point of instruction directing his Disciples and in them all ministers vnto that Christian discretion which ought to be obserued in the dispensation of the word of God And his direction is here propounded in a prohibition of giuing holy things to dogs or casting pearles before swine which is enforced by a double reason least they tread vpon you c. Now for the better vnderstanding hereof first I will speake of the words because they are hard and difficult and then come to the doctrines In the words foure things are to be sought out 1. What is meant by holy things 2. What is meant by pearles 3. What is meant by dogs and 4. what is meant by swine For the first by that which is holy we must vnderstand first and properly the word of God written in the bookes of the old and new testament in his right and holy vse that is read dispensed and preached and consequently by holy things are meant the Sacraments and Christian admonition Gods word is called an holy thing for sundry causes but principally for these two first because it is holy in it selfe and secondly in effect operation It is holy in it selfe because it is set apart by God to be in the Church in stead of his owne liuely voyce vnto his people for the reucaling and determining of all things to be beleeued and done in his Church In the old testament God himselfe spake by a liuely voice vnto the Patriarkes and after the giuing of the Law hee gaue answer to the high Priest at the Mercie-seat yet we are not inferiour to them though we want that liuely voice for we haue the written word in stead thereof which is answerable euery way thereunto for looke what the written word saith is as much as if the Lord from heauen should speake by a liuely voice and so consequently it is to vs in stead of the Arke of God a pledge of his presence And thus it is holy in it selfe Secondly Gods word is holy in regard of operation for it is the instrument of the spirit set apart by God himselfe to be the meanes whereby he sanctifies and reformes the hearts and liues of his children And consequently the Sacraments are holy things for they are the word made visible so likewise is Christian admonition grounded â—pon Gods word From this doctrine sundrie dutie 〈◊〉 to be learned First we are oft commanded in Gods word to drawe neerâ— vâ—â—o God to seeke him to feare him and to walke before him in his prâ—â—â—nce how shall wee doe these things seeing God is inuisible and in glory and maiestie is in heauen Surely we must consider the word of God which is that holy thing set apart by God to be in stead of his owne liuely voyce therefore we neede not seeke for him that is inuisible but wee must haue recourse vnto the word labour to haue it present with vs in our hearts in our liues and consciences Enoch walked before God not onely in regard of his infinite maiestie which though it bee inuisible is euery where present but principally in respect of his word setting that before him wheresoeuer he was When we are commanded to feare God wee must know that that is done not onely when wee stand in awe of his glorious maiestie but principally when wee feare to offend God commanding vs in his word The Apostle saith that the holy Ghost dwels in our hearts which must not be thought to be meant of that infinite substance of the holy spirit but of the dwelling of the word which is made effectuall by the holy spirit for saith euer hath relation to the word beeing beleeued it dwels in the heart makes the spirit which workes by the same word present also In which regard Paul saith Now I liue not but Christ liues in me which he expoundeth after saying I liue now by faith in the son of God because the word of Christ was present with him and the grace of saith that liues by that word Secondly seeing the word of God is of this holinesse we must learne to vse the same publikely or priuately with all reuerence carefully sanctifying our selues thereunto When the people came to receiue the Law in Mount Sina they were sanctified three daies before the same preparation for substance ought we to
make before we heare the word of God First we must wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse the Altar of the Lord the word and sacraments are holy in theÌ„selues but not so to vs out of their holy vse and therefore if we would reape profit to our selues by them we must prepare our hearts therevnto Thirdly whereas the word is vnto vs the voice of God the means of sanctification we may learne that in the congregatioÌ„ of Gods people ordinarily the pure word of God alone ought to be heard without the mixture of the words of men be they neuer so holy for it is not said of the words of any man that they are that holy thing The Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of the making of the holy oyle which was to anoint the Kings and Priests vnder the law neither might any man adde any thing thereto though it were neuer so pure and good nor make any oyle like vnto it so likewise the trumpets that serued for the Tabernacle to assemble the people the Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of them and none might vse any other though it were made of most pure gold Had the Lord this care ouer his Sanctuarie vnder the law to take the appointment of these things to himselfe alone and shall we thinke that the trumpet of his holy word which now by his appointment soundeth in the congregation of the Saints may admit a mixture with the words of men humane or diuine be they neuer so holy The ancient Church was farre from this mixture and therfore forbade the publike reading of the Apocrypha which yet are more excellent bookes then the writings of men published since the Apostles But it is saide that they onely finde fault with this kinde of preaching which cannot attaine vnto it I answer it is no point of the greatest learning to vse the sayings of Fathers and Poets in preaching and they which vse it not refraine therefrom not because they cannot doe it but because they dare not mingle the sayings of men with the word of God which is that holy thing seruing in stead of Gods owne glorious voice in all matters that concerne our faith and obedience and beeing the onely sufficient instrument of our sanctification and therefore it were to be wished that in the congregations of the Saints the pure word of God might sound alone vnto Gods people that as they are begotten alone of this immortall seede so they might be fedde alone with this sincere milke II. Point What is meant by pearles Ans. The wholesome doctrines and instructions of Gods word contained partly in commandements and partly in sweete and heauenly promises so Matt. 13. 46. the Gospel preached is compared to a pretious pearle And further we are to note that these wholesome instructions are called your pearles Christ speaking to his Disciples and other hearers now they are so called in two respects First in regard of the Apostles and other Ministers their successors because they are the Lords stewards to dispense the word and the doctrine thereof to Gods people Secondly in regard of all true beleeuers and seruants of God that haue care to know and to obey the word of God for euery beleeuer hath a speciall right vnto Gods word aboue other men to which purpose the Lord saith Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isa. 8. 16. that is commend coÌ„mit my word vnto my disciples there giuing a special right and interest vnto them in the word of saluationâ— for they haue the true iudgment and meaning thereof they keepe it in their hearts expresse the power of it in their liues they haue the vse and benefit thereof in euery estate in this world and vnto their eternall saluation in heauen From this that the doctrines of Gods word are our pearles first wee are taught to place all our riches in the word of God for that is our Iewell and our principall treasure of this Salomon saith Her merchandise are better then merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof better then gold In the valuing of this pearle Dauids practise is notable who made the testimonies of God his heritage and the very ioy of his heart Psalm 119. 111. and esteemed them aboue gold yea aboue most siâ—e gold vers 127. Secondly we must hereby learne to content our selues in all casualties and calamities of this lise with this pearle of the word of God for though we loose friends health goods or good name yet this pearle of good doctrines and sweete promises is not lost if that were taken away with the losse of outward commodities then there were some cause of discomfort but seeing this iewell remaines with vs in all estates therefore herewith we must stay and comfort our selues as Dauid did counting Gods promises his comfort in trouble Psal. 119. 50. his songs in his pilgrimage v. 54. Thirdly this must teach vs to vse the doctrines and promises of Gods worde as pearles wee must looke them vp in our hearts and haue them in faithfull keeping in our memories A man that hath an earthly iewell that is of any worth will bee very carefull to looke it vp in the surest chest he hath how much more care ought wee to haue of these true pearles of heauenly instructions As the Holy Ghost speakes of Deaconâ— they must bee such as keepe the mysterie of faith in good conscience so must euery one of vs bee carefull keepers of this heauenly pearle This was Maries practise Luke 2. 51. Shee powdered the sayings of Christ in her heart and Dauid hidde the word of God in his heart that he might not sinne against the Lord. Psal. 119. 11. IU Instruct. The doctrines and promises in Gods word are the pearles of the Apostles and ministers therefore they aboue others in all ages and times ought to haue speciall care by all good meanes to preserue the puritie of doctrine in the Church of God This is Pauls charge to Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thee that is that whole some doctrine which thou hast learned of me this neerely concerneth ministers at this day that as by the good meanes of others they haue receiued true doctrine purified from the dregges of Popery so they should preserue keepe the same froÌ„ all â—int of corruption to their posteritie The third and fourth things to be considered are touching dogs and swine where these three points are to bee handled I. What are here properly meant by dogs and swine II. Who must giue iudgement of men to be dogs and swine and III. Where they are to be found For the first By dogs and swine wee must vnderstand the enemies of Gods word yet not all enemies for so euery sinner should be a dog a swine but onely such as are malitious obstinate enemies manifestly conuicted of their enmitie to Gods word doctrine of whose
amendment there is no hope And that these are here to be vnderstood appeares by these reasons I. From the text it selfe which describeth them by this that treading the words of instruction vnder foote they doe turne againe and all-to-rend the Teachers thereof that is they do persecute them both by word and deed in all reproachfull speeches cruell actions II. Reason In the word of God we shall find that Christ and his Apostles preached to dogs for such are all men by nature The Scribes and Pharisies a generation of Vypers came to Iohns baptisme vnrepelled though not vnreprooued Matth. 3. 6 7. and Christ himselfe telleth the woman of Canaan that it was not lawfull to giue the childrens bread to dogs that is to the Gentiles and yet he sent his disciples to preach to all nations the woman her selfe by reason of her faith was receiued to mercie made partaker of the crums that fel from the childrens table Againe our Sauiour Christ preached to the Scribes and Pharisies euen then when hee wept ouer Ierusalem for their impenitencie yea this is a truth that because men are naturally dogs and swine therefore they must haue the word of God preached vnto them to purifie and sanctifie them vnlesse they be obstinate and irrepentant enemies to the word of whom is no hope of recouerie III. Reason These obstinate enemies here are called dogs and swine by allusion to vncleane beasts vnder the law of which sort were dogs swine which were prohibited the Iews to be eaten or offered in sacrifice to God Christ therfore here by allusion to that ceremony means such persons as are excluded from the holy things of the Lord and haue no right or interest into the Lords word or sacraments such as both in heart and life be vncleane as hogs and dogs will not be purified IV. Reason Paul chargeth Titus that after once or twice admonitioÌ„ he should reiect an heretike knowing that such a one is peruerted and sinneth beeing damned of his own selfe that is sinneth wilfully obstinately and in so sinning condemneth himselfe in his own heart conscience and such are meant by dogs and swine in this place Now the difference of these two may be this By dogs are meant obstinate enemies that malitiously reuile the ministerie of the word the doctrine of God and the messengers thereof such a dog was Alexander the Copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. such were many of the Iews become soone after Christs ascension who reuiled the Apostle Paul and Barnabas and blasphemed the doctrine which they taught Act. 13. 45. and of this sort are all conuicted obstinate heretlks By swine are meant obstinate enemies that doe contemne the word of God either because they will not admit reformation of life by it such as Ahab and Herâ—d were or because they scorne mock at the word of God as they do of whom Peter speaks that mocke at the promises of Christs secoÌ„d coÌ„ming The second point touching these persons is who must giue iudgemâ—â— of any man or any people to be dogs and swine we must know that it is not in the power and libertie of any priuate man to giue iudgement of another that he is a dogge or a swine but it is a publike dutie belonging to the ministers and gouernours of the Church to giue iudgement in this case Matth. 18. 17. Before a man must be reputed as a Publicane and as an heathen the censure of the Church must passe vpon his behauiour and from the iudgement of the Church must priuate men hold other as Publicanes and Heathen Indeede our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles gaue this iudgement of men particularly and peremptorily as Paul of Alexander the Copper-smith but wee must vnderstand what authoritie and what spirit Christ and his Apostles had which because we haue not we cannot giue such iudgement vpon men Further here we are to know that iudgement vpon others is two-fold Iudgement of certaintie or iudgement of humane wisedom The iudgement of certaintie touching any mans state belongs onely to God to them to whom God reuealeth the same The iudgement of humane wisedome is when the Church of God in the feare of God giue iudgement as truely and as neerely as they can who is a dogge and who is a swine and this only is the iudgement of the Church which also is conditionall as namely till they repent because they know not the times that God hath appointed for the conuersion of sinners And by this wee are taught to comprimit our iudgement of any man in regard of his finall estate though he be an vnrepentant sinner refusing instruction for most hainous sinners haue bin conuerted The third point where these dogges and swine are to be found It is not in the power of any ordinarie minister or other man to determine of any one that he is a dogge or a swine for in such do finall impenitencie and wilfull obstinacie concurre which wee are not able to say certainely are come vpon any man or woman while they liue among vs yet this may be said with good conscience that there is in many a fearfull declination to the properties of dogs and swine euen in this age of ours for many will heare the word receiue the sacraments professe that they hope to be saued by Christ yet they will raile on his ministers speake against their ministery yea the times are now wherein many in open speech wil not sticke to reuile and condemne those that haue bin the most excellent instruments of Gods mercie in his Church among many I will name one Mâ— Ioh. Calum that worthy instrument of the Gospel is in the mouthes of many students condemned as an erroneous person teaching false dangerous doctrine Yea many there be that come to the Lords table yet will not brooke reformation of life they wil not be drawn from their drunkennes ignorance adulterie couetousnesse A third sort there are that take occasion from Gods word to liue in their sinnes and to maintaine their wicked liues as froÌ„ the doctrine of Gods eternall predestination because the Scripture teacheth that Gods decree therein is vnchaÌ„geable therfore some say they will liue as they list others because the word saith we are to be saued by faith alone therefore they refuse to walke in good workes others looke to be saued by Gods mercy alone and therefore they will not labour either for knowledge or faith as they ought to doe some hearing the doctrine of the deniall of our selues doe say the word of God is too straite a doctrine barring men from laughter mirth other recreations and therefore they will none of Gods word now though we cannot call these mens dogs because wee know not what they may be hereafter yet we may truely say thefe be practises of dogs and swine And thus wee see what is meant by holy things by pearles
one for killing himselfe which is the most cruell and dangerous murther that can be and the author also excuseth his insufficiencie in penning of it which beseemeth not him that is guided by Gods spirit In the song of the 3. children it is said the flame ascended 49. cubits aboue the furnace which seemes incredible especially that still they should then cast in fuell or approach so neere as to put any man into it Likewise in the storie of Susanna it is said vers 45. that Daniel was a young childe when he executed iudgement vpon the two false witnesses which was in the ende of Astiages raigne immediately before the raigne of Cyrus and verse 64. Daniel by this meanes is said to growe famous which cannot possibly accord with the true storie of Daniel neither for his age nor for his fame and reputation And the like may be said of the rest whereby it is plaine these bookes cannot be canonicall Scripture And yet they are not to be reiected but reuerently esteemed of as the books of worthy men Here some may say If Moses and the Prophets comprehend all Scripture that hath diuine testimonie then the bookes of the new Testament shall not be Scripture because they were not written by the Prophets Answ. They were either penned by the Apostles or by other Apostolike men and allowed by the Apostles as Saint Lukes Gospel and the Acts were written by Luke a Physition and Saint Marke that writ that Gospel was not an Apostle yet those bookes were approoued by Apostolike authoritie which is all one as if they had beene written by the Apostles and the Apostles in speaking and writing were of equall authoritie with the Prophets hauing the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost as well as the Prophets for Acts 15. 28. they say It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and to vs and Ephes. 2. 20. the Church is said to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles where the Apostles are made equall with the Prophets II. Point This reason also doth giue vs to vnderstand what was the first Scripture that euer was penned namely the bookes of Moses before which there was no word of God written which was for the space of 2400. yeares It may be asked what was then the booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned Numb 21. and the booke of the Righteous spoken of by Ioshuah Chapt. 10. 13. Answer These were the writings of men humane stories like to our bookes of Chronicles Yet it is said Iude 14. Enoch the seauenth from Adam prophesied Answ. That prophecie was not penned but went from hand to hand â—y word of mouth and if it were penned yet it was not done by Enoch himselfe but by some Iew in his name long after Moses for it cannot bee prooued that Enoch euer penned any part of Scripture Some will aske mee how the people of God did for that space of two thousand and foure hundred yeares before the Law was written what guide had they for to knowe the will of God Answer They had the word of God immediately taught them by word of mouth from God himselfe as we may see in the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and they to whom it was deliuered did also conuaie the same from man to man by tradition And because it may seeme strange how religion could for so long time bee preserued pure without writing wee are to knowe that before the lawe was written the Church of God from the beginning was the most part in one familie onely as in Adams Enochs Noes Abrahams c. whereby it was a more easie thing to preserue Gods word among them Againe those men that first receiued the word of God without writing were of long continuance liuing neere to a thousand yeares space whereby they might better see the word preserued and continued without writing by tradition Besides when religion was corrupted God himselfe restored the puritie thereof reuealing his will againe and renewing his couenant vnto his seruants as hee did to Abraham and the rest of the Patriarkes Here then behold how the heads of families preserued Gods word and true religion in the beginning of the world namely by teaching it to their posteritie and from them we may learne what is the dutie and ought to bee the practise of euery gouernour of a family at this day they must not thinke themselues discharged for that the word is written in the Church and euery man may read and heare the same but they must see the same bee taught vnto their children and to the rest of their familie that so it may bee preserued among them So God commandeth his people to teach their children the seruice of the Passeouer Exod. 12. 26. 27. and to whet the words of the Law vpon their children Deut. 6. 7. III. Point In this reason our Sauiour Christ takes for granted that the writings of Moses and of the Prophets are of infallible certaintie for it is all one as if he had said this must needes be euery mans dutie to doe as he would be done to for this is the Law and the Prophets and so answerable to them all other bookes of Scripture containe doctrine of infallible truth and certaintie Here some may aske how we should be perswaded hereof in our consciences Answ. By these Arguments which are all drawne from Scripture it selfe for as euery Science and Arte hath his grounds and principles so hath the holy Scripture which is not the Church but Scripture it selfe 1. from the causes 2. from the effects 3. from the properties 4. from signes 5. from the contraries 6. from the testimonie that is giuen hereof The 1. Argument Among the causes the first and principall is the Author thereof which is God himselfe to him doe Scriptures referre themselues also shew how God is their Author In Scripture we read that God spake to Adam to Enoch Noe Abraham and the rest and of Christ the new Testament giues most liuely testimony making him the Author subiect thereof Now nothing is falsly ascribed to God but God in time will bring the same to nought and therefore if Scripture had not beene Gods word it would long agone haue vanished Again the cause conuersant must bee considered the deuill by wicked men and heretickes hath laboured to take away Gods word from mens hearts and hands but yet it is still preserued in the Church which argues that it is kept by a greater power then is in all men and all angels that is by the power of God Thirdly the pen-men the instrumentall causes they were holy men of God Prophets and Apostles who for vertue and pietie farre exceeded other writers and if they had beene meere polititians their writings would haue shewed it for the pen-men of holy Scripture haue there in faithfully registred their own faults which no politike person would haue done Againe consider the matter of holy Scripture which stands in
the written word to be right Scripture and the ground of that which is in the heart for the word written carries a most certen sense beeing both text and glosse whereas their inward Scripture varieth as men doe vnlesse it be grounded on the written word II. Use. The certentie of Scripture must teach vs to beleeue Gods word and not to feare to rest our selues vpon it The Author of Scripture by his prouidence preserues his owne word so as all the men in earth for substance cannot corrupt the same and therefore whatsoeuer it saith we neede not doubt but it is the will of God III. Point From this reason we may also gather the Authoritie of Canonicall Scripture for we must doe as we would be done to because the law and the Prophets say so and hence it followes that the law and Prophets haue an high soueraigne and absolute authoritie This authoritie of Scripture stands in two things I. in power to giue iudgement II. in the all-sufficiencie thereof in and of it selfe and both these are noted here by our Sauiour Christ in this reason For the first the power of giuing iudgement is that whereby Scripture doth fully and absolutely determine of all things needfull to saluation concerning faith and maners and for this cause the laws of God are oft in Scripture called iudgements There be diuers iudgements ascribed to sundrie sorts of persons in Scripture First it giues a iudgement to euery priuate man The spirituall man discerneth or iudgeth all things and Saint Iohn biddes the beleeuers in the Church pâ—â—â—â—â— the spirits that is trie by iudgement the doctrines deliuered Secondly the Scripture giues iudgement to publike persons as to Pastors Ministers and to the gouernours of the Church Let two or three propheciâ— and the rest iudge 1. Cor. 14. 29. and the spirit of the Prophets is subiect to the Prophets v. 32. Thirdly Iudgement is ascribed to the Prophets Apostles in Scripture Act. 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs and this is an high Iudgement which befals not any priuate man or any ordinarie minister or general Councel ordinarily but is peculiat to extraordinarie Prophets that were the pen-men of holy Scripture And these three kindes of Iudgements must be distinguished the two first kinds are inferiour ministeriall kinds of Iudgement depending on an higher and more soueraigne Iudgement for priuate men and ordinarie ministers and Councels giue Iudgement yet not of themselues but by their rule which is the word of God and this Iudgement is nothing else but a ministerie pronouncing and declaring the meaning of the will of God reuealed in his word But besides this there is a soueraigne kind of Iudgement you câ—safed to the Prophets and Apostles determining absolutely in matters of faith conscience what is to be done what is not and this is the Iudgement of God himselfe whereupon the Apostles might say It seemâ—th good to the holy Ghost and to vs Act. 15. 28. And that this their Iudgement is absolute appeares by Scripture He that heareth you heareth me saith Christ to his Apostles he that refâ—sâ—th you refuseth me Luk. 10. 16 and Paul deliuering the Gospel of Christ to the Galatians bids them hold him accursed that teacheth theÌ„ otherwise Gal 1. 7. and the promise of sending the spirit of truth Ioh. 16. 13. was directly intended to the Apostles and onely in them fully accomplished For our better conceiuing hereof wee haue a resemblance of this soueraigne iudgement in the common wealth the high Court of Parliament giues iudgement of matters in law and so doe Lawyerâ— and Iudges in common Courts but yet there is great differenâ—e betweene these two the court of Paliament makes the lawe and determines absolutely in ciuill matters without controlement what must be done and what not but the Lawyers make not the law but pronounce the meaning of the law vnto men Now the Scriptures the Prophets and Apostles they are like to the courâ— of Parliament in giuing iudgement priuate men and ordinarie ministers giue iudgement like vnto the Lawyers which is not absolute but ministeriall depending on an higher iudgement Vses 1. If the Prophets Apostles haue soueraigne power to giue absolute iudgement in matters of faith and manners then we must here learne to make choice of a right Iudge for vnto one must wee appeale in matters of faith and conscience and this right Iudge is Gods word which wee must sticke vnto and to none other The commandement is plaine for matters of difficultie that concerne the conscience Isay 8. 20. To the law and to the testimonio and our Sauiour Christ referres vs to Scripture for all matters that concerne saluation Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scripture If you would know what is true in religion what is erroneous what is equitie in any matter of conscience wee must haue recourse to Scripture It will be said Scripture is an vnfit Iudge it cannot speake I answer It speakes sufficiently to determine of all matters of faith and conscience wee see in common experience a man may resolue his friend in matters of doubt as well by letter as by word of mouth why then may not the word of God sent from heauen vnto his Church resolue mens consciences in all matters of doubt for faith and manners And indeed let any man come in humilitie seriously search the Scripture and he shall finde resolution therein for any matter of conscience whatsoeuer Vse 2. By this authoritie of Scripture in giuing soueraigne iudgement we are taught to take heed of an incompetent Iudge which men for many hundred years haue set vp in their hearts to relie vnto in matters of faith and conscience and that is to put the Church in roome of the word for soueraigne iudgemeÌ„t The Church of Rome teacheth that the Church must iudge of the Scripture yea without Scripture giue soueraigne determination in matters of conscience as hauing more authoritie then Scripture because it giues authoritie thereunto but this is the ground of Atheisme and heresie and the path way to Popery the true Church of God must haue the honour of Christs spouse but yet the authoritie of soueraigne iudgement must not bee giuen to her but onely to the word of God himselfe The second part of the authoritie of Scripture is that euery part of Canonicall Scripture is Authenticall that is of sufficient authoritie of it selfe though it bee not confirmed by any other testimonie for Scripture is the word of God and the testimonie of Scripture is the testimonie of God himselfe then which none can be greater as Saint Iohn saith If wee receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God iâ— greater 1. Ioh. 5. 9. For the better conceiuing of this point conferre all the bookes that are or euer were together and thereby it will appeare that the Scripture is of it selfe Authenticall There be three sorts of
bookes Diuine Ecclesiasticall and Humane Diuine bookes are the bookes of God penned by the Prophets and Apostles and they are all the word of God for whether we regard the matter of them or the manner of reuealing them they are all from God the Prophets and Apostles were onely Gods hands and instruments in penning them the holy Ghost gaue the matter the order and the very words from whence it must needs follow that they are of al-sufficient authoritie of themselues Ecclesiasticall bookes are bookes of diuine matters penned by learned men in the Church and they are either generall bookes or particular Generall bookes Ecclesiasticall I call those which were either made or confirmed by the whole Church as the Creedes of the Apostles the Nicene and of Athanasius and the foure first generall Councels and these haue Catholike allowance yet not absolute authoritie but depending on Scripture Particular bookes Ecclesiasticall I call the Catechismes and Confessions of particular Churches made by them or by particular members thereof which haue not authoritie of themselues but from the Scripture or from generall consent Now both these kindes of bookes may bee called Gods word so farre forth as they agree with Scripture and yet they are also the word of men because they were penned by men and haue both order and style from men and in this regard that they were partly mens workes they are not authenticall of themselues but depend vpon the authoritie of Scripture Humane bookes are bookes penned by men either of the Church or out of the Church concerning humane things as bookes of naturall Philosophie of Policie and other Artes and these are not the bookes of God but of men alone hauing both matter and style from men many of them containe excellent truthes in their kind yet gathered onely from experience and common reason but they haue not in them that truth which is truth according to godlinesse seruing to builde vp and to binde the conscience vnlesse it bee in one case to stoppe the mouthes of Atheists and Epicures and to conuince their consciences And thus by conference of all bookes wee see that Scripture alone is authenticall in it selfe and no bookes beside Uses 1. This teacheth vs that ministers in the dispensing of Gods word should content themselues with the testimony of Scripture alone for the end of the ministerie is to worke and confirme faith and to settle and build vp the conscience in the truth of religion and matters concerning saluation which no other word can doe saue onely the word of God in Scripture that hath sufficient authoritie in it selfe from which conscience cannot appeale and for which cause our Sauiour Christ the true Prophet of the Church contents himselfe with the testimony of the Law and Prophets alone and after him his Apostles did the like See this notably confirmed by Paul who in his preaching to the Iewes professeth himselfe to haue said none other thing then that whicâ— the Prophets and Moses said should come Other writings haue theâ—â— good vse in their time and place but not in the publike ministerie for authoritie and testimonie from Scripture is authenticall This the Scripture saith therefore it is so but authority from Councels and Father â—is sophistrie as Austin saith so therefore it is so this is no good reason for it implies that all that Austin said is true which indeede is false â—ee beeing as all men are subiect to errour 2. Use. This also sheweth that wee cannot beleeue vnwritten traditions thougâ— they be called Apostolicall The Church of Rome intend to deceiâ—e vs when they would beare vs in hand that halfe of those things tâ—â—t are to be beleeued are not written in Scripture but receiued by trâ—dition but these traditions we cannot beleeue by a diuine faith hovsoeuer by a common humane faith we may for they are contained in tâ—e bookes of Councels and Fathers which were worthie men yet subiect to errour 3. Vse Thâ—â— also sheweth that we must submit our selues with feare and trembling to the word of God for it hath absolute authoritie to iudge vs and to conâ—ince our conselence in all matters of faith manners that pertaine to saluation IV. Point Whâ—â—eas Christ alleadgeth Moses and the Prophets to confirme his ministâ—â—ie it may be demanded whether there be any difference for authoritiâ— between Christ and the Prophets for he that alleadgeth another mâ—â—s authoritie seemes to be inferiour thereto I answer if we coÌ„pare Câ—rist the Prophets we must distinguish between their doctrine thâ—ir persons The doctrine of Moses of the Prophets is equall to thâ— doctrine of Christ 2. waies First in certaintie of truth for it is as vndâ—ubtedly true as if Christ himselfe had taught the same Secondly in eâ—ficacie authoritie for the power of binding conscience for the doctâ—in of the Prophets binds conscience as fully truly as if Christ himseâ—fe had spoken it And yet the person of Christ is aboue the person of Moses of all the Prophets for he is the Sonne of God both God â—an they were men he is the author of truth they only the instrumeÌ„ts pen-meÌ„ therof froÌ„ hence it coms that Christs doctrine doth more bind vs to obedience then the doctrine of the Prophets because the person deliuering it is of more authority excelleÌ„cy and for this cause Christ alleadges Moses and the Prophets not for that his word is inferiour to theirs but that in regard of our obedience he might increase the authoritie of Moses and the Prophets because a greater measure of obedience is required to Christs word in regard of the dignitie of his person And this shewes that we now are more bound to obedience vnder the Gospel then the people vere vnder the law for we haue Christs doctrine which in regard of â—is person is of more authoritie then Moses and the Prophets see the point plainely laid downe by the Author to the Hebrewes in the irst Chapter he saith God in times past spake to hiâ— Church by his Propets but in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his sonne and in the second chapter verse 1. he laies downe the vse of this that now we haue Christ for our teacher namely that therefore we ought more aboundanly to giue heede to the things that we haue heard least at any time we le them slip c. shewing that our disobedience now shall be more seueâ—ly punished V. Point Ignorant people abuse this text to persvade themselue s that preaching is needlesse because no man can say moe then this doe as ye would be done to for this is the summe of the law aâ—d the Prophets But we wust know that this is not the summe of all tht the Prophets say but onely touching the matter of iustice and equiâ—e and indeede that we may attaine to saluation more is needfull for ve must not only know Gods word in generall but in particular
is narrow and straite the way to destruction is broad and wide For the first The way of life is narrow and straite from the first entrance to the last pâ—â—sage why so First because the way of life is onely one single path 〈◊〉 the way of death is manifold containing sundrie paths Secondly 〈◊〉 that walke in the way of life containe themselues within the bonds and lists of Gods word for the words of the wise are as nailes and pales to keepe vs in Eccles. 12. 11. Thirdly in the way to life there are many afflictions and offences as Act. 14. 22. Through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen and Hos. 2. 6. I will stoppe thy way with thornes meaning that by sharpe afflictions he would hedge them in the way of obedience But some may say why then doth Christ say his yoake is light Math. 11. 3. and S. Iohn his commandements are not grieuous 1. Ioh. 5. 3. and David I will walke at large or libertie Psal. 119. 45. I answer they way is straite and narrow in respect of our nature but yet broad and caâ—e by his assisting grace and helpe Here theÌ„ we see what course we must take if we meane to come vnto Christ namely we must tread in this narrow way and become like vnto him in suffering afflictions for this way he went here on earth and so entred into his glorie The propertie of the way of death is breadth Now the way of death is broad first because the way of sinning is manifold euen as truth is onely one and error manifold Secondly they that walke in this way breake out of the bounds of Gods word and doe not containe themselues therein Thirdly herein they meete with few crosses and impediments as David saith They are not in trouble as other men they prosper alway and increase in riches Psal. 73. 5. c. 12. And the reason is because they seeke by all meanes to satisfie their hearts desire whether by right or wrong saying with the foole in the Gospel Soule soule take thy rest liue at ease Luk. 12. 19. IU Point What men doe in these waies namely the greatest part of men walke in the broad way but few in the narrow way Hence we learne sundrie instructions I. We must not be offended or discouraged when we see most men liue either in a false religion or in grosse impietie for the greatest part walke in the broad way II. We must not follow the multitude in matters of religion but those that follow Christ the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles for the most goe wide and the fewest hold the right way of life III. That vniuersalitie is no marke of a true Church for the true Church is in the straite way but therein the smallest number walke IV. Vniuersall grace is a deuise of man for few fiade the way of life and therefore it is hid and vnknowne If it be said that all might finde it if they would I answer they can not for the word finding doth presuppose a seeking as if Christ had said though many giue themselues to seeke the way of life yet few they be that finde it The like phrase we haue Matt. 24. 38. In the daies of Noah they ate and dranke that is they gaue themselues to eating and drinking Againe Saint Luke hath it thus and shall not be able to finde it why then doe not the most finde the way to life Is it because they seeke it not no verely Saint Luke denies that Why then is the way hid to the most and reuealed to fewe this Christ teacheth vs because it so pleaseth God Matth. 11. 25 26. U. Point What must we doe in regard of these two waies we must enter yea as Luke hath it striue to enter into the straite way and to passe by the broad way This is the commandement of our Sauiour Christ wherein three things are inioyned vs first that we must come into this straite way and eschew the broad way secondly we must not be discouraged for the straitnes of the way and thirdly we must striue to enter in The first is a necessarie dutie in these times for we are like vnto mariners which passe by many pleasant countries and stately buildings and doe onely behold them a farre off but not enter into them nor land vpon them We must therefore cease onely to talke of the way of life and beginne to walke in it If any shall aske how we may come to walke in this way I answer read Ier. 6. 16. see there a notable lesson First we must inquire which is the old way for the old way is the right way But where shall we learne out the old way Answ. In the holy Bible there shall we see the way that the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles went Secondly hauing found the right way we must labour to know all the turnings of it We must see what things we are to beleeue and doe hauing the mysterie of faith in a good conscience 1. Tim. 3. 9. Thirdly we must walke in this way Ier. 6. 16. for it is not sufficient to know the will of God and to make profession of religion but we must put in practise the things which we know And lastly we must be circumspect to keepe our selues in the right way Hagg. 1. 5. Set your hearts on your waies Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies The second charge in this commandements that when we walke in the way to life the straitnes of the way must not discourage vs from going forward therein This is the principall point intended by our Sauiour Christ in this commandement euen to arme vs with courage and perseuerance against afflictions crosses and temptations which might dismay daunt vs in this way And in this charge we are taught sundrie waightie duties to be practised in the profession of Christs true religion I. Dutie That we are not to giue to our selues the libertie of heart which nature desireth in all of vs but we must restraine our selues thereof and bring our mindes our thoughts affections our wills speeches and actions into the straites of the word of God This restraint of our naturall desire is two-fold by the law and by the Gospel In the Law euery commandement ministreth his particular restraint as we shall see in their order The first Commandement concernes the hauing of the true God for our God By nature we take libertie to our selues to conceiue of God at our owne pleasure for commonly men conceiue of God out of the Trimtie and worship the persons one out of another the Iew the Turke and all the heathen will not be restrayned of this libertie but the people of God who submit themselues to his word they by this law are restrained of this naturall desire and are taught to choose and haue to themselues the true God for their
God and to conceiue aright of this God namely that he is one in essence and three in person and that the persons must be worshipped in the vnitie of the godhead for as they are one in nature so we must vnite them in one and the same worship Againe by nature we take libertie to our selues to forget the true God and in our owne hearts doe set vp a false god vnto our selues some make riches their God some honours some pleasures for looke whereon a man bestowes his heart and his affections as his loue his feare and confidence that he makes his god and hence it comes that some in iudgement hold the true God and yet haue a false god vnto themselues in their hearts but the first commandement restrains vs of this libertie also and it inioynes vs to bestow our whole heart and all our affections on the true God louing fearing and trusting in him aboue all Thirdly our nature is to exalt our selues to ascribe some thing vnto our selues esteeming the good things that be in vs as of our selues and as though they were our owne whereby we take to our selues some thing that is proper to God becomming like to the prodigall child which would haue his portion to himselfe seuered from his father With this naturall pride was Dauid puffed vp when he numbred the people But the first commandement restraines vs of this also perscribing vnto vs the dutie of inward adoration which we performe first when we giue vnto him all the honour that we can esteeming our selues but dust and ashes and ascribing vnto him all the good that is in vs as from him secondly whē we subiect our selues vnto him wholly as to our creatour and doe submit our hearts wills and conscience to his holy word and these be the strait waies which this commandement perscribes vs. The 2. commaundement concernes Gods outward worship and it puts vnto vs many restraints Our nature desires to conceiue of God in some forme and to represent him in some image but the Lord is a spirit and this commandement inioynes vs to worship him in spirit and truth and to conceiue of him in his workes and properties restraining our naturall desires of conceiuing and representing God Secondly it is our nature to performe outward worship vnto God onely but for any further thing wee would take libertie to our selues wee would giue him onely the outward bodily worship as come to Church heare the word pray outwardly and receiue the Sacraments but the Lord in this commandement giues vs charge that with as great care conscience we should giue vnto him the inward worship of the heart for god must be serued with the whole man our loue feare trust in God must be cōformable to our outward worship Further euery man almost can be content to professe religion and to performe so much as the laws of his countrie require for the seruice of God but yet they would take libertie in their callings to liue as they list but Gods commandement restraines this desire also We must hold religion not only in the Church but also shew the same in our liues and conuersations and therefore is the second table ioyned with the first to teach vs that wee must performe dutie to God in the seruice of man The third commandement concernes the holy vse of the holy things of God especially of his word and Sacraments Now for the outward worke of hearing the word and receiuing the Sacraments we are content to performe them but we would haue God thinke himselfe satisfied with the worke done But this commandement restrains vs of this desire inioyning vs not onely to vse his holy things but also in an holy manner that is with repenting beleeuing hearts for they are not holy to vs vnlesse we vse them in and by faith and repentance Againe we take libertie to vse Gods name in oathes and specially in vowes as in baptisme which we renue when we come to the Lords table but herein we ordinarily abuse this his holy name not hauing like care to make good our vowes vnto God as we haue to make them The 4. commandement concernes the time of Gods worship wee our selues would haue all times in our owne disposing we thinke it hard to be restrained of any time but this commandement restraines vs of this desire binding vs in conscience to giue one day in seauen to the honour of God in his publike and solemne worship The 5. Comm concernes the giuing of honour and reuerence to Superiours and it restraines vs of our naturall desire which is to seeke for and to take honour vnto our selues alone for this inioyneth vs to giue honour one to another especially to them to whome it belongs as to all superiours in authoritie in gifts or age let this be your honour saith Paul to giue honour to whome it belongs Rom. 13. 7. The sixt Commandement concerneth murther and it restraineth our naturall desire which is vpon small occasion to conceiue malice and to beare grudging against our brother forbidding all thoughts wordes deedes and gestures which tend to the impairing or destroying of our neighbours life and person The 7. Commandement concerneth chastitie and it restraines mans nature which desires to take libertie in vncleannes and fornication both of heart and life and it binds vs to abstaine from all speach action or gesture which tends to the hindrance of our owne or of our neighbors chastitie for God is holy and pure and so ought our bodies and minds to be which are temples of his blessed spirit The 8. Commandement concernes our neighbours goods and it restraines our corrupt nature which desires to haue libertie by all meanes good and bad to intich our selues And it inioyneth vs both in will and word and in trafficke also to seeke the common good and the good of those with whome we liue Againe this also restraines our naturall desire of abundance inioyning vs to seeke onely for necessaries as foode and raiment for we may not seeke to be rich yet if God giue vs more then things necessary in the labours of our calling then we are to blesse God for them and to vse them to his glorie this is a strait way to the worldly man but it must stand and we must walke in it if we would enter into life The 9. Commandement concernes our neighbours good name and it restraines vs of our naturall desire which is to conceiue and speake vnto others as also to receiue from others euill report of our neighbour and on the contrarie it inioynes vs by all good meanes to seeke to preserue our neighbours good name and credit The 10. Commandement is touching lust When as we hurt no man in word or deede then we take it for graunted that we may thinke what we will no lawes restraine thought that we hold to be free But this Commandement restraines the very first motions
receiues the seede with ioy and brings forth some fruit but it lasteth not of such it is said Hebr. 10. 29. They tread vnder foote the sonne of God and count the blood of the Testament an vnholy thing wherewith they were sanctified that is according to their profession and perswasion And thus we see what kinde of gifts an hypocrite may haue and yet neuer be saued Vses 1. The consideration whereof must mooue vs to looke vnto our selues that we haue better things in vs then these are for here we see we may goe on to perdition carying the profession of Christ in our mouthes And the rather is this to be considered of vs because many looke to be saued who come short of Simon Magus in knowledge and of Saul Ahab and Iudas in humilitie yea and for faith farre short of the deuill himselfe who is saide to beleeue and tremble but how canst thou looke to be saued that in regard of grace commest short of those which are now condemned Secondly hence we must learne to suspect our selues and call our selues to a reckoning about our faith and obedience and we must not flatter our selues herein for these things before named will not saue vs many haue had faith in some truth for some degrees thereof and also good affections and other gifts as we haue seene who are yet for all this condemned Thirdly seeing there be two sorts of men in the Church that shal be condemned the one whereof haue many worthie gifts this must moue vs not to rest in these things but to labour and striue to haue our hearts rooted and grounded in the loue of God in Christ and to become new creatures in righteousnes and true holinesse and then shall we be as the wise virgins hauing the oyle of grace in the vessells of our hearts which will neuer be quenched till we come into the marriage chamber with our Bridegroome Christ Iesus The second part of the conclusion laid downe by our Sauiour Christ is this That some men professing the name of Christ in the Church of God shall be saued And these persons are here described vnto vs by their effect or action to wit The doing of the will of the Father And because this is an infallible note of them that shall be saued I will briefly shew what it is to doe the Fathers will The Scriptures best expound themselues Iohn 6. 40. This is the will of him that sent me that euery one that hath seene the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life 1. Thess. 4. 3 4 c. This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that you should abstaine from fornication and that euery one should know how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour that no man oppresse or defraud his brother c. These two places of Scripture laide together shew that the doing of the Fathers will stands in three things in faith in repentance and new obedience faith is directly expressed in the place of Iohn and repentance which is a fruite of faith as also new obedience the fruit of them both in the wordes of the Apostle Paul for by Sanctification is meant repentance and new obedience by the duties following For the first in true sauing faith there are three things required Knowledge assent and application By knowledge I meane the right conceiuing of the necessarie Doctrines of true religion especially of those which concerne Christ our Redeemer Assent is when a man knowing this doctrine doth further approoue of the same as holsome doctrine and the truth of God directing vs aright vnto saluation Application is when we conceiue in our hearts a true perswasion of Gods mercie towards vs particularly in the free pardon of all our sinnes and for the saluation of our soules example of this particular applying we haue in the Apostle Paul Gal. 2. 20. who professeth thus Now liue not I but Christ liueth in me and the life that I now liue is by faith in the sonne of God which what that is he sheweth after saying who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me and without this particular application neither knowledge nor assent can saue vs in the 6. of Iohn Christ propounds himselfe vnto vs as the bread of life and water of life now we know that foode vnlesse it be receiued will not nourish the bodie euen so vnlesse we doe by the hand of faith particularly receiue and applie Christ vnto our selues all our knowledge and assent will be as foode vneaten and vndigested It may be said that hypocrits haue knowledge assent and a perswasion of Gods fauour and therefore this is not a sure note of doing the fathers will I answer an hypocrite as Simon Magus may haue true knowledge of Gods word and giue assent thereunto in regard of both these haue true faith in some degree yea he may conceiue a perswasion of Gods mercie in the pardon of his sins though falsely in presumption vpon false grounds and insufficient Now that a man may discerne the truth of his faith and perswasion of Gods mercie from that which is in hypocrisie he is to obserue therein three things the beginning of his faith the fruites and the constancie thereof The beginning of true faith is hearing the word of God preached especially the Gospel the law going before as an occasion or preparing meanes whereby a man comes to see his sinnes and his miserie thereby and thereupon to desire reconciliation with God in the pardon of them and hearing the promises of mercie to desire faith whereby he may imbrace the same labouring against vnbeliefe This though it be not a liuely â—aith yet it is the beginning of true faith and no hypocrite hath the same soundly wrought in him The fruite of true faith is a chaunge of the whole man both in heart and life making the heart contrarie to it selfe in moderating the naturall affections and passions thereof and keeping them in compasse of true obedience and causing a man in euery estate to rest contented with the will of God as I say saith he that beleeueth shal not make hast Thirdly constancy in true faith is knowen by this when a man relyes wholly on God euen then when he feeles no tast of his mercie but hath all tokens of his displeasure Euery man will beleeue when he hath present signes and pledges of Gods louing fauour but true faith beeing the euidence of things hoped for will make a man beleeue aboue hope as Abraham did and beeing the subsisting of things not seene will cause a man to beleeue when he sees no tokens of Gods mercie and indeede he that le ts go the hold of Gods mercie when he is in distresse may assure himselfe he neuer had true faith for the iust shall liue by faith in all estate and will with Iob trust in God though he kill them The second worke wherein consisteth the doing of the Fathers will
hee is a seuere iudge against all iniquitie II. This shewes that Christ preferres an honest and godly life aboue most worthy gifts euen before the gifts of Prophecie and Miracles and therefore our principall care must be to frame our hearts and liues to true obedience vnto our God in all his commaundements III. This must stirre vs vp to true and vnfained repentance If wee haue not yet repented it must mooue vs to beginne it if wee haue repented wee must doe it more for Christ will pronounce a fearefull sentence of condemnation vpon many professours because they liue in sinne though they haue prophecied in his name and cast ouâ— deuils and done many great workes yet because they haue beene in heart addicted to some sinnes hee shall say vnto them at the last day Depart from mee and goe yee cursed into euerlasting â—â—râ— The horrour whereof seeing Christ hath so long before made it knowne vnto vs ought to mooue vs to humble our selues to turne vnto God and to breake off the course of our sinnes euen in the purpose of our hearts And if wee will not now tremble and turne the day will come when wee shall heare a fearefull commaundement and obey it and noâ— bee able to turne from it but if wee shal now turne to God by true repentance and new obedience we shall in that day heare the blessed voyce of absolution vpon our selues when as the feareful sentence of condemnaâ—ion shall be pronounced vpon others IV. Whereas many men shall be condemned because in heart they haue beene addicted to some open or secret sinnes wee must in the feare of God labour to purge our hearts from all sinne so as wee bee not addicted to any one sinne with purpose to liue therein yea wee must labour to turne our selues from euery euill way from sinnes in thought in affections in behauiour and actions The purpose of our heart muâ—t bee not to liue in any one sinne so as if wee fall wee may yet truely say it was against our purpose and intent and therefore we must labour to bee renued in the spirit of our mindes euen in the most secret part of our soules It is not enough to leaue sinne when it leaues vs by reason of weakenesse or want of opportunitie thus doth many an aged man who hauing liued in lewdnesse and lust all his youth doth at length by reason of weakenesse in olde age leaue those sinnes in practise but yet his heart is still addicted to them and therefore euen then when hee cannot goe without a staffe will hee take great delight in rehearsing and remembring the trickes of his youth Now this man hath no repentance for his delight in the remembrance of sinne past is all one before God as if hee had liued still in the practise thereof our prayer therefore must be with Dauid to the Lord continually that hee would incline our hearts vnto his commaundements and not to couetousnesse or any other sinne Psal. 119. 36. Verse 24. Whosoeuer then heareth of me these words and doth the same I will liken him to a wise man which hath builded his house on a rocke 25. And the raine fell and the floods came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke After the deliuery of many notable instructions in this sermon of our Sauiour Christ whereby he hath sufficiently shewed himselfe to be the true Prophet and Doctor of his Church in this verse and those which follow to the 28. he comes to lay downe the conclusion of this excelleÌ„t sermon wherein he doth stirre vp his hearers to a notable duty namely that they should not make light account of his doctrine contenting themselues barely to heare reade or to learne the same but further to goe about the practise thereof in their liues and conuersations And for the effecting hereof hee laies downe here at large the fruite of true obedience to the word In this conclusion are these points contained I. A maine dutie to be done of all his hearers that is to heare and doe the words of Christ. Whosoeuer heareth these my words doth the same II. The propertie of this dutie it is a note of great wisedome I will liken him to a wise man c. III. The fruite of this dutie Safetie and securitie against all perâ—ls of bodie and soule in the 25. verse all which are amplified by their contraries in the 26. and 27. verses as we shal see in their place The first point is the maine dutie of euery good hearer namely to ioyne practise with knowledge of the word of Christ. This dutie is oft vrged vpon vs by the holy Ghost Rom. 2. 12. Not the hearers of the Law but the doers thereof shall bee iustified before God and Saint Iames stands long on this dutie Iam. 1. 22. Be the doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your ownâ— soules which after he enforceth both by the vanitie of hearing without doing v. 23 24. by the blessing that accompanies obedient hearing v. 25. Luk. 11. 27 28. when a woman in admiration at Christs doctrine pronounced her blessed that bare him Christ answered â—ay rathâ—r blessed are they that hear the word of God keepe it And in the parable of the sower Mat. 13. there are 4. kinds of hearers three bad one onely good who doe heare know receiue embrace the word of God withall bring forth fruit plentifully And naturall reason may perswade vs of the waight of this duty for the best learning that men haue in humane things is too little or of no vse without practise much lesse can diuine doctrine then profit a man without obedience be ioyned therewith Use. The consideration hereof must mooue vs to pray to God the Father in the name of Christ that he would vouchsafe his spirit vnto vs wherby our hearts might be enclined disposed bent to an vnfained loue obedience of Gods precepts deliuered in his holy word because it is our dutie to liue in the practise of that we heare Yea we must pray so to performe obedience in our life that our consciences may not only not accuse vs but also excuse vs before God in regard therof or at least in regard of our true endeauour desire to obey This duty being practised will minister true comfort vnto vs in time of distresse yea in the fearefull case of death it selfe Hereby did good king Hezekias comfort himselfe at his death that hee had walked before the Lord with an vpright perfect heart Isay 38. And the word of God is plaine for this comfort If our hearts condemne vs not we haue boldnes towards God 1. Ioh. 3. 21. alwaies prouided we haue a good vnderstanding of our duty to God for an ignorant conscience will falsly excuse II. Point The property of this dutie It is a part of great wisdom for he that heareth and
Christ Iesus is Securitie and safetie against all temptations of the Deuill the flesh and the world meant by the standing of the house that was built vpon the rockâ— notwithstanding the the falling of the raine the beating of the floods and the blowing of the windes vers 25. A most notable fruite which nothing els but true obedience can procure vnto vs wealth cannot minister this comfortable securitie nay the more wealth oft times the more trouble and vnto many riches are the causes of a fearefull downefall No strength of man nor power of any Princes can procure this safetie yet Christ vouchsafeth the same to them that heare his word and keepe it The consideration hereof must mooue vs to be most willing and readie to performe obedience to that holy word of God which we read and heare for such a benefite comes by it as no creature in the world can procure besides and the rather we must inuâ—e our selues hereto because our sinnes deserue an ende of these happie dayes of peace and we may iustly looke for the blacke daies of persecution which when they come will surely be our ruine vnlesse in these dayes of peace we heare the word and doe it Secondly from this fruite of true obedience we may gather that he which once hath true saith in Christ rooted in his heart shall neuer loose the same either wholly or finally but shall continue therein vnto the ende and enioy the fruite thereof for euer For by faith a man is truly built on Christ as on a most sure foundation so as neither temptations nor persecutions can driue him off though they may assault and shake him yet they can neuer throw him down but if a man might quite loose his faith then might he be beaten downe that is built on Christ which thing this text denieth Lastly this teacheth vs that he that is built on Christ by faith must looke for fearefull tryalls and temptations for he is like an house built one the sea banke against which winde and raine and waues doe all beate and rage Gods seruants must not looke to goe to heauen in ease but they must waite for trialls and temptations comming hand in hand as winde and raine and winde and waue commonly doe and therefore the more carefull and earnestly must we labour to be surely grounded on Christ that though they assault vs yet they may not throw vs downe vers 26. But whosoeuer heareth these my words and doth them not shall be likened vnto a foolish man which hath builded his house vpon the sande 27. And the raine fell and the floods came and the windes blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great In these verses our Sauiour Christ layeth downe foure other points contrarie to the former belonging to an euill hearer The I. is the fault and bad practise of an euill hearer to heare Christs words and not to doe the same II. the propertie of this vice it is a point of extreame follie III. the practise of this folly in building vpon the sands IV. the fruit and issue of this building fearefull ruine and destruction Of these in order I. Point The practise of a bad hearer from which Christ would terrifie all men in this place is To heare and not to doe This is no small fault The ground that receiueth seede and raine both in measure and season and yet bringeth forth either bad fruite or none at all is by all men condemned for bad ground the Apostle saith it iâ— neere vnto cursing whose ende is to be burned Hebr. 6. 8. The waters that come and issue from vnder the threshold of the Sanctuarie Ezek. 41. 1. whereby is meant the word of God when they come into any ground they are of this nature if they make it not fruitefull they turne it into barrennes vers 11. A subiect that knowes his Princes will and doth it not is indeed no better then a rebell how much more then is he that heares the word and Doctrine of saluation by Christ and yet makes no conscience to doe the same to be iudged for bad and barren ground yea for a rebell against God himselfe 1. Sam. 15. 25. Samuel telleth Saul that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie And the reason is plaine for they that submit themselues to heare Gods word are sundrie wayes bound to performe obedience first by the law of creation as they are Gods creatures Secondly by the law of redemption as they are Christs seruants bought by his precious blood Thirdly in regard of their Adoption as they are and at least hold themselues to be his children in Christ and fourthly in regard of his mercifull prouidence whereof we haue daily experience in regard of all these we ought by way of thankfulnes to shew our selues obedient vnto his word And therefore he that heares the word of God and will not doe the same sinneth grieuously against God which in it kind God hateth as the sinne of witchcraft Now this sinne of disobedience is a common sinne We are all hearers but where almost is the man that answerably is a doer Men content themselues with the bare action of hearing like vnto the Papists who thinke God is well serued with the worke done but the principall thing we omit which is the treasuring vp of Gods word in our hearts that vpon iust occasion we might practise the same yea which yet is more lamentable men are so farre from yeilding conscionable obedience to the word that the endeuour thereunto is commonly iudged superfluous nisenesse and curious precisenesse but this sinne of hearing and not doing will bring many fearefull iudgements vpon vs vnles by true repentance it be cut off II. Point The propertie of this bad practise It is a point of great follie he that heareth and doth not shall be likened vnto a foolish man This the author of all wisdome Christ himselfe auoucheth and the holy Ghost by S. Iames doth notably describe this part of follie They that be hearers and not doers deceiue themselues beeing like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse either to spie out some spot or discerne his owne countenance but when he hath considered himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was Againe this follie will further appeare in this if a man should shew forth great parts of wisdome in sundrie things pertaining to his bodie and yet faile in the maine point of all euery man would count his wisdome but follie Now such are all they that heare the word of God and doe it not they shew some parts of wisdome in comming to heare and in seeking to vnderstand and yet if they come not to practise they faile in the maine point of their saluation which indeed ought to be sought for in the first place I. By this we may see
how to correct and reforme our foolish conceite we haue of men in the world We thinke of those that haue worldly wisdome to be able to goe beyond others in the greater affaires of this life that they are the onely men deseruing best place of gouernment both in Church and common wealth But we must know that these men though they haue neuer so good heads for the things of this life yet if they faile in the knowledge of this dutie to God or in the practise thereof are here by our Sauiour Christ noted with the brand of follie The rich man in the Gospel had notable forecast for the augmenting of his wealth when his substance increased he could pull downe his barnes and make them greater but yet because he failed in the maine point of his saluation he is noted for a rich foole Luk. 12. 20. And therefore in all sorts and estates of men he is the wisest who hath grace to know and answerably to obey the will of God II. This must excite vs to a carefull endeauour after true obedience to God in all his commandements We all desire to be freed from the reproach of folly among men and we take it for a great disgrace to be counted fooles well if we would auoid this ignominie indeede let vs be willing to heare and carefull to obey the word of Christ both in thought word and deede otherwise let men iudge as they list God will account vs fooles III. Point The practise of this follie which consists in this that he builds his house vpon the sands whereby is signified another thing concerning the soule namely to build our saluation vpon insufficient foundation and that doth euery hearer of Gods word that makes not conscience of obedience for profession is as it were the erecting or rearing of an house and the not performing obedience withall is the setting of this house vpon the sands There be three sorts of men that thus build vpon the sands I. The Papist that will be iustified and saued by Christ but yet withall he must haue works of grace to concurre for the increase of his iustification and for the accomplishment of his saluation Now this is to build vpon the sands when we ioyne workes with Christ in the matter of saluation for though Christ be a sure rocke in himselfe yet if we will fortifie him by our works we fall from this rocke into perdition and our foundation is no better then sand Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing and v. 4 Ye are fallen from Christ whosoeuer will be iustified by the law in which â—laces the Apostle labours to ouerthrow the opinion of the Galatians learned of the false Apostles which was to ioyne works with Christ in the matter of iustification Rom. 9. 32. Christ became vnto the Iewes a rocke of offence when as they would be saued by the works of the law A second sort that build vpon the sands are the common Protestants by whome I meane such as beare the name of Christians and yet rest themselues contented and satisfied with their ciuill liues thinking that because they abstaine from outward euill and grosse sinnes and doe no man wrong therefore God will hold them excused whereupon they professe religion more for obedience to the lawes of men then for conscience to God But this will not serue the turne these men though they professe Christ outwardly yet in deede they denie him for by their course though it may be they thinke not so they will needes become Sauiours and so Christs vnto themselues which thing they doe when as they stay themselues on their owne ciuill life The Scribes and Pharisies for outward actions were very godly and many of them liued vnblameably but yet Christ saith to his Disciples Math. 5. 20. Except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe saith Paul and yet I am not thereby iustified this was a notable thing for a man to walke so vprightly in his calling that his conscience could not accuse him of any offence against God or man and yet this is nothing in the matter of Iustification because euery man therein must answer to God The third sort of those that build vpon the sand is the Protestant that is more forward in religion then the former I meane such as doe heare the word and receiue it with ioy bringing forth some good fruit thereof It had beene hard I must confesse to haue called such men foolish builders vnles Iesus Christ had reuealed them to be such and yet that these doe build on the sand it is plaine in the parable of the seede that fell on stonie ground Luke 8. 13. whereby are resembled such men as heare Gods word and receiue it with ioy and bring forth some fruit but yet in the time of temptation doe fal away for though they professed Christ yet they were not founded on him they wanted sound humilitie and true faith which want in the time of peace they could not espie Uses I. Seeing that men which heare and receiue the word of God with ioy may build on a fandie foundation we must pray to God for this one blessing that he would write his word in our hearts by the finger of his spirit as he writ the law on the tables of stone in Mount Sina for our hearts are deceitfull and will counterfeit grace till the time of triall come now God hath promised this blessing to his Church in the new Testament and therefore we must pray for it that hauing his law written in our hearts we may be the doers of it II. This must mooue vs to looke vnto the deceitfulnes of our hearts for faire shewes will not serue the turne in time of triall and our hearts be deceitfull aboue all things for when a man shall receiue the word with ioy and bring forth some fruit thereof how should he not thinke himselfe to be in a good case and yet in time of triall this will disappoint him and deceiue him Wherefore we must looke that in our profession we carie a true heart vnto God and to our selues and for this cause must see that we be throughly humbled in our selues for our sinnes that we may make God and his feare to be our chiefe treasure for which cause we must remember that we are not our owne but Gods and so must not haue the disposing of our selues but subiect our selues wholly to his will in all things and if thus we make him our treasure we shall be sure to make him our rocke also III. We must not content our selues only to know Christ to be our Sauiour and to imbrace religion in profession but we must labour further to feele in our selues the power of Christs death to mortifie sinn in vs and