ΠΑÎΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ Or the Summe of PRACTICAL DIVINITY Practiz'd in the Wilderness and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the MOUNT BEING OBSERVATIONS Upon the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Chapters of St MATTHEW To which is Prefixed A PROLEGOMENA or Preface by way of DIALOGUE Wherein the Perfection and Perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the Calumnies of ANABAPTISTS and PAPISTS By THO. WHITE B. L. Minister of Gods Word at Anne Aldersgate London LONDON Printed by A. M. for Jos Cranford and are to be sold at the Sign of the Phoenix in St Pauls Church-yard MDCLIV WHITES OBSERVATIONS Upon the 4. 5. 6. and 7. Chapters of St MATTHEW The Authours TO THE READER AUTHOUR THe Times wherein we live are so full of Errors Heresies and Blasphemies that except our Antidotes and Preparatives are very strong and we continually taking of them 't is impossible to be kept from being infected Christian Reader But what are those Antidotes and Preparatives which may keep one from infection 1. Take heed of Doctrines that rob God of his Honour and give it unto man Such are the Doctrine of Merits Free-will Election out of foresight of Faith and Perseverance 2. Be established upon the plain Texts of Scripture in the Truths you professe and take them not upon trust custome or education for such sandy Foundations will never be able to bear up what you build upon them in times of Persecution or Temptation 3. Love the Truths that you know else God may justly send you strong Delusions to beleeve lies though you receive the Truth if you receive it not in the love theroof 2 Thes 2.10 11. Love and rejoyce in them not upon carnall ground for if thou lovest spirituall truths upon carnal grounds when those grounds cease as all carnal grounds will thy love of the Truth will cease and though thy evidence be never so great if there be no adherence if thy soul cleaves not to the Truths thou knowest they will be like the dust that lies loose upon the ground every winde of Doctrine will scatter them Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 3.15 5. Turn the Truths of God into nourishment We must desire the sincere milk of the Word of God that we may grow thereby while meat is in thy hand it may be taken from thee if it be in thy stomack thou maist cast it up again but if once it be turned into nourishment into thy substance then thou canst never loose it 5. Desire to know the Truths of God that thou maist do them Do what thou knowest thou shalt know more Joh. 7.17 We use to take away the Candle from those Servants that have no work or will do none by it 6. If Persecution arises for the Truth suffer it with joy for if once thou hast suffered for the Truth thou wilt never part with it the way not to sell Truth is to buy it and the mother loves the childe most because she hath suffered most for it If once we have paid for Land if the Title of it be questioned we shall endeavour to vindicate it but if we only be in bargain if the title be questioned we leave of our bargaining and leave it to others take little care our selves to vindicate it but it may be thou dost not live in such times of persecution that thou must loose thy estate life or liberty for the Truth but alwaies thou livest in such times that thou must leave thy lusts or corruption for it what corruption what sin what lust hath thou left for such a truth if thou hast not parted with thy lusts and corruptions for the truth thou wilt part with the truth for thy lusts c. 7. Pray for 't is God only that teacheth wisedom secretly thou canst not come unto the Son unlesse thou come and learn of the Father Joh. 6.44 thou canst not know the Father except the Son reveal him Mat. 11.27 Thou canst not say that Jesus is the Christ but by the holy Ghost thou canst not know the deep things of God except the holy Ghost seacheth them out and reveal them unto you thou shalt learn more of God upon thy knees then by all thy reading or studying without prayer If any man lack wisedom let him ask it of God The Schoolmasters that Luther learnt most of was Prayer Temptation and Meditation 8. Be constant in hearing and reading the Word of God for those are two speciall means that God hath sanctified for the keeping of us from errour Be sure you keep close to that Heb. 4.11 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 3.13 take heed of making Traditions Revelations or Providences as thy Rule to walk by for the Scripture is plain and sufficient to teach you all things which are necessary either to be beleeved or practised and the clearing of this Point I conceive to be the most propeâ— Preface to Annotations upon the Scriptures more proper to that part of Scriptures here spoke to then to many others because that our Saviour evidently shews by his practise that the Scriptures nay one Book nay very few Chapters of that Book is able to answer all Satans temptations and as for the times wherein we live I wish that Discourses of the perfection perspicuity c. of the Scriptures were less pertinent Anabaptists You speak much of the Ministery and of the Written Word but these are needless in our daies or at least the written Word is not the only Rule whereby we should walk Is it not plainly prophesied of the time of the Gospel Jer. 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord and Isa 54.13 and thy children shall be taught of the Lord and if so what need Scriptures or Miâ—istry Authour We will first take the words in your sense viz. that all shall be taught immediatly of God without the Scriptures or Ministry of the Word so that from the greatest to the least every one shall know the Lord that is so much of God as is needfull to salvation Then thus I argue That as far as can be proved by these words the Scriptures and Ministery of the Word is needfull until this Prophesie be fulfilled in this sense for there are abundance of ignorant persons amongst us who are not taught of God and that do not know the Lord Many there are that do not beleeve in Christ which they should certainly do if God did inwardly teach them Joh. 6.45 Now 't is so evident that few there are that beleeve and by consequence are taught of God that it ought rather to be bewailed then proved 2. Can any one imagine that none of Gods People before in Christs time or in the Apostles time were taught of God and yet what is more evident then that the Ministery of the Word and reading of Scriptures was in use and commanded in those
that are poor in spirit being sensible of their own vilenesse so those that mourn for their offences against God easily forgive mens offences against them and easily bear those afflictions that lye upon them 2. It is not said Blessed are the courteous but Blessed are the meek because it is an easier thing to bestow a courtesie then to forgive an injury the world alwaies commends the one and counts the other generally pusillanimity 3. There are two kinds of meeknesse as is partly intimated the first makes us patient in bearing afflictions from God which makes us not to murmure the other which consists in the bearing of injuries from men and not revenge them For they shall inherit the Earth Whereas divers will say that the bearing of one injury is but the inviting of another and so by many wrongs one shall be quite undone at last Christ answers there is no such matter for none shall inherit the Earth but they that are meek and indeed generally it costs one more to revenge an injury and one suffers more damage by it then by the injury it self 2. They shall inherit the Earth may be taken two waies 1. Either to shew that they that are meek do possesse the Earth by right of inheritance others wicked men are but usurpers 2. Or to shew that they that are meek do possesse and quietly enjoy what they have whereas those that are furious and angry are so far from possessing the Earth that they do not possesse their own souls for if patience makes one possesse ones soul Luk. 21.19 then impatience puts one out of possession Vers 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse 1. To hunger and thirst after righteousnesse may be taken divers waies 1. For those who suffering much wrong and much desire to have justice as the widow Luk. 18. was importunate to be avenged not revenged of her adversaries 2. Or else for those who seeing the Kingdome or place where they live full of violence and injustice do earnestly desire the removal of it and the restoring of justice 3. And principally which our English Translation does well import for them that so earnestly desire grace and holinesse and to live godly in this present life 2. It shews that our desires after righteousnesse must not be faint carelesse but earnest fervent and incessant such as hunger and thirst are which of all natural desires are the strongest 3. From the carriage of those that hunger and thirst one may know whether one does and how one ought to love and desire righteousness for they that are very hungry and thirsty 1. Care not what food will cost them rather then they will famish they will give five pound for an Asses head and six shillings and three pence for half a pint of Pigeons dung 2 Kin. 6.25 2. They relish their meat even those things that are bitter seem sweet unto them Prov. 27.7 but those that do not hunger and thirst after righteousnesse they finde no sweetnesse in it 3. They are not curious nor dainty nor need sauce to make them eat but any food that is wholsome comes welcome it drowns all other desires they cannot think of nor do any thing before that be satisfied 4. Our hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse doth argue a great want of righteousnesse for indeed the more righteousnesse the more hunger and thirst after it for there is a double kinde of desire a desire of want and a desire of complacence some things we desire because we have them not but when we have them we see so much vanity in them that we care not for them such are all worldly things other things there be of which the more we have the more we desire and the not desiring of them proceeds meerly from the ignorance of them now that to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse does not argue one quite void of righteousnesse as in natural hunger it doth of food is evident because an earnest hungring and thirstine after righteousnesse is not onely an act but an high degree of holinesse In earthly things the possession of them takes away the desire but in spiritual things it increaseth it 5. It plainly shews that one cannot be ever holy enough in this life but that still we should earnestly desire to be more For they shall be filled 1. It shews that to be full of holinesse is that wherein the very essence of blessednesse consists and that which makes Heaven Heaven is because that there dwelleth righteousnesse for the exceeding love of God which is the very soul of sanctification is the very thing that makes the vision and fruition of it so delightfull and the being filled with righteousnesse could not argue them blessed except to be filled with righteousnesse were true and eternal blessednesse 2. It shews that true blessednesse is not an empty thing as the happinesse of the world is it fils the soul that hath it 3. It shews if you take it exclusively that none other shall be filled for indeed the desires of man being infinite no creature can fill them Vers 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy Blessed are the mercifull The objects of mercy are two 1. Misery and the act of mercy concerning misery is twofold 1. To pity 2. If it lie in our power to relieve it 2. Debts and that twofold obligatio ex delicto and obligatio ex contractu offences and debts offences are twofold either offences against the Law and so a Judge is mercifull and so mercy is opposed to justice and the rigour of the Law or against our persons and they are called injuries and this mercy is pardoning mercy and is opposed to revenge and these kinds of mercy are in distributive justice in commutative justice concerning debts mercy is opposed to exaction and oppression he therefore that pities or relieves those that are in misery he that is not severe in punishing offences against the Law nor injuries against himself that forbears him that cannot for the present and forgives him that cannot at all pay him what he ows him either of these is mercifull For they shall obtain mercy 1. If all that are blessed obtain mercy then we are saved by Gods mercy not by our own merits 2. This is a double motive to shew mercy 1. Because it is rewarded the mercy that we shew is not lost but we shall hereafter receive it with advantage 2. Because the greatest motive of pitying or shewing mercy because we or ours are in the like danger therefore those that are very miserable and so under all the calamities that they think can befal them and those that are in great prosperity that think they are out of the reach of danger are not pitifull to others now that we need mercy and so in the like calamity as those are we shew mercy unto the very promising of
reasons also why he cannot forget his people in vers 16. Nay there is none of his people can be so disguised by sinne but he knows them scarce any one would have taken David committing adultery and murder for a childe of God and Peter denying and forswearing Christ by the Parable of the Prodigal this is made clear unto us for it is said that the Father of the Prodigal knew him afarre off though he must needs be exceedingly altered in so long a time and by his keeping Swine and being almost starved and by his strange apparel yet his father knew him afar off this is but to shew us that God knows his people in their greatest disguises of sinne We may take a childe of God for an hypocrite and an hypocrite for a childe of God but this is our comfort God knows who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 2. The care of God towards his children is farre greater then that of Parents we reade not only of one but of both the Parents forsaking their children Psal 27.10 Ezek. 16. where is there a parent in the world that takes care that his childe loses not a hair without his knowledge but concerning God it is said that he numbers the hairs of our heads and it is brought in upon that account to shew the special providence that God has of his people 3. The word Father does not only shew the love of God but what kinde of love that he bears unto us for the love of a parent differs and exceeds other loves thus 1. It is the freest love in the world for though a childe be never so great a charge yet a tender mother had rather work night and day then her childe should want much lesse should die though it be never so great a trouble when the childe is sick so that it breaks her sleep when her brests are so sore that the childe sucks almost as much bloud as milk Nor is it beauty in the childe that makes her love him for it is said the mother forgets her pains as soon as she knows a childe is born into the world before she knows whether it be beautifull or deformed Where is there a loving mother in the world that will change her sickly and deformed childe for the beautifullest and healthfullest in the world Nor is the mothers love caused by the childes love for she loves the childe and the childe knows not how to love nor what it is to be beloved The love of a friend to a friend or a wise to her husband is begun and continued by some or all these grounds either by profit pleasure beauty love or all That Gods love is such to us so free grounded upon nothing in us he has mercy because he will have mercy and loves us because he loves us 2. It is the lastingest love Nothing can take it off Luke 15. the Prodigal sonne shewed no love to his father he could not endure to dwell with him nor near him but went into a far countrey spent all amongst harlots if he had lost by trading it had been something to be poor and wicked nay but to be impoverished by wickednesse c. So for Davids love to Absolom Absolom had done much one would think to take off the love of the tenderest father in the world he had murdered Amnon and sought his fathers kingdom and his life and had abused his fathers concubine before the Sunne and all Israel a fact of that nature that it made him irreconcilable one would think Achitophel was a wise man the wisest in that matter in the world and he thought so and counsels to that purpose that he might put him out of any hopes of reconciliation yet David forgets not his fatherly affections and does as much as he can to excuse Absolom charges his Army to deal gently with the young man Absolom in which he doth seem to say thus Those his crimes must be imputed much to his youth he was a young man and David also in another case shews the wonderfull love of Parents to their children that nothing can take it off the little childe in 2 Sam. 12. being unlawfully begotten was a living monument of Davids sinne and shame yet when it was sick he prayed and fasted c. and David was a man after Gods own heart and nothing more then in his tender affection to his children A wife may cease to be a wife she may justly upon some occasion be divorced a friend may cease to be a friend nay we ought to cease our friendship and familiarity with him when he grows scandalous and wicked 1 Cor. 5. but a childe can never cease to be a childe it is lastinger also à parte antè one loves ones childe as soon as it is born but ones friend a long after 3. It is the greatest love especially if we compare the love of Parents to their children and that of children to their Parents that is Parents love their children farre more then children their Parents Now this is a wonderful comfort for any one that loves God and it is most comfort to them that love God most to think with themselves Well I love God much but this is my comfort I am sure he loves me more for God is and will be a conquerour over all people for as he conquers the wicked if they are proud he is above them if they are subtil he goes beyond them so he conquers his people also his excellencies are above their praises his mercies beyond their thanks and his thoughts of love towards them are as farre above their thoughts of love towards him Isa 55.8 9. Psal 103.11 And as the word Father is a wonderfull comfort so it is an engaging word it engages us to several duties 1. To honour God which is so proper a duty to a childe as a childe that God sayes If I am a Father c. and the second Commandment does not say Thou shalt obey thy Father but thou shalt honour thy Father not but that they ought to obey them too but because honour is the principle from which all other of their actions should flow but of that more in the first Petition 2. Obedience which must nor be slavish and mercenary as if it were forced It is the voice of a slave to say What must I do The voice of a son to say What may I do to please my Father 3. Imitation Ephes 5.1 Imitation is so proper to children that a childe scarce doth any thing which it sees not and scarce sees any thing which it does not 4. Considence upon this account our Saviour bids us not to take thought what we should eat or what we should drink or wherewithall we shall be cloathed and he layes the stresse of all our confidence upon this very word Father and indeed this very word Father has more in it to support considence then promises have and indeed a childe does not so properly rely upon promises as
gather up Secondly The reason why for your selves is put in may be 1. Because that generally those that have none but themselves to provide for are most covetous Eccles 4.8 where it is not said children but childe yet not so much as one to provide for 2. Because that a covetous man of all men himself enjoyes least of his riches for a covetous man wanteth all things but most of all what he hath Proverbs 13.7 28.8 What thou layest up while thou livest thou enjoyest not when thou diest so that what you lay up you lay it not up for your self 3. Because it is lawfull to lay up for our children but not for our selves 2 Cor. 12.14 yet even then also we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay up abundance That saying of the Father in this case is worth the observation Si multos habueris filios sed Christus unus si nullo◠unicus the way to make thy children poor is not to make the poor thy children 4. Because it is impossible by laying treasure on earth to make that part of thy self which is not thy self rich viz. thy soul for the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob are called Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Thirdly Treasures to shew that those which hoard up wealth are immoderate in their desires and layings up for a little money may not be called a treasure and it is here Lay not for your self a treasure but treasures Fourthly The corruptiblenesse of earthly treasures is manifested in this that there is no kinde of creature whether animate or inanimate but hath power to destroy them Nay some of them may be destroyed by that creature which of all is easiest destroyed viz. a moth which is but a flying worm nay of all the weakest for tinea dum tangitur frangitur nay they are destroyed from themselves from that corruption which themselves breed as the garment doth the moth and metals rust Fifthly The judgement of God is seen in this That he hath appointed means for those riches that are laid up to be destroyed for the moth nor the rust do consume those things we use nay the rust doth not only destroy thy riches but brings destruction on thee Jam. 1.3 Sixthly There are many wayes to destroy our treasures sometimes our estates do moulder away insensibly and by degrees so to be as a moth is taken Hos 5.12 sometimes by open violence and all at once when thieves break thorow and steal Seventhly This shews the extraordinary care that rich men have to secure them for breaking thorow shews that they are put up in strong-holds indeed some kinde of riches the moth and rust cannot destroy as gold and precious stones but those cannot be secured from thieves nor can all the strength thou canst make keep off their violence for it is not said a thief breaketh thorow but thieves if thou canst secure them against private robberies thou canst not against publick invasion and indeed a covetous man little differs from a thief himself thieves steal from the rich and covetous men from the poor thou art a thief in keeping from the poor and he is a thief in taking from the rich Vers 20. But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break thorow and steal But lay up for your selves It answers an objection What must we do with the overplus of our estates Divers there are if they spend all their incomes and gains must either live luxuriously as the rich man Luke 16.19 or else lay up c. our Saviour doth as it were say You need not do either for God hath provided a place larger and safer for you to lay up your abundance in 2. No other treasures are laid up for our selves but what we bestow upon the poor those we lay up in heaven we enjoy those in earth we lose 3. A covetous worldly man layes up abundance for his children but if we ask him what he has laid up for himself he must answer Nothing 4. It teaches us to be liberal to the poor a man is not said to have laid up a treasure that has laid up some few shillings so if thy gifts to the poor be but few and small thou hast not laid up a treasure 5. The reason why we should lay up our treasure in heaven is because that that is a safe place no thieves come to heaven to steal it c. 6. It shews that the riches of the Saints are unseen they are treasures laid up and all such are kept in secret 7. That as covetous men do not onely lay up of their abundance but also deprive themselves of most necessaries to increase their treasures so it shews that we should not out of our abundance give to the poor but out of our wants out of our mouth and from our backs to relieve them that are in extream wants Vers 21. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also For where your treasure is This is the second reason why we should lay up our treasure in heaven For 1. As in vers 19. our treasures will be lost if we lay them on earth so here our hearts will be like our treasures if they will be heavenly our hearts will be heavenly as Aramundus Visabunda sayes a man has seven daughters his daughters in respect of their parents are equal but if one man is a Husbandman another a Merchant another a Knight another a Lord c. according to their husbands so are they dignified so the hearts of men all equal by nature but their love is such as the thing on which they bestow it earthly if to the earth heavenly if to heaven 2. We may evidently know from this what that is which we love most our fears desires hopes joyes love are placed in our summum bonum Vers 22. The light of the body is the eye If therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light Vers 23. But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness The light of the body is the eye c. This is a third reason or confirmation of the second why we should not lay up our treasures c. and it stands thus As the eye is to the body so the aim and intention of the soul is to the faculties thereof for as if the dark eye lets not in light the whole body is dark though the Sunne shine never so bright upon it so if that which we mainly look after and aim at viz. the end and scope of our actions be earthly be our actions never so glorious they are earthly also for prayer c. though in it self it be spiritual it becomes carnal if the end be carnal Here our Saviour shews the great mischief that comes from the former viz. that our religious actions become carnal
but without partiality for there are rules set down by the holy Ghost for our not giving to some 1. We are not give entertainment to hereticks 2 epist John v. 10. 2. Nor holy things unto dogs Mat. 7.6 3. Nor food to them that will not work 2 Thess 3.10 2. He sets down rules to whom we should especially give 1. We are to give to those of the same Nation before to strangers Deut. 15.7 1. v. 2. And of those especially to them that are of thine own houshold 1 Tim. 5.8 3. To those that are Saints Gal. 6.10 Vers 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine enemy Ye have heard that it hath been said 1. He does not say that ever it was said so for there is not any place in Scripture where we are commanded to hate our enemies and there are three things wherein their glosse is faulty 1. Is that they restrain the word neighbour to one of their own kindred or Nation which our Saviour fully confutes in Luke 10. in the Parable of the good Samaritan 2. They leave out As thy self 3. They put in Thou shalt hate thine enemy whereas there is nothing in the Scripture for it but many places against it Exod. 23.4 5. and whereas some say it was to be meant of an Israelite if he be an enemy but not of those of other Nations but that they might hate them the contrary is evident Deut. 10.19 The use of this is that every one himself should reade the word of God for if he only hears the word and searches not the Scripture he shall hear that many things are said in the word of God which are no where there to be found but divers times the clean contrary Vers 44. But I say unto you Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you But I say unto you love your enemies c. 1. These words Bless them that curse you are left out in the vulgar Latine though it be both in the Greek and in the Syriack 2. It is not to be understood thus that we should love our enemies but not bless them and do good to them and pray for them or bless them that curse us but not love them c. but we are to do all these to every one whether it be our secret enemy or by his cursing and persecuting declares himself so to be 3. Love your enemies is put first because all the rest our blessing doing good and praying should not be done feignedly but with the sincerity of our heart 4. We are commanded to pray for our persecutors because by their persecution we are dis-inabled to do any other good unto them and generally they scorn to receive them 5. Christ does not only command us to love them that love us or those that are neither oul friends nor enemies but to love our enemies and again we are not permitted to curse them that curse us or to be silent and neither blesse nor curse but we are commanded to blesse the reason may be We must overcome evil with good therefore our good should be stronger then their evil which could not be if we should neither blesse nor curse him that curses for not cursing is not so good as cursing is evil 6. We are commanded to love blesse c. their persons but not their vices Object But David saith Do not I hate them that hate thee Therefore those that persecure us for the true religion being Gods enemies we should hate Sol. We are not in this place to hate any one that is Gods enemy or that blasphemes God but we are forbid to hate any one because he is an enemy or because he curses us as he is your enemy you are to love him as Gods enemy to hate him 7. It is in the Original Do well to him that hates you to shew that if we do our enemy good yet if we do it in a chutlish and scornful manner we do not observe this Commandment 8. That we are not only to love personal enemies but those that are enemies to the Nation Vers 45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh the Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust That ye may be the children of your Father 1. It is not meant as if we could love our enemies before we were Gods children or that this is the way to get adoption or regeneration for he cals God their Father when he wishes them to do thus that they may be his children therefore the meaning may be thus 1. That you may be i.e. that you may be known to be both to your selves and to others as it is said We are justified by works i. e. our justification is known to our selves and others by works Or 2. That you may be the children is meant that since two wayes we are the children of God by regeneration and sanctisication in respect of sanctification we may have the image of God renewed more and more in us and so in a qualified sense may be said to be more Gods children and in that sense we may attain to be more the children of God i.e. more like him 2. None can be the children of God unlesse they love their enemies 3. That every one should strive both to be and to know himself to be the childe of God 4. That no man by nature is the childe of God since no man by nature can or does love his enemy c. Which is in heaven 1. We can never love our enemies c. so long as we are no more then the children of our earthly father 2. That it is a heavenly thing to love ones enemies and therefore ex diametro it is an hellish thing to hate ones friends and therefore to hate Gods people 1. Because they are our friends And 2. They are heavenly 3. This is the first motive to perswade to love c. For he maketh his Sunne to arise 1. This is the second motive to the duty i.e. Gods example and it stands thus If God who is greater then you does bestow greater blessings upon those that are greater enemies and between whom and him there is a greater distance how much more should you love c. 2. The Sunne does not arise of it self that knows not what it does nor is it of necessity that the Sunne should arise on the wicked but it is by Gods providence for it is he that makes it to arise or if there be a necessity it is in respect of the Sunne not in respect of God for he makes it to arise so the Sunne cannot chuse but rise but God might chuse whether he would make it rise 3. These common blessings come not by chance as well as not by necessity it is by
and the words in the original are only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is see not in worshipping Angels we make God angry and Angels angry and prayer is such an act of worship that adoratie which signifies worship is properly praying too nor may we pray to Saints for Elias wishes Elisha that if he had any thing that he would have him to prevail in with God for him he bid him ask him before he went to heaven for afterwards it was in vain to desire any thing from him 2 Kings 2.9 by the zeal of the Saints on earth we may guesse at the zeal of the Saints in heaven If the Apostles were enraged as to their outward carriage seemingly as most to madnesse when the Lystrians would have worshipped them surely if the Saints did but know of the abominable Idolatry that is committed towards them it would certainly if it were possible interrupt their very happinesse 4. From the word Our we learn That we must pray for others as well as for our selves 5. It is of great comfort that wheresoever God has a people to call upon his name Every one of Gods children has a stock of prayers going for him and though thou canst not pray for thy self yet others pray for thee 6. That God is in Heaven it shews That our thoughts should be heavenly in the duty of prayer though it is not necessary to lift up our eyes to heaven as our Saviour did John 17. for the Publican durst not lift up his eyes thither and yet was accepted Two things there are in this and all prayers 1. What are the things we desire And 2. What are the things we are engaged to do for every prayer is an engagement to do what in us lies to obtain the things we prayed for 1. We must take the words of this prayer in the largest sense in respect of the acception of the word except some words of the prayer or some other parts of Scripture puts a limitation to them and therefore Kingdom being differenced from other Kingdoms by the word thy is not to be taken for the powers and Kingdoms of this world and therefore the word Our cannot be taken as if we prayed for every particular man in the world since we only pray for those whose Father God is or may be hereafter for ought we know hence will it follow that we must extend the Kingdom of heaven to the Kingdome of grace and glory 2. They must be extended to the utmost sense of words in respect of the persons or things prayed for so when we pray for the forgivenesse of our trespasses we do intend both all kindes and all numbers of sins as sins of ignorance infirmity c. and every particular sin of those kindes 3. It is to be extended universally in respect of places so when we desire that Gods name should be hallowed we do not desire that it should be hallowed in this or that place but in the whole world 4. In respect of time it is to be extended to all time but that time which is not compatible with the nature of prayer viz. the time past or that which is not compatible with the nature of the thing we prayed for as if we take thy Kingdom come for the day of judgement it is not proper to say that we should pray that should come now and again a thousand years hence 5. In respect of degrees in all those Petitions to which there is no limitation given When we desire that Gods name should be hallowed we desire that it should be hallowed to the utmost and so that his will should be done and that our trespasses should be fully forgiven 6. If there be several wayes that the Petition may be accomplished we include them all as the name of God may be hallowed in our thoughts words lives 7. In every Petition we pray for all the means that are conducible for the obtaining of that thing included in that Petition 8. We do pray for the preventing if absent or removing if present all that may hinder the mercy we pray for in whole or in part 9. In the four first Petitions are included Deprecations and in the Deprecations are included the contrary Petitions When we pray for holinesse vertually we pray against sin as in the affirmative Commandments the negative are included in the negative the affirmative 10. Though all things that we are to pray for may be reduced to some of these Petitions yet many things may be reduced to more then one but more immediately to one and more remotely in other respects to other Petitions 11. That in every Petition is vertually included 1. Our want of the thing we pray for 2. Our necessity of having of it 3. Our acknowledgement of our inability to obtain the thing we pray for or to avoid the evil we pray against without Gods special assistance and mercy 2. Every Petition includes an engagement to use the means and to avoid and remove all impediments that might hinder us from obtaining the thing we prayed for Hallowed be thy Name 1. By the name of God is meant his Titles Attributes Ordinances 2. To hallow or sanctifie is a very high expression it is more then praise or honour for these we may give to men we must honour our Parents It is more then wonder and admiration for we may wonder at things that are evil as Christ did at the unbelief and hardnesse of heart of the Jews To sanctifie or hallow the name of God is the highest expression that can be what we account sacred we may not put to any common use but for things that we account never so excellent if not sacred we may use in the meanest offices as we may cut glasse with a diamond 2. Though we sell a diamond of never so great value for a farthing it may be folly it is not prophanenesse for Esau to have sold his birth-right if it had consisted onely in temporals and had had no spiritual priviledges annexed to it We are to sanctifie God in our thoughts words and deeds In our thoughts we sanctifie God two wayes 1. Deus est super omne verbum super omne filentium omnem scientiam omnem admiratione omnem amorem omnem extasin super omne quod est super omne quod non est super omne quod potest esse super omne quod non potest esse Thus raise thy thoughts as high as possibly as thou canst and when thy thoughts are highest purest holiest that thou canst possibly frame then know that God is infinitely more above them then the heavens are above the earth and know that thou dost not considerably honour God in thy thoughts till all the actings of thy understanding be lost in admirings nor dost thou considerably honour God by the actings of thy love till they be lost in extacies and ravishments of spirit and both understanding and will yield themselves up as overwhelmed and
be certain that are small sins to be great sins that are indifferent to be sinfull or those that are sinfull to lay greater aggravation upon them then in hypothesi belongs to them to judge the intentions of others Reason 2. The reason is that howsoever we carry our selves to others we must expect the same measure from men for so Luke though we may not exclude Gods judging of us also But you will say Is it measured to every one according as they measured to others and those that are most holy should be least censured Resp 1. This hath a tendency to it if wicked men will judge so they go diametrically opposite to that which the carriage of the righteous enclines them unto 2. Certainly as to God this will come to passe that God will deal to every man according as he deals to his brother 2. In respect of the grounds and rice from whence it proceeds viz. to Judge others out of envy malice pride or from vanity of wit when we are subject to shew our wit in discovering others faults 3. In respect of the manner when we do it rashly and uncharitably uncompassionately not out of hatred of the sinne but of the person and not that others or he may be edified but that he may be disgraced 4. In respect of the end when it is done not to edification as brotherly reproof Or secondly to make our selves seem more holy by the detecting the faults of others as if we were vertuous because others are vicious Vers 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Why beholdest 1. We must consider why we behold the more in our brothers eye and we shall finde a great deal of rottennesse at the core the Why of hypocrites words and works are abominable while their outside is specious hence that of Luke 16.15 Is it the love of thy brother Not so for then thou wouldst more hate it in thy self then in others for the love of our selves is to be the rule of our love of our neighbours Is it the honour of God that troubles thee then thou wouldest be more offended at a beam then a more Is it the filthinesse of sin he that hates uncleannesse hates it most the nearer it is to him he hates uncleannesse in his house more in his chamber more in his face but thou art more troubled at a more in thy brothers eye then a beam in thy own Behold 1. There is no such reason thou shouldest wonder that there is a mote in thy brothers eye When thou seest a wicked man thou hast more reason to wonder that thou art not worse then that he is so bad 2. Thou shouldest rather weep for and cover thy brothers faults then stand gazing on them The word doth as well signifie to take heed to or care of as to behold Col. 4.17 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it may very well signifie here for presently after our Saviour brings him in as taking care to pull out the mote out of thy brothers eye Mote 1. Hypocrites are curious in discerning the faults of others though one hath but one fault it is not motes but more and that a very small one for it is not a beam but more 2. They behold the faults never look upon the graces of their brethren a mote can scarce cover a considerable part of the eye but they look upon the mote and not the eye 3. They look upon others sins but not upon their repentance a mote in the eye will make it weep but hypocrites take no notice of the tears but of the sinne thou seest thy brothers sinne but thou knowest nor his sighs and groans nor tears in secret David defiles his bed but he washeth his couch with his tears Brothers cye 1. He being thy brother thy brotherly love should cover a multitude of sin It may be the reason why our Saviour names the word Brother is because that those that generally speak ill of others use to pretend a great deal of friendship and love and then adde their slander which like an Antidote given with poison makes it more deadly and upon the point it shews that those that do so do but dissemble for if thou lovest him as a brother how comest thou to discover one small fault when thou coverst a multitude of sins But considerest not 1. This is one mischief of prying into anothers fault that one discerns not his own he that is so much abroad must needs be a stranger at home Beam 1. Thou art worse then he because his is but a more thine a beam 2. He may consider his mote and bewail it for ought thou knowest but thou considerest not thy beam One special use we should make of anothers vice to look unto our selves of greater it may be he sins not against so much means so many mercies so that that very sinne which is but a mote in his eye is a beam in thine But you will say Hath every one that spies a mote in his brothers eye a beam in his own Yes since it is a beam to espie a mote in his brothers eye Vers 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye How wilt thou say c. How that is How canst thou have the face to say when thou art guilty of the same sinne as Plato said to one who brought him a book Nulli est contradicendum he returned it immediately saying Cur contradicentibus contradicis Nay when thou art not only guilty of the same but farre greater which thy brother cannot chuse but see since one that hath a mote in his eye can see better then one that hath a beam 2. Our Saviour gives such an instance that is most proper to this purpose for he that is deaf or almost sick of any other disease is not so much disenabled to cure another that is sick of the same as one that hath an infirmity in his sight for against him there lies a double objection 1. If you can cure me why can you not your self 2. The eye is a tender place and needs therefore in all actual operation concerning it to have a Ladies hand but a Hawks eye Vers 5. Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Thou hypocrite c. 1. No greater sign of hypocrisie then to be curious in the espying out of others faults and yet at the same time to indulge greater in our selves 2. No Minister in the world so fit to reprove and cure others as those that have experience of the wayes of cure of their own sins and he is fitter 1. Because he hath more skill 2. He will do it with more tendernesse and compassion 3. We must not despise