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
other faithfull Ministers any longer then while the Word last or that Timothy need preach no more after once Paul had been with him and indeed in common sense if I bid a man stay in a place untill I come I do not then bid him go away but rather stay longer that I may speak with him or do something else when I come So Saint Peter bidding the dispersed Hebrews attend to the Word till the Day dawn doth not bid them then cast away the Word or leave it off but however he would have them attend to it till that time and then afterward they will of themselves attend it without his exhortation nay 't is observable that in that very place he preferres the Word before the sight if the transfiguratioin of Christ so that the Word hath the precedence ev'n of Revelation hnd Visions But because that this point will be shortly so exactly cleared I will omit further pursuing of it Papists You speak concerning the reading of Scriptures as if that were the way to keep people from errour Whereas indeed that hath been the cause of all the errors of these times that every one hath been suffred to reade and expound the Scripture People should stand to the determination and traditions of the Church Authour 1. That every one ought to reade the Scripture and not only Clergy-men as you call them but all others is so evident that there is no way for you to keep men from beleeving this truth but by keeping of them from reading the Scripture Deut. 6.7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt binde them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes 'T is evident that the King is commanded to have as much of the Scripture by him as then was written and he shall reade therein all the daies of his life that he may learn the fear of the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them and Ps 1.3 Joh. 5.39 1 Thes 5.27 Eph. 3.3 4. Neh. 8.2 3 4 5. Act. 15.21 Rev. 1.2 2 Ki. 23.3 Deu. 31.11 Rom. 1.7 Act. 8.28 But if you would not have us to reade the Scriptures how would you have us know the Truths of God Papists The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth Authour The words are The Priests lips should preserve knowledge it shews their duty what they should do but 't is apparent in the next verse that they did not do so Ye have departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble and how frequently doth the Apostle say Judge what I say Try all things 2 Tim. 2.7 1 Thes 5.21 We having spoken just before that we should not despise Prophecy he subjoyns That we should not idolize Prophecy neither by taking every thing upon trust that is preached Papists But it shows a great deal of arrogance and pride for poor common ignorant people to question the doctrine of the learned and pious Ministers especially when 't is not only the judgement of one but of more Ministers especially of such as have been approved it is fit for them to judge of the exposition of Scriptures Authour It is very convenient and necessary they should so do and certainly such shall have praise of God for 't is plain the Scripture praiseth the Bereans for doing so Act. 17.11 Paul an Apostle and Sylas an Evangelist preached among them But they took not their Doctrine upon trust but preached the Scriptures to see whether those things were so and though they found that to be true which they preached according to the Word of God this day yet they examined their preaching this day also and so toties quoties and these Bereans clearly are commended for thus doing nor doth this argue any unwillingness in us to receive what is preached nor dislike of the doctrine for the Bereans did receive it with all readinesse of minde though they like the doctrines never so well as t is plain they did for they heard it with all readinesse of minde yet they durst not receive it before they had examined whether 't was according to the word of God or no and suppose our Trachers should misguide us 't is evident that not only they but we should perish with them Matth. 15.14 Papists But I must return again to that which is so apparent that it cannot be denied but that in these times wherein every one hath been suffered to reade and expound the Scriptures as they please errours heresies and blasphemies have more abounded then ever they did Authour I grant that for every one to be suffered to divulge and preach the Expositions must needs be a certain means of propagating and multiplying errors But the fault is not in their reading and knowing but it proceeds from their ignorance of the Scriptures for our Saviour plainly sets down that to be the reason of our erring and the taking things upon the credit of our Teachers only our Saviour sets down to be the reason of so many errors among the Jews How many times doth our Saviour say in Mat. 5. You have heard that 't was said whereas indeed there was no such thing spoken in the Word of God Papists But how is it possible that simple ignorant people should understand wherein there are such depths that the learnedest man in the world cannot fully understand Authour Can any one imagine that the Scripture was writ only for learned men and great Scholars many things there are hard to be understood there is no question of it but those things that are necessary to salvation are plain Certainly the Scripture it self saith so Pro. 1.4 that 't was written for that purpose to give the young and ignorant understanding and the Scripture commands to buy the Truth and the ignorant man hath a price in his hand the fault is not in his head but heart and he that hath any understanding wisedom is easie to him Prov. 17.16 even very children might learn it Deut. 6.7 and the Apostle saith If the Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that perish whether they be learned or unlearned And if for that reason men should not reade the Scriptures because they savingly understand them not and abuse the Scriptures to the maintaining of heresies then the reading of Scripture should be also prohibited to learned men for the poor receive the Gospel or are Gospelliz'd as the word signifies and God doth reveal the Mysteries of salvation to those that are simple and hides them to the wise Mat. 11.25 and the greatest hereticks that ever were were not simple but learned men 3. If those that are simple and unlearned must not reade the Scripture this as if those that were sick should not use Physick
onely conspicuous that they might see him but such a place that every one would stand gazing upon him for not onely they would wonder how he could come down but how he got up thither there being no scaffolds nor ladder nor c. Josephus writes that these pinacles were upon the Temple set with sharp pikes of iron that birds might not set upon them to defile the Temple Vers 6. And saith unto him If thou be the sonne of God Cast thy self down For it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone And he said If thou art the sonne of God 1. Why doth Satan use these words again If thou c 1. Because he was not resolved of his doubt nor yet satisfied whether our Saviour was the sonne of God or no and if you observe in our Saviours answers to others when out of malice intending to entrap him or out of curiosity any one went about to have him manifest that which was not fit in those respects to be known he though they never so cunningly enquired of him alwayes answered so that they could not be by his answer resolved So you may see the subtilty of this temptation appears that none especially this temptation was not single For 1. Of fear and diffidence for it would make one afraid of falling to be set so high and have so little hold 2. Of pride to shew himself and his power needlesly to the people 3. Of presumption in casting himself upon the immediate providence of God when he need not 2. Because these words are very fit for his other purpose viz. to perswade him to presumption as in the other not to stay while God have provided for him for he had power in his own hands 3. Because Satan knows how prone every one is to seem rathes more then lesse then he is but our blessed Saviour never desired to glorifie himself but in stead of being puffed up seeming to have what he had not he emptied himself of what he had 4. The whole 91. Psalm seems to be meant of the son of God and therefore it was convenient to say If c. that the place of Scripture might more fitly so agree with the the occasion and to be meant especially if not onely of him Cast thy self down It doth not follow either if one be the sonne of God that one ought to cast ones self down nor if one cast ones self down that one is the sonne of God 2. Why did not satan cast him down but wish him to cast himself down 1. It might be because that Satan had not so much power over our Saviour he had power to tempt he had not power to throw down 2. Because if he could have attained one end of his temptation viz. to know whether he was the son of God yet he could not that way have attained the other main end which was to cause him to sinne for it had been no sinne to be cast down a sinne it is to cast ones self for the other doth not tempt God 3. Or might it not be lest our Saviour should think that he intended any hurt unto him for Satan all this while concealed himself and would not be known who he was nor did our Saviour but in the last temptation take any notice who he was 4. Or was it not because he would not do any thing so that might occasion our Saviours confidence in God or if you will occasion the presence of the holy Angels for fear they should assist our Saviour or discover him or because he loved not their company for all these he knew would have come to passe if he had cast our Saviour down for supposing our Saviour only to be a very holy man he knew that the Angels in such a case would bear him in their hands 2. The advice of Satan stands thus It is not for thee to stand here alwayes and it is not possible almost for the very winde will blow thee off and besides thou wilt be starved and to get down is dangerous for how could one get down from such a place and not fall therefore it will come to this that thou wilt fall therefore better to cast thy self down for by doing so thou shalt prove thy self the sonne of God to all this people If in thy striving to get down safely thou shouldst chance to fall then indeed the Angels would keep thee from any hurt Gods providence over thee might appear but thy considence in him would not so appear nay thy diffidence would haply too much appear for the people seeing thee on the pinacle of the Temple suppose that thou camest up for some such end to do something of note not that thou wentest up only to come down again 3. Cast thy self down headlong not leap down that the miracle may be more apparent 4. Great comfort and instruction may be raised from this Satan tempts thee to make away thy self thou mayest be the childe of God for all this for our Saviour was tempted to cast himself down For it is written 1. The devil useth not any place of Scripture in the other temptations in the former he did not because our Saviour had not discovered his great esteem of Scripture now he had in the latter he did not for he could not finde any place fit to perswade to idolatry 2. The reason why he useth it here is because he would see if he could beat our Saviour at his own weapon and because he knew that he would be more moved with a text of Scripture for since man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God here is the word that proceeded from God It is written it is the word of God therefore you need not to fear death though you cast your self down 3. Haply he might think easily to deceive our Saviour for he knew that our Saviour was never brought up in learning he was neither like Moses brought up in all the learning of the Aegyptians for he came thence very young nor as St Paul at the feet of Gamaliel but with his father Joseph Luke 2. ult 4. He brought this not only as if our Saviour might but ought so to do as if this had been a prophecy of our Saviour and he ought to fulfill it 5. You may see how expert the devil is in the Scripture for in the whole Bible he could not have chose a fitter place for the temptation 6. That we must not think the cause good because they that were the greatest hereticks do bring Scripture but like Satan where they bring Scripture once they bring and stand upon reason twice as much but you art to try whether they rightly alledge it He shall give his Angels charge You see the wonderfull love of God to those that are his 1. He makes Angels our servants to look to us and
for since the Scripture only is able to make them wise to salvation the Psalmist also plainly saies that the Law of God maketh wise the simple Psa 19.7 119.130 Papist The Scripture with traditions and the Churches Exposition of them are necessary for how can you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God but by the Traditions of the Church if that had not preserved and delivered it unto you how could you ever have had the Scriptures Authour 1. I would desire you to consider what intricate Meanders you would have them walk in whom you deny to have understanding enough to go in the plain and pleasant paths of the Word of God if they say We must beleeve the Scriptures accerding to the Exposition of the present Roman Church then how shall one know whether that Church be the true Church If you say By such notes universality succession c. then what an endlesse work do you put these men whom you call simple people upon viz. reading over all Ecclesiasticall Histories of the Fathers to see whether that succession you pretend be so or no besides how doth it appear whether those notes Vniversality and Succession c. that you give of the Church be true Notes or no If you say By the Scripture then you make the Church to be known by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Church as you pretend 't is as if you should desire to know whether your Gold were weight or no If you should say when he brought his weight how do I know whether the weight be a right weight If it should be answered If the weight weighs just as much as your gold 't is right may he not justly answer If I bring my Gold to be tried by your weight I can receive no satisfaction at all if your weight must be tried by my gold Besides those places of Scripture set down the notes of the true Church and Gods promises of preserving of it in the Truth c. which you quote for the proving that we must be ruled by the Church and that yours is that Church Those I say your very quoting proves that you will have them read and judged of by Lay-men and why then not other places of Scripture also are not other places as easie to be understood as they nay far more easie especially in Fundamentalls both for Doctrines and practice 2. As for Traditions they are wonderfull uncertain 1. Because there are divers Traditions that are very ancient and very false Clemens Alexandrinus reports that it was a constant Tradition in his time lib. 1. Stro. Clemens I say who lived about 14. hundred years ago reports That it was an Apostolicall Tradition that Christ preached but one year Irenaeus that condemns this as hereticall sets down another as a constant Tradition as false viz. That it was delivered by Saint John That Christ was very near 50. yeers old when he died Nay there was a Tradition that was as old as the time betwixt our Saviours Resurrection and Ascention It was generally reported by godly precious Saints and from the mouth of Christ as they pretended that John should not die and the mistake arose by the leaving out or misinterpreting but of one syllable Our Saviour said If I will and the Report went I will that thou come Abundance of other instances which are to be found almost in every one of the Fathers that lived near Christs time 3. There is abundance of disagreement on the Traditions of the Fathers for that which one Father accounts Apostolicall another accounts hereticall 4. This is no new practice for 't was in all ages the custom of false Prophets and Hereticks to pleade Traditions nay by their Traditions to make the Word of God of none effect as Mat. 13. and if you shall say so Hereticks make use of Scriptures but as for Scriptures we are on all sides agreed that it is a true rule and nothing ought to be taught contrary to it and we have the example of our Saviour and the Apostles for proving doctrines by Scripture 5. You Papists do not give us a Catalogue of Traditions and indeed those that you call Apostolicall Traditions wherein you differ from us 'T is a very easie thing to prove you the very yeer or at least the Century when they first sprang up but you use to amuse and silence poor simple people by putting upon your error the glorious titles of Apostolical Traditions and practice of the Primitive Church which you know they are not able to contradict in saying of our Religion that it began in Luther in K. Henry the 8. daies as if one should say Moses his Law was no ancienter then in Josias times because it had lain hid many years before and was then newly revived 6. The wickednesse of your forgery appears in this that though you pretend the current of antiquity for th innovations yet you being conscious to your selves of the falseness of this pretence have appointed an Index Expurgatorius and in your new Editions of the Fathers have left out all things that make against you and then no marvell that Antiquity seems to be folly when you make it speak what you please and hinder it from speaking whatsoever is contrary unto you Papists But though you speak so much against Traditions is it not evident that you have the Word of God by Tradition for as you cannot know but by Tradition that one whose Name was Seneca wrote those Books that go under his Name so you cannot know that this was the Word of God had not you received it from the Church Authour As a Carrier that brings a Leteer from a friend 't is not his saying that it comes from such a friend that is my main argument to make me beleeve it but I know his hand and know the matter that he writes to be such that none could write of but he because none else in the world knew that businesse but only he Insomuch that though he should bring me a Leteer to which my Friends Name was set and he should write of the same business yet I should know that it came not from my Friend by the hand and stile and if he knew not the secrets between my friend and I he would have divers mistakes concerning the businesse he wrote of by which I should discover that the Letter came not from my friend notwithstanding his Name was subscribed so for the Scriptures though the Church delivers them to us as from God yet that matter is of that nature and other intrinsecall arguments viz. holiness consent depths of mysteries and discovering all the secret corruptions of ones heart c. I know it to be the Word of God by these Arguments discover the Alcoran not to be the Word of God though the Mahumetan that delivers it to me say 't is and as for Seneca this is clear In case I were sure that there was such a one as Seneca lived
had been because Satan desired him so to do then he would not afterwards have yeelded to any of Satans desires but apparent it is that God himself yeelded to Satan in the trial of Job in the deceiving of Ahab and Christ in bidding them to go into the swine 1. Our Saviours answer doth not import any such thing but he answers to the temptation not the tempter for his answer shews that the thing it self ought not to be done whosoever had moved it and so all his answers are 2. Why did he answer Satan 1. To shew that there cannot be so much said for sinne but all may be answered and more said against it 2. If by power he had overcome Satan he had not left us an example for we have not the power our Saviour had we have the same Scripture 3. If he had overcome him with power this time he should have hindred Satan from tempting him any more 4. Some say there were two things that Satan desired to sinde out and accomplish 1. He desired to make Christ sinne 2. He would fain know whether he were the son of God now if our Saviour had by power overcome the devil he had satisfied him in one of his intentions for he had fully shewed himself to be the son of God It is written That is in the word of God for as we call the word of God the Bible and the Scripture because it is the chiefest of all books and of all writings so did the lews 1. He doth not say where that it was written in Deuteronomy for that were needlesse for one book is not of more authority then another 2. It was needlesse in respect of Satan for our Saviour well knew that Satan was so versed in Scripture that he need not tell him where any thing was written 3. To teach us that we also should be so well versed in Scripture that when any thing is quoted for Scripture we should not only be able to know whether it be Scripture or no but to know the very place where it was written Why did not our Saviour say what he pleased to say upon his own authority since our very Saviours words are of equal authority with the holy Scripture But by Scripture 1. That he might not appear to be God 2. That he might so overcome the devil that we might follow him which we could not if he had used his own authority 3. That we might not relie on reason in things of salvation for reason is not able to overcome temptations for reason is not able to finde out all sinne so St Paul a learned man confesseth that he had not known it to be a sinne except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Rom. 1. and if one cannot by reason finde out sin we cannot know what is a temptation for how is it possible to know when one is perswaded to sin if one doth not know what is sinne 4. That he might shew us the sure way to vanquish all the fiery darts of Satan Gildas the ancientest of all our English Divines cals the two Testaments the two shields of the Saints 5. But where is it thus written not in the self same words any where for the words are not so in the Hebrew the Septuagint have them so but why did not our Saviour use the words according to the Hebrew I answer that it doth not appear that our Saviour used these words for this Gospel being written first in Hebrew and after translated into Greek divers things are added in the Greek which very probable were not in the Hebrew copy as for example Matth. 1. You shall call his name Emanuel which is saith the Text God with us and so here because the Septuagint translation is generally known more then the Hebrew but you will again say Since the Septuagint differs in divers things from the Hebrew how can one bring any proof from it I answer that though places of Scripture are often quoted after that translation to prove yet the passage of such places where the difference of one lies never is brought to prove any point as in this place of Scripture Man He doth not say the sonne of God lives not 1. For it is not so written and he would confute Satan by Scripture for the reasons above mentioned 2. Because he would not make it known that he was the sonne of God 3. And chiefly because he would give him such an answer that might agree with us if he had said the sonne of God and not man we could not have said so 2. Man to shew the special providence of God towards man for other creatures God doth by his perpetual ordinary providence feed and sustain but works not miracles but for man he doth Lives not by bread only Three things are included 1. That man doth live by bread that is one thing by which he lives or the instrumental cause of his bodily life and nourishment for if bread were not any thing whereby he lived it were not proper to say he lived not only by bread 2. That bread is not a sufficient cause of life though one have bread one may die 3. Not absolutely necessary though one have it not we may live But by every word that proceeds The meaning may be this 1. That though a man have no bread yet God can give other things to nourish as he did Manna in the wildernesse upon which indeed these words are spoken in Deuteronomy 2. Or thus that there are other things required for nourishment then bread for if God had not by his word as well given the stomack a power to digest and chylifie and to the liver to sanguifie there could be no nourishment The answer of our Saviour stands thus 1. It is not necessary that I should make these stones bread since God can otherwise provide for me notwithstanding I am in the wildernesse 2. As your advise is not necessary one may not follow it and yet do well so it is not full if you take the second sense of the words for though one hath bread yet there is more required for every word of God the word whereby the stomack hath power to digest is required or thus there are two lives of men and two words of God the life of nature and the life of grace the word of God may be taken for that command of God whereby he created all things or it may be taken for the Scripture if you take life and the word the first way I have explained it already Bread also may be taken for natural bread and sacramental bread if you take it the second way then thus the life of grace is not only by eating the sacramental bread but also by obeying the rest of the commands of God this is the fittest place of Scripture that can be chose for when the children of Israel were in the same place the wildernesse and in the same straits wanted bread God sent them Manna and
do not reade of nor is it very probable that the devil did ever tempt our Saviour any more after this manner vocally because he knew him to be the sonne of God and our Saviour immediately after this began to preach and cast out devils but I submit and am willing that any man should think otherwise An exceeding high mountain It is haply not possible for any man to tell out of Scripture or any other way what mountain this was whether it was the mountain from which Moses beheld the Land of Canaan or any other is a curiosity to enquire 2. The reason why he carried him to so high a mountain was that he might have the fuller and larger prospect And shewed to him all the kingdoms of the world How could that be for though the mountain had been as high as the Sunne or a thousand thousand times higher impossible it is for a man to see half the world from thence for the Sunne that is so high and farre bigger then the earth sees but a little more then half at the same time Nay ones eye cannot see to discern Cities or any such thing not many miles for upon the sea with the help of glasses they cannot see very far Galataeus his glasse the excellentest now in the world shews not above fourscore miles any whit distinctly 2. He did not with his finger pointing say There is Rome and there lies Grecce c. and then tell him the commodities wealth and glory of those Countreys 1. Because he might as well have done that on the pinacle and never carried him thence 2. Because he shewed them as St Luke relates in a moment and a discourse of the glory of such kingdoms would be long likely it seems that by some apparitions and sights in the air he might shew those things he desired to present to our Saviour and the reason why he took him to an high mountain to shew him this sight was that by the real being upon the mountain the rest might not seem prestigious for if he had shewed these things while he was on the pinacle he might surely know that whatsoever he saw besides the City of Jerusalem and the Temple were meer figments And the glory of them He omits not any thing that might make for his purpose All the kingdoms he therein shewed the largenesse of the dominions he offered And in the glory the magnificence of them 2. He shewed the glory of them but not the cares the manifold dangers of them Satan alwaye sets the best side outward and conceals that which might displease St Luke saith All this was done in a moment 1. To shew that the glory is momentany 2. That he might see them all at once for if in long tract of time and successively they had been shewed they would not have been so strong a temptation for the simultaneous sight of all would much more affect 3. In a moment lest having a long time to behold them the fallacy of the sight might appear Vers 9. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me And he said unto him He presently said unto him he would strike while the iron was hot for 1. The freshnesse and delight in these earthly things quickly cloy 2. Time of consideration is an advantage Satan loves not to give to any All these will I give thee See how large his offers are he will bid all nay more then he hath lest there should be any failing that way with others a piece of bread or a pair of shoes were enough to perswade them to sinne 2. The temptation was very strong and as he hoped very likely to prosper for our Saviours parents though of the bloud-royal being but poor it would be so much the greater If thou falling down wilt worship me 1. The things the devil offers are poor and temporal the things God offers are glorious and eternal 2. The conditions upon which Satan offers them are wicked and abominable he alwayes makes us pay too dear for his vanities but the condition upon which God offers eternal life is holy and such that one would if one fully understood choose though there were no reward 2. There are two kindes of Gods attributes his communicable and his incommunicable and the endeavours and desires of the good and bad are differenced by them for Satan and his Angels and his followers strive to be like him in his incommunicable attributes as worship honour and glory and to be loved and feared above all but the righteous they strive for holinesse mercy and love and patience and restore the image of God which is so much defaced and the image of God which man was created in did certainly consist in the participation of those attributes which are communicable for God created him in his image good and bad strive to be like God Ero ficut altissimus saith Lucifer And be you mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull saith our blessed Saviour but the one he will be like God in power and glory sicut altissimus the other in holinesse and power Ero sicut sanctissimus This temptation differs from the former 1. He quotes no Scripture for this the reason is because for this sinne and grosse errour of idolatry there is not any thing in holy Scripture to countenance but not any sinne whatsoever more spoke against then idolatry 2. In the other temptations he promised nothing before this he prefixes a promise and a large offer 3. In the other he saith If thou art the sonne of God not so here the reason may be that that clause was against him here for if he was the son of God the offer of giving him all these things were vain for they were his before 2. To wish him to worship him were madness for the son of God ought to worship none much lesse whom none should worship Satan Vers 10. Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee behinde Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Then Jesus answered and said Avoid Satan Our Saviour bids him not avoid before 1. Because he had not suffered and by consequence not left us an example and a rule how to answer all kinds of temptations 2. To teach 1. That we are patiently to bear injuries offered to our selves but for injuries and blasphemies against God not so much as to hear them with patience 2. To teach us what company to avoid 1. Blasphemers for here Satan makes himself God in saying all things were his 2. Those that tempt us to idolatry we are to avoid their company nay indeed in Deuteronomy whosoever tempted one to idolatry though it were ones childe one wife or ones friend one were to reveal him and have him stoned 2. Our Saviour took no notice that he was Satan before but now he doth now he plainly shewed himself for whosoever saith that all things are his to
where Herod ruled for he might expect the same usage I answer no for the reason why Herod persecuted John our Saviour never did viz. reprove Herod for his incestuous marriage but the reason which made the Jews so incensed viz. the reproving of their hypocrisie and not standing for the Ceremonies our Saviour was no lesse exact then John He departed into Galilee The place from whence he went is most reasonably thought to be Judea from whence he went to avoid the persecution of the Jews the whole Countrey of the Jews was called Palestina which was in length from Dan to Beershoba about two hundred and ten miles in breadth from Endor to Gilead ten miles it was divided into four Provinces viz. Judea Trachonitis Samaria and Galilee Vers 13. And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt at Capernaum which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthali And left Nazareth The reasons why he left Nazareth were 1. Either because it was not so farre off from the Jews his enemies 2. Or because he should not have done so much good there for a Prophet is not honoured in his own Countrey 3. Or to fulfill the Prophecy 1. We may learn That temporal priviledges do not obtain any thing from Christ except they are holy withall Matth. 7. they thought because they had eaten and drunken c. and we think that if we had been acquainted with our Saviour we should have had a surer way to heaven no no that which brought them to heaven was faith not their knowing Christ but their believing on him and obeying of him and we have that way still and if our means of believing are not so great the reward of our believing shall be greater 2. Christ left his kindred acquaintance and fathers house to preach the Gospel And dwelt in Capernaum He dwelt there because it was very remote from Jerusalem where dwelt the Scribes and Pharisees his enemies the reason why he dwelt there rather then elswhere thereabout was because it was the place of most concourse of people being the metropolis of Galilee the name signifies the City of Consolation and seems not to be built in Joshua's time for there is no mention of it in the Old Testament In the borders of Zabulon and Nephthali The reason why St Matthew does not set down to which Tribe Capcrnaum did belong may be 1. To make the Prophecy plain to be understood to set it down in those words for if a great light appeared in the confines of Zabulon which was next to Nephthali or in the confines of Nephthali which was next to Zabulon it must needs be seen of both 2. Because haply that City might not belong to either Tribe wholly but to both as Jerusalem to the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin so also other Cities belonged to two Tribes as appears Joshua 17.8 9. and as among us some Towns belong part to one Shire and part to another Vers 14. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying That it might be fulfilled The phrase seems strange for it seems more likely that it should be and so it was fulfilled then that it might be fulfilled for it seems that things were foretold because they shall come to passe and not that they came to passe because they were foretold I answer that divers things that God foretels he doth not foretell to that end that he might prove himself omniscient and to know things before they come to passe for if so then things should not come to passe because they are fore-told but be fore-told because they are to come to passe but God fore-tels them because he intends to do them and rather to prove his omnipotence then his omniscience or his goodnesse so that Christ might dwell in Capernaum to perform that promise which God had made in the Prophets time for although the performing of that Prophecy was not the only cause of Christs dwelling in Capernaum yet had there been no other cause that had been a sufficient cause this is certain that God first intends to do good to a man or people before he promises so to do and promiseth so to do if at all he promiseth before he doth it Gods intention to do good considering his immutability is the primary cause of the doing that good which he intended but his intention layes no obligation whereby any man may challenge of him so to do but his promise doth lay an obligation and therefore it is very good sense to say he did so that it might be fulfilled which was promised If it had been said that so it was fulfilled which was prophesied it had only shewed Gods omniscience of things to come but by being said that it might be fulfilled it shews his power being able to bring to passe what he promised and also his sidelity and truth in bringing to passe what he had promised Again if it had been said that so it was fulfilled it not importing any act of Gods providence in bringing of it so to passe but only of his prescience in knowing that it should so come to passe it did no way oblige or at least not so much those that received that blessing to thankfulnesse it might make them admire him for his omniscience but not blesse him for his goodnesse for there is little or no thanks due to him that tels me what good shall hereafter befall me but there are many thanks to him that fore-tels and promises that such a good thing he will do for me Observe 1. That all that God promises he brings to passe though it belong after wherefore it is impossible that one trusting in his promises should be deceived 2. That we should as Christ was be careful of fulfilling what was written although there be no Prophecies written of us which we may fulfill yet there are commands given us which we may fulfill and commands are as much Gods word as Prophecies Which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias St Matthew doth the oftenest quote Scriptures in respect that he wrote to the Jews Vers 15. The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthali by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthali That that Prophecy in Isa 9.1 was fulfilled by our Saviour dwelling in Capernaum these reasons make evident 1. Because St Matthew interprets it who is of equal authority with the Prophet Isaiah 2. Because the rest of that Chapter in Isaiah is meant of our Saviour by the consent generally of the Rabbins and where there is no pregnant argument that any place of Scripture should be interpreted otherwise if the following verses are without controversie meant of our Saviour the precedent verses are meant of him also 3. The coherence of the words sheweth it also for it is said That the people that had sat in darkness had seen a great light and some other blessings more that should be bestowed upon them in
the next following verses and then in the sixth verse he sets down how all these blessings and who should accomplish them or if you will the reason why all these things should come to passe in those words viz. For to us a childe is born to us a Son is given Galilee of the Gentiles The reason why it is called Galilee of the Gentiles is 1. Either because divers Gentiles lived there it being upon the border of the Land of the Jews 2. Or because Solomon gave twenty Cities there to Hiram 1 King 9.11 12. Galilee was divided into two parts the upper and the nether the upper was that which here was called Galilee of the Gentiles Vers 16. The people which sat in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up The people that sate in darkness These people that lived in Galilce were very ignorant and very wicked though in the Prophet Isaiah it is said They walked in darkness not that they walked towards the light hence is that saying John 7.52 hence the reason of their ignorance and wickednesse 1. Their remotenesse from Jerusalem the place of Gods worship 2. The vicinity and mixing with the Gentiles 3. Capernaum being a Garison town and full of souldiers by darknesse is meant in the Scripture ignorance it is said they sate in darknesse the light came to them they did not come to the light Saw a great light 1. It is not said they imbraced the truths of the Gospel but that they saw them 2. Christ called a great light to distinguish him from the Prophets or else it is meant of the Gospel which revealed diver truths either utterly unknown or very obscurely known in the time of the Law And to them that sate in the region and shadow of death 1. Those that sit in ignorance of divine truths sit also in the region of death that is in that place where death hath dominion over them 2. In that it is said they sate in the region and shadow of death it shews that they did not strive to be delivered but were content and secure in the state wherein they were Light is risen up to them The word properly signifies the Sun rising not as it is in our Translation is sprung up which is proper to flowers and things that grow out of the earth and it shews that by no endeavour of theirs did this blessing rise up to them but as we have no hand in making the Sunne rise for it rises though we sleep and are so far from causing it to rise that we do not so much as expect it Vers 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand From thence Jesus began to preach and to say Repent It is not meant exclusively that Christ did not preach before for it is apparent John 3.24 that our Saviour did baptize and very probable it is that he did not baptize without preaching before John was cast into prison the reasons why our Saviour began with the same doctrine that John Baptist did 1. Because it was the most convenientest doctrine for him to preach at first and there was no reason why he should avoid it because John preached it before him and therefore when he sends his own Disciples to preach he bids them begin the publishing of the Gospel with the self same words which appears by comparing those two places together Mark 6.12 Matth. 10.7 2. It might be to confirm their high esteem of St John for it much concerned them to have an high esteem of St John who testified of our Saviour 3. That he and his doctrine might be better received at first for St John being accounted so great a Prophet and so much honoured by the people they must also receive any one that went his way and for the great inconvenience that might have come upon this that the people might have thought our Saviour St Johns Disciple it was taken off by the frequent testimonies of St John before given of him as also by Johns Disciples following of him and by his doing so many miracles whereas St John did none Repent c. 1. You may see the nature of repentance from the word for it signifies the changing of our mindes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the understanding judgement will thoughts and so by consequence whosoever doth truly repent his thoughts judgement will and all are changed they are set upon other objects 2. By consequence it is not an outward change but argues some repentance one may have restraining grace without repentance 3. It argues that all are gone astray or else there need be no returning 4. It shews that the Gospel is the right way to bring one to repentance And the kingdom of heaven is at hand is brought as the reason and motive of repentance the hammer of the Law may break us in pieces but 't is the fire of the Gospel that purges us from our drosse 4. The Gospel is a kingdome to rule us as well as promises a kingdome to be bestowed upon us Divers look upon the Gospel as promising a Kingdome of Glory but not as it sets in us a Kingdom of grace but except the Kingdom of God first come into us we shall never come into it 5. It shews that Christ and John preached for the substance the very same Gospel for both begin their preaching with the same words 6. The Gospel is now seen clearer because it is neerer Vers 18. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee It is the same which St John cals the sea of Tiberias which City was built by Herod after he was reconciled to Tiberias which in honour of him he named Tiberias and from thence the sea also took his name it was about sixteen miles long and six miles over It was called the sea of Galilee though it was but a lake for the Jews used to call any abundance of waters a sea as the brazen sea in the Temple of Solomon so called because it held a great deal of water it was called the sea of Galilee to shew that it was not the main Ocean Saw two brethren Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother These were not the first that our Saviour called to be his Disciples for Philip was called John 1.43 before John Baptist was cast into prison neither was this the first time that our Saviour saw them John 1.37 Casting a net into thesea for they were fishers 1. We do generally reade in Scripture that those men to whom God shewed any great revelation or bestowed any great blessing he did it in the time when they were well imployed in the works of their callings so to Moses so to the shepherds Luke 2. and
it follows he then will deliver thee to the Judge c. Thou shalt not come forth till thou hast c. Vers 26. Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing Vntil thou hast paid The Papists do vainly go about to prove Purgatory by this place for until doth not alwaies signifie that at such a time such a thing shall come to passe but it is used onely to exclude the time before not affirm or deny any thing to come so 1 Sam. 15. ult Mat. 1.25 Vers 27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery Ye have heard c. See what hath been said of these words upon the 21 Verse Thou shalt not commit adultery Generally in the Commandments the greatest sin of the kinde is forbidden as not anger but murder not defrauding but theft not fornication but adultery which they observing haply in some Commandments and in others even the lowest degree of the sin forbidden as in the third Commandment and the second or for some other reasons thought that no acts of sin lower then those specified and mentioned in the letter of the Law were sins or at least not included and forbidden by the Law 2. The words are to be taken exclusively as if our Saviour should have said the Scribes teach you that the meaning of these words Thou shalt not commit adultery reach no further then to the forbidding the outward act of adultery and they taught you that the words meant no more 3. Concerning the words themselves of the Commandment I shall not speak any thing more then as it hath reference to the words following for our Saviour doth bring it in only to give a rise to his ensuing discourse Vers 28. But I say unto you That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart But I say unto you Not in opposition to the Old Testament but to the false glosse of Scribes for in places of the Old Testament the looking upon a woman to lust after her is forbidden if not by precept by the example of Job 31.16 and not onely example but the expresse words of Scripture doth impute adultery to the eyes so Prov. 23.33 Ezek. 6.9 23.16 for the farther observations from these words see v. 22. Who so looketh upon a woman Two things there were haply that the Scribes and Pharisees mainly erred in in their glosse upon these words 1. They haply expound the words onely of adultery and excluded fornication from being by this Law forbidden for it appears by their writings that for any one to abuse a captive taken in warre was accounted lawful Or 2. They thought that only the outward act of adultery was adultery if you shall say How could they not condemn the desire of anothers wife since the very Law condemns it in the tenth Commandment I answer that you must understand that their desiring their neighbours wife was when any one desired that his neighbours wife should be their wife as their desiring their neighbours servant was to have him to be their servant and upon this their desiring the woman she was willing and would so carry her self that her husband should give her a bill of divorce and then he that before desired her married her and thought it lawfull which our Saviour before he leaveth the prosecution of this point condemns for adultery for he immediately after this treats of divorce for by that he farther explains and confirms this matter Now haply the Scribes and Pharisees did only expound the tenth Commandment to be meant of desiring another mans wife from him Or 2. If they did account it a sinne they accounted it not so great a sinne as to judge it adultery for they haply did not think adultery could be committed with the heart our Saviour chiefly seems to convince them of their errour in thinking that only the outward act not the desire of adultery is adultery as may appear by the word lust after 3. Looketh not only looking but all other unchaste carriages speech or actions are forbidden much more for to look upon a woman is the lowest degree or act 4. A woman it may be taken two wayes either to shew the Sex and so it is opposed to man and the sense then is against the first errour condemning onely adultery not fornication for if you take the word thus it runs thus You think that only the abusing of another mans wife is forbidden but I say that who so looketh upon a woman let her be married or unmarried the Sex makes one guilty Or 2. It may be taken for the state or condition of the person so lusted after and indeed the Greek word signifies woman as woman is opposed to maid and then the emphasis is to be placed in looketh to lust condemning not onely the act but the desire 3. Not only one who lives with her husband but one that is divorced is meant for whosoever cannot lawfully be married cannot lawfully be desired but a woman that is divorced cannot lawfully be married v. 33. To lust after her 1. Else to look upon her is no sinne 2. To look upon a woman to lust after her may be taken in a double sense 1. He that looketh and his looking ends in lusting or he looks whiles at last he lusteth Or 2. When the end or intent of his looking is to enflame his lust the former way his looking is not sinfull or at least not at first untill it hath produced that evil effect but the second way the very looking it self is sinfull at first since it is done to so wicked an end Hath committed adultery with her already in his heart 1. It is not said he will commit for his looking on her and the lusting after her may and is likely to be the occasion of the commission of corporal adultery but it is the very commission of adultery before God and this adultery of the heart differs from corporal adultery 1. It may be committed the woman being unwilling 2. It may be committed alone 3. It brings no guilt upon the woman with whom one commits it 4. It is not so bad for though it be the same kinde of sinne to wit adultery yet it is not the same degree of sinne 2. So you see the answer to an Objection to wit If to desire a woman be adultery then as good commit corporal adultery no for corporal adultery though it be the same kinde yet not the same but an higher adultery 2. Though corporal adultery were a lesse sinne yet since it is impossible to commit corporal but he must commit mental too but not contrary doubtlesse to commit corporal is worse to commit mental though four be more then two yet four and two be more then four alone he that should say Since he that breaks one Commandment is guilty of all therefore
that which they account a reward not that which is a reward Vers 3. But when thou dost alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth But when thou dost alms 1. We not onely not keep an account and exactly remember what we give to the poor but at that very time when we give it we are not much to make what we give it is not said that after thou givest thine alms thy left hand should not know but when thou givest at that very time 2. The proverbial sense is this that none though they were as near to us as our left-hand is to our right should be acquainted with what we give to the poor but that our alms should be carried with the greatest secrecy that might be so that if it were possible but one part of our selves should know it Or 2. Thus it is in another respect to shew how private our alms should be when one gives a thing with both hands it cannot be carried so secret as when one gives with one therefore when we would convey a piece of money into the hand of another so that no one should see us we do it with one of our hands not with both Let not thy left-hand know what thy right hand does that is do not give alms with both hands since you may give them more privately with one 3. It is not said Let not thy left hand know to whom thy right hand gives but what thy right hand gives for it is lawfull nay we ought to consider whether the persons to whom we give want or no and we ought rather to some kinde of persons then to others as the Scripture hath commanded us Deut. 17.7 11. 1 Tim. 5.8 Gal. 6.10 2 Thess 3.10 The first use of blowing the Trumpet as hath been said was that the poor being called together they might know who most wanted but afterwards in stead of calling the poor together that they might know to whom they gave they called the people together that they might see who gave 4. Yet it is not unlawfull to take some notice of what one gives to the poor because according to the several necessities of those to whom we give we ought to be more or lesse liberal So that we may take notice of what we give that we may give prudently but we must not take notice of what we give to applaud our selves and to give vain-gloriously Vers 4. That thine alms may be in secret And thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward the openly That thy alms may be in secret 1. If one renders the Greek word for word it goes thus That by this means thine alms in secret and the meaning this that by not letting thy left hand know what thy right hand does we shall cause our alms to be in secret the observation is this That except we be exceeding carefull even to keep our alms if it be possible even from our own knowledge we shall be subject to tell them unto others we are so prone to vain-glory for Christ sayes by this means your alms may be in secret but scarce by any other means 2. We must not so not let our left hand know what our right hand does that we should be carelesse what or how or to whom we give but for this end we ought to take so little notice of our alms that our alms may be secretly not carelesly bestowed 3. Thine alms as if Christ should say though no others nor thou thy self dost know the number or value of that thou givest to the poor yet thou hast not lost the property in thine alms by the secret bestowing of them thou hast onely lost the knowledge of them for the present 4. Thine almes as if Christ should say Let the hypocrites doe what they will make their almes never so publick yet for thy part take order that thy alms may be in secret And thy Father 1. It is very evident that our Saviour generally in all this Sermon names God by a sweeter relation then the Old Testament generally does there it is the Lord of hosts or the Lord generally but here it is Father which is a sweeter name then Lord and thy which by reason of its appropriating of Father unto us is more sweet then the. 2. Thy may be put by way of distinction as if it should be said He is not their Father to wit the hypocrites that blow a trumpet that their alms may be seen but thou that givest thine alms in secret to avoid vain-glory he is thy Father Which seeth in secret 1. But if thou shalt say If neither I nor other men take notice of what I give how shall it come to be known and if it be not known how shall I ever be rewarded for it Our Saviour doth here seem to answer Yes there is one that sees though thy alms be so secret that neither thy self nor others see them and he that thus sees is one that will not keep any thing secret that may be for thy good to be published for it is thy Father that thus sees in secret 2. This word Col. 4.17 is translated take heed and Matth. 7.3 is translated behold and it is as if Christ should say God does not only see but exactly and earnestly beholds and takes notice of all thine alms though he forbids thee so to do 3. That which is the Saints comfort is the hypocrites fear and condemnation viz. That God sees in secret It is a sad thing when all our comforts depend upon this impossibility viz. That God knows nor our thoughts 4. That which makes every action acceptable to God is in secret viz. The sincere desire of honouring and serving of God in that which we do Himself shall reward thee only 1. That which they seek to wit the publick knowledge and glory of men thou shalt have in a far greater measure For 1. Thy reward shall be before not some few men of one City or of one Synagogue but in the presence of all men and Angels at the last day thine alms shall not only be known but rewarded 2. That which will make thy glory and thy honour to be wonderfully resplendent is that God himself shall reward thee openly the Arch-angel shall blow the trumpet of God to call all the world together 1 Thess 4.16 and Christ shall proclaim all thine alms yea divers of thine alms which thou thy self didst not know Matth. 25.34 c. for since it was not the least part of the honour of him whom the King delighted to honour that he should be arraied and crowned and his horse led and proclamation made and all this by one of the Kings most noble Princes So doubtlesse it will be the greatest part of the glory of those that are charitable that the Lord himself shall crown them with a crown of glory and array them with the robes of his own righteousnesse and proclaim and say in the presence of the whole