all things even acts of outward Worship and will take him for no Christian that is not so minded 2. O what a dreadfull aggravation of wickedness is it to turn the very Sacraments themselves into snares of wrath and cruelty and to curse and damn and tear from the Church all that dare not subscribe and swear to all the inventions of Popes and Councils And for the preachers of Love and Peace to say more than Thou fool even to Silence and Ruine or Burn all as Hereticks or Schismaticks that dare not justifie all this 25. Agree with thy adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time thy adversary deliver thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison 26. Verily I say to thee Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing 25 26. If thou have wronged any man delay not reparation of his wrong and reconciliation Lest he extort his reparation from thee by Law and put thee to extremity when thou mightest have compounded or appeased him by submission And so obey God in thy duty of Love and Restitution and submission to men lâ—st he enter into judgment with thee and make thy utmost punishment answer the Debt 27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say to you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart 27. So Moses said in the Seventh Commandment Thou shalt not commit Adultery And the carnal Jews lookt but little deeper But I tell you that whoever casteth on a woman a wanton eye stirring up lust and unlawful carnal imaginations and pleasure or useth his other senses to stir up such lusts as defile the mind or tend towards Fornication he hath in his heart broken the Seventh Commandment in some degâ—ee 29. And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell 30. And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell 29 30. It may be some will say My eye is so inclined to enticing looks and my hand to some forbidden touches or acts that they offend when I know they should not and if it go no further I hope it is safe But I tell you this is so poor an excuse that if you had not the command of Eye and Hand and had no other way to avoid the sin it were less hurt to you to pluck out that Eye and cut off that Hand than to sin and be damned with it Not that I bid you do so for you have power otherwise to avoid the sin but if you had not it were your wisest way much more to deny your Eye or Hand all forbidden pleasure 31. It hath been said whoever shall put away his wife let him give her a writing of divorcement 32. But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery 31 32. Moses bade you give your wife a Bill of Divorcement if you put her away And so you have been taught that this is lawfull But I say to you that you must not put away a wife save for Fornication and if you do you are guilty of making her commit Adultery and he will live in Adultery that shall marry her Note That Christ here supposeth such other causes as Nature it self alloweth As if Husband or Wife should resolvedly seek the others death or be infected with a mortal contagious disease self preservation alloweth avoidance till the danger is over And if any other cause make their cohabitation utterly inconsistent with safety or the ends of Marriage they may by consent live asunder while that cause continueth 33. Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform to the Lord thine oaths 34. But I say to you Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne 35. Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great King 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black 37. But let you communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil 33 c. You have been told that Perjury is a heinous sin and our Oaths must be kept This is past doubt but I tell you more that you must not needlesly swear at all or make any Oaths a part of your discourse Think not that it 's a small matter to Swear by Creatures while you profane not the name of God For all that you can swear by is related to God and his law is broken by it If it be by Heaven it is his Throne if by the Earth it is his Footstool if by Jerusalem it is his holy City if by the Head it is his work of which thou makest not so much as the colour of one hair Therefore content your selves in your discourse with a sober Yea or Nay For your Oaths and needless vehement protestations are but the expressions of Passion or some other vice and are stiâ—red up by Satan Note That the common definition that an Oath is always an appeal to another as a knower and avenger of falshood is not good It is the pawning of the verity or honour of one thing known to verifie another unknown As to say This is as true as that the Heaven is over me Or if this be not true the Earth is not under my feet It 's as true as that I have a Head or as that there is a God who knoweth all things c. Tho it's trâ—e that Swearing by God includeth an appeal to him 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39. But I say to you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also 40. And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloke also 41. And whoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him two 38. c. You have heard that injuries must be repaid but with equal hurt an Eye for an Eye It 's true that Magistrates having the charge of the Common-welfare and the execution of God's Laws they must punish injuries and not suffer all men to do as much mischief as they will But you that are private persons must prefer LOVE
the Church He that is not against it is someway for it as Souldiers say of Countreymen that are not against them But as to their own Salvation He that is not for Christ above all the World is against him and no sincere Christian As Captains say of their listed Soldiers Fight or be Cashiered 41. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward 41. He that doth the least good to a Christian from a true Love to Christ would do more were it in his Power And he that doth good but from common Principles though he be not Saved shall have some Reward and shall be no loser but a gainer by all the good that he doth 42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it is better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea 42 N. O then what will become of Tempters Persecutors and malignant Enemies By offending is meant hindring from Faith and a holy Life And by better is meant Its a smaller hurt 43. And if thy hand offend thee cut it ofâ— it is better for thee to enter into life maimed then having two hands to go into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 44. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 45. And if thy foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter halt into life then having two feet to be cast into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 46. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 47. And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire 48. Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 43. c. So great is the difference between the wellfare of this Flesh and the Life to come that you cannot get Heaven and escape Hell fire at too dear a rate If a Hand or Foot or Eye were so strong a hindrance as that you had no other way to avoid Sin and Hell it is a far less evil to lose such a Member than to lie in Hell N. The meaning is not that any man is in such a Case that he hath no better way to avoid sin and Hell But if he had no better he should choose this Nor doth it mean that maimed Persons are maimed in Heaven but if it were so it were a less evil 49. For every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt 50. Salt is good but if the salt hath lost its saltness wherewith will ye season it Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another 49. And be sure that the fire of Affliction shall be as Salt to you all that now are thinking of Pre-eminence and those of you that are sound it shall make fitter to be pure Sacrifices to God 50. And you that are Preachers and Professors of Christianity being thus salted your selves must be the salt of the Earth to season others by holy Doctrine and Practice But if you should lose sound Doctrine and Christianity what then shall season you Keep up sound Truth that seasoneth though it cause some smart in your selves and instead of seeking Superiority live in peace and gentle Meekness with one another CHAP. X. 1. AND he arose from thence and cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort to him again and as he was wont he taught them again 2. And the Pharisees came to him and asked him Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife tempting him 3. And he answered and said unto them What did Moses command you 4. And they said Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away 1. N. These Hypocrites seemed by putting cases of Conscience to be afraid of Sinning 5. And Jesus answered and said unto them For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept 6. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female 7. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife 8. And they twain shall be onâ—â—lesh so then they are no more twain but one flesh 9. What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 5. This Law was good in it self because it was fitted to your condition But it was the badness and hardness of your Hearts that made such a Tolleration needful to you to keep you from worse so it was not a full approbation of the thing For the perfect Law of Innocency so united Man and Wife that no man should Separate them for his own pleasure without Gods licence 10. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter 11. And he saith unto them Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her 12. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be marryed to another she committeth adultery 10. c. N. Though Mark mention not the exception of the case of Adultery mentioned by other Evangelists it is implyed 2. Quest Doth Adultery dissolve Marriage Ans It giveth cause of a dissolution by divorce or desertion But in some cases it is Lawful for the injured Person to forgive the wrong and continue in the relation without being Marryed over again 3. Quest May the Woman put away her Husband for Adultery Answ They that deny it because onely the Man hath Governing Power say nothing For the man doth it not as a Governour but as an injured Contractor seeketh it as Justice from the Magistrate or righteth himself if permitted by the Magistrate or if unjustly forbidden And the Woman may be an injured Contractor as well as the Man and may seek to the Magistrate for a Divorce and in some cases if denyed by the Magistrate may right her self by Desertion But whether that Desertion shall be called A putting away is but a controversie about the Name and not the Thing In what cases it is Lawful to Marry again is a different Controversie 13. And they brought young children to him that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them 14. But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said to them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God 13 14. N. Tho they brought them not to be baptized Christian Baptism being not fully instituted till after Christs Resurrection yet they are offered to Christ for his acceptance and benediction 2. He gave them such acceptance and blessing and declared them to be such as the Kingdom or Church of God consisteth of He could not mean only of adult persons that are
have much punishment here forgiven them which they deserved And both these may be reversed by mens unbelief and sin 3. Whether the sins of Infants pardoned in Baptism may return in guilt by covenant breaking or any other that have not confirming grace but such as Adam and the Angels had and lost is a controversie that is yet undecided among Christians 4. But were perseverance never so sure eventually yet in the tenor of the Covenant Pardon and Salvation are given on condition And God may well say If you perform not the condition you shall yet perish That by this warning they may be moved to perform it And should pardoned sin be unpardoned again it would be no change in God nor in his word but in man He that saith The faithful shall be accepted and the unfaithful perish changeth not if any should perish by unbelief God and his word are still the same And forgiving others is part of the condition of our continued forgiveness CHAP. XIX 1. ANd it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these sayings he departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan 2. And great multitudes followed him there 3. The Pharisees also came to him tempting him and saying Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause 1 c. When Christ had thus long preached in his own countrey where he dwelt far off from Jerusalem he drew nearer it into Judea and there also multitudes flocked after him and the Pharisees attempted by questions to ensnare him c. 4. And he answered and said to them Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female 5. And said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh 7. Wherefore they are no more two but one flesh What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 4. c. Look to the original and you shall find that God made them one Male and one Female and by the Law of Conjugality united them for procreation and converse as into One the Relative Union being likened to a natural union of the parts of one body and that so nearly that on this account Father and Mother were to be left to a closer union with a wife Therefore do not you separate that which God hath so nearly united 7. They say to him Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away 7. They thought to take advantage by this against him as contradicting Moses Law and said c. 8. He saith to them Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives but from the beginning it was not so 8. You mistake a permission for a command your Fathers were an ignorant dull unruly sort of people and Moses was put to make but such Laws as they could bear Therefore he permitted putting away but only commanded that they should not do it without a bill of Divorcement 9. And I say to you whoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery and whoso marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery 9. Note 1. The Fornication must be proved and not only suspected 2. It must be Fornication since Marriage 3. A man is not commanded for this to put her away and not forgive it if there be reason for it but only permitted 4. In Common-wealths the Magistrate must be judge for publick safety 5. The woman is not so fitly said to put away her husband but by the Magistrate may have the same remedy of a Divorce when she doth desire it 10. His disciples say to him If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry 10. Then the danger and misery of unsuitable marriage is so great that it is better never marry 11. But he said to them All men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given 11. He said Men must not avoid a lesser evil by a greater some mens temperament and some mens condition in the world make Marriage necessary to them All have not the gift of chastity 12. For there are some Eunuchs which were so born from their mothers womb and there are some Eunuchs which were made Eunuchs of men And there be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens sake He that is able to receive it let him receive it 12. There are some unapt for congress with Women who were born so And some are made so by men by castration And some have made themselves such that they might the better avoid all venereous temptations He that is able to live in a continent single life without greater hurt let him do it but all cannot 13. Then there were brought to him little children that he should put his hands on them and pray and the disciples rebuked them 14. But Jesus said suffer little children and forbid them not to come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven 13 14. Some brought their children to him that he would lay his hands on them and bless them according to their infant capacity and the Disciples chid them away thinking such company below him But Jesus said Hinder them not and forbid not little children to come or be brought to me For I tell you that it is not the self-conceitedly wise but those that are as ready to learn and be ruled as such children are that yet set not their wit and will against instruction but are as it were beginning the world that will make up the Christian Church 15. And he laid his hands on them and departed thence 15. Qu. But why did he not Baptize them Answ He Baptized few of the Aged yet that believed and that Baptism which he used was but little differing from Johns till after his Resurrection the Christian Baptism was not fully instituted as the entrance into his Gospel Church 16. And behold one came and said to him Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life 16. Note 1. It was then taken for granted except by the Sadducees that an eternal life of happiness was to be attained 2. And that well-doing on Mans part was the way to attain it 17. And he saith to him Why callest thou me good There is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments 17. Thou knowest not how great a word thou speakest of me when thou callest me Good Goodness is Gods name and Attribute There is none Essentially Absâ—lutely and most perfectly Good but God But if thou wilt enter into life keep Gods commandments 18. He saith to him which Jesus said Thou shalt do no murther Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness 19. Honour thy
Flesh and not to hate it so must Men do by their Wives as Christ doth by the Church 30. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 30. And as Eve was said to be to Adam Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone so by allusion we may say of the Church and Christ in a spiritual sense 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh 31. And as it was then said A man shall leave c. so must Believers leave all for Christ as Christ laid down his Life for them and they shall be made as one 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church 32. This that is said of Adam and Eve and of Marriage did mystically prefigure the Marriage of Jesus Christ and the Church and of this it is that I now speak 33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband 33. But though I have turned my Speech to Christ and the Church I repeat my Counsel Let every Man love his Wife with such an entire constant and forbearing Love as he loveth himself and let the Wife see that she live in loving Subjection and Reverence to her Husband CHAP. VI. 1. CHildren obey your parents in the Lord for this is right 1. Let Children be obedient to their Parents under God in obedience to him for he hath commanded it 2. Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise 2. Saying Honour thy Father and Mother And though general Promises be intimated in the First and Second Commandment this is the first Commandment that hath annexed the Promise of the Land which God was then leading the Israelites to as it is said 3. That it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth 3. That thou mayst live long and prosper in the Promised Land of Canaan which intimateth also to us Christian Gentiles a Promise of more Prosperity on Earth than disobedient Children shall have and an earthly Curse to the disobedient Note That accordingly Gods Curse on Earth doth usually follow Children that dishonour and wrong their Parents and rebell against them and usually even Earthly Blessings are given to those that honour and obey Parents under God 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 4. And let Parents remember that Childrens corrupt Nature and Weakness are liable to such Passions as may pervert them and therefore let not your sowr and provoking Government and Carriage tempt them hereto beyond their strength but govern them with Fatherly Love and bring them up to the Knowledge and Obedience of the Lord by wise and diligent Teaching Example Admonition and Discipline 5. Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ 5. And let not Servants think that Christianity freeth them from Service or from Obedience Diligence or Reverence to their Masters though they be Unbelievers but give them all due Obedience and reverent Submission and this in conscience and sincerity as part of your Obedience to Christ who doth command it and will reward you 6. Not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart 6. Not deceitfully when your Masters see and know what you do meerly to please Men but as the true Servants of Christ with heartiness and in secret things as well as open doing Service to Men in obedience to the Will of God and to please him 7. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men 7. I repeat it because it greatly concerneth you that you do all your Service faithfully and willingly without grudging and that not as a bare Service to Man but as a part of your Service to the Lord himself which he hath prescribed and will accept 8. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free 8. Be sure of this That your lowest and hardest Service being your Duty is a good Work and such Works of Fidelity in the lowest Bond-servants are accepted of God as well as the more honoured Service of the Greatest 9. And ye masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is there respect of persons with him 9. And you that are Masters see that you be as careful of your Part to your Servants as you would have them be of their Duty to you and rule them not tyrannically by insulting and passionate Menaces and Reproaches Knowing that Christ in Heaven is equally the Lord of them and you and will not be partial to you for your Wealth or Superiority but will equally do Justice unto all 10. Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 10. To conclude Behave your selves in the discharge of all your Duties and resistance of all the Temptations of your Warfare as resolved valiant Christians strong in the Faith and Love of Christ by his powerful assisting Grace 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil 11. And with skill and care put on and use the Grace and Helps which God vouchsafeth you which are to a Christian like compleat Armour to a Soldier that you may be able to stand fast against all the Stratagems and Plots of the Devil who seeketh to overthrow you 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places 14. For the great Conflict which Christians are engaged in is not meerly against Men but against Devils who by Gods Ordination and the Success of their Temptations are Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the Persons and Ways of Darkness Ignorance and Unbelief in the World and are spiritual Wâ—ckedness above us in the Air. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 13. Therefore neglect no part of the Armour afforded you by God but use it all that in the time of Temptation you may be able to resist and conquer the Assaults of Men and Devils and when they have done their worst and you have withstood them you may stand fast in Faith and Holiness and Hope 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace 14 15. Stand therefore to your Obligations to Faith and