not of our sinne yet he preserues nature in sinfull workes And thus we see that lust is a sinne II. Point How can lust be a sinne of the seauenth commandemeÌ„t seeing it is directly forbidden in the tenth for in this briefe decalogue there is no needlesse repetition of any thing Ans. Lust is two-folde either without consent of will as when vnchaste desires come into the minde and heart and are not entertained of the will but bee speedily checked so soone as they arise and such lust is forbidden in the tenth commandement or with consent of will when a man is willing to entertaine and cherish the vnchast thoughts that come into his minde though he neuer put them into practise and these are forbidden in the seauenth commandement III. Point The greatnesse of this sinne of lust This is here expressed by Christ calling it Adulterie before God as if he should say Looke how great a sinne bodily adulterie is before men who punish the same with death euen so great and hainous a sinne before God is the inward vnchast lusting of the heart whereto a man giues consent of will though he neuer bring it into action for this he stands culpable of adulterie before God and shall therefore be condemned vnlesse hee repent The vse of this Third Point is manifold First hereby we may learne how to examine our selues by this seauenth commandement for our Sauiour Christ here teacheth vs that they which willingly retaine vnchaste desires with delight though they neuer giue their bodies to the outward acte are Adulterers before God and therefore when wee would examine our selues by this commandement wee must search our hearts whether we haue willingly retained therein any lustfull thoughts and if we haue wee must know that we are guiltie of Adulterie before God And because none of vs are free from this sinne it must humble and cast vs down before God as breakers of this commandement Secondly if the lust of the heart be Adulterie before God then wee must with care and diligence learne the Apostle Pauls lesson 2. Corinthians 7. 1. To purge our selues from all vncleannesse both of flesh and spirit that is wee must labour to keepe our hearts and mindes pure and chaste as well as our bodies And to induce vs herevnto consider the Reasons following First we all desire to see God and to know his loue in Christ for our comfort in this life and saluation for euer but without holinesse and puritie of heart wee can neuer see God nor knowe the comfort of his loue for when a man defiles his minde with vnchaste thoughts hee depriues himselfe of the taste of Gods fauour and of the experience of his loue Secondly consider the state and condition of mans heart by effectuall calling it is the dwelling place and Temple of the holy Ghost for when a man is in Christ hee liueth in Christ by faith and Christ in him by his spirit now then looke as men vse to trimme vp their dwelling houses for the receiuing of some noble guest so ought wee to keepe our hearts pure and cleane from vnchaste lustes that they may bee fit habitations for the blessed spirit of God but by vnchaste lustes we make the heart a stable for the deuil and a cage of all vncleane spirits Thirdly if wee suffer our hearts nowe to burne with fleshly lust we make an entrance in them for the burning of hell fire for euer for these two alwaies goe together burning lust and hell fire vnlesse repentance come betweene And therefore if wee would escape hell fire wee must quench the fire of lust and cleanse our hearts from this vncleannesse Fourthly by profession we seeme to be the members of Christ and if we would be so indeed then we must take heed of vnchaste lusts for thereby wee pull our hearts from Christ and knit them to an harlot These and such like â—â—â—sons must mooue vs to auoide all vnchaste desires and for the preseruation of chastitie in our hearts these Rules must bee obserued First the minde must be filled with godly meditations and the word of God must dwell in our hearts plenteously for vnchast lusts doe therefore arise in our hearts because we are idle minded and emptie of Gods word if that were truly ingraffed in vs these wicked desires could not enter or at least take no place in vs. Secondly we must often giue our selues to the spirituall exercises of faith repentance and new obedience as to the vsuall hearing reading and meditating in Gods word to the often receiuing of the Lords supper and to continuall prayer not onely publikely but priuately especially for these confirme Gods graces in the heart and doe euen nippe in the head all vngodly motions whatsoeuer Thirdly we must vse sobrietie in meat drinke and apparell for vngodly lusts are kindled fedde and nourished with too much pampering of the bodie Sodome and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim sinned most grieuously in this kinde through fulnesse of bread and therefore we must vse a moderation in these things that grace may be strengthened and all euill lusts weakened in vs. Fourthly we must alwaies be doing some good thing either in our generall calling of a Christian or in our particular calling yea in our lawfull recreation we must intend and practise good for when men are idle Satan fills their hearts with euill thoughts and so defiles the same Fiftly men and women must not priuately conuerse together without warrant so to doe either from their generall or particular calling so as with good conscience they can say the Lord doth call them so to conuerse for the mutuall conuersing of men and women is the cause of many noysome lusts and therefore neither men nor women without good warrant should thrust themselues into such occasion of temptations Remember what the Apostle saith Euill conuersings corrupt good manners The Apostle Peter felt tho smart of this boldnes though in an other case for comming to warme himselfe in Caiphas hall without good warrant so to doe when a silly maide demanded of him whether he was not one of Christs companie he denied him flatly and that with cursing and so many men and women conuersing without warrant where they should not doe fall into many noysome sinnes and when they thinke themselues most strong then with Peter haue they the greatest falls verse 29. Wherefore if thy right eye cause thee to offend plucke it out and cast it from thee for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell vers 30. Also if thy right hand make thee to offend out it off and cast it from thee for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell In these two verses our Sauiour Christ laieth downe a most heauenly instruction for the auoyding of offences
be fraile and subiect to fall away of themselues yet their saluation remaines fast grounded on the knowledge and election of God So the Apostle Paul comforts himselfe and the godly Rom. 8. 32 33. It is God that iustifies who shall condemne and verse 35. Who shall seuer vs from the Loue of God in Christ whereby hee loueth vs And indeede if a man haue receiued true assurance of Gods fauour though but once in all his life yet by that one signe hee may assure himselfe of his saluation vpon this ground that Gods loue is vnchangeable though euer after he liue in temptation for whom God loueth hee loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. Depart from me This is Christs commandement to those whom he neuer knew though they professed his name and it is a most fearefull commandement beeing all one with that Matth. 25. 41. Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire Now hence wee may gather that the second death is properly a separation from the comfortable fellowship of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and withall a sense and feeling of Gods wrath in that separation This appeares by the contrary for life euerlasting stands in fellowship with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Now here a question may be asked concerning the suffering of Christ for our doctrine is that he suffered the second death whether then was he seuered from God in his suffering Answer Christ our Sauiour on the crosse stood in our roome and stead hee bare vpon him the sinnes of his elect and for substance the whole punishment due to the same which was both the first and second death but yet concerning the suffering of the second death there remaines some difficultie Touching it therefore wee must hold this ground that our Sauiour Christ suffered the second death so farre forth as the suffering thereof might stand with the vnion of his two natures and with the holinesse and dignitie of his person and here these cauâ—ats must be marked I. Caueat That in his manhood he endured a very true separation from the Godhead and from his Father yet not in regard of subsisting and beeing but of sense and feeling onely and therefore hee cried My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee hauing for a time no sense of Gods fauour but onely the feeling of his wrath and displeasure II. Caueat In his passion he did indure the sorrows of the second death he did not die the second death for then hee should haue beene ouercome and vtterly separated from his father in subsisting and beeing but he suffered the second death and in suffering ouercame it as a man may be at the point of death feele the paines of the first death and yet recouer III. Caueat Christ endured the paines of the damned yet not in that manner which the damned doe for hee endured them on thâ— crosse they in the place of the damned Christ suffered theÌ„ for a while they endure them for euer Christ suffered the second death yet so as it preuailed not against him but the damned are ouerwhelmed of it it preuailes ouer them and causeth them to blaspheme God now their blasphemie increaseth their sinne and their sinne causeth their torments to be multiplied for euer This doctrine is sutable to the word of God and to reason for in mans reason the death of the body could not be a remedie to such persons as are condemned to a double death both of body and soule Vses 1. Seeing the second death is a separation of man from God for euer we must labour in this life to haue some true fellowship with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that hauing it once we may enioy the same for euer This fellowshippe we shall come vnto in the right vse of the word and Sacraments and praier for in the word and Sacraments God condescends to speak vnto vs and to deale familiarly with vs and in praier we talke with God II. Use. Note also to whome this commandement is spoken Depart from me namely to such as come neare vnto God with their lips but yet keepe their hearts farre from him in consideration whereof we must not content our selues to professe the name of Christ outwardly but we must draw neere to God with all our affections our loue ioy feare and confidence and yeild obedience to his commandements so shall we escape this fearefull commandement of finall departure from him Ye workers of iniquitie This is the reason of the commandement for the better vnderstanding whereof this question must be handled How these men that make such profession can be called workers of iniquitie many of whome vndoubtedly liued a ciuill and vnblamâ—able life outwardly and could not be charged with any horrible capitall sinnes Ans. There be many great sinnes for which men may be called workers of iniquitie and be as vile in the sight of God as the murtherer and adulterer though for outward life they be vnblameable as first hypocrisiâ— which is proper to the professors of religion when as they content themselues to hold religion outwardly but yet doe not bring their hearts nor conforme their liues to their outward profession Secondly to professe loue and worship to God and yet not to performe duties of loue and mercie vnto men for we must loue and serue God in the works of brotherly loue Thirdly to haue the heart addicted to this or that sinne or sinnes whether secret or open in regard of the world it skilleth not for this is to be a worker of iniquitie in Gods sight when the heart taketh a setled delight in any sinne And they are not so called because their iniquitie is alwaies outward and seene to the world Lastly all the sinnes of the first table especially the sinnes against the two first commandements as not to know God not to loue God or to trust in him aboue all not to worship him in heart and life together these are all works of iniquitie greater then the sinnes of the second table in their kind and in regard of these also professors are called workers of iniquitie Vses 1. Whereas Christ calleth those professors workers of iniquitie whose profession couered their sinnes froÌ„ mens sight we may note that Christ is a very â—â—rict obseruer of mens waies euen of the most secret sinnes which appeare not to the world though men may be deceiued by professours in this world yet Christ cannot be deceiued but at the last day of iudgement he will finde them out what they be Many deceiue themselues with a perswasion of mercie because Christ is a Sauiour and so presume to goe on in sinne but they must knowe that Christ is also a seuere iudge who doth straitly obserue mens sins and will condemne the workers of iniquitie as well as pardon them that repent and therefore we must not â—latter our selues to liue in sin because he is a Sauiour but rather feare to sinne because
the interpretation of their ancient Teachers But here Christ checketh and reprooueth this manner of teaching and therefore the like cannot be warrantable among vs at this day whereby we see that kind of teaching reprooued wherein euery point is stuffed out with the testimonies of Fathers Schoolemen and humane writers And here also is discouered a wicked and daungerous practise of the Papists who referre all deciding of controuersies and interpretation of hard places of Scripture to the Church and to the Fathers If we say that Fathers oft dissent and the Church may erre then they send vs to the Popes breast But if this course were safe then the Iewish teachers might haue had a good defence against this charge of Christ for they had both Church and Fathers on their side and the high Priest that was then in place Indeede the Fathers must be reuerenced as lights of the Church in their time and their testimonies duly regarded wherein they agree with the written word but for the confirmation of the truth in mans conscience and for the edifying of the soule in the graces of the spirit the word of God hath the onely stroake by it alone Gods children are begotten and borne anew to a liuely hope and by it alone they are fed and nourished in the faith yea by it alone they are confirmed and stablished in the truth Thirdly in these Iewish Teachers forbidding nothing as a breach of this law but the outward sinne of murther and on the contrarie approouing of those as keepers of this law that kept their hands from this Actuall crime of blood and by consequent worthie of life euerlasting behold a plaine picture of euery naturall man for is not this the common opinion that vnlesse a man kill an other he breakes not this commandement and so for the rest if he abstaine from the outward actuall grosse sinnes of stealing adulterie and false witnes bearing then he keepes those commandements though his heart be neuer so full fraught with enuie malice lust couetousnes falshood c. But let vs obserue Christs reproofe of such erronious interpretations of Gods law as a meanes to schoole our hearts from such vaine conceits vers 22. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall be angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement and whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Raca shall be worthie to be punished by the Councell and whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished by hell fire Here our Sauiour Christ propounds the true interpretation of this Commandement But I say vnto you that is whatsoeuer you haue heard the Scribes or Pharisies teach you from themselues or from their fathers it is nothing let them not deceiue you for I that am the Law-giuer and Doctor of my Church and therefore best know the meaning of mine owne law I say otherwise vnto you whosoeuer is angrie with his brother c. Here Christ laies downe three kinds of murther and three degrees of punishments for the same The first degree of murther is Anger not anger simply but rash and indiserâ—et anger towards a brother and by Brother he meaneth first one Iew with an other to whome Christ spake secondly one neighbour with an other whether Iew or Gentile for by creation we are all brethren hauing one father which is God as Adam is called the sonne of God Luk. 3. 38. The second degree of murther is calling his brother Raca Some expound this word Raca an idle or emptie braine others an euill man others take it to signifie a loathsome man one to be spit at as we by spitting vse to shew our contempt but these interpretations cannot so fitly stand for then the third degree of murther and this second should be one and the same for to call a man emptie braine euill or loathsome and to call him foole are equall in degree Now Christs intent is to set downe distinct degrees of murther as is euident by the distinct degrees of punishment adioined thereunto A more fit exposition is this that Raca hath no perfect signification but is onely an interiection of indignation whereby a man doth not slaunder or reuile his brother but onely in gesture shew the contempt and anger of his heart against him as when in English we say fie tush or such like which words are not open raylings but onely outward signes of the inward anger and contempt concealed in the heart so that the meaning is this He that is angrie with his brother and expresseth this his anger either in gesture or countenance by frowning lookes gnashing of teeth or by imperfect speech as tush fie pish or such like he is guiltie of murther The third degree of murther is wheÌ„ a man doth shew his anger against his brother by open raylings and reproachfull names expressed in these words whosoeuer shall call his brother foole And all these three degrees are beyond the interpretation of the Iewish Teachers who onely condemned actuall killing by this commandement Now to these seuerall kinds of murther Christ addeth distinct degrees of punishment The first is to be culpable of iudgement for vnaduised anger The second to be worthie to be punished of a Councell for outward signes of this anger The third is to be worthie of hell fire for reproachfull names or raylings And here we must vnderstand that Christ speaketh not properly in setting downe these degrees of punishment but figuratiuely alluding to the custome of punishing offenders vsed among the Iewes for they had three courts The first was held by three men for meane matters and other cases of small importance The second was held by three and twentie men wherein were determined matters of great importance that could not be decided in the first court as matters of life and death and it was kept in the cheife cities of the land The third court was held at Ierusalem onely called the court of the Seauentie-two from which none might appeale to any other In it were all weightie and great causes determined and this court is here called a Councell Now Christ alluding hereto saith to this effect Lookâ— as among you Iewes there are different courts and some matters are adiudged in your courts of iudgement and others in the Councell at Ierusalem so God also he hath his Iudgement and his councell those that are rashly angrie shall vndergoe Gods iudgement and he that makes knowne his anger by speech or countenance shall be punished more grieuously and vndergoe a deeper iudgement as it were by the Lords councell but he that shall by open reuilings and raylings shew forth his malice against his brother as by calling him foole or such like he shall be worthie the most grieâ—â—us iudgement and torment of hell fire alluding to the highest degree of torment among the Iewes which was burning for before their Gouernment was taken from them by Herod the Iewes vsed these foure kinds of punishments hanging beheading
stoning and burning Further the words translated hell fire are properly the fire of Gehenna for there was a place neere to the suburbs of Ierusalem called Gehenna which is a compound Hebrew word signifying the valley of Hinnon wherein was a place called Tophet Ier. 7. 31. where the idolatrous Iewes following the horrible superstition of the Nations about them vsed to burne their children vnto Molech for which fact the place became so odious to the godly that to aggrauate the heinousnes of this crime they vsed this name to signifie and betoken the place of torment appointed for the reprobate whereupon in Christs time Gehenna and the fire of hell were in signification all one Now in this valley the Iewes vsed to burne their malefactours and vnto this kinde of iudgement Christ alludeth meaning not simply hell fire the torments of the damned but a more grieuous and greater kind of punishment then the former because it was a higher degree of sinne so that Christs meaning is this Howsoeuer your Scribes and Pharisies teach you that there is no murther but actuall killing and that it onely deserues condemnation yet I which am the law-giuer say vnto you that as you haue diuers punishments in seuerall courts for diuers offences as hanging stoning and burning so God he hath diuers degrees of punishments for the seuerall breaches of this commandement he that is rashly angrie is worthie of iudgement and he that giues out any shew of his anger in gesture shall be punished more grieuously but he that shewes forth his anger by rayling and reuiling shall endure the most grieuous punishment of all First whereas Christ here maketh degrees of punishments for diuers sinnes the Papists hereon would build their distinction of sinnes into veniall and mortall Veniall sinnes say they are light sinnes as badde thoughts vaine speeches and such like which doe not deserue damnation but some temporall punishment onely such as were alotted to ciuill courts among the Iewes for here say they Christ onely makes open rayling reuiling of our brother such an heinous sinne as deserues hell fire But this distinction cannot here be grounded for Christ doth not appropriate condemnation to this tearme of hell fire but he hath reference thereto in euery phrase that here imports a punishment as to be culpable of iudgement for vnaduised anger is to deserue condemnation in hell fire and to be punished by a Councell for testifying anger by outward signes is to deserue condemnation but yet in a deeper degree And to be worthie to be punished with the fire of Gehennah for open rayling is to deserue condemnation also but yet in a deeper measure then the former for as among the Iewes by the sentence of their Courts some offences were punished by beheading or hanging greater offences by stoning and the greatest by burning all which punishments differed in degree and yet euery one was death so before God lesser sinnes deserue lesser condemnation in hell fire and greater sinnes deeper damnation and yet euery sinne deserues damnation for the wages of sinne be it neuer so little is death Rom. 6. 23. so that Christ here makes degrees of punishments according to the degrees of sinne yet so as euery sinne is mortall deseruing daÌ„nation none venial in it self Secondly we may here obserue two excellent Rules for the expouÌ„ding of the Morall law First that vnder one sinne named in a commandement are forbidden all sinnes of the same kind with all the causes thereof for Christ in expounding this sixt commandement doth not onely condemne Actuall murther but euen Rash anger in the heart and all signes thereof in countenance and gesture with all rayling and reuiling speeches as breaches of this commandement and the like he obserueth in those which follow II. Rule To the breach of euery commandement there is annexed a curse albeit it be not expressed for Christ here fetting downe the breaches of this sixt commandement threatneth condemnation to the least breach thereof saying he that is vnaduisedly angrie with his brother shall be culpable of iudgement Is it not then a wonder to see how ignorant people doe vse the commandements for prayers when as indeede if they could perceiue it they are Gods thunderbolts to throw their soules to hell for euery sinne they commit Thirdly Christ condemning vnaduised anger as a breach of this law giueth vs to vnderstand that aduised anger is not vnlawfull and true it is that all anger is not sinnefull for Christ was ofttlines angrie with the â—ewes and the Apostle bids vs to be angrie but sinne nâ—t If any here aâ—ke how we may discerne godly anger from that which is euill and vnaduised I answer two waies first by the beginning of it for good anger proceedeth from the loue of him with whome we are angrie now loue is the fulfilling of the law and therefore anger proceeding from loue and guided thereby cannot be a breach thereof but euill anger proceedeth from selfe-loue from dislike or hatred of the partie with whome we are angrie Secondly we may discerne it by the ende Good anger is for Gods glorie against sinne because God thereby is dishonoured and for our brothers good but euill anger wants these ends and intendeth priuate respects It is quickly mooued it continueth long and also carieth with it a desire of reuenge Fourthly seeing vnaduised anger with the signe thereof is a breach of this law deseruing death hereby we are admonished to beware of this headstrong affection of anger and betime to restraine and bridle the same it hath a bad beginning and an euill ende and thereby we become murtherers Now that we may ouerrule it so as it preuaile not against vs first we must lay to our hearts this commandement of God forbidding rash anger as a barre to stoppe it Secondly we must remember how louingly and mercifully God deales with vs euery day in forbearing and forgiuing vs and therefore we ought to be like minded towards our brethren Eph. 4. 31 32. The second branch of sinne here condemned is to say vnto our brother Raca whereby we may see that euery gesture expressing rash anger and despite of heart towards another is murther before God as casting downe the countenance towards him this God reprooued in Cain Gen. 4. 6. frowning nodding the head or shaking it in contempt as the Iewes did to Christ Matth. 27. 39. also contemptuous laughter and deriding hence Ismaâ—ls â—eering at Isaac is called persecution Gal. 5. 29. and the like may be said of all signes of contempt in words as fie tush pish and to thou a man in disdaine for otherwise a superiour may thou his inferiour so also when â— man contemptuoâ—sly takes a thing in snuffe though he say nothing but flings away with an heart rising against his brother All these and such like tokens of contempt and disdaine are here condemned for murther
vndoubtedly is our miserable and wofull case in our selues And there is no way to escape this curse but onely this we must humble our selues before God and confesse against our selues the murther of our hearts declared in our gesture speech and behauiour then we must labour to be grieued for these sinnes for which ende we must applie vnto our selues Gods fearefull iudgements due vnto vs for them Thirdly we must earnestly sue vnto God for mercie and pardon as for life and death like as poore prisoners doe when the sentence of death is to be pronounced against them yea we must crie with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed and giue the Lord no rest till he send into our consciences the comfortable message of mercie and pardon by his good spirit This done we must labour in our callings for the time to come to procure and further the welfare and safetie of our brethren as well as our owne we must not seeke our selues but the common good eschewing those things that may grieue our brethren and doing those that may be good and comfortable vnto them that so by new obedience we may shew forth thankefulnes for Gods mercie and fauour towards vs. Hitherto we haue hādled the three degrees of murther which Christ condemneth by this law beyond the doctrine of the Iewish teachers Besides these there is a fourth degree here condemned which is actuall killing This Christ doth not here name because he taketh it for graunted euen by the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisies Now because it is the main sinne of this cōmandement therfore here it is to be handled which we wil doe thus first we wil shew when killing is murther and when it is not and then handle the kinds thereof For the first Killing is not alwaies murther for sometime a man hath power giuen of God to kill and it is no sinne now God giues a man power to kill three waies I. by the written word thus Princes and Gouerners and vnder them executioners are allowed to kill malefactours that deserue death and thus souldiers are warranted to kill their enemies in a lawfull warre II. by an extraordinarie Commandement and so Abraham might lawfully haue killed his sonne if the Angel of the Lord had not staied his hand III. by an extraordinarie instinct which is answerable to a speciall commandement and so Phinees slue Zimri and Cosbie without guilt of murther But killing is murther when men of their own wills without warrant from God slay others and this sinne is plainely and directly forbidden in this commandement II. Point The kindes of killing be two either voluntarie or casuall Uoluntarie killing is when a man killeth of purpose and intent and this sinne is so hainous that it defileth the land where the blood is shedde till it be purged by the blood of him that shedde it And this purpose to kill is twofold either with deliberation and fore-desire of reuenge as when a man hath caried a grudge in his heart long before or without deliberation when a man without all former malice is suddenly caried by furie and anger to slay his brother and this second kinde of killing is distinguished from that which is vpon deliberation by the name of manslaughter and also fauoured by the lawes of some Countries because it is not done of set purpose but through sudden anger before the blood be cold but Gods law maketh both of them murther and admitteth no recompense for the life of the murtherer nay beside it adiudgeth the murtherer to eternall death both in soule and bodie To this voluntarie murther we must referre those that giue commandement counsell or helpe vnto the murtherer for he that commandeth is the principall Agent and the murtherer is his instrument Againe it is voluntarie murther to strike an other though with purpose onely to wound if death follow thereon And that also which is committed by a drunken man for his will is free though sense and reason be blinded Casuall killing commonly called chance medlie is when a man killeth an other hauing no purpose to doe him hurt The presumptions of casuall killing be these First if a man kill an other hauing no ill will or anger towardes him nor to any other for his sake neither is mooued thereto by couetousnes or any affection Secondly if he be doing the lawfull duties of his particular calling Thirdly if he be well occupied doing some lawfull worke beside his calling And lastly if he be doing a thing which he ordinarily practiseth keeping his vsuall place and time And albeit this kind of killing if it be meerely casuall is no sinne yet the partie committing it in old time was bound to come to his answer thereby to purge and cleare himselfe from suspition of murther as also to auoide the hatred and daunger of the friends of the partie killed and lastly to keepe and maintaine the hatred of murther among Gods people Now this sixt commandement is not to be vnderstood of casuall but of voluntarie killing And this also must be obserued that Christ giueth the name of murther to all the occasions thereof that he might breede in our hearts an hatred of them all as of murther it selfe verse 23. If thou then bring thy gift to the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leaue there thy gift before the Altar goe thy waies first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Here Christ propounds a Rule of concord by seeking reconciliation with them whome we haue wronged and it depends vpon the former verse as a consequent and conclusion drawne therefrom as may appeare by the first wordes If then or therefore as if he had said If rash anger and the testification thereof either in gesture or reuiling speech be murther and deserue condemnation then we are with all diligence to seeke to be reconciled to our brethren whensoeuer any breach of loue is made betweene vs and them The Exposition If thou bring thy gift to the Altar Here Christ alludeth to the Iewes manner of worshippe vnder the law which was to offer in the Temple sacrifices vnto God both of propitiation and thanksgiuing And though Christ here onely name this one kind of ceremoniall worshippe yet vnder this he comprehendeth all manner of true outward worshippe whether Legall or Euangelicall as if he should say If thou come to worship God any way either by offering sacrifices or by praying vnto God by hearing his word or receiuing the Sacraments and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee that is that thou hast any way wronged and offended thy brother this appeareth to be the true meaning by the like wordes of Marke If thou hast ought against thy brother meaning for iniurie done vnto thee by him forgiue him and therefore our brother hath something against vs when we haue wronged or offended
25. 21. If thine enemie bee hungrie giue him bread to eate â—f he thirst giue him drinke See the practise hereof in â— Elisha when God deliueâ—ed them into his hands that sought his life he brought them to Samaria and when the king of Israel would haue slaine them hee forbade him nay he caused the King to refresh them with bread and water and so sent them to their owne master For praying for our enemies wee haue the example of the Propheâ—â— of â—our Sauiour Christ and of Steuen who praied for those that put him to death Obiect â— It will be said the Scripture else-where seemes to make against thiâ— as Psal 139 21 22 Do not I hate them O Lord saith Dauid that hate thee and doe I not earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee I hate them with an vnâ—ained hatred wherby it seemes that in some cases a man may hate his enemies Answ. First we must put a difference betweene our enemies cause and his person their euill causes and their sâ—â—â—â—s must be haâ—â—â— and we must giue no approbation thereso but yet their persons beeing Gods creatures and be a â—â—ng his image in some sort must bee loued Againe enemies bee of two sorts priuate and publike a priunte enemie is he that hateth a man for some priuate cause in himselfe or concerning his affaires and such a one we must loue and not hate as Christ here commandeth A publike enemie is he that hates a man for Gods cause for religion and the gospels sake and these publike enemies be of two sorts curable and incurable If our publike enemies be curable we must praie for their conuersion hating their conditions If they bee incurable and wee haue plaine signes of their small impeniâ—â—â—â—e theâ— we may hate them for so we hate the deuill So Paul saith If any man loue not the Lord â—esion Anâ—thema Maraâ—â—tha let him bâ—e finally and wholly accursed And yet this we must knowe that wee ought to direct our hatred to their sinnes and for their sinnes hate their persons and no otherwise Now Dauid in that Psalme speaketh not of priuate but of publike enemies who hated not onely him but God also in his religion and were also incurable Obiect 2. But the practise of Gods children seemes to bee otherwise for Dauid often curseth his enemies and praieth for the destruction of them and â—heirs Psal. 109. 6 9 10. And Peter wisheth that Simon Mâ—gus may perish with his money and Paul praieth the Lord â—o reward Alexander the copper-smith according to his 〈◊〉 2 Tim. â—4 14. How can this stand with the iâ—â— Answ. There bee â—â—â—â—n interpretations of these shots Some say which 〈◊〉 that in Dauids Psalmes his curses are in proper sense propheâ—ies of the destruction of publike incurable enemies of Gods Church and are onely propounded in the forme of praiers Againe Dauid Peter and Paul were enlightened by Gods spirit and saw into the small estate of these their enemies whom they cursed and therefore doe they wish for their confusion not for their owne cause in way of priuate reuenge but vpon a desire of the furtherance of Gods glorie in the execution of his iustice vpon them whom he had forsaken And it is not vnlawfull for Gods children to praie that God in iustice would glorifie his name in the iust punishment of impenâ—â—ent sinners that be cruel enemies to his Church Obiect 3. God gaue commandement to his people the â—ewes to destroy the Canâ—â—nites and to râ—â—â—e out their enemies 〈◊〉 of the Land now how could they loue them whom they must so cruelly kill Ans. We must onely loue the Lord absolutely and others in God and for God that is so farre forth as it standeth with his pleasure and therefore when he commandeth to kill wee may lawfully kill And this wee may doe by way of punishment appointed by God not onely without hatred but in loue both forgiuing the wrong which concernes vs and also praying for grace and mercie for the partie if hee belong to God 4. Obiect There be some that sinne a sinne vnto death for whom we are forbidden to praie 1. Ioh. 5. 16. and therefore wee may not alwaies pray for all our enemies Ans. Christs commandement to pray for our enemies admitteth this exception vnlesse they sinne a sinne vnto death but that sinne is hardly knowne of the Church of God therefore priuate mâ—n must not in a conceit thereof surcease this dutie to pray for their enemies Thus then is this Text to be vnderstood Loue your enemies that is your priuate enemies and doe good vnto them vnlesse God commaund you otherwise and praie for them if they sinne not that sinne vnto death Here is confuted the old receiued doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the loue of our enemieâ— as comming neere to the doctrine of these Pharisies They teach that a man is bound alwaies not to hate his enemies but for louing them in good vsage outwardly a man is not bound saue in two cases First when our enemie is in necessitie and danger of life then he must be relieued and helped Secondly in the case of scandall when as by not helping or releeuing him wee giue offence vnto others but out of these two cases to shew kindnesse to an enemie is a matter of counsell and of perfection But this doctrine is damnable flat against this Text and the practise of Gods seruants expressed in his word and therefore we must renounce it and acknowledge that we are bound in conscience on euery occasion to shew our loue in word and deed vnto our priuate enemies Secondly hereby is condemned the commoÌ„ practise of men in these daies which is to wrong their priuate enemies any way they can by word or deedâ— some will raile vpon them as Shemei did on Dauid and as Rabshekah did on Hezekias and the people of God yea on God himselfe This is a damnable practise flat against this commandement of Christ and his holy practise 1. Pet. 2. 23. Nay Michael the Arch-angel durst â—â—t blamâ— the deuil with cursed speaking when he stroue against him Iude 9. Thirdly that fruit of rancour is here likewise reprooued whereby men will professe they will neuer forget their enemies though they do forgiue them It is indeed agreeable to our corrupt nature to keepe a grudge long in minde and to reuiue old wrongs but this commandement of Christ condemneth this practise and bindeth vs both to forgiue and forget and therefore we must labour to beate downe this spirit of reuenge and endeauour to loue our enemies in word and deed Fourthly here also see that it is not lawfull to professe enmitie to any mans person for we should loue euery man But how can wee loue him to whom we professe our selues enemies Christianitie and priuate enmitie cannot stand together and therefore we must labour to abandon out of
so common among vs but we are to know that there is no such vertue in any words it is onely faith in the heart that makes Gods word effectuall for our good Words of themselues can doe no more but signifie and that they doe not of themselues but by the pleasure of men and therefore we are to renounce the vse of all spells and charmes for be the words neuer so good they are but the deuills watch word and the ceremonies vsed therewithall are his sacraments to cause him to worke wonders We therefore must learne by the word of God to conceiue better of God then nature can teach vs as of an heauenly inuisible God gouerning all creatures by his prouidence and not perswaded by mans reason but working all things according to the counsell of his owne will vers 8. Be ye not like them therefore for your father knoweth whereof you haue neede before you aske In this verse our Sauiour Christ repeateth the former coÌ„mandement touching prayer made after the manner of the heathen and withall annexeth a second reason to enforce the same The commandement is repeated from the former reason in these words Be ye not like them therefore as if he should say considering that the heathen in their praiers looke to be heard for the multitude of their words therefore ye must not pray in that manner which they doe This repetition of the commandement serues to imprint the same more deepely in the hearts of his hearers to cause them and so vs in them to be more carefull to auoid needlesse repetitions in praier Now hauing handled this commandement in the former verse I will here onely obserue this point of doctrine touching the distinction of people before the death of Christ for here Christ saith vnto the Iewes Be ye not like them that is like the Gentiles where he putteth a plaine difference betweene the Iewes and all the Nations of the world besides And therefore when he first sent his Disciples to preach he forbad them the way of the Gentiles and the cities of Samaria commanding them to goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And this distinction was not onely in Christs time but had beene from the beginning for the space of 4000. yeares In the first age of the world there were the sonnes of God and the daughters of men after the â—â—ood the children of the flesh and the children of the promise And vnder the law a people of God and no people This distinction stood in two things 1. In regard of the grace of adoption and of the speciall fauour of God for in this Text Christ saith the Iewes had God for their Father which the Gentiles had not for they were strangers from the couenants of promise Ephes. 2. 12. 2. In regard of Gods true worship for concerning praier a speciall part thereof Christ here saith to the Iewes Ye shall not bee like the Gentiles If any shall here thinke that this preferment of the Iewes before the Gentiles in regard of Gods speciall mercie came from this that God foresaw something in them which was not in the Gentiles let them heare what Moses saith to the Iewes The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you for your multitude but because the Lord loued you would keepe the oath which he sware to your fathers From this ground of doctrine touching the distinction of people in regard of Gods speciall mercie follow three waightie points to bee knowne and beleeued First that the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in the Messias is not 〈…〉 ll to all but indefinite to many of all sorts kindes and estates for if the promise pertaâ—â—ed to all then there could be no distinction of man and man of people and people in regard of mercie and therefore the opinion of vniuersall grace is false and errneous Secondly that though Christ died for all for so the Scripture saith yet he â—â—â—â—d hot alike effectually for all for if Redemption by Christ had beene 〈…〉 then had mercie belonged alike to all which is against the Text and therefore the opinion of vniuersall redemption is also a forgâ—â—â—â— of mans braine Thirdly that God calls not all men effectually to saluation by Christ for then should euery one haue God to bee his Father in Christ and the Iewe had no priuiledge before the Gentile in regard of mercie and the grace of adoption but here we see that God â—oâ— many hundreds of yeares was the Father of the Iewe and not of the Gentile â—n regard of grace and adoption And by this doctrine we may cleare that place of the Apostle Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 4. where he saith God would haue all to bee saued for he meaneth hot aâ—â— men in all times but in this last age of the world after the ascension of Christ when as the partition wall was broken downe and the distinction betweene Iewe and Gentile taken away in regard of mercie and the grace of adoption For your Father knoweth whereof yee haue neede before yee aske of him These words are a second reason against the heathenish manner of praier to this effect It is needlesse for you to vse vaine repetitions in your praiers because God knowes your wants before you pray and therefore fewe words well ordered are sufficient The exposition Your Father knoweth This knowledge of God is not a bare notice taken of our wants but such a knowledge as doth withall include a speciall care to make supply vnto them for this is a rule in the expounding of Scripture that wordes of knowledge are oftentimes put for words of affection as Psalm 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the vngodly shall perish where the opposition of knowledge to destruction sheweth plainly that by knowledge there is meant the Lords due regard and respect vnto the waies of the godly which is a point full of all comfort to the children of God and for the clearing of it three questions are to bee scanned which may well be mooued out of this Text. 1. Question If God know our wants before we pray why then should we pray at all Ans Wee pray not to informe God of the things we want as though he knew them not but for other causes as 1. To stirre vp our hearts to seeke vnto Gods presence and fauour 2. To exercise our faith in the meditation of Gods promises 3. To ease our woeful hearts by powring them out vnto the Lord. 4. To testifie our obedience vnto Gods commandements and our trust in his prouidence for the receiuing of euery good thing we desire 2. Question If God know our wants and haue care to make supply thereof why then doth God oft-times delay to graunt the prayers of his seruants Answ. God deferreth to graunt the request of his children for many respects tending to their
this petition for here we are taught to call to mind our sinnes euery day praying for the pardon of them Secondly here we see whereon we must relie and setle our hearts in all estates in affliction temptation and death it selfe namely on the meere mercie of God in Christ by faith in his blood for the pardon of our sinnes Looke to the prayers of all the Saints of God in Scriptures and we shall finde that they made this their rocke and ankor of stay in all distresse Dan. 9. 18 19. O Lord heare and behold not for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies deferre not for thy owne sake oh my God This we must obserue to arme vs against the damnable doctrine of the Church of Rome for they will graunt that in his first conuersion a man must relie onely on Gods mercie in Christs blood but after a man is made the childe of God he may rest vpon his owne good merits so it be in modestie and sobrietie But this is the right way to hell flat against this petition for how can wee dreame of any merit when as we must euery day aske mercie and forgiuenesse for to aske mercie and to plead merite are contraries now by our daily sinnes we adde debt to debt and so must still plead mercie and not merit euen after we are conuerted and sanctified euer praising God that hath deliuered vs from the slauish bondage of that proud Synagogue Thirdly here we see what we must doe in respect of our daily sinnes whereunto we fall we must not lie in them but renue our-estate by true humiliation and repentance Also if thou be crossed in the things of this world the way of comfort and deliuerance is to be learned here for as thou doest daily aske bread so thou must aske forgiuenesse for thy sinnes and when they are pardoned thou hast title and interest to al Gods blessings Now this daily humiliation stands in three things 1. in examination of our selues for our debt vnto God by sinne 2. in confessing our debt vnto our creditour yeilding our selues into his hands 3. in humbling our selues vnto him crauing pardon and remission earnestly for Christs sake as for life and death herein the children of God are presidents vnto vs Psal. 32. 5 6. Dauid in great distresse found no release while he held his tongue but when he humbled himselfe and confessed against himselfe then he found mercie and ease whereupon he professeth that he will be a patterne to euery godly man for their behauiour in the time of distresse Fourthly here we haue a notable remedie against desparie wherewith the deuill assaults many a child of God when through infirmitie they fall into some grieuous sinne or commit the same sinne often which greatly wounds the conscience for here Christ bids vs aske forgiuenesse of our daily sinnes whatsoeuer they be or how often so euer cōmitted And no doubt he that bids vs forgiue our brethren that sinne against vs though it were seauen times in a day if they seeke it at our hands will much more forgiue vs. This must not embolden any to sinne presumptuously for the Lord hath saide He will not be mercifull vnto that man Deut. 29. 19. but if any fall through infirmitie hereon he hath to stay himselfe from despaire Fiftly hereby we see that no man possibly can fulfill the law for the Apostles themselues were commanded to aske pardon of sinne euery day whereby it is plaine they could neuer fulfill the law and therefore much lesse can any other Sixtly that which we pray for we must in all godly manner endeauour after And therefore as we pray for pardon of sinne euery day so must we daily vse the meanes wherein God giues assurance of remission to his children as heare the word receiue the Sacraments and pray vnto God publikely and priuately endeauouring to resist all temptations and to glorifie God by newe obedience for it is grosse hypocrisie to aske the pardon of sinne and still to liue in the practise of it Lastly here we see we must pray not only for the pardon of our own sinnes but of our brethrens also Forgiue vs whereby Christ would teach vs to be carefull of the saluation of our brethren and neighbours the good estate of their soules should be deare and pretious vnto vs and if this were so happie would it be with the Church of God but alas men are so farre from care of the saluation of their neighbours that men of the same family are carelesse of one an others soules masters regard not their seruants nor parents their children indeede they will prouide for their bodies and outward state but for their soules they haue no care wherein they bewray themselues to be cruell and mercilesse hauing more care of their hogges and bruit beasts then of their children and seruants for when their hogges haue all needefull prouision their children and seruants soules shall want instruction As we also forgiue our debters These words are here propounded as a condition of the former petition and they include a reason thereof as Luk. 11. 4. Forgiue vs our sinnes FOR euen we forgiue euery man that is indebted vnto vs. And this Christ addeth for waightie causes euen to crosse the fraud and hypocrisie of our corrupt hearts who would haue forgiuenesse of God and yet would not forgiue our brethren nor yet leaue off the practise of sinne our selues But this condition imports that we must exercise mercy towards our brethren and so breake off the course of our sinnes if we looke for mercie at Gods hands Now the words here vsed are comparatiue betokening a likelihood and similitude betweene Gods forgiuing and ours which must be rightly vnderstood because our forgiuenesse is mingled with much corruption through want of mercie and therefore we must not vnderstand it of the measure of forgiuenesse nor yet of the manner simply but especially of the very act of forgiuing for thereto sometimes must similitudes be restrained as Mat. 9. 29. According to your faith be it vnto you And the force of the reason stands in the circumstance thus If we who haue but a drop of mercie doe forgiue others then doe thou who art the fountaine of mercies forgiue vs but we forgiue others therfore do thou forgiue vs. Touching our forgiuing others three questions must bee scanned I. How can any man pardon a trespasse seeing God onely forgiueth sinnes Answ. In euery trespasse which one doth to his neighbour be two things the losse and dammage whereby man is hindered in bodie goods or name and an offence against God by a practise of iniustice against his law Now as a trespasse is a damage vnto man so may a man forgiue it but as it is a sinne against God in the transgression of the morall law so God onely pardons it as when a man hath his goods stollen that dammage done to him a man may
power of his gratious regiment in that affliction and not suffer Satan or our owne corruptions to raigne in vs. 3. That we may obey God therein as well as in any other estate of peace or â—ase 4. That we may see his prouidence therein and be patient relying also vpon the same hand of God for our deliuerance 5. That our sinnes may not turne it into a curse but that we hauing the pardon of our sinnes may make good vse thereof for our humiliation and reformation 6. That we may not in that our weaknesse be assaulted of Satan aboue our strength but that God would deliuer vs from all temptations U. In the howre of death we may most comfortably commend our selues to God following these petitions praying first that we may glorifie God in sicknesse and death as wel as in life health 2. That God would now shew the comfortable worke and regiment of his word and spirit in our hearts euen aboue all that we haue felt in the time of our health 3. That we may as readily and cheerefully obey God dying as liuing 4. That God would giue his blessing vpon all meanes we shall vse for our comfort or recouerie making vs contented with his prouidence euen in death it selfe 5. That we may be truly humbled for our sinnes and hauing comfortable assurance of mercie and pardon may with ioy render vp our soules into the hands of God in the moment of death 6. That seeing Satan is most busie and malitious in our greatest weaknesse it would please the Lord to magnifie his mercie in strengthening our soules against all the assaults of sinne and Satan Thus we see how in all estates of life and death we may haue sweete and comfortable recourse to God following these petitions we must therefore labour to know and vnderstand this heauenly praier that so we may vse it on all occasions to the glorie of our God and the comfort of our soules we cannot giue more euident testimonie of the grace of Adoption then by the sincere exercise of the gift of praier when we can come with boldnesse into the presence of our heauenly father and therefore we must giue our selues to the serious and often imitation of this heauenly patterne and not content our selues to say ouer the words but from a feeling heart powre out our soules before God according to the meaning of this praier in all estates 2. Vse These petitions may serue for a notable direction according to which we may frame our whole liues for what we aske of God in praier that must we endeauour to practise in our liues and therefore according to our requests in these petitions must we spend our time in a godly endeauour after these sixe things 1. our cheife care and endeauour must be euery day to bring some glorie to God 2. We must euery day yeild vp our selues in soules and bodies vnto God submitting our sâ—â—â—es in all things vnto his godly regiment 3. We must endeauour to doe his will in all things euery day making conscience of all sin whereby we rebell against him 4. We must applie our selues faithfully to our callings yet so as we still depend vpon Gods prouidence for a blessing in euery thing we take in hand 5. We must humble our selues euery day before God in regard of our daily offences still confessing our sinnes and crauing pardon for them at the hands of God 6. We must daily flie to God for helpe and succour in our spirituall combate with sinne and Satan striuing manfully against our owne corrupt nature against the world and the deuill 3. Vse This praier of Christ ministers most heauenly comfort to euery child of God by certifying him of his Adoption for out of euery petition he may gather a speciall note thereof As 1. an earnest and heartie desire in all things to further the glorie of God 2. A care and readinesse to resigne our selues in subiection to God to be ruled by his word and spirit in thought word and deede 3. A sincere endeauour to doe his will in all things with cheerefulnesse making conscience of euery thing we know to be euill this is an infallible note of the child of God 4. Vpright walking in a mans lawfull calling and yet still by faith to relie vpon Gods prouidence beeing well pleased with Gods sending whatsoeuer it is 5. Euery day to huÌ„ble a mans selfe before God for his offences seeking his fauour in Christ vnfainedly so daily renuing his faith repentance 6. A continuall combate betweene the flesh and the spirit corruption haling drawing one way grace resisting the same drawing another way where this striuing resistance is in mind and heart there is the spirit for els all would goe full-sway with corruptioÌ„ Hereby then make search in thy selfe for these graces of God if thou find theÌ„ in thee comfort thy selfe in assurance of thine adoption though thou canst not find theÌ„ all yet if there be an vnfained desire after them when thou puttest vp these requests vnto God comfort thy selfe for thou art the child of God for without the spirit of praier which is the spirit of adoption we cannot cal God father nor say halowed be thy name from a true heart vnfainedly desiring Gods glorie 4. Use. Out of these petitions we may obserue the plaine marks of a carnall man as 1. to neglect the glorie of God and to seeke his owne praise glorie 2. To follow the sway of his owne corruptions suffering them to be his guide to neglect to yeeld subiection and obedience to the word of God 3. To make no conscience of sinne if it fit his humour so his own will be satisfied he cares not for the doing of Gods will 4. Not to rest on Gods prouidence for the things of this life but wholly to relie vpon the meanes if they faile his heart is downe his hope is gone 5. To goe on in sinne without remorse or humbling himselfe vnto God this impenitence is a plaine marke of a carnall man 6. To runne headlong into temptation without feare or feeling so as he finds no occasion to pray for deliuerance from sinne he that hath any of these sixe things raigning in him is a carnall man therfore trie thy selfe if thou finde them in thee turne vnto God by true repentance And look what we haue said of praier according to the patterne of the former petitions may also be said of thanksgiuing after the example of these words For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory We haue shewed the vse of theÌ„ before so accordingly in al Gods blessings and works of his prouidence for which we must giue thanks we must first labour to see therein the soueraignty power of God then we must ascribe the same to God with all glorie praise thanksgiuing And not onely giue assent but with 〈…〉 ce of heart wait for the
hearts touched with sorow for them and to hate them first in our selues and then to proceede to hate them in others It is a preposterous course arising from the corruption of nature to beginne with the hatred and dislike of sinne out of our selues II. Doctr. Further here in this reason our Sauiour Christ makes a difference of sinnes some are as motes some as beames euery sinne indeede is death and condemnation and yet all are not equall but farre different in degrees as some men are drowned in the chanell and middle of the sea some by the shoare side which places differ in depth and danger though all is one in regard of death some men indure damnation in deeper measure some in lesser yet both are condemned But the Papists abuse these words and would gather hereon a distinction of sinnes which God doth not allow to wit that some sinnes are veniall which deserue not death and these are here called motes some againe are mortall deseruing death and those are called beames But the moto and beame are both mortall sinnes A mote or a straw may sometime put out the eye though indeed the beame be more forcible to dash it quite out and so doe small sinnes wound the conscience and damne the soule though greater sinnes doe more deepely wound the conscience and plunge the same into hell small and great sinnes both destroy the soule though in a differeÌ„t degree the very mote is deadly sinne though in nature the beame be more mortal This distinction they borowed froÌ„ former ages but abusing the primitiue Church from whence they had it for the ancient Fathers called some sinnes veniall not because they deserued not death but because they were pardonable in regard of the censure of the Church and did not incurre the censure of excommunication and those they called mortall or criminall sinnes which had the censure of excommunication passed against them so that the Papists abuse both Fathers and Scripture in this distinction Thirdly Christ naming the very eye and not the face or other parts of the bodie would hereby giue vs to vnderstand what is the propertie and scope of rash iudgement namely to deface the very intention of his heart of whome censure is giuen When Dauid sent his seruants to Hanun king of Ammon to comfort him after his fathers death the Princes of Ammon told their lord that Dauids seruants were but spies that came to search out his citie thus they iudged rashly of Dauids fact and their intent was to corrupt the honest mind of Dauid perswading the king that Dauid and his seruants had an other intent and end of their comming then they made knowen to the King So that the rash censurer seekes to blemish the good mind and conscience of his brother And hence we may well be warned to take notice of our naturall corruption how that without Gods speciall grace we doe plainly hate our brother els we would neuer so suspiciously prie into his waies as to depraue his good meaning We must therefore content our selues with the speaches and actions of our brother and take heede how we deale about the eye that is with his intent and meaning that we must leaue to God who onely knowes the heart and for his actions speaches if it may be we must alwaies expound them in the better part if we cannot defend a mans doing yet we must excuse his meaning if we cannot excuse his intent yet we must thinke the best of his conscience if we cannot excuse his coÌ„science yet we must iudge it to be but a sinne of ignorance if we cannot so doe yet we must thinke that it was done in some grieuous temptation and that if we our selues had beene in like case we should haue done farre worse we know not when God may giue grace to men or when he leaues them to themselues and therefore in regard of the minde and conscience we must comprimit our iudgements at all times And perceiuest not that is though it may be thou seest it yet thou dost not well consider of it Hence our Sauiour noteth out a second maine fault in mans nature to be thought vpon namely carnall securitie whereby though in some small measure men see their offences yet naturally they neuer thinke on them heartily seriously as they ought to doe S. Paul saith Awake thou that sleepest signifying that by nature we lie slumbering in sinne so as though we may sometime haue a little glimmering thereof yet we neuer throughly behold and consider them as we should the Lord himselfe complaines of this securitie in sinne in his owne people No man saith what haue I done Ier. 8. 6. This was the sinne of the old world they knâ—w nothing till the flood came Mat. 24. 39. it may be they had now then some conceit thereof but they thought not seriously thereon now as the daies of Noe were so shal be the daies of the comming of the sonne of man in regard of securitie and these are those daies wherein we now liue for howsoeuer we sometime thinke on our sinnes yet we looke not on them with both eyes as we doe on our neighbours faults We must here be warned to take heede of this sinne for it is a fearefull case either not to see our sinnes or seeing them to passe them ouer without serious consideration The Apostle saith when men say peace peace then comes sudden destruction Now men doe then most fearefully crie peace peace vnto themselues when they either will not see their sinnes or seeing them doe not well consider thereof in their hearts We therefore must labour for this grace to haue a cleare sight into our sinnes for without that we can neuer sorow according vnto God nor repent vnto life as we ought to do Why seest thou c. and how saiest thou to thy brother In both these phrases consider how Christ would haue all those which are to giue iudgement of the offences of others to be themselues without reproofe and blame els they are no fit persons to giue censure of those that be vnder them And therefore the Magistrate in the towne and common-wealth the Minister in the Church the master in the family and euery superiour in his place must labour to be vnblameable for if they be tainted with grosse sinnes they can neuer throughly purge them that be vnder them A Minister saith Paul must be vnreprooueable 1. Tim. 3. 2. and so likewise the Magistrate who is Gods vicegerent and euery gouernour in his place Lastly in both verses obserue the coÌ„dition of those that are giuen to rash iudgement namly that of all men they are the worst Christ makes them to carrie beames in their eyes when others haue but motes or strawes The man that is giuen to censure others would seeme to be of all men most holy but the truth is there is none so bad as he though he be a
whereby we are assured that the particular things we aske according to Gods will shall be giuen vs. So saith Christ Mark 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shal be done vnto you and Iam. 1. 6. Let him aske in faith for he that doubteth of Gods promise defraudeth himselfe of the thing he asketh Now if we must bring this speciall faith then of necessitie must we haue a speciall knowledge of the will and promise of God for the things we aske for as without faith we cannot pray aright so without knowledge no faith And therefore we must be carefull to accquaint our selues with the will and promise of God that by Gods commaundement we may know what to aske and by faith may also aske in assurance for if we pray without this knowledge and faith our praiers are but lip-labour and vnprofitable Secondly hence we learne that the Papists erre grossely which teach that this speciall faith is not necessarie in praier this is a doctrine of Deuills for we ought to bring in prayer a particular faith to applie to our selues the promise of God concerning that thing which we aske in prayer But this we can neuer bring vnlesse we first haue a speciall sauing faith whereby we beleeue our reconciliation with God in Christ for therefore doe we beleeue that God will graunt our particular requests because by faith wee knowe our selues to be in Christ in whome he loues vs and therefore will make good his promise vnto vs as the Apostle saith This is the assurance that we haue in 〈…〉 t if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs 1. Ioh. 〈…〉 Thirdly hence we learne how to carie our selues in all dangers troubles and afflictions namely we must settle our hearts by faith vpon the promise of God who hath saide he will not forsake vs but be with vs in trouble and deliuer vs Psal. 92. 15. This is necessarie for without faith in great afflictions our owne naturall passions will confound vs Hence Habakkuc speaking of grieuous times of affliction saith The Iust shall liue by faith And this Dauid testified Psal. 62. 1. Yet my soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation Psal. 23. 3. Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none euill for thou Lord art with me thy rodde and thy staffe they comfort me Fourthly this must stirre vs vp to great diligence in praier We beeing Gods creatures and our God requiring this seruice at our hands ought to pray vpon his commandement though he had made no promise vnto vs. But now fith he hath made a gratious promise to heare and grant our requests this must stirre vs vp to all diligence and alacritie in prayer see the practise hereof in Dauid vpon Gods promise he incourageth himselfe to pray 2. Sam. 7. 27. 28 29. Thou O Lord of hosts hast reuealed vnto thy seruant that thou wilt build him an house Therefore now O Lord God for thou art God and thy words are true thou hast told this goodnesse vnto thy seruant Therefore now let it please thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may continue for euer for thou O Lord God hast spoken it So Daniel perceiuing by the prophesie of Ieremie the promise of God for the returne of the people from the captiultie doth set himselfe to most earnest prayer to God for the accomplishment of that promise Dan. 9. 2. 3. And so must we doe in all our wants first search out Gods promise for the supplie thereof and then goe boldly and diligently to God by prayer in the name of Christ. vers 8. For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Here Christ confirmeth the former reason â—â—â—t was included in the former verse with the commandement to pray In effect and substance they are all one onely here the reason is 〈◊〉 more generally without limitation to Christs hearers thus Whosoeuer asketh receiueth whoseuer seeketh findeth c. that is obseruing the due conditions of prayer which Gods word requireth I. Ob. Here some may see that God oft hears those that pray without faith as the crie of the poore when they curse their oppressors Exod. 22. 23. And so the Lord heard the Israelites when they asked Quailes in their lust Psal. 78. 18. 27. Answ. True it is God sometimes graunts the requests of those that pray without faith but his hearing is not in mercie but in anger and wrath and is a meanes to execute his iudgement vpon them Thus hee gaue the Israelites a King in his wrath Hos. 13. 11. and so hee gaue them Quailes for while the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God came vpon them Psalm 78. 30 31. Thus the deuils had their request graunted to enter into the heard of swine Matth. 8. 31 32. and so God permitted him to afflict Iob Iob. 1. 12. but all was to his owne shame to manifest his absolute subiection vnto God that beyond his wil he cannot goe no not to hurt the basest of Gods creatures II. Obiect Ahab praied humbled himselfe was heard though he did it onely hypocritically for feare of punishment 1. Kings 21. 29. Answ. That was a graunt of a temporall benefit onely which God oft giues to the hypocrites but for spirituall blessings which pertaine to saluation in Christ whereof this text is principally to bee vnderstood they are not granted to the wicked III. Obiect Abraham praied directly against the will of God for the sauing of Sodom which God was purposed to destroy Answ. Abraham no doubt had in him a speciall motion to make that prayer withall he asked leaue of God to pray for them neither did he pray absolutely but with submission to Gods wil and so he sinned not though he obtained not his desire otherwise without these cautions hee had done amisse and we must not make the extrordinarie practises of the faithfull ordinarie rules for our imitation So that Gods promise here is firme whosoeuer asketh those blessings of God which he hath promised to giue in that manner which God approoueth shall be sure to receiue The Use. In this reason we learne that God is most ready and willing to heare his children when they pray Isay 65. 1. I was found of theÌ„ that sought me not I said behold me behold me to a nation that called not vpon my name and v. 24. Before they call I will answer and while they speake I will heare This then is first 〈…〉 ne proofe that the Lord whome we worship is the true God bec 〈…〉 he is so able to helpe and so readie and willing to heare beeing neere to all that call vpon him in truth Thus Moses reasoneth with his people to prooue that they only had the true God for their God Deut. 4. 7. What nation is so
of our hearts which tende to hurt our brothers life chastitie goods or good name though they nouer come into practise yea though we neuer giue consent of will thereto And these are the restraints of the Law whereto we must conforme our selues if we would enter into life Now follow the restraints of the Gospel which is a part of Gods word touching remission of sinnes and saluation By nature we desire to stand vpright and righteous before God by some good thing in our selues as the rich man in the Gospel he demands of Christ What good thing shall I doe to be saued Againe it is our nature not to looke to be saued by any thing out of our selues if we haue nothing els our good meaning and good hope must saue vs but the Gospel restraines vs of these desires and enioyneth vs to renounce our selues in the matter of saluation and all that is in vs and to depend on a righteousnes out of our selues in the person of Christ which is his obedience and suffering Againe we naturally desire to enioy Gods mercie by sense and feeling but the Gospel restraines vs of this kind of assurance which comes by sense and feeling and enioynes vs to hold and keepe Gods mercie by beleeuing onely both in life and death though we haue no sense thereof at all Further the Gospel renues the law for the manner of louing for the morall law required that we should loue another as we doe our selues but the Gospel requires vs to loue one another as Christ loued vs which is a greater measure of loue then the law required For Christ loued vs more then himselfe for he gaue himselfe for vs and so ought we to loue euen our enemies And thus we see how the Gospel also restraines vs from following our owne naturall desires and inioyneth vs to walke in the narrow way to life whereto as also to the restraints of the law we must applie our selues our thoughts words and deeds so doing we walke in the straite way that leadeth vnto life but if we any way exempt our selues according to our naturall desire from any of these restraints we then walke in the broad way that leadeth to destruction II. Dutie Seeing we must be content with the straitnes of the way we learne that when God layes any crosses or afflictions vpon vs we must not repine or grudge but beare the same with patience and suffer God to breake vs of our owne wills resting contented in our selues with the will of God alone for this is grace and a sure testimonie that we walke in the strait way to life III. Dutie In the case of confession and profession of true religion when we be called thereto we must be content to forsake goods friends yea and life it self rather then by inioying them suffer our selues to be driuen out of this straite way to life my life saith Paul is not deere vnto me so that I may fulfull my course mith ioy Act. 20. 24. Lastly whosoeuer is puffed vp with the pride of his owne heart is too stately to stoope vnder the straitâ—â—â—oâ—e that leadeth to the way of life he therefore that would walke 〈◊〉 this straite way must cast away all pride of heart and humble himselfe for his owne sinnes making himselfe nothing in himselfe Math. 18. 3 4. Except you be conuerted and become as little children who are not proud and hawtie ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen But he that humbleth himselfe as this little child the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen The third charge giuen vs by our Sauiour Christ concerning the strait way of life is noted by S. Luke that we must striue to enter into it From whence we are taught that our principall care must be aboue all things to come into the way of life euerlasting so much the word striuing imports It is saide that when Iohn first preached the kingdome of heauen suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force that is their was such forwardnes and zeale in them that heard Iohn preach to procure to themselues the kingdome of heauen that they stroue most earnestly to get in David sware vnto the Lord and vowed a vow vnto the mightie God of Iacob that he would not enter into the tabernacle of his house nor come vpon his bedde nor suffer his eyes to sleepe till he had sound a place for Gods Arke where he with the rest of his people might come and pray vnto the Lord and receiue answer from him againe Now looke what zeale was in them that heard Iohn and what care was in David for the outward place of Gods worship the like must be in euery one of vs for the obtaining of reconciliation and life euerlasting Uses I. Hereby many that liue in the Church of God may iustly be reprooued for a number there be that though they may partake of the word and Sacraments yet are most negligent of their saluation vsing no meanes to obtaine reconciliation with God and to come by life euerlasting and this they doe professe that they will leaue all to God relying wholly on his mercie without vsing any meanes on their parts to attaine thereto But these men sinne most grieuously and are their owne deadly enemies for they ought to consider this commandement which condemneth their securitie and straitly inioynes euery one to striue to come into the strait way and to walke therein And because this dutie is so necessarie I will vse some reasons to perswade them hereto I. Consider this when the Philistims were assembled and had Samson in the middest among them to make them sport if they had knowne what he was about to doe when he leaned to the pillars of the house where they sate they would haue preassed to the doores and windowes and there haue striuen to haue got out because of the imminent daunger that was vnto their bodily liues well all those persons that are cold in their profession and careles of religion they haue the wrath of God hanging ouer their heads and while they walke thus dissolutely in the broad way their coÌ„demnation sleepeth not but makes post hast vpon them if they continue and goe forward in this carelsse course they shall as certenly perish in Gods wrath as the Philistims did by the hand of Samson and therefore as they desire to scape damnation so let them be carefull to cast off this damnable securitie II. Reason If an Angel from heauen should come and assure vs from God that life euerlasting did belong vnto vs oh we would count it a blessed message well looke when we turne from the broad way and walke in this straite way of life we haue as good securitie of our saluation as if an Angel from heauen should certifie vs thereof for true repentance is an infallible note of a child of God to whome belongs the kingdome of heauen The consideration
This I note because they beginne to be in disgrace with many and corrupt Popish writers are farre better accounted of Thirdly if any among vs doubt of any point in religion let him doe these two things for his resolution which are the ordinarie meanes to know the truth First let him search the holy Scriptures diligently not by priuate studie onely but by conference with the godly Secondly let him in true humilitie of heart pray vnto God for the illumination of his spirit whereby he may in minde rightly conceiue of the truth embrace it by faith in his heart and honour it by obedience in his life thus doing constantly and in sinceritie he shall be sure to be preserued from errour both finall and fundamentall and in due time shall know the truth for the promise is Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde verse 12. and Saint Iames saith If any man lacke wisedome necessarie for his saluation let him aske of God vsing withall other lawfull meanes to come thereby and it shall bee giuen vnto him Hereto may be added this good help for satisfaction in this case of doubting namely to haue recourse to the generall confessions of reformed Churches which may be had in that notable booke The Harmonie of Confessions for although priuate men may erre as also particular Churches not onely seuerally but ioyntly in some things in this world yet the generall consent of reformed Churches may be a good direction to the knowledge of the truth and a good perswasion to constancie therein Fourthly we must keepe a good conscience if we would preserue the truth and puritie of religion for faith and good conscience goe alwaies together whereupon Saint Paul perswading Timothie to this dutie bids him haue faith and a good conscience which some haue put away as concerning faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 1. 19. where a good conscience is resembled to a shippe which saileth ouer the sea of this world beeing laden with faith that is with true religion and other spirituall graces needefull to saluation Now if the shippe of our conscience be crazie and vnsound then is our faith and saluation in great danger and therefore wee must endeauour in all things to haue a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men IU Instruct. This commandement of our Sauiour Christ to beware of false Prophets doth barre the Church of God and euery member thereof from conuersing with false Prophets after they bee conuicted to be such It was Eues fault to admit conference with the deuill in the serpent and all of vs feele the smart thereof at this day It was Pauls counsell to the Romans to marke them diligently which caused diuision and offences among them contrarie to the doctrine which they had learned and to auoyde them and Saint Iohn plainely forbids this societie with them 2. Epist. verse 10. Receiue not him to thine house neither bidde him God speed that comes to teach you and brings not this doctrine yea though we saith Paul or an Angel from heauen teach you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you hold him accursed Galat. 1. 8. In the histories of the Church it is recorded that S. Iohn would not wash himselfe in the same bath wherein Cerinthus an heretike was washing himselfe nor abide vnder the same roofe but leaped out and perswaded others so to doe And indeede by Eues example we may see the danger of conference with false Prophets for the same euill spirit speakes in them Now this shewes first that the practise of many students is dangerous and against this commandement who take delight in popish Cōmentaries and postils ascribing to them more learning and Iudgement then can be sound in those writers that were the restorers of true religion vnto vs hence it is that they labour more in them then in the Scripture it selfe or in other sound writers thereupon But if there bee any false Prophet at this day it is the Papist and their writings are dangerous to be read of those that are not well grounded in the truth for by reading we haue a kind of familiaritie with them and indeede many sucke out of them at vnawares much venim in waighty points of doctrine and religion We ought rather to doe with them as the beleeuers of Ephesus did with their bookes of curious Arts namely bring them out and burne them then take such delight in them albeit this must be graunted it is both lawfull and necessarie for the defence of the truth that men of sound iudgement and piety doe labour in them Secondly hence also it may appeare that it cannot bee but a great hindrance to true religion that hereticall bookes may be publikely sold to any one that will buie them without due consideration whether the partie haue gifts to discerne of truth from falshood in the Popish Church they are more carefull they permit not a man to read an heretikes booke as they call vs Protestants without leaue and that vnder a great penaltie which is seuerely inflicted vpon offenders that way V. Instruct. This commandement also shewes that it is not lawfull to graunt to any man or to any people the libertie of their owne conscience in the matters of religion permitting them to professe what religion they will for how should false Prophets be auoided when euery man may freely professe what he will in religion All gouernours therfore must follow the practise of good king Iosias who assembled all Iuda and caused all his people to heare the word of the Lord and to stand to that religion which the booke of God made knowne vnto them 2. Chro. 34. 32. V. Doctr. Wee haue from this commaundement an answer to the false charge of the Church of Rome who accuse vs of schisme and apostacie because we separate from their Church But we must know that the schisme apostacie is there where the cause of departing is which indeede is not in vs who doe no more herein but obey this commaundement of Christ the cause is in them who are become false prophets whom we must auoyd Here yet two questions may bee demaunded I. Whether a false Prophet may be put to death seeing Christ bids onely to beware of them Answ. Christ here speakes to his Apostles and to other of his auditors that were priuate men whose dutie raught no further but yet the truth is that a false Prophet beeing iudicially conuicted is to bee put to death the word of God elsewhere is plaine Leuit. 24. 14. there is both a commandement and a practise Euery blasphemer must die This wicked Iesabel knew wel who vnder pretence of blasphemie caused Naboth to be put to death and hereupon the Iewes sought to put Christ to death Yea Nabuchadnezzar an heathen king hauing but a taste of this that the God of Israel was the true God made this lawe that whosoeuer blasphemed