Timoth. 2 21. If a man therefore purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessel of honour meet for the masters use He that is not purged is like Green wood in the fyre when difficulties in his race occur It fryes and smoakes but burns not 2dly From the not laying aside these weights it flowes that the allurments to decline the crosse are so taking the Apostle vers 35. preceeding Chapter speaks of some who being tortured would not accept deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection They accepted not of deliverance they did not like the World so well as to be willing when they were so near heaven to be content to come back to it again they had layd aside these weights It is a remarkable History Beza writs of the noble Marques of Vico Galeacius Caractiolus who being converted at a Sermon by Peter Martyr resolved to leave Italy and all his possessions and come to Geneva and live with Calvin and when his Wyfe did hing about his armes and some of his Children about his leggs some lay down in his way and all weept on him to perswade his stay with them yet he shook them all off calling to mind that of Christs He that hateth not father and mother for me is not worthy of me 2dly He that hath not layd aside these weights is intangled and hath not the free use of his life as a Byasboul he must incline to the side the weight lyes on Marcus Cato it was said of him Iste solus scit vivere he had retired himself from Rome to his Country-house that he might be free from the noyse of the city None know how to live but such as lay aside these weights Lastly The point serves to stirr up all to this work of mortification to these weights who would run their race with patience rest not on light to make the cross appear rational Some may discourse well in Sermons of the necessity of affliction of the usefulness of it the encouragements under it from the example of Christ and the cloud of witnesses but when it comes to the tryal such are found to be like a man that hath a good eye but a lame leg whereby he is unfitt for his journey That we may be the better fitted to lay them aside I shall briefly offer these few directions and so come to a close of this Sermon First Consider the Lord only calls thee to lay them aside when they prove weights How excellent loever the merchant's goods be yet when they overloade the ship and the retaining of them threatning his life he will cast them over-boord The necessary use of the creature-comforts he allows but when the retaining of them lyes in the way of thy salvation how reasonable is it then to lay them aside As the Martyr answered when one asked him if he had no regard to his Wyfe and Children yes yes said he I esteem any of them more then the Duke of Brunswik's estate but for Christ I can quite them all Secondly If we add to this to how much Christ was denied how much for a while he layd aside for us He thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation Phillip 2 7 8 9. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners that ye faint not Thirdly Be dayly accustomating thyselfe to as work of mortification to these weights It was nothing strange to hear Paul lay at one time I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of Christ when at another time he could say I protest by my rejoicing in God I die dayly He that is dying dayly cannot choose but be ready to die when called to it Christians ought to be doeing as porters who carry loads ere they belayd on taking a lift of them and seeing how they weigh forecasting how it will become them to leave such enjoyments as Mr Bilney tryed his finger in the candle before he came to the fire Lastly Often ponder how aboundantly God is able to recompence any thing he calls the to lay aside upon his account Moses did run from the court and treasures of Aegypt He had ane eye to the recompence of reward how much toyling will the sweetness of gain make a man indure Here is a recompence of reward SERMON On Matth. 5 20. For I say unto you except your righteousnses shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven THese words are a part of that excellent Sermon Christ preached on the mount The scope of the whole Sermon overturnes the error of the Antinomians who teach that beleevers are freed from all obligation to the obedience of the moral Law in the 17. verse He taxes the folly of their thoughts who thought He was come to destroy the law and by three strong Arguments presses that obedience to it is still and will be still required of men The 1. Taken from the immutability of the Law of it self Heaven and earth shall pass away but one title of it shall in no wayes pass till it be fulfilled Another taken from the great advantage shall redound to men by keeping the law in the preceeding verse They shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven And a 3d in the words read taken from the danger of not being more exact in obedience to it then the Pharisees and Scribs were They shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven In the words we have a doctrinal truth and the confirmation of it the doctrinal truth That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees ye cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven The confirmation of it I say unto you In the doctrinal truth there are two things to be cleared what is meant by the Scribs and Pharisees and what by their righteousness 1. A Scribe is a name of Office whereof some were civil as Shimshai Ezra 4 9. Some Ecclesiastick who were interpreters of the Law such was Ezra himselfe and such are meant here they were also Priests therefore Ezra is called both a Scribe and a Prsest Nehem. 8.9 A Pharisee betokeneth as Sect not ane Office They had their name from separation not from interpretation as some would have There was three sorts of Sects among the Jews The Essen's who were like our Popish Monks living in profession retired from the World of whom Josephus relates many things The Sadducee's dwere another sort they expounded the law according to the letters and syllabs and denyed the resurrection of the body And these Pharisies were in highest esteem among them they interpreted the law according to the traditions they had received from the Fathers Many things are written by many especially by Josephus of these which I shall not need here to repeat For the righteousness which is twice mentioned in the verse for clearing this take notice that there is a two-fold righteousness
mentioned in Scripture one imputed righteousness which is wrought by Christ for the beleever ane other imparted which is wrought by Christ in the beleever The 1st is the righteousness of our justification The 2d Of our sanctification Some would have the meaning of your righteousness in the words to be understood of Christs imputed righteousness It is true our righteousness in this sense exceeds not only the righteousness of the Pharisees but of Adam before his fall But to understand it so here suits not to the scope of the place which is to press more exact holiness and obedience to the moral law then the Pharisees had Therefore we understand it of a righteousness of sanctification with best interpreters on the place But here there seems to be some seeming foundation for a very dangerous errour which some of lait who profess to abhor the way of Papists have appeared very violent for if there be say they in man ane inherent righteousness or holiness that the Scripture calls righteousness why doth it not in some sense justify Posita say Philosophers causa formali ponitur etiam effectus formalis But the truth is the way they take in this is so contrary to the Scripture which speaks of our righteousness as ane unclean thing it is so derogatory to Christ establishing a righteousness besides whereby a sinner is just befor God it so exalts proud man and in a word the difference betwixt it and the way Socinians take who talk of the imputation of faith in sensu formali for a mans justification before God is so small that it is justly abominat by all orthodox as for the name righteousness on which they build so much why may not they also on this ground plead for the justification of the Pharisies before God For their way hath also the name of righteousness But leaving this debate the meaning of the words briefly is that except their holiness was more exact then the Pharisies who pretended to very much they could not enter into Heaven I shall only take one Observation which is the very words of the Text. Observation That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisees we can in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This truth being the very words of the text and so a doctrine which even ane Anabaptist who admits not of consequences would admit of We need not seek after other Scriptures to confirme it Only for confirmation of it we shall a little consider the proofe brought in the verse itselfe I say unto you there be three proofs divyns usually bring to confirme any truth 1. Scripture 2. Reason And 3. Authority We have all the three concurring in this point I say unto you all that Scripture resolves in what God hath said either by himself immediatly or by the penmen whom he hath inspired And there is no reason to prove a theologick conclusion like that however Schoolmen have laboured to turne up the body of divinity into aristotles principles lying axioms and maximes of natural reason to demonstrat Theologick conclusions by yet this is the primum credibile in divinity Deus hoe dixit and a conclusion stands only then firm in divinity when ultimatly it resolves in this God hath saeid this Yea these things that are esteemed parts of divine truth and have no other foundations but from Pops Decretals or Canons of some Councils are conclusions that can never be resolved into the principles of divinity Yea 3dly There is no authority like unto this if it were never so ancient yea if all antiquity unanimonusly conspired in one it is but as the dust in the ballance that cannot weigh downe this I say unto you He is our King he is our Law-giver and his dominion is so absolut that though there were no other reason yea though there were never so many appearances of reason against what he hath said as in the doctrine of the Trinity or resurrection of the body yet we are to silence reason and rest upon his naked authority So that in this Isay unto you the point is fully confirmed both by reason Scripture and authority Yet ere I apply it for clearing of the point it shall be necessary to enquire a little wherein the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisees failed that thereby we may the better know wherein we are to exceed them and what righteousness is required ere we can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven There be especially two things in general wherein the righteousness of the Pharisies failed and a righteousness failing in these two makes it impossible for one that hath no more to enter into the Kingdome of God 1. There was something they omitted and did not that was necessary to qualify those who enter into the Kingdom of God 2dly the thing they did was defective in the qualifications necessary to qualify the righteousness of those who enter into the Kingdom of Heaven First There was something they omitted and did not that was necessary Though they were exact observers of the external letter of the law yet they did not regard the spiritual sense of it at all and consequently neglected all the parts of inward obedience to God such as the mortification of inward lusts or performing acts of inward holiness Now a righteousness failing in this cannot qualify a man for entering into the Kingdom of Heaven For 1st That righteousness that does not exceed the righteousness of Heathens cannot be sufficient to qualify for the Kingdom of God Doe not even the Heathens the same is sufficient to cast our most specious performances And how unblamably Heathens have walked as to the external duty the moral law any acquainted with the of Histories of some of their lives may easily discerne Beside 2dly There are none in the visible Church farther from Heaven then Hypocrits what a multitude of woes find we in one chapter denounced against them And if they were not outwardly blameless they should not be Hypocrits 3dly To neglect the Spiritual sense of the Law is to be partial in the Law and to ommit that wherein the soul and life of Religion consists Heaven is a place wherein no unclean thing can enter but he that is only outwardly blameless is a rotten sepulcher that is full of dead mens bones within Secondly As they ommitted the spiritual sense of the law so their righteousness was defective in the qualifications absolutly necessary to qualify our righteousness if we would enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Among many qualifications in which their righteousness was defective I shall insist only upon these two 1. It proceeded not from a right principle a principle of regeneration to this the Pharisies were altogither strangers they not only wanted it but did not so much as beleeve the necessity of it Now a righteousness not proceeding from a principle of regeneration as it is not acceptable to God so he that hath but this cannot expect to enter
into the Kingdom of Heaven For First Christ hath and that very emphatically declared no less himselfe John 3 3. Verily I say unto you except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom It was spoken to Nicodemus a Jew and Pharisie not to a Heathen He sayes not except a man leave his scandalous out-breakings but except he be born again and he confirms it with a verily verily which hath the force of a very strong asseveration Secondly Where regeneration is wanting there is no union with Christ Which of the two are first in order of nature and time we need not enquire seeing it is confessed by all they goe inseparably togither Now the want of union with Christ makes all our outward performances to be rejected It is not fruit to God if he be not first maried to Christ Rom. 7 4 5. as Children born by a woman who hath not a husband Where there is not union with Christ there is wanting the influences of the Spirit to assist in duties a propitiatory Sacrifice to cover the defects of them a Mediator of intercession to present and second them what wonder then they be rejected Thirdly When regeneration is wanting the person is in ane estate of enemity against God the estate of nature being such Eph. 2. All that passes betwixt God and such ane one are but such transactions as passe betwixt two enemies What wonder then if the service be rejected and the person farr from the Kingdom of Heaven Lastly The Lord judges not of mans performances as one man doth of ane others only by the outward countenances as Samuel did of Jesse's Sons but he judges the outward performance by the inward frame He can tell Israel when they draw near him with their lips that their hearts are far from him now the heart of ane unregenerat how naughty is it Like the Temple in Christs time a den of theeves Lay all togither and it will be discerned that a righteousness not proceeding from regeneration is not sussicient for our entering into the Kingdom of Heaven 2dly As these Pharisees their righteousness proceeded not from a right principle of regeneration so it was not directed to a right end the glory of God but what they did they did it to be seen of men Now a righteousness not directed to a right end is farr from being sufficient to qualify one for the Kingdom of Heaven For 1. If even our natural actions ought to be referred to the glory of God farr more our religious 1 Cor. 10 31. Whither ye eat or drink doe all to the glory of God If they want this they want that moral rectitude that ought to be in them and consequently cannot be accepted But here it may be asked if ane actual respect to and intention of the glory of God be necessary for all our actions ere they can be accepted Answ Divyns distinguish a threefold respect to the glory of God habitual virtual and actual Habitual is wheresoever is the habit of grace such as love faith c. But this is not sufficient in regard the habit may be idle and consist with very gross sins as in David and Peter Actual is when there is ane actual intending of the glory of God This can hardly be attained here it will be our happiness in Heaven but here it can hardly be looked upon as our duty in regard there would be no roome for other duties If ane artificer were still thinking on the end of his work or a traveller on the end of his way it might exceedingly marr him in other things very necessary for that end Virtual is when ane action is done in the vertue and force of some precedent explicit proposal of Gods glory as a supream end As every step of a mans journey is virtually designed to the end of it Now this is simply necessary and when any actions want this they are not acceptable Because 2dly The same action which for the matter of it is commanded by God yet through the want of this is reputed simply sinful by God Take one instance for all to prove this Jehu his cutting off the House of Achab Hosea 14. I will aveng the blood of Jesreel upon the house of Jehu What will the Lord aveng it Did he not according to the word of the Lord which he spake by the mouth of his Servant Elijah Yes surely the matter was such But he did it to establish the Kingdom in his own hand without any reference to the glory of God and therefore the Lord looks upon it as murther and will be avenged on his house for it Beside where a right end is not proposed to the honour of God the whole work we doe is accompted empty and hollow Hosea 10 1. Ephraim is ane empty vyn when He bringeth forth fruit to himselfe What bringeth forth fruit and yet empty Yes when it is to himself and not to God Thus we see wherein the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisies was defective and why those who have no more cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Application There is a twofold use of this we shall prosecut One of humilation another of exhortation Use first Is it so It serves for terror and humiliation to those whose righteousness comes short of the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisies How many are there in the visible Church expecting the Kingdom of Heaven who come not up the length the Scribs and Pharisies did Which that I may the more clearly evince I shall offer these things to be considered First The Pharisies were not outwardly scandalous They did make clean the outside of the cup or platter The Apostle Paul while he was a Pharisie sayes of himself Philipp 3. that he was in regard of the law blameless They were upon this accompt compared by Christ to painted sepulchers Though sepulchers yet painted But how many among us declares their sin as Sodom What a continued tract of avowed drunkenness swearing uncleanness and such like which are not hide in corners How doe many accompt sobriety needless preceisness And think strange of others who will not sin on with them into the same excess of ryot Secondly The Pharisies were very exact observers of the Sabboth it is true they oftentimes quarrelled Christ for doeing works of necessity and charity which were suitable to the Sabboth Yet in the general it may be seen in their cariage through many places of the Gospel how exact they were herein But among us though we profess we allow not of books of sports for the Saboth-day yet how few accompts it their delight not speaking their own words nor thinking their own thoughts yea when publick worship is ended as if the Saboth ended with it so doe we walk Thirdly The Pharisies were very exact Observers both of ordinary and extraordinary worship He that came up to the Temple Luk. 18. could say he fasted twice a week they had long prayers However
the grounds of fasting were never greater yet how little are we in humiliation this way every family shall pray a part is a promise Zach. 11 12. and what a multitude is there who weary not of swearing and drinking whole nights and dayes that accompt some few sentences of prayer nauseating and tedious They are as one out of their Element in spiritual things and therefore like Pilat a start of it and away will serve them Pilat said unto him What is truth and immediatly he went forth to the Jews Fourthly The Pharisees abhorred to converse with the openly flagitious they would keep no company with the Publicans It is true they also foolishly quarrelled with Christ for it who was among them as a Phisitian among his patients But it is evident themselves abhorred it as being in danger to be infected by them the Society of the Ungodly It is true we must goe out of the World if we would altogither decline it yet how much unnecessary fellowship with them is there among us And certainly there is not one thing by which the Godly becomes more contaminat and affoords them more grounds of challenges Woe is me said David that I dwelt in Meschech and sojourned in the tents of Kedar It is as possible to walk on syre and not be burned as converse with them and not be defiled Lastly The Pharisies were much in almes-deeds and acts of charity It is true Christ tells them they did it to be seen of men yet they did it And how exceedingly defective are we herein though it be so much pressed in Scripture And what is done herein is lent to the Lord. Yet these who have enough to deboach with know not what it is to be communicative to the necessities of the poor indigent members of Christ All these and many moe might be instanced to evidence how far short we come of the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisies and what matter of humiliation there is in it will appear amongst many things might be brought from that that is in the Text they shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven In which I shall only offer these three things to be considered First How great the loss will prove in being debarred the Kingdome of Heaven Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God! What ane exeellent report is there made of it in Scripture How glorious are the streets of it How sure the foundations How excellent the light How noble the Temple And to be deprived of all this how humbling is it Secondly Consider for what thou art not like to enter into it Prophane Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage are the glistering showes of vanity that abound among us a sufficient compensation of such a loss Does not this rose grow out of a briar And when it is grown how soon doth it fade and wither away Art thou not like the dog in the fable that did let the flesh goe that he might catch the shaddow Thirdly Consider that such as enter not here must enter into the lake that burns with fyre and brimstone for ever and ever Thou must either be within this Kingdom or without where are doggs and swine There is no mid place let Papists talk of their Purgatories or their limboes what they will thou must either be in Heaven or Hell Now what matter of humiliation is this Use second Of exhortation Is it so that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisies Then Christian labour by all means to have thy righteousness exceeding theirs In order to this I shall speak to these two things First Take heed of the defects that abounded in their righteousness otherwayes we can never exceed them And that this may be the better done take notice of these few defects in their righteousness 1. All their zeal did run out on the lesser things of the Law the paying tith of mint and cumin and such like which Christ told them were not to be omitted But the greater they did not so much as with their little finger once touch There is a natural pronness in our hearts to this These things may be duties in their own kinde to attend ordinances to be charitable not to be scandalous But if the greater as mourning for sin mortifying of it beleeving in Jesus for pardon of it be forgotten all the rest are but as Ciphers without their figur that make no number how many possibly amongst you in this place count your evidences only on such things as the Pharisies counted upon And are very hopeful of Heaven though ye want the farr greater things which they also wanted Take heed of this defect 2dly They were much more zealous of human inventions then they were of Gods Commandments We find them often contending with Christs Disciples about some external purifications and eating with unwashen hands and such like things And Christ tells them plainly that they taught for doctrins the precepts of men Now if thou would exceed them in thy righteousness take heed of this defect It is strange to see what bensil of affection some have for things of mans devising as of a holy day a ceremony in worship or such like which pretends to no other Father but some ecclesiastick Cannon Whereas their affections like a knyff blunted in cutting sticks are litle or none in duties that are commanded by God himselfe 3dly The Pharisies for as specious Professors as they were yet they were mere Hypocrits Christ thunders woes against them because of their Hypocrysie He descrybs them by no other name but the name of Hypocrits There is non's condition more dangerous and incorrigible then the Hypocrits Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them It is true we read of the conversion of some of them Nicodemus and Paul But very few Therefore by all means take heed of Hypocrisie Down right honesty here is our best Policy 4thly Though their Religion was but ane empty profession yet they were exceeding proud of it I thank God I am not like this man though a beleever by the Spirit ought to discern things freely given him of God yet he ought with all to consider that there are some graces the more we have of them alwayes we are the more humble the more of faith the more of repentance the more of self denyal alwayes the more humble and when any comes to be puft up with their Religion they are too like the man who said Come see my zeal for the Lord of whom he threatned to be avenged Lastly The Pharisies were generally great opposers and blasphemers of Christ in whom alone the remedy of their other sins was only to be found And thus like sick men they did spill and cast over their Phisick This was the cop-stone of all their other sins possibly thou will say herein thou outstryps them I will desire thou will search again Though Christ hath gained so