From whence Note That all such as content themselves with a fruitless profession of Religion are in great danger of having God's blasting added to their Earrenness 15 And they came to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the Temple and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the Temple and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold Doves 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any Vessel thro' the Temple 17 And he taught saying unto them Is it not written My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves 18 And the Scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy him for they feared him because all the people was astonished at his Doctrine 19 And when even was come he went out of the city No sooner had our blessed Saviour entred Jerusalem but his first walk was to the Temple and his first work there was to purge and reform All Reformation of manners must begin at the house of God Yet observe our Lord's Business at the Temple was not to ruin but reform it only Places dedicated to publick worship if prophaned and polluted ought to be purged from their abuses not pull'd down and destroyed because they have been abused But what was the prophanation of the Temple which so offended our Saviour's I answer in the outward Court of the Temple there was a publick mart or market kept where were sold Oxen sheep and Doves for Sacrifice Many of the Jews coming an hundred miles to the Temple it was burthensome to bring their Sacrifices so far with them Wherefore the Priests ordered that sheep and oxen meal and Oyl and such other Requisites for Sacrifice should be had for money close by the Altar to the great ease of the offerer nothing coulâ— be more plausible then this plea. But the fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with God Therefore our blessed Saviour in a just indignation whips out these Chap-men casts down their tables and vindicates the honour and reputation of his Fathers house Learn hence that there is a Reverence due to God's house for the owners sake and for the service sake Nothing but holiness can become the place where God is worshipped in the beauty of holiness Observe lastly the Reason which our Saviour gives for this Act of his is it not written says he my house shall be called the house of Prayer Where by Prayer is to be understood the whole worship and service of God of which Prayer is an eminent and principal part that which gives Denomination to an house is certainly the chief work to be done in that house Now God's house being called an house of prayer certainly implies that Prayer is the chief and principal work to be performed in his house Yet take we heed that we set not the ordinance of God at variance we must not idolize one ordinance and vilify another but reverence them all 20 And in the morning as they passed by they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots 21 And Peter called to remembrance saith unto him Master behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them have faith in God 23 For verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith 24 Therefore I say unto you What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them The blasting and sudden withering of the fig-tree at the word of Christ plainly shewed his divine Power and by this miraculous operation our Saviour designed to shew his Disciples the mighty power of Faith That is a full perswasion of the power of God that he is able and of the goodness of God that he is willing to grant whatever we ask according to his will that has a tendency to his glory and our Good Learn hence that Faith is a necessary and principal ingredient in prayer praying without Faith is like to a man's shooting without bullet it makes a noise but doth no execution 2dly That whatsoever good thing God has made the matter of his promise shall be given to good men in a way of performance provided they pray in saith whatsoever ye desire believe that ye Receive them and ye shall have them 25 And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in heaven may â—orgive you your trespasses 26 But if you do not forgive nâ—ither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses There are two qualifications requisite in prayer if we expect to find Acceptance with God namely Faith and Love to the first Christ had spâ—ken in the former verse to the latter in this when ye stand praying forgive They who are suâ—ing for and expecting forgiveness from God must exercise forâ—iveness towards others or else their Prayers are a sort of imprecations upon themselves 2. Observe Christ speaks indefinitely when ye pray forgive he doth not say your Brethren but Men Mat. 6.14 If ye fâ—â—â—ive Men their Trespasses that is all Men good and bad Friends and Enemies if we forgive one another freely Our heavenly Father will forgive us fully Our forgiving one another is the indispensable Condition of God's forgiving us and of hearing the Prayers which are put up by us 27 And they come again to Jerusalem and as he was walking in the Temple there come to him the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders 28 And say unto him by what Authority dost Thou these things and who gave Thee this Authority to do these things 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them I will also ask of you one Question and answer me and I will tell you by what Authority I do these things 30 The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men Answer me 31 And they reasoned with themselves saying if we shall say from Heaven he will say why then did ye not believe him 32 But if we shall say oâ— Men they feared the People for all men counted John that he was a Prophet indeed 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus we cannot tell and Jesus answering saith unto them neither do I tell you by what Authority I do these things The Pharisees having often questioned our Saviour's Doctrine before they call in question his Mission and Authority now although they might easily have understood his Divine Mission by his daily Miracles for Almighty God never impowered any to work Miracles that were not sent by him Our Blessed Saviour understanding their design answers them one Question by asking them another Says Christ the Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men Was it oâ— Divine Institution
humble himself that he needed to pray to his Father to bestow upon him the Glory which he wanted Namely The Glory of his Ascension and Exaltation Now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word By the name of God we are here to understand his Nature his Properties and Attributes his Designs and Counsels for the Salvation of Mankind Christ as the Prophet of his Church made all these known unto his People Learn thence That Jesus Christ has made a full and compleat Discovery of his Father's Mind and Will unto his People I have manifested thy name unto them which thou gavest me thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word Learn 1. That all Believers are given unto Christ as his Purchase and as his Charge They are given him as his Subjects as his Children as the Wife of his Bosom as the Members of his Body Learn 2. That none are given to Christ but those that were first the Fathers Thine they were and thou gavest them me Learn 3. That all those that are given unto Christ do keep his word they keep it in their understandings they hide it in their Hearts they feel the force of it in their Souls they express the power of it in their Lives They have kept thy word 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee Observe here 1. The faithfulness of Christ in revealing the whole Will of his Father to his Disciples 2. The proficiency of the Disciples in the School of Christ they knew all the things which Christ had told them Namely That whatsoever he had it was given him of the Father and that he had these things from him to be a Mediatour Learn hence That Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet to his Church a faithful Messenger from his Father to his People in that he hath added nothing to his Message nor taken nothing from it 2. That it is our duty to know and believe on Christ as the only Messenger and Mediatour sent of God Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me As if Christ had said The Message by thee my Father committed to me I have communicated to them my Disciples and they have received it and will communicate it from thee to the World being sufficiently assured that my coming and preaching was all by Commission from thee Hence learn 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel which was revealed by Christ was received from the Father 2. That Faith is a receiving of the word of Christ and of Christ in and by the word Receiving is a relative term and presupposes an offer God offers on his part we receive on our part the whole word with the whole heart 3. That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that which they have out of the word of God I have given them the word which thou gavest me 9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine That is I now offer up a Prayer particularly 1. For my Apostles designed to so great a work as the Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel to the obstinate Jews and obdurate Gentiles 2. I interceed also for all Believers at this time for their perseverance in the Faith and constancy in Persecution but I do not now interceed for the wicked and impenitent World they not being capable whilst such of these Mercies and Blessings though at other times we find him praying for the World yea for his very Crucifiers Father forgive them c. Nay in this very Prayer at the 20th Verse he Prays for the World that is for the Gentile World all those that by the preaching of the Apostles and their Successors should be brought to Believe on him to the End of the World Learn hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Great and Gracious Intercessour 2. That all Believers all the Children of God in general are under the fruit and benefit of Christ's Intercession 3. That as all the Members of Christ in general so the Ministers and Ambassadours of Christ in special have a peculiar interest in Christ's Intercession and great are the Advantages of His Intercession for them 1. From the person interceeding Christ consider the Dignity of his Person God Man the dearness of his Person God's Son 2. From the manner of his Intercession not by way of entreaty but meritorious claim 3. From the sublimity of the Office our Intercessor is near to God even at his Right Hand 4. From the Fruits of his Intercession it procures the Acceptance and Justification of our Persons the hearing and answering of our Prayers the pardon and forgiveness of our Sins our preservation in Grace and our hopes of Eternal Glory 10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them We may understand this two ways 1. Of all Persons all my Friends all my Disciples are thine as well as mine Thence learn That the Father and the Son have a like Share and Propriety in all Believers 2. The words in the Original being of the Neuter Gender signifie all thy things are mine and all my things are thine Christ and his Father are one and they agree in one they have the same Essence and Nature the same Attributes and Will Christ hath all things that the Father hath willeth all things that the Father willeth and doth all things that the Father doth he is therefore really and essentially God It followeth and I am glorified in them that is I am made glorious by their owning and receiving me by their believing in me and accepting of me for their Lord and Saviour Thence Note That the Lord Jesus Christ is eminently glorified in and by all those that believe in him and belong unto him 11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Here Observe 1. Our Saviour's present Condition I am no more in the World that is I shall continue on Earth but a small time longer and then ascend to my Father in Heaven Learn thence That Jesus Christ as he is Man is gone out of this lower World into the immediate Presence of his Father He had been abased before he must be exalted now He had no more Work to do on Earth but much to do in Heaven therefore he left this Earth to go to Heaven Observe 2.
us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever Amen The Sence and Signification of this best of Prayers is this Oh thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually Praised and perfectly Obeyed by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that Thy Name may be Glorified Thy Throne Acknowledged and Thy Holy Will Obeyed here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants most sincerely and readily and in some proportion to what is done in Heaven And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life We crave That such a Proportion of the Good Things of this Life may be given in unto us as may be sufficient for us and that we may be content with our Allowance And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice obliges thee to punish Sin and Sinners we Plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to Pardon to us our daily Trespasses which we are guilty of in this State of Imperfection as we do freely and heartily Forgive others that have offended and wronged us And seeing that by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we are prone to rush upon and run into Temptation we crave That by the Power of thy Omnipotent Grace we may be kept from Satan's Temptations from the World's Allurements from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom which is exalted over all Persons over all Places over all Things in all Times past present and to come And accordingly in Testimony of our Desires and in Assurance to be Heard and Answered we say Amen So be it So let it be Even so O Lord let it be for ever 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses There being no Duty to which our corrupt Natures are more backward than this of Forgiving Injuries our Saviour repeats that Duty over and over and frequently inculcates it in the Holy Gospels Assuring us That Forgiving others is the indispensible Condition upon which we are to expect Forgiveness from God Learn thence That every time we go to God in Prayer and beg Forgiveness of him as we Forgive others if we do not Forgive them heartily and sincerely fully and freely readily and willingly we Lie in the Face of GOD and our Prayers are a sort of Imprecations against our Selves 16 Moreover when ye fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast Verily I say unto you they have their reward 17 But thou when thou fastest anoint thine head and wash thy face 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast but unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly The next Duty which our Saviour instructs his Disciples in is that of Religious Fasting which is a Devoting of the whole Man Soul and Body to a Solemn and Extraordinary Attendance upon GOD in a particular Time set apart for that purpose in order to the Deprecating of his Displeasure and for the Supplicating of his Favour accompanied with an Abstinence from Bodily Food and Sensual Delights and from all Secular Affairs and Worldly Business Now our Saviour's Direction as to this Duty of Fasting is double 1. He cautions us to beware of an Abuse in Fasting Be not as the Hypocrites are of a sad Countenance that is Do not affect a sullen Sadness Ghastliness and Unpleasantness of Countenance like the Hypocritical Pharisees who vitiate and discolour their Faces do marr and abolish their Native Complexion Hypocrisie can paint the Face Black and Sable as well as Pride with Red and White 2. He counsels us to take the right way in Fasting To Anoint the Head and Wash the Face That is to look as at other times using our ordinary Garb and Attire and not to affect any thing that may make us look like Mourners when really we are not so Where we may Note That tho' Hypocrites by their Dejected Countenances and Mortified Habits do seek to gain an Extraordinary Reputation for Piety and Devotion yet the sincere Christian is to be abundantly satisfied with God's Approbation of his Services and with the silent Applause of his own Conscience 19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal 20 But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal 21 For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Observe here 1. Something implied namely That every Man has his Treasure and whatsoever or wheresoever that Treasure is it is attractive and draws the Heart of Man unto it For every Man's Treasure is his Cbief Good 2. Something permitted namely the Getting Possessing and Enjoying of Earthly Treasure as an Instrument enabling us to do much Good 3. Something prohibited and that is the Treasuring up of Worldly Wealth as our Chief Treasure Lay not up Treasures on Earth that is Take heed of an Inordinate Affection to of an excessive Pursuit after of a vain Confidence and Trust in any Earthly Comfort as your Chief Treasure 4. Here is something commanded But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven Treasure up those Habits of Grace which will bring you to an Inheritance in Glory Be Fruitful in Good Works Laying up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold of Eternal Life Obs 5. The Reasons assigned 1. Why we should not lay up our Treasure on Earth because all Earthly Treasures are of a perishing and uncertain nature they are subject to Moth and Rust to Robbery and Theft the perishing Nature of Earthly Things ought to be improved by us as an Argument to sit loose in our Affections towards them 2. The Reason assigned why we should lay up our Treasure in Heaven is this Because Heavenly Treasures are subject to no such Accidents and Casualties as Earthly Treasures are but are durable and lasting The things that are not seen are eternal The Treasures of Heaven are inviolable incorruptible and everlasting Now we may know whether we have chosen these Things for our Treasure by our high Estimation of the Worth of them by our sensible Apprehension of the Want of them by the Torrent and Tendency of our Affection towards them and by our laborious Diligence and Endeavours in the Pursuit after them Where the Treasure is there will the Heart be also 22 The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light 23 But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore
Entertainment of Christ was good but Marys Attendance upon Christ's Ministry was better and more pleasing unto Christ Christ was better pleased to see Mary in the Chapel than Martha in the Kitchin tho' he doth not condemn the one yet he extols the other Mary hath chosen the good part Learn hence That Religion and the Service of God must be the matter our Election and Choice we must choose the good part and it being once chosen by us it shall never be taken away from us One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples The Learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehends that it was the custom of the Jewish Doctors to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use at least that John Baptist had done so to his Disciples Thereupon our Saviour's Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own composing that they might pray with their Masters Spirit as John's Disciples did with his Accordingly our Saviour gives them here a Form of his own and commands them when they pray to use it Indeed he had given them this Prayer about a year and half before in his Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye where it is probable that the Disciples look'd upon it only as a pattern of Prayer and not as a Form for had they thought that Christ had given them a Form of Prayer before they had not asked him for one now Therefore says Christ When ye pray say Certainly this gives us to understand that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church Learn hence That the Lords Prayer is both a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed and also an exact Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace After this manner pray ye says St. Matthew When ye pray say says St. Luke 2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Observe here the favour which Christ does us in prescribing a Form of Prayer to us a great Favour no doubt tho' the World grows weary of it we know not Alas what to ask but he himself teaches us and frames our Supplication for us that it may be accepted Should a King's Son draw a Petition for a poor Subject to be put up to his Father what a ground of hope would there be that whatever is desired would be obtained if any of us then think meanly of our Lord's Prayer oh how meanly may he think of us and of our Prayers 2 Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done As in Heaven So in Earth 3 Give us day by day our daily Bread 4 And forgive us our sins For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil. The Sense and Signification of this Best of Prayers is this O thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually praised and perfectly obey'd by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that thy Name may be Glorified thy Throne Acknowledged and thy Holy Will Obey'd here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants as readily as cheerfully and sincerely and in some degree of Proportion to what is done in Heaven above And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life we crave our daily Bread at thy Bountiful hand even such a proportion of the good things of this Life as thy Wisdom shall see convenient for us And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice doth oblige thee to punish Sin and Sinners we plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to forgive us our daily Trespasses for it is our desire and endeavour heartily to forgive those that have offended us And seeing this wicked World wherein we live is so full of Snares and Temptations of all sorts we pray that by the Power of thy Grace and the Concurrence of our own careful endeavours we may be kept from Satans Temptations from the World's Allurements and from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom and in Testimony of our Desires and Assurance to be heard we say Amen so be it so let it be even so oh Lord let it be for ever Learn 1. That God is the Father of all his People as a Father he knows all his children he loves them and takes care of them As his Children it is our Duty to Honour him to Obey him to imitate him to cast our care upon him and to long for the Enjoyment of him 2. From the Word Our Learn That it is our Duty to pray for others as well as for our selves we cannot pray acceptably for our selves if we pray only for our selves 3. That the Hallowing Honouring and Sanctifying of God's Name as it is the first thing we are to pray for so it ought to be preferred before all other things whatsoever we pray for it before we pray for our own Salvation we say Hallowed be thy Name before we say Forgive us our Debts 4. Learn That Sins are Debts and Sinners indebted to Divine Justice Sin it is an infinite Debt a multiplied Debt an inexcusable Debt and if not discharged by our Surety we must ly in Prison to all Eternity for Non-payment of this Debt 5. That God has made our Forgiveness of others the Condition of his Forgiving us The word As is not a Note of Equality but of Similitude we cannot equal God in Forgiving but we must imitate him 6. No sooner is Sin pardoned but Satan will be busy with his Temptation forgive us our sins and lead us not into Temptation 7. That it is a greater Mercy to be Delivered from the Evil of Temptation then from Temptations to Evil. The Evil of Temptations is the Evil of Sin but Temptations to Evil is at most but the Evil of Punishment Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Suffer us not to be led into Temptation or if so leave us not when we are Tempted 5 And he said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid-night and say unto him friend lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8 I say unto you tho' he will not rise and
a Pattern of Thankfulness then was Jesus to his followers There is hardly any one External Duty which we do not find the Hypocrite performing in Scripture except this of Thanksgiving and Praise we find Judas Repenting Ahab Humbling himself Saul Sacrificing but we do not find any wicked Man in an humble Spiritual manner blessing and praising God Need will make us Beggars but Grace only Thanks-givers X. In his Compassion towards those that were in Distress and Misery Matth. 20.34 Great was his Compassion to the Bodies of Men he healed all that came unto him he healed many undesired with great Condolency and tender Sympathy he exercised acts of Mercy and Compassion when the object of Compassion was before him and did perfectly abhor and severely condemn all Acts of Cruelty How great was his Compassion to the Souls of Men what Pains did he take and what Hazards did he run in preaching the Gospel to lost Sinners in his fervent Prayers for them but especially in Dying for them Let us imitate Christ herein as his Compassion was universal to all Mankind to the whole Man Soul and Body as it was Active and Operative as it was exercised with marvellous Complacency and delight as it was a preventing Compassion and an unwearied Compassion so let ours be also XI In his Holy and fruitful Discourse his Lips dropt as the Honey Comb and his Tongue was as choice Silver when walking with his Disciples to Emaus with what Heavenly Discourse did he entertain them in the way See Luke 24.13 c. A good Pattern for our Imitation when providentially cast into such Company as will bear it Lord what a Shame and Reproach is it to us that in common Conversation we spend so many hours together in talking over all the News of City and Country and part without speaking one word of Jesus Christ our best Friend XII In his free Conversation The Son of Man came eating and drinking Matth. 11. v. 19. that is was of a free and familiar Converse Affable and Sociable not Sower or Morose never shuning the Society of the worst of Men even of the Pharisees themselves but complying with their innocent Customs and accompanying them at their Feasts See on Luke 5.29 We do not find that when Christ was invited to any publick Entertainment that ever he refused to go not so much for the pleasure of Eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ converst with bad Men but as their Physician not as their Companion Let us go and do likewise XIII In his Patience under Sufferings and Reproaches when he was reviled he reviled not again but under-went the Burden of his Sufferings with admirable Patience and Meekness of Spirit when his Name and Honour suffered the vilest Indignities Blasphemies and Reproaches that the Malice of Satan and the Malignity of wicked Men could belch out against it when he was called a Blasphemer a Sorcerer a Devil a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend of Publicans and Sinners For an innocent Person and a dignified Person to bear all this when he could have look'd all his Enemies into Hell and have frown'd them into nothing Verily to bear all this without the least discomposure of Spirit is the highest Triumph of Patience that ever the World was acquainted with And why all this but to leave us an Example that we should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. XIV In his readiness to forgive Injuries One of his last Words upon the Cross was a Prayer for his Murtherers Father forgive them Luke 23.34 He offered up his Blood to God on the behalf of them that shed it Thus to forgive our Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them will be an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame and Temper when the Grace of God calms those tumultuous and outragious Passions which at any time we find raging in our Breasts moulding our Spirits into Sweetness and Gentleness freeing us from all malicious desires of Revenge which are so far beneath a Christian that it is the baseness of a Man yea as Jealousie is the Rage of a Man so Malice is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature XV. In his laying to Heart the Sins as well as the Sufferings of others Mark 3.5 He was grieved for the hardness of their Hearts Such was his Zeal for his Father's Glory such his Compassion to the Souls of Men such his Antipathy against and hatred of Sin that he was grieved for Sin where-ever he found it and mourned over those who had no Hearts to mourn for themselves Lord how far are they from a Christ-like Spirit and Temper who instead of mourning for other Mens Sins rejoyce in Iniquity and take Pleasure to see their Brother stab at once the Christian Name and his own Soul XVI In his Zeal for the Publick Worship of God John 2.17 The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up Now as Christ was so Christians ought to be intensly Zealous for the Glory of God the Honour of his House and the Purity of his Publick Worship The Zeal of thine House that is for the Honour of thine House hath eaten me up Our Zeal for the Publick Worship of God glorifies him most and he accepts it best Now we own that God whom we serve in the face of the World And this creates a veneration and esteem of God in the Minds of Men. XVII In his glorifying of his Father in all he did John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the Earth The whole Life of Jesus when here on Earth it was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he taught by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Purity of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death In like manner should we glorifie God in all we do in all we design in all we desire in our natural Actions of eating and drinking in our Civil imployments buying and selling in our lawful Recreations taking care that too much of our time be not consumed therein Recreation is not to be our business but to fit us for business but especially let us seek to glorifie God in our Religious Duties Publick and Private and Secret XVIII In his Impartiality in reproving Sin He feared the Faces and spared the Faults of no Offenders The Pharisees were a Proud and Haughty sort of People who dishonoured God above most when they pretended to glorifie him above any Therefore we find Christ denouncing a Bed-Roll of Woes against them in one Chapter St. Matth. 23. Wo to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites Eight several Woes are denounced against them for so many several Sins committed by them Those to whom God has given Authority to Reprove the Sins of others ought to imitate their Pattern in his Impartiality in reproving Sin His very Enemies gave him that Character St. Matth. 22.17 Thou carest not for any Man thou regardest not the Person of Men
Christianity should teach them better and lead them farther even To love their Enemies and to bless them that curse them Note Love for Love is Justice Love for no Love is Favour and Kindness but Love for Hatred and Enmity is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us Illustrious on Earth and Glorious in Heaven 48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect That is Aim at Perfection in all Christian Virtues and Divine Graces but particularly in this of Love in Imitation of your Heavenly Father who is the perfect Pattern of all desirable Goodness and adorable Perfections To be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is indeed impossible as to Equality but not as to Imitation The Word rendred here Perfect by St. Matthew is elsewhere by St. Luke rendred Merciful Luk. 6.36 Implying That Charity is the Perfection of a Christian's Graces He that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Learn That no less than perfect and compleat Perfection in Grace and particularly in the Grace of Love and Charity is and ought to be the Aim of every Christian in this Life and shall be his Attainment in the next CHAP. VI. This Chapter is a Continuation of our Saviour's Incomparable Sermon upon the Mount in which he cautions his Disciples against the Hypocrisie and Vain-glory of the Pharisees both in their Almsgiving and Prayers The former in the first Four Verses of this Chapter which speak thus 1 TAKE heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth 4 That thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly Observe here 1. The Duty directed to Almsgiving after a right manner Do not your Alms before Men some Copies read it Do not your Righteousness before Men Because Alms-giving is a considerable part of that Righteousness and Justice which we owe unto our Neighbour he that is Uncharitable is Unjust Acts of Charity are Acts of Justice and Equity It also intimates to us That the Matter of our Alms should be Goods righteously gotten to give Alms of what is gotten unjustly is Robbery and not Righteousness Observe 2. Our Saviour's cautionary Direction in giving of Alms Take heed that you do them not to be seen of Men. It is one thing to do our Alms that Men may see them and another thing to do them that they may be seen of Men. We ought to do Alms before Men that GOD may be glorified but Not to be seen of Men that our Selves may be applauded Obs 3. The particular Sin which our Saviour warns his Disciples against in giving their Alms namely Ostentation and Vain-glory which the Pharisees were notoriously guilty of Sounding a Trumpet to call People about them when they gave their Alms. Thence Learn That the doing any Good Work especially any Work of Charity and Mercy vain-gloriously not with an Eye at God's Glory will certainly miss of the Reward of Well-doing in another World Obs 4. The Advice given by our Saviour for the Prevention of this Sin and Danger and that is to do our Alms as secretly as we can Let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doth That is conceal it from thy nearest Relations and if possible from thy Self Note thence That the Secrecy of our Charity is one good Evidence of its Sincerity Hence the Egyptians made the Emblem of Charity to be a Blind Boy reaching out Honey to a Bee that had lost her Wings 5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Here our Saviour warns his Disciples against the same Pharisaical Hypocrisie in Praying which he had before reproved in Almsgiving It was Lawful to Pray in the Synagogues and to Pray standing and that before Men but to do this upon design to be Applauded by Men is condemned by Christ Our Business in Prayer lyes with God we are not to concern our selves how Men like our Performances it is sufficient if God doth approve and will accept them To cure the foregoing Vanity Christ directs to Secret Prayer in our Closets where God is the Witness and will be the Rewarder of our Sincerity Note That Secret Prayer is a commanded and encouraged Duty and when in Sincerity performed shall be attended with a publick and glorious Reward Pray to thy Father which is in secret c. 7 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking 8 Be ye not therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him A vain-glorious Ostentation in Prayer was condemned by our Saviour in the former Verse here a vain-glorious Multiplication of Words by idle Tautologies and impertinent Repetitions is condemned also After the manner of the Heathen who expect to have their Prayers granted by God for the Multiplicity of Words used by themselves Hence Note That a Christian's Business in Prayer being not to inform God For he knoweth what things we need before we ask him nor yet to move and perswade God for he is Our Father it certainly argues an undue Aprehension of God when we lengthen out our Prayers with vain Repetitions and a multitude of Words 9 After this manner therefore pray ye As if Christ had said for preventing these and all other Faults in Prayer I will my self give you a Compleat Form of Prayer to be used when you Pray with others and an exact Pattern and Platform for your Imitation when you Pray alone by your selves Note That the Lord's Prayer is both a Perfect Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us and also a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed St. Matthew says After this manner Pray ye St. Luke says When ye Pray say 9 Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name 10 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is heaven 11 Give us this day our daily bread 12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver