the God of Israel should die And it stands with equitie for hee that reuiles his lawfull Prince must die and that iustly how much more then ought hee to die that blasphemes the liuing God who is king of kings Now euery false Prophet is a blasphemer for his opinions are blasphemies against the truth of God therefore he ought to die The expresse wil of God herein is manifest Dout. 15. begin A Prophet comes and workes miracles and shewes signes that come to passe yet if he thereupon entice the people to idolatrie he must be slame and this is one way whereby the ciuill Magistrate must helpe the people to auoyde a false Prophet II. Quest. Why doth God then suffer such to liue in his Church as doe seduce men Answ. For two causes First that such as hold the truth in sinceritie may be knowne 1. Cor. 11. 18. Secondly for the punishment of the wicked and vngodly who receiue not the loue of the truth to seduce them by strong illusions and to cause them to beleeue lies The second point The danger of false Prophets They come in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues In these words Christ alludeth to the practise of false Prophets in former times who counterfeited the true Prophets in their attire for the auncient Prophets were vsually cloathed in rough and course attire Elias in regard of his garments is called an hairie man 2. Kin. 1. 8. and Iohn Baptist had his garment of Camels haire Math. 3. 4. And the false Prophets did counterfeit the true Prophets in their attire for this ende that they might the more easily deceiue the people as is most plaine Zak. 13. 4. where the Lord saith of false Prophets that they shall not weare a rough garment to deceiue for when they wore such course attire made either of sheep skins or sheeps wooll wherewith the true Prophets were vsually cloathed they sought hereby to perswade the people that they had the hearts of the true Prophets when as indeede they were ful fraught with daÌ„nable errors Now Christs meaning in this allusion is to shew that false Prophets haue plausible pretences for their daÌ„nable doctrine and therfore are the more daÌ„gerous Yet that we may the better perceiue the danger of false Prophets I will a little stand to describe their cloathing that is their pretences of deceit They may be reduced to 7. heads the first is allegation of Scripture which they will as often vse as the true Prophet hereby they blind the eies of many But the truth is that in alleaging Scripture they depraue change the sense either adde to or detract from the words following rightly their master Satan Mat. 4. 6. who alleaged Scripture to Christ but left out the principal point whereto the promise was made namely walking in thy waies And thus deale the Papists as this day sometimes they mangle the text alter the sense sometime they leaue the Scripture and go to traditions to Councels Fathers This also is the practise of the family of loue of the Anabaptists who turne the naturall sense of scripture into mysticall allegories The second cloake or pretence is the depth of their learning Reuelat 2. 24. The heresie of the Nicolaitans was by themselues called profound learning but by the holy Ghost the deepenesse of Satan So plaie the Papists at this day for sundry points of their religion for they hold that because the church in the Apostles time was weake in knowledge and feeble in faith therefore the Apostles omitted sundry deepe points especially concerning the masse which yet the Church receiuing by tradition doth now teach plainly and fully But though they match these doctrines of the Church with the holy Scripture yet we need not to trouble our selues therewith for in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles all things necessary to saluation are made known and we must not receiue any doctrine that cannot be confirmed thence and therefore in the parable Luk. 16. 3. Abraham prefers Moses and the Prophets before visions and reuelations from the dead The 3. cloake and pretence To assume to themselues the persons and titles of most worthy men 2. Cor. 11. 13. Paul speakes of such deceiuers that tooke to them the name of the Apostles of Christ therein following their master Satan who can transform himselfâ— into an angel of light See this in the Papists especially in the Pope ho will be Christs vâ—car Peters successour and the seruant of seruants The doctors call themselues Ceraphicall and Angelicall doctors and the Church of Rome must be the true Church but all this is but counterfeit deceipt for succession in place onely from Peter and from Christ himselfe is no certaine note of truth The Scribes and Pharisies had their succession from Aaron appointed by God and yet Christ bids his Disciples take heed of the leauen of their doctrine Matth. 16. 12. and calâ— them the blind leaders of the blind Succession then in true doctrine is the onely and sure note of true religion The 4. cloake or pretence is forged and counterfeit humilitie this Paul notes in false Apostles among the Colossians First they would not worship God directly but in and by the Angels Secondly they vsed much bodily exercise afflicting their owne bodies thirdly their worship was â—il-worship deuised by themselues If we would haue a liuely example hereof behold the Romish Priests they come to God in the mediation of Saints their whole religion stands in bodily exercises so as many of their orders are famous for their whippings and such like trumperie and their worship of God is wil-worship deuised by men The 5. pretence is working miracles hereby they labour to confirme their doctrine 2. Thess. 2. 9. The comming of Antichrist that â—an of sinne is with signes and lying wonders through Satans working and of such God forewarnes his people Deut. 13. that they should not bee dâ—aâ—ne to Idolatrie for a miracle for either they be false miracles and lying â—onders or if they be true miracles as God may suffer such to be wrought by false Prophets for the plague and punishment of the vnthankefull world yet their ende is to deceiue and to drawe men into errour from the truth We haue ordinarie experience of this pretence among the Romish Priests who by â—orcerie cast out deuils and cure strange diseases and so delude the simple but this must not drawe vs from the truth A miraculous worke truely done is not a sufficient warrant of a doctrine in religion for true and sound doctrine may want this confirmation Ioh. 10. 41. and false doctrine may haue it as Deut. 13. 1 2. c. The 6. pretence is faire speeches and blessings pretending the good and saluation of those to whom they come see this Rom. 16. 18. With faire speech and flattering â—aith Paul of false Apostles they deceiue the hearts of the simple so
must be opened namely what is Adulterie here forbidden Adulterie properly is the breach of wedlocke by such parties some one whereof at the least is either maried or espoused I call it the breach of wedlocke to note the propertie of this sinne which is not in any other sinne vnlesse it be of this kinde though the sinne bee farre more grieuous Idolatrie is a more hainous sinnâ— then Adulterie beeing a breach both of the first and second commaundement of the first Table and yet it comes short of Adulterie in this qualitie of breaking wedlocke for wedlocke may bee kept of those which are Idolaters Secondly I say betweene any parties if one bee maried meaning the husband as well as the wife to confute the opinion of some Iewes and by some lawes also maintained that the man hath a priuiledge aboue the woman so as hee breaketh not wedlocke when he goeth in to another woman besides his wife which is false for though he haue a prerogatiue ouer his wife in beeing her head yet hee hath no priuiledge to free him from matrimoniall fidelitie but is as much bound to keepe himselfe vnto his wife as she is to keepe her selfe to him The preheminence of superioritie cannot free the husband froÌ„ the bond of mariage the husband is bound to the wife as much as the wife is to the husband and shee hath power ouer his bodie as much as he hath ouer hers 1. Cor. 7. 4. Thirdly I say or espoused because Adulterie is not onely committed by such parties whereof one or both be fully maried but also by them whereof one is single and the other contracted onely and therefore is the same punishment alotted to both for contract in right is mariage Thus wee see the sinne here directly forbidden according to the letter of the Law Now though the Lord vnder this one includes all the sinnes of the same kind as we shall anone perceiue yet the Pharises tooke this litterall signification for the whole meaning and taught that the sinne here forbidden was bodily adulterie onely and so made the adulterie of the heart to be no adulterie which exposition Christ here confutes First here obserue the fraud and cunning of these Pharises they would seeme faithfull interpreters of the Law in that they keep themselues so close to the words that they will not passe one iot beyond the litterall sense but yet in the meane time they omit the full meaning and true vse of this Law The like hath beene the practise of heretiks in all ages as the Arrians who denied that Christ was God stucke fast to these words of Scripture the father is greater then I and to such like And the Papists to vphold their breaden God by transubstantiation will needes keepe tke litterall sense of these words of Christ This is my bodie whereby they ouerturne the nature of that sacrament And the like might be shewed by sundrie examples in all ages whereby we are taught not to stand vpon the proprietie of the words of Scripture onely but to labour to haue the true spirituall sense ioyned with them Secondly here obserue how grieuous a sinne Adulterie is in that Christ by name doth expresly forbid it among all the sinnes of this kind yea the very Pharises doe euery where condemne it for though they would easily dispense with disobedience to Parents yet the woman taken in Adulterie must be put to death Iohn 8. 4 5. The greatnes of this sinne might be shewed by many arguments for if he be worse thou an infidel that careth not for his familie then farre worse is the Adulterer for he destroyeth his familie Salomon we know maketh Adulterie worse then theft and yet theft is a notorious sinne greatly hated and seuerely punished of all nations Againe Adulterie destroyeth the Seminarie of the Church which is a godly seed in the familie and it breaketh the couenant betweene the parties and God it robs another of the pretious ornament of chastitie which is a gift of the holy Ghost it dishonoureth their bodies and maketh them the temples of the diuell and the Adulterer maketh his familie a Stewes for as Dauid dealt with Vrias so his owne sonne Absalon dealt with him and lastly it bringeth Gods vengeance vpon the posteritie and therefore Iob calleth it a firâ— which shall deuoure vnto destruction yea the greatnesse of Gods punishment vpon Adulterers partly in this life and principally after death may plainely shew the greatnesse of this sinne for this and other sinnes God in his wrath ouerthrewe Admah and Zebomi Sodome and Gomorrah with five and brimstonâ—â— from heauen and the place where they stood it made a poole of poysoning water vnto this day And although the Lord doe not shew such extraordinary reuenge against sinne yet his wrath is a consuming fire against whole families townes and kingdomes for this sinne though Dauid repented of his Adulterie yet for that very sinne the sword must not depart from his house for euer And for the life to come Adulterers and whâ—remâ—ngers God will Iudge Againe neither fornicators nor adulterers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God they may indeed repent and so bee saued but then they cease to be adulterers Now if Adulterie be so grieuous a sinne worser then theft c. then we must wish that in all places it were as seuerely punished as theft is so would families be reformed and become good Seminaries both for Church and common wealth Secondly the grieuousnesse of Gods wrath against this sinne must admonish euery one to beware thereof for it brings the besome of destruction to sweepe all away both in Church and common wealth Verse 28. But I say vnto you that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart Here our Sauiour Christ laies down the true sense of this commandement and as we see hee speaketh as the Law-giuer and Prophet of his Church who hath absolute power to giue lawes and to expound the same But I say vnto you The Pharises said there was no adultery but that which was outward and bodily but Christ plainely confuteth that and saith he that looketh on a woman to lust after her that is either in looking on her lusteth or by looking lusteth after her that is desireth to increase his lust he hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart Here then our Sauiour Christ setteth down two things touching the interpretation of this law First the occasion of adulterie which is looking to lust Secondly that the â—ust of the heart that is the motion and inward inclination of the heart vnto this sinne is adulterie before God though it neuer come into action For the occasion To looke vpon a woman is not sinne but may bee done lawfully yea thereby a man or woman may glorifie God as the Queene of Sheba by beholding Salomons person and hearing his
man to be mercifull and to lend Psal. 112. 5. where wee see that wretched practise of many rich men condemned to the pit of hell who are so far from lending to the poore that they hoard vp their store till a time of dearth that then they may inrich theÌ„selues by poore mens want thus they increase Gods iudgement vpon the poore and as it were grinde their faces and tread vpon them as the holy Ghost speaketh But they shall one day find that they ought to haue lent vnto the poore in their necessities yea and when the hand of God in common want lieth more heauie vpon the poore they ought then to open their hands more liberally towards them It is an vsuall common practise that when a man beginnes to decaie in his estate no man will lend him any thing â—uâ—â— because he beginnes to decay therfore they withdrew their helpe least he should not pay them againe But this ought not to be so it s Christs commandement that the rich by lending should sustaine such a one as by reason of want is readie to fall into decay Secondly this coÌ„mand of Christ binds the Rich not onely to lend but to lend freely without taking any increase for they must lend not looking for any againe yea Exod. 22. 25. the Lord expressely forbids to take increase of the poore where we see the common practise of Vsurers condemned to the bottome of hell who lende vnto the poore vpon bonds for increase these are they that liue on the blood and life of the poore whose sinne is euery where condemned and ought to be hated as bloodshed it selfe But the rich will say they are intreated so to doe and are greatly thanked for so lending Ans. This excuse will not serue the turne for Sauls armour bearer was a murtherer for killing his master though Saul earnestly besought him so to doe 2. Sam 1. 9. 16. Thirdly here further learne that a man must lend and yet not alwaies take againe the principall indeede he may require and receiue his owne els there should be no lending but all giuing which two are here distinct but yet when the poore that borowed is fallen inâ—o further pouertie the Rich must turne his lending into giuing and forgiue the principall or part thereof as their seuerall estates shal require Deut. 24. 10 11 12. A man may take a pledge for his debt of the poore but yet if the pawne be a thing necessarie to the poore mans life he must not take it or at least not retaine it till the sunne setting Fourthly some may here aske seeing Christ bids oâ— lend looking for nothing againe whether may a man at no time with good conscience receiue increase for his lending Ans. Lending is twofold of due or of curtesie lending of due is the loane of the rich vnto the poore when his necessitie compells him to borrow and for this a man cannot with good conscience take any increase Lending of curtesie is when one rich friend lends vnto an other this is not forbidden in the word of God but is left to a mans owne libertie and discretion neither hath it any promise of reward Now in this case of curtesie I doe not finde in Scripture that all taking of increase is simply condemned nay in some cases both the law of nature and the lawes of all countries doe allow it As first when the increase is giuen onely in way of thankefulnesse as a blessing to require in kindnes a good turne receiued for ingratitude is abhorred of all and the low of nature requires to doe good for good and all Diuines almost both Protestants and Papists doe allow this kinde of increase Secondly when a man sustaineth dammage by his lending he may receiue increase by way of satisfaction for his losse Thirdly when a man is contented to aduenture his principall in the hand of him that borroweth then also may he take increase like as a man may receiue hire for his hourse or for the vse of any other goods standing to their losse Exod. 22. 14. Thus we see what the will of God is for giuing and lending vnto the poore now hence the poore may receiue instruction First hereby all may learne that God will haue some poore among his people to receiue and borrow of the rich which may serue to perswade the poore to be contented with their meane estate esteeming it to be the best for them because God in his wisdome and prouidence hath ordained it Secondly the poore must take occasion from their outward pouertie to seeke to be rich in God through grace Iam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith Herein they may match and goe beyond the richer sort which is a matter of great ioy Iam. 1. 9. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted that is with God who counts them rich Revel 2. 9. Thirdly hence the poore must learne to carie themselues submissiuely towards the rich of whome they receiue great helpe and comfort by their giuing and lending Prov. 18. 23. The poore saith Salomon vttereth supplications noting their humilitie which reprooues many poore who are so proud hearted and ingratefull that they will not affoard the rich a good word but this beseemeth none much lesse those that are to liue by the rich Psal. 101. 5. Him that hath a proud looke and bigh heart I cannot suffer vers 34. Ye haue heard that it hath beene said of old thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie In this verse and the rest to the ende of this Chapter our Sauiour goeth about to purge the generall commandement of the second Table touching the loue of our neighbour from the corrupt interpretation of the Iewish teachers and to restore it to his true and proper meaning And as in the former so here he first laies downe their false doctrine touching this commandement v. 43 and then consutes the same v. 44 45 c. In laying downe their false interpretation he propounds the law of Moses touching brotherly loue Leuit. 19. 18. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour which must here be vnderstood in their false sense who by neighbour meant a friend as if God had said Thou shalt loue thy friend Then he adjoyneth their tradition gathered from the law of God misconceiued namely to hate a mans enemie In these Iewes we may obserue two manifest abuses of Scripture which ought not to be in any Teachers to wit misinterpretation and a false collection The word they misconstrue is Neighbour which in the olde Testament is taken two waies either strictly and more properly for a familiar friend and acquaintance in which sense it is commonly taken or more generally for any one that in any kind of societie is neare vnto vs as by consanguinitie habitation office traffique or beeing onely in
Lord. And to cleare this point yet further consider this that the roote of hypocrisie and of Atheisme is in our nature whereby naturally wee doe these three things wee Loue feare and trust in men more then in God and therefore doe make men the Iudges of our actions 1. for Loue are wee not greeued when we our selues or our freinds are dishonoured and on the contrarie when wee our selues or our freinds are praised are we not glad and reioyce but when God is dishonoured who is greeued or whose heart doth leape for ioye when God is glorified which argues plainely that our affection of loue is more inclined towards our selues and to our freinds then vnto God 2. for feare are not most men more afraide when they offend a mortall man like themselues then when they offend the euerliuing God 3. for trust and confidence in the time of affliction most men are more comforted if some friend promise them helpe then they are by all the promises of God himselfe in his word But men will say that they loue and feare and trust in God aboue all This indeede is the ordinarie profession of ignorant people but the truth is that by nature we refuse God to be our iudge and our approouer and appeale vnto men and therefore we must labour to see and feele and to bewaile this hypocrisie and to be indued with the contrarie grace whereby we may simply and sincerely seeke to be approoued of God in all our actions Secondly in this example note one euident cause of the disorder which was among the Iewes in respect of their poore for they begged in the high waies in the streetes of the cities and gates of the Temple flat against Gods commandement who would not haue such a begger in Israel other occasions there were of this abuse but one principall cause is here noted namely that priuate persons were permitted to giue their priuate almes vnto the poore with their owne hands in publike places This was a great disorder and the cause of many beggers for priuate men could not discerne the particular wants of all that begged so and therefore God had otherwise prouided for them in the old Testament as he shewed before And in the new Testament there were chosen faithfull men called Deaâ—ons in euery congregation who were to looke-vnto their poore to collect for them and to distribute to euery one according to their necessitie It is not vnlawfull for a priuate man to giue Almes in publike place if neede require but where the poore are no otherwise prouided for then by such priuate releefe it is a great disorder like as it is in a family where the children and seruants know not where and when to haue their dinners for the poore are Gods children in his family and ought to be prouided for in better sort then by such priuate releefe and therefore where good order is wanting for prouision for the poore it ought in conscience to be begunne and where it is begunne men must carefully maintaine and continue the same Thirdly in this example of a corrupt manner of Almes-giuing see the concurrence of sundrie sinnes First here is noted hypocrisie which were enough to condemne a man but yet with this there goes ambition and with both an open contempt and breach of good order in prouiding for the poore which shewes euidently that no sinne goes alone but ordinarily hath his companions for sinnes are so infolded one in an other that he which commits one is not free from any other this may plainly be shewed by many examples In Adams sinne there was the breach of the whole law in euery commandement either directly or by consequence for he shewed euident want of loue to God in beleeuing Satan more then God therein he chose Satan for his God he worshipped Satan and tooke Gods name in vaine he shewed also euident want of brotherly loue for hereby he became a murtherer not onely of himselfe but of all his posteritie and thus doe sinnes concurie in euery wicked action in which regard it may be said with Iames that he which faileth in one commandement is guiltie of all which must admonish vs to make conscience of euery sinne for we cannot liue in any one but we must needes runne into many other Uerely I say vnto you they haue their reward These words containe the reason of the former prohibition wherein we may see the vanitie of this giuing of Almes for the praise of men is all their reward they haue none with God as we shewed in the former verse vers 3. But when thou doest thine Almes let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth 4. That thine Almes may be in secret and thy father that seeth in secret he will reward thee openly These words containe Christs second commandement touching the manner of Almes-giuing with the reason thereof The commandement is in the third verse and it beareth this sense that if the left hand could vnderstand yet it should not know what our right hand gaue and therefore much more must we conceale the same from men Yet here Christ forbids not all giuing of Almes in open place or in the sight of men but his meaning is to restraine the ambition of the heart after the praise of men the giuer must not intend or desire that men should see him giue Almes that they might praise him but his heart must simply and sincerely seeke to approoue it selfe vnto God This will appeare to be the right meaning of our Sauiour Christ by comparing this verse with the first for here Christ renueth the commandement there giuen and forbiddeth the corrupt desire of the heart after vaine glorie in the giuing of almes Now for our better vnderstanding of this commandement first we will shew what is here forbidden and secondly what is commanded Here are two things forbidden first all desire or intention of mens beholding of vs when we giue our Almes secondly all respect and intent to please our selues in Almes-giuing for the left hand must not know what the right hand giueth The thing here commaunded is this that he which giues Almes must doe it simply intending and desiring onely to please God and to approoue his worke vnto God without all by-respects of mens praise or approbation Here then first is condemned the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth men to doe good workes with opinion of meriting life euerlasting thereby at the handes of God for that is farre more then to doe them for this ende to get praise of men which yet is here forbidden and therefore the other must needes be abominable Secondly seeing in our weldoing we must simply intend to approoue our selues vnto God it shall not be amisse here to shew how we may so doe our good workes that God may approoue thereof Hereunto foure things are required faith loue humilitie and sinceritie or simplicitie For the first in euery good
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
drought and yet the Prophet crouched vnto the earth and put his face betweene his knees no doubt humbling himselfe in praier to God for it as S. Iames saith Where we may see that praier is not contrarie to Gods decree but a subordinate meanes to bring the same to passe and therefore we must rather reason thus that because God hath decreed the euent of all things and hath appointed praier as a meanes to effect sundrie of his decrees therefore we must vse it Considering then that praier is necessarie notwithstanding all that can be saide against it we must learne with speciall â—euerence to giue our selues vnto this dutie both publikely in the assemblies of the Saints and priuately in our families beeing masters and gouernours for no family ought to want this morning and euening sacrifice of praier and thankesgiuing yea we must pray by our selues particularly in regard of our particular wants Indeede the most doe thus plead for themselues that they vse to pray often but the truth is that the coÌ„mon practise of our people in prayer is nothing els but lippe-labour and a mocking of God for what be their praiers but the saying ouer the ten Commandements and the Creede which are no praiers yea their repetition of the Lords praier without vnderstaÌ„ding or deuotion is no praier with God when they doe it onely of custome and rest in the worke done But here is required an other manner of praier then this And to incite vs vnto it let vs consider the worthie examples of Gods seruants herein Moses praied for the sauing of the Israelites fourtie daies and fourtie nights without meat or drinke Dauid praied seauen times a day and our Sauiour Christ spent whole nights in prayer Now these examples were written for our learning to teach vs to addict our selues to this holy dutie wherein our hearts speake vnto God The want hereof is the cause of the common Atheisme that is in the world of iniustice and crueltie in mens callings of swearing pride backbiting in mens liues for if men would often set themselues in the presence of God by vnfained inuocation the remembrance thereof would still be before their eyes and cause them to abstaine from all these iniquities for who beeing stained with such transgressions durst present himselfe before the maiestie of God who is a consuming fire against all sinne and wickednes hauing fierie eyes to see their sinnes and feete of brasse to bruise them in pieces that will not repent Secondly in this prohibition against hypocrisie in praier we may see that to conceiue a praier and to make profession of religion may for the outward worke as well be performed from pride of heart as from the grace of God carnall men may doe it in pride which Gods children doe by grace as we shewed in the former point of Almes giuing that therfore which Christ said of hearing the word take heed how you heare must be conceiued to be spoken to vs of praier and the profession of religion take heed how you praie and how you professe religion And indeed before we pray we ought to enter into our hearts and there to search out our corruptions diligently that we may be able to discerne in our selues between pride and Gods grace and so perceiue vpon what ground we pray that it be not from a damnable pride but from the sauing grace of Gods holy spirit Thirdly in this prohibition Christ condemnes this false ende of praier when men doe it to haue praise of men whereby we may see that it is a thing incident to the professors of the Gospel to doe the duties of religion for the approbation of men which notably bewraies the hypocrisie of our hearts which naturally haue more respect to men then to the Lord euen then when we haue to deale with God himselfe Thus did the Scribes and Pharisies and it is to be feared the same fault is common among vs for men are farre more forward and carefull to performe the publike duties of religion in the assemblies of the Church then priuate duties either in their families or by themselues Many will praie in the Church that neuer regard priuate praier at home Againe in performing publike duties men haue more care of the outward action then of truth and sinceritie in the heart and many studie more for fit words to delight mens eares then for good affections which God approoueth for what is the cause that many ancient professors when they come to die know not how to commend their soules to God Surely this especially that in the whole course of their profession they more respected men then God and therefore in the time of death when they must needs deale with God indeed they know not what to doe nor how to behaue themselues Lastly Christ here reprooues their behauiour in praier which was standing without all humbling of themselues either in soule or bodie This is a thing incident to many in our congregations who vse to shew no manner of reuerence or humilitie in the time of praier but either stand or fit as though they had no need to humble themselues or else intended onely that men should see them But we must know that howsoeuer the word of God prescribes no peculiar gesture in this action yet it is not a thing indifferent either to vse or not to vse some seemely gesture of humiliation in this worship of God but some must needes be vsed to expresse and further the humilitie of the heart which is chiefly required Isay 6. 2. the Sâ—raphims standing before God couer their feete and faces with their wings in regard of Gods presence and the poore Publicane that praied with the Pharisie howsoeuer he praied standing yet he cast downe his countenance and smote himselfe on the breast to testifie his humiliation Yea Christ Iesus our Lord when hee bare the punishment of our sinnes in the garden fell downe vpon his face and praied thus also did Moses and Aaron Elijah Ezra Daniel humble themselues And it hath alwaies beene the practise of Gods seruants in praier by some conuenient gesture of the bodie to expresse the humilitie of their hearts which checketh the custome of our common people in praier who are so farre from bringing a broken heart to God which is the thing he chiefly requires that they know not what to aske and many there be that will not submit themselues to such outward gesture as might expresse their inward humiliation These things are farre vnseemely for Gods people and therefore let vs learne to humble our selues at Gods footestoole first in our very hearts and withall we must be carefull to testifie the same by some conuenient outward humiliation Verse 6. But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Christ hauing
forbidden hypocrisie in praier in the former verse doth here commaund the contrarie vertue namely sinceritie setting downe the right manner of prayer to God in that behalfe Now because the words are not to be taken in that sense which at the first reading they seeme to beare therefore for the better vnderstanding of them I will here laie downe two grounds 1. That in this place our Sauiour Christ doth not forbid publike praier in the congregation or in publike places for publike praier is Gods ordinance where two or three saith Christ bee gathered together in my name there am I in the middle among them and whatsoeuer they shall desire shall be giuen them of my father Againe publike praier serues for most worthy vses for which it must be maintained as first to make mens praiers vnto God more feruent and effectuall as in the common wealth a priuate mans supplication is not so much respected as when a whole incorporation or a whole shire make petition to the Prince Secondly by publike praier a man professeth himselfe to be a member of Gods Church and one that seuereth himselfe from all prophane societies and companies of men in the world Thirdly publike praier serues to stirre vp zeale in them that be cold and backward for herein they are made acquainted with Gods blessings they are left to see their owne wants they haue the good example of Gods children 2. Ground That priuate praier though it be Gods owne ordinance is not here directly commanded for looke what was forbidden in the former verse the contrarie thereto is here commaunded but Christ did not simply there forbid publike praier he aimed at an higher thing therein namely hypocrisie therefore here he commandeth not priuate praier directly but intendeth the right manner thereof for sinceritie whether publike or priuate Hauing laid downe these two grounds I come now to the true meaning of the words When thou praiest that is either thy selfe alone or with others enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy dore praie c. that is be as though thou diddest pray in thy closet intending onely to approoue thy selfe and thine heart vnto the Lord hauing no respect to any creature in the world for this Christ meanes by praying in a chamber or closet namely that a man in praier should not respect himselfe or any creature but simply intend and approoue himselfe vnto God onely In the words thus explaned we are to obserue two things a commandement and a reason thereof the commandement in these words When thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut the doore pray vnto thy father which is in secret This commandement inioyning the right disposition of the heart to God ward in our praiers doth prescribe the true and perfect manner of praier whereto that we may the better attaine I will here shew how the same is performed That a man in praier may approoue himselfe and his actions vnto God alone three kind of duties are required some going before praier some in the act of praier and some after praier Before praier foure duties are required 1. A man must haue knowledge of three things concerning praier for euery praier must bee made in faith and in obedience to God which without knowledge cannot be done to wit of Gods commandement to pray of the things we aske in praier and of the manner of asking which is this spirituall blessings cōcerning life eternall as remission of sinnes sanctification and other necessarie graces must be asked simply without condition but temporall things concerning this life as health wealth liberty and such like must be asked with condition of Gods will as they serue for his glorie the good of our selues and of our brethren 2. A man must labour to find himselfe conuerted vnto God hauing a true purpose of heart not to liue in any sinne for God heareth not sinners and Dauid saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare my praier When men come to the Lords table they forsake their sinnes and turne vnto God which must also be done before wee praie for therein we are to deale with God who cannot abide iniquitie 3. A man must seeke to be in Christ that would pray with comfort Ioh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you aske what ye will and it shall be done to you In the old Testament the sacrifices were to be offered onely vpon the altar of God in the Temple or in the Tabernacle which prefigured this vnto vs that in the new Testament our praiers which are our sacrifices must be offered onely in Christ Iesus who is our incense altar in heauen our spirituall Temple 4. Before praier a man must seuer himselfe frō all creatures in his thoughts and desires being himselfe before God with feare and reuerence that euery power and facultie of the soule may say as Cornelius did to Peter wee are all here in the presence of God for this end his mind and memorie must be taken vp with diuine and holy thoughts and his heart possessed with holy desires God in Christ must be his whole delight and all by-thoughts must bee banished Our Sauiour Christ vsed to pray in the night and in solitarie places apart from the societies of men this he did no doubt for this end that he might set himselfe wholly before God and be free from all occasions of distraction in that diuine dutie Duties in praier are especially fiue 1. We must labour to haue a true sense and feeling of our wants of our sinnes and corruptions and bee inwardly touched in conscience for the same for as the begger sits still at home and neuer goes to begge reliefe till hee feele himselfe pinched with hunger and want so it is with vs till we feele our owne wants and miseries by reason of our sinnes wee can neuer put vp an earnest and heartie praier to God 2. We must haue an inward feruent and vnfained desire toward God for the supply of all our wants and miseries this is a speciall thing in praier which maketh it not onely to bee a petition of the lippes but a true request of the heart This the Prophet Dauid expressed when he said to God My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land doth after raine and Hanna also when shee told Elie that shee powred out her soule as water before the Lord. 3. Euery petition must bee made in obedience that is wee must haue a commandement inioyning vs to aske the thing we pray for and a promise to assure vs that it shall bee graunted vnto vs and yet here this speciall caucat must be remembred that we leaue both the time and the manner of accomplishing our requests to the good pleasure and wisdome of God 4. Euery petition must be presented to God in the