title Father properly belongs to God who is a father simply by creation giuing beeing to all things and preseruing them by his prouidence Men indeede are called fathers but that is onely secondarily because in some properties of fatherhood they resemble God Now this title is giuen to God sometime simply considered without personall relation as Deut. 32. 6. Doe ye sâ— reward the Lord O foolish people is not he thy father that hath bought thee Orherwhile it is giuen to the particular persons in Trinitie as first and principally to the first person who is commonly called the Father And the second person in Trinitie is sometime called Father as Isa. 9. 6. the father of Eternitie because he is the ground of our adoption whereby we become eternally the sonnes of God and therefore he is brought in thus complaining of reproach Behold I and the children which the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel for the author to the Hebrewes expounds that place of Christ Heb. 2. 13. he is said to haue seede Isa. 53. 10. And the holy Ghost may proportionally be called Father because with the Father and the Sonne he giues beeing to all things But in this place by father is meant properly the first person who is first and cheifly the father of Christ and in Christ our father He is the father of Christ first by nature begetting him as he is the Sonne of his owne substance before all worlds by communicating vnto him his whole essence or Godhead Secondly he is the father of Christ aâ— Christ is man by the grace of personall vnion for the manhood of Christ doth wholly subsist in the Godhead of the second person and therefore Christ as he is man I say not his manhood which is a nature not a person may well be called the Sonne of God And in this relation of himselfe to the first person Christ saith My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14. 28. God the father is our father not by nature or in regard of personall vnion but by the grace of Adoption in Christ for God sent his Sâ—â—ne made of a woman that is incarnate that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And this grace we receiue when we truly beleeue in his name Ioh. 3. 12. and Gal. 3. 26. God for Christs sake beeing content to receiue vs for his sonnes and daughters Which art in heauen God is said to be in heauen not as though he were included in the circle of the heauens for the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to containe him 1. king 8. 27. and indeede he is neither included nor excluded any place beeing infinite and so euery where but because his maiestie and glorie is most eminent in the highest heauens to his Saints and Angels and thence doth he manifest himselfe vnto vs in his power wisdome iustice and mercie while we are on earth for heauen is his throne and the earth his footstoole Isa 6â— 1. So that the meaning of this preface is this O Lord God thou art the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most mercifull father by Adoption and grace thou art a most glorious God who dost in heauen and from heauen manifest thy glorious power and mercie thy wisdome iustice c. â— The Instructions I. This title Father here giuen to God teacheth vs to whome we must direct our prayers not to Saints or Angels or any other creatures but to God alone Reasons I. This is a perfect patterne of true praier wanting no direction for the right performance of this part of Gods worship now this directs vs onely vnto God in praier II. God onely is the author and giuer of all good things Iam. 1. 16. and therefore we must aske them of him alone III. The Lord onely who is infinite and omni potentican heare all mens praiers at all times and in all places and therefore he alone is to be praied vnto and not Saints departed as the Papists teach II. By this title we may see in what order we must direct our pâ—aâ—ers vnto God for as the word of God reuealeth God vnto vs so must we pray vnto him now the Scripture reuealeth God vnto vs to be one in essence and three in person vz. the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost whereof the Father is first the Sonne is the second the holy Ghost the third in order though noâ— in time oâ— greatues Thus and no otherwaies must we conceiue of God neither seuering the Godhead from the persons nor the persons from the Godhead And thus also must we worship him euen one God in three persons and three persons in one God And yet seeing the Father is first in order the Sonne the second and the holy Ghost the third therfore when we pray to God we must obserue this order directing our praiers to God the Father in the mediation of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost as Christ here teacheth vs to say Our father Quest. May we not direct our praiers to the Soâ—ne or to the holy Ghost by name Ans. Yes for Stephen praied to the Sonne Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and Christ bids hiâ— Disciples Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that is calling vpon the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Obiect But in this perfect platforme we are taught to pray to the Father alone Ans. Though the Father alone be here named yet the other two persons are not hereby excluded the Father indeede is most vsually named because he is the first in order but yet with him alwaies is implied the Sonne and the holy Ghost for as all the three persons subsist in one and the same diuine nature or Godhead and are not seuered in will in counsell or in outward actions as creation preseruation and redemption saue onely that they are distinguished in the maner of working so likewise must they be all conceiued in our minds together when we pray and none seuered out though they be not named we must pray to all though we name but one hauing in that one relation to the rest in our minde and heart And if we conceiue aright of the order of the persons in Trinitie subsisting in the vnitie of essence we may safely name in our praiers which person we will so that withall we include the rest in our minde and may also if we name all place them in such order as best fitteth our present occasion as the Apostle doth in his benediction 1 â— Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christâ— and the loâ—e of God the father and the communion of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 with you allâ— Aâ—en where he placeth the second person before first because by the grace of Christ we come to be partakers of the loue of God the father III. In this title Father see the true ground
haue wronged vs. Thirdly consider the examples of worthie men in this case for our Sauiour Christ neuer sought reuenge but bare wrong patiently committing all to him that iudgeth righteously leauing vs an example to doe likewise 1. Peter 2. 10. Yea when hee was cruelly and vniustly crucified he praied for his persecutors Luke 23. 34. Steuen also praied for them that stoned him Act. 7. 16. and Dauid though a King would not suffer reuenge to be taken on Shimeâ— that cursed him 2. Sam. 19. 9 10. neither would hee euer touch Saul who sought his life though he had him often in his hands nay his heart smote him for cutting off the lap of his coate so farre was he from seeking reuenge Fourthly in the fift petition wee pray Forgiue vs our sinnes as we forgiue our trespasses but if wee carrie grudging in our hearts we praie God not to forgiue vs but to condemne vs for we will not forgiue but be reuenged on them that offend vs. Now this is a most fearefull case that a man should pray for vengeance vpon himselfe Fiftly it is not meete in common reason that the same partie should be the accuser and the Iudge and yet if a man might reuenge himselfe this should be so and therefore â—f wee would be Christs Disciples we must arme our selues with patience in suffering wrong and referre reuenge to God that iudgeth righteously Yet some will say If we alwaies put vp and suffer wrong wee shall neuer bee in quiet but still be abused Answer Though in our own person we may not reuenge our selues yet wee may craue the helpe of the Magistrate either for the preuenting or for the punishment of wrong done vnto vs for the Magistrate is Gods Liuetenant to releeue the oppressed and to execute vengeance on malefactours thus did Paul send to the chiefe Captaine to preuent a conspiracie that the Iewes intended against him and appealed to Caesar to auoyde the danger of the Iewes at Ierusalem and yet when wrong is done vnto vs wee must beare it patiently without seeking priuate Reuenge although the wrong were doubled or trebled vpon vs. Thirdly our Sauiour Christ here calling the wrong doer an euill one giueth vs to vnderstand that it is the propertie of an euill man to doe wrong vnto others and this title is giuen to the wrong doer to teach vs that wee must suffer wrong patiently though hee bee an euill man that offereth it vnto vs. It is the propertie of a good man to doe good continually but to doe wrong is the marke of an euill man who herein is like the deuill which must teach vs not to doe wrong to any one in his bodie goods or name either by word or deede but rather applie our selues to doe all the good we can to euery one within the compasse of our calling Hereby wee shall see what our estate is for if in our callings wee set our selues to hurt others either by word or deede wee are in the sight of God euil men such are our vsurers and extortioners and all those that vse fraud and deceite in their callings But if wee would shewe our selues to be good men approoued of God in Christ then wee must referre our bodies and soules and all that wee haue to the good of others Although men by nature be like to sauage beasts as Lyons Woolues Cock â—trices c. whose propertie is to deuoure and hurt other creatures yet when it pleaseth God to receiue them to mercie and to place them in his kingdome then they laie aside their cruell nature and liue peaceably one with another for in all the Mountaine of Gods holinesse none shall hurt or destroie verse 9. It is a prophecie of Christs kingdome that therein the sword and speare which are weapons of warre shall bee turned into scythes and mattocks which are instruments of common good in time of peace whereby was signified that when men are conuerted and become true children vnto God they laie aside all malice and giue themselues to doe good and become seruiceable vnto all for the good of all This was notably verefied in Paul who of a persecuter became a preacher yea he became all things to all men that by all meanes hee might win some And thus doing we are like to our heaueÌ„ly father who doth good to all but if we giue our selues to wrong doing we are euill ones and herein like to the deuill himselfe Fourthly Christ here forbidding priuate reuenge which is vnlawful doth hereby establish that reuenge which is lawfull and iust Now lawfull reuenge to speake somewhat hereof is the worke of a iust and lawfull power requiting euill for euill This iust reuenge is two-folde Diuine and Humane Diuine reuenge is the worke of Gods absolute power taking vengeance vpon offenders of the lawfulnesse of this reuenge in God there is no question onely this we must remember that God executes this vengeance daiely in the manifold miseries of this life and likewise in the iust condemnation of the impenitent after death Indeed as a father he chasteneth his Church and children for vengeance in Christ becomes nurturement but as a seuere iudge hee plagues the wicked powring vengeance on them both temporall and eternall Humane reuenge is the ordinance of God whereby men beeing therevnto called by God doe execute vengeance in the name of God and it is twofold extraordinarie or ordinarie Extraordinarie when men are extraordinarily stirred vp by the spirit of God to execute vengeance vpon offenders in the name of God Thus Pâ—iâ—eâ—as slew Zimri and Cosbie and thus many of the Iudges of Israel specially Ehud Sampson tooke reuenge vpon the enemies of Gods people thus Elias the Prophet slew Baals priests 1. King 18. 40. and destroyed the two Captaines and their fifties with fire from heauen 2. King 1. 10. 12. thus Peter killed Ananias and Saphira and Paul stroâ—ke Elimas with blindnesse This kind of reueng is now rare for wee are not to looke for extraordinarie instincts we know Christ rebuked his Disciples for seeking to execute this extraordinarie reuenge vpon the Samaritans and therefore when we haue a conceit hereof in our selues wee may iustly suspect what spirit it is that mooueth vs. Ordinarie reuenge is that which men ordinarily put in execution in the Church and common wealth according to Gods will beeing thereto called by God it is twofold Lesser or Soueraigne Lesser reuenge is the inflicting of lawfull correction vpon offenders in word or deede not reaching to the case of life and death this kinde of reuenge is committed to parents ouer their children and masters ouer their seruants to schoolemasters ouer their schollers and Tutors ouer their pupils Soueraigne reuenge is that whereby the Magistrate may lawfully punish men according to their offences in bodie goods or life it selfe this I call soueraigne not simply but because it is
hee is a seuere iudge against all iniquitie II. This shewes that Christ preferres an honest and godly life aboue most worthy gifts euen before the gifts of Prophecie and Miracles and therefore our principall care must be to frame our hearts and liues to true obedience vnto our God in all his commaundements III. This must stirre vs vp to true and vnfained repentance If wee haue not yet repented it must mooue vs to beginne it if wee haue repented wee must doe it more for Christ will pronounce a fearefull sentence of condemnation vpon many professours because they liue in sinne though they haue prophecied in his name and cast ouâ— deuils and done many great workes yet because they haue beene in heart addicted to some sinnes hee shall say vnto them at the last day Depart from mee and goe yee cursed into euerlasting â—â—râ— The horrour whereof seeing Christ hath so long before made it knowne vnto vs ought to mooue vs to humble our selues to turne vnto God and to breake off the course of our sinnes euen in the purpose of our hearts And if wee will not now tremble and turne the day will come when wee shall heare a fearefull commaundement and obey it and noâ— bee able to turne from it but if wee shal now turne to God by true repentance and new obedience we shall in that day heare the blessed voyce of absolution vpon our selues when as the feareful sentence of condemnaâ—ion shall be pronounced vpon others IV. Whereas many men shall be condemned because in heart they haue beene addicted to some open or secret sinnes wee must in the feare of God labour to purge our hearts from all sinne so as wee bee not addicted to any one sinne with purpose to liue therein yea wee must labour to turne our selues from euery euill way from sinnes in thought in affections in behauiour and actions The purpose of our heart muâ—t bee not to liue in any one sinne so as if wee fall wee may yet truely say it was against our purpose and intent and therefore we must labour to bee renued in the spirit of our mindes euen in the most secret part of our soules It is not enough to leaue sinne when it leaues vs by reason of weakenesse or want of opportunitie thus doth many an aged man who hauing liued in lewdnesse and lust all his youth doth at length by reason of weakenesse in olde age leaue those sinnes in practise but yet his heart is still addicted to them and therefore euen then when hee cannot goe without a staffe will hee take great delight in rehearsing and remembring the trickes of his youth Now this man hath no repentance for his delight in the remembrance of sinne past is all one before God as if hee had liued still in the practise thereof our prayer therefore must be with Dauid to the Lord continually that hee would incline our hearts vnto his commaundements and not to couetousnesse or any other sinne Psal. 119. 36. Verse 24. Whosoeuer then heareth of me these words and doth the same I will liken him to a wise man which hath builded his house on a rocke 25. And the raine fell and the floods came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke After the deliuery of many notable instructions in this sermon of our Sauiour Christ whereby he hath sufficiently shewed himselfe to be the true Prophet and Doctor of his Church in this verse and those which follow to the 28. he comes to lay downe the conclusion of this excelleÌ„t sermon wherein he doth stirre vp his hearers to a notable duty namely that they should not make light account of his doctrine contenting themselues barely to heare reade or to learne the same but further to goe about the practise thereof in their liues and conuersations And for the effecting hereof hee laies downe here at large the fruite of true obedience to the word In this conclusion are these points contained I. A maine dutie to be done of all his hearers that is to heare and doe the words of Christ. Whosoeuer heareth these my words doth the same II. The propertie of this dutie it is a note of great wisedome I will liken him to a wise man c. III. The fruite of this dutie Safetie and securitie against all perâ—ls of bodie and soule in the 25. verse all which are amplified by their contraries in the 26. and 27. verses as we shal see in their place The first point is the maine dutie of euery good hearer namely to ioyne practise with knowledge of the word of Christ. This dutie is oft vrged vpon vs by the holy Ghost Rom. 2. 12. Not the hearers of the Law but the doers thereof shall bee iustified before God and Saint Iames stands long on this dutie Iam. 1. 22. Be the doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your ownâ— soules which after he enforceth both by the vanitie of hearing without doing v. 23 24. by the blessing that accompanies obedient hearing v. 25. Luk. 11. 27 28. when a woman in admiration at Christs doctrine pronounced her blessed that bare him Christ answered â—ay rathâ—r blessed are they that hear the word of God keepe it And in the parable of the sower Mat. 13. there are 4. kinds of hearers three bad one onely good who doe heare know receiue embrace the word of God withall bring forth fruit plentifully And naturall reason may perswade vs of the waight of this duty for the best learning that men haue in humane things is too little or of no vse without practise much lesse can diuine doctrine then profit a man without obedience be ioyned therewith Use. The consideration hereof must mooue vs to pray to God the Father in the name of Christ that he would vouchsafe his spirit vnto vs wherby our hearts might be enclined disposed bent to an vnfained loue obedience of Gods precepts deliuered in his holy word because it is our dutie to liue in the practise of that we heare Yea we must pray so to performe obedience in our life that our consciences may not only not accuse vs but also excuse vs before God in regard therof or at least in regard of our true endeauour desire to obey This duty being practised will minister true comfort vnto vs in time of distresse yea in the fearefull case of death it selfe Hereby did good king Hezekias comfort himselfe at his death that hee had walked before the Lord with an vpright perfect heart Isay 38. And the word of God is plaine for this comfort If our hearts condemne vs not we haue boldnes towards God 1. Ioh. 3. 21. alwaies prouided we haue a good vnderstanding of our duty to God for an ignorant conscience will falsly excuse II. Point The property of this dutie It is a part of great wisdom for he that heareth and
rodde of men but not take his mercie quite from them 2. Sam. 7. 14. Secondly when God remooues the griefe with the causes thereof thus he comforted Manasses who for his abominable Idolatries and witchcrafts was carried captiue into Babylon and there laid in prison fettered in chaines of iron yet when he did mourne vnder that affliction and withall humbled himselfe vnto God for his sinnes the Lord comforted him by bringing him out of that captiuitie and prison to Ierusalem into his owne kingdome Thirdly when God giues inward comfort to the heart and conscience by his word and spirit In this case Paul said we reioyce in afflictions knowing that the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs yea when he was exceedingly afflicted aboue his strength so as he receiued the sentence of death in himselfe hauing no hope of life yet euen then he professeth that as the sufferings of Christ abounded toward him so his consolations through Christ abounded in him Fourthly when God by death puts an ende to all their miseries and brings their soules to eternall life Thus was Lazarus comforted as Abraham saith vnto Dives Luk. 16. 25. and thus doth Christ comfort the Theefe vpon the crosse who with his bodily torment for his leud life was vndoubtedly touched in conscience for his sinnes and therefore desires Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdome by telling him that that day he should be with him in Paradise Here then we haue a notable remedie against the immoderate feare of death whether naturall or violent and of any other iudgement of God for when death it selfe or any other miserie whatsoeuer shall befall vs if we can there with bewaile our transgressions we neede not feare still holding fast this promise by faith in our hearts that we shall be comforted Secondly this promise well obserued may teach vs to auoide the perill of this false conceit That true faith doth alwaies minister present comfort Many doe herewith perplexe themselues measuring their estate towards God by that which they feele in theÌ„selues so as if in time of trouble they finde not present comfort they iudge themselues voide of faith and cast out of Gods fauour but herein they greatly wrong themselues for though the apprehension of comfort from God in distresse be a fruit and worke of faith yet a man may haue true faith that wants this sense and feeling of present comfort Doubtlesse none are blessed that want faith yet many are blessed that want feeling for here it is saide they that mourne for sinne are now blessed and yet it is not said they are now comforted but they shall be comforted meaning afterward in Gods good time Vers. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth This is the Third rule of Christ touching happinesse which as the former containeth two parts first the parties blessed secondly wherein this blessednes consists For the first The parties blessed be the meeke That we may know aright who be meeke I will somewhat lay open the vertue of meekenes and briefly handle these foure points first what meekenes is secondly what be the fruits thereof thirdly wherein it must be shewed fourtly the cause and ground thereof I. Point Meekenes is a gift of Gods spirit whereby a man doth moderate his affection of anger and bridle in himselfe impatience hatred and desire of reuenge II. Point The fruits of meekenes are principally two First it makes a man with a quiet and patient heart to beare Gods iudgemeÌ„ts which is a worthie grace of God and the greatest fruit of meekenes Levit. 10. 3. When Aarons two sonnes Nadab and Abihu were burned with fire from heauen which was a grieuous iudgement he went to Moses to know the cause thereof who told him that God would be glorified in all that came neere him which when Aaron heard he held his peace and was not mooued with grudging or impatience So Dauid beeing in great distresse through the hand of God vpon him doth notably shew forth this grace saying I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because Lord thou diddest it Secondly meekenes causeth one with a quiet minde to beare the iniuries men doe vnto him yea to forgiue and forget them and to requite good for euill referring all reuenge to God that iudgeth righteously When Dauids enemies laid snares for his life vttered sorrowes and imagined deceit against him continually yet by this vertue he suffered all patiently beeing as a deafe man that heareth not and as the dumbe which openeth not his mouth so farre was he from priuate reuenge And our Sauiour Christ sets forth himselfe a patterne of this vertue saying Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart herein he left himselfe an example that we should follow his steppes who when he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he was buffeted he threatned not but referred all to the iudgement of him that iudgeth righteously yea he praied for them that crucified him So did Stephen Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge so Zachariah the sonne of Iehoida beeing stoned saide onely this The Lord will see and require it at your hands 2. Chron. 24. 22. III. Point Wherein must this meekenesse be shewed Ans. Not in the matters of God when his glorie is impeached for therein we must haue zeale as hote as fire but in the wrongs and iniuries that concerne our selues Moses was the meekest man vpon the earth in his time Numb 12. v. 3. and yet when the Israelites had made a golden calfe in zeale to Gods glorie hee brake the two tables of stone put to the sword that same day three thousand men of them that had so dishonoured God Dauid also that held his tongue at his owne wrongs did consume away with zeale against his enemies that forgat Gods word Psal. 119. 139. And our Sauiour Christ who as a lambe before the shearer opened not his mouth for the wrongs done vnto himself did yet in rescue of his fathers glorie make a whip of cordes and driue the buyers out of the Temple who made his Fathers house a denne of theeues Math. 21. 12. IV. Point The cause and ground of this meekenesse is affliction and pouertie of spirit as the order of these rules declareth where it is placed after pouertie of spirit and mourning and therefore Psal. 37. 11. whence these words are borrowed the meeke person is called by a name that signifieth one afflicted to teach vs that hee that is meeke indeede is one who by affliction and distresse hath beene brought to mourne for his offences for hardly can he bee meeke and patient in spirit that hath not beene acquainted with the crosse Lamen 3. 27 28 29. The Church commendeth this bearing of the crâ—sse in youth because it maketh a man to sit
and rebellion into our Land if this were not our peace would continue for euer for the worke of iustice shall be peace quietnesse and assurance for euer And againe in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression This therefore should mooue all vngodly persons to repent and to breake off the course of their sinnes vnlesse they will continue professed enemies to the peace of the state vnder which they liue The second Point wherein this blessednesse of Peace-makers consists namely in that they shall be called the children of God that is they shall be esteemed and reputed for Gods children in this world of God himselfe and all good men and in the world to come fully manifested so to be That this is true happinesse will soone appeare by the view of the state of euery childe of God for they are vnited vnto Christ by the spirit of grace by which they are regenerate and in Christ they are adopted for sonnes and daughters and so enioy Gods speciall grace and fauour Now hereupon they are Kings children hauing God for their Father who loues them more tenderly then any earthly Parents can loue their owne children secondly they haue Christ for their brother and so are heires annexed with him hauing heauen and earth for their possession In him they are made Kings and Priests vnto God and shall be iudges of the world at the last day yea they haue the holy Angels for ministring spirits to attend vpon their persons for their defence from the power of the enemie which farre surpasseth the dignity of any guard of men on earth whatsoeuer all things worke together for the best vnto them their crosses and afflictions are no curses but fatherly trialls and chastisements yea their sinnes are turned to their good to them death is no death but a sweet sleepe vnto their bodies and a straite passage for their soules into eternall glorie yea in the acte of death they haue the comfort of life in the ioy of the spirit and the Angels readie when breath departeth to carrie their soules to heauen If this be true happinesse to be called Gods children then they that liue after their owne wicked lusts voyd of all care to keepe a good cōscience are miserable and accursed for they are the children of the diuell seruing him in the workes of sinne and expressing his image in vngodlinesse and worldly lustes It stands them therefore in hand if they haue any care of true happinesse to labour after regeneration whereby forsaking the lusts and courses of their former ignorance and embracing and obeying sincerely the word of life they may become Gods children and so happie Secondly hast thou receiued this grace of Gods spirit whereby thou art inclined to haue peace with all men and to seeke for peace between God and thine owne conscience yea betweene the Lord and others then comfort thy selfe thou art the childe of God these motions come from grace flesh and blood brings forth no such fruits labour therefore to maintaine these good motions with all other pledges of thine adoption and so shalt thou growe fully assured of thine own happines In this age men make much adoe to get good assurance of earthly purchases but what madnesse is this so greatly to regard momentanie things and to haue no care in comparison of our eternall inheritance which we shall haue assured vnto vs when wee become the children of God Verse 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 11. Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly 12. Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Here Christ propounds his eight Rule touching happinesse which he handles more largely then the former for hauing laid downe the Rule vers 10. he expounds the same in a speciall application of it to his Disciples in the 11. and 12. verses In the Rule it selfe note two points first the parties blessed secondly wherein their blessednesse consists The parties blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Persecution properly signifieth pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another but here the word must be taken generally for all kind of persecution whatsoeuer Now because it is a paradoxe and absurd in humane reason to thinke him blessed that for any cause is persecuted therefore Christ to verefie the truth hereof repeats the same Rule in the nextwerse where also he expounds euery parcell thereof wherewith I will content my selfe because Christ is the best interpreter of his owne words In the 11. verse therefore Christ sets downe three things all pertaining to the true exposition of this Rule First he explaines more particularly the parties that be blessed saying to his Disciples Blessed are yee In the beginning of the Chapter wee heard that hee cast his eies vpon them and spake vnto them and now here he doth the like again therefore this Rule must not be vnderstood of all men in the world that suffer but of all Christs true Disciples and generally it is not true for the heathen and infidels doe often suffer for good causes and yet remaine infidels without the true God and so are not blessed Againe a Chrstian professor may giue vp his life in a good cause yet not of loue to God or his truth but vpon ambition and so not be blessed for though I giue my bodie to be burned yet wanting loue it profiteth mee nothing Secondly Christ expoundeth particularly what hee meaneth by persecution naming three parts thereof first slaundering and reuiling which is the persecution of the tongue Thus the Iewes persecuted the Apostles saying they were drunke or full of sweete wine Thus Festus persecuted Paul making him madde or beside himselfe Secondly persecution meaning hereby as the word doth properly signifie first pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another when he seekes to spoile him of his goods or of his life secondly the bringing a man vnto the Barre and there of malice to accuse and arraigne him thirdly euill speaking with lying when as men of purpose be without cause malitiously carried thereunto as when the Iewes called Christ a Samaritan that had a diuell and said that he cast out diuels by Belzebub the prince of diuels and thus were the Christians in the Primitiue Church persecuted beeing malitiously accused for killing their owne children for worshipping the head of an asse for incest and such like To these three kindes of persecutions S. Luke Chap. 6. 22. addes a fourth namely hatred and a fift called separation wherby men were excommunicated and cast out of the Temple Synagogues for Christs sake and his Gospels These are the seuerall kinds of that persecution for the enduring whereof Christ pronounceth men blessed vers 10.
the interpretation of their ancient Teachers But here Christ checketh and reprooueth this manner of teaching and therefore the like cannot be warrantable among vs at this day whereby we see that kind of teaching reprooued wherein euery point is stuffed out with the testimonies of Fathers Schoolemen and humane writers And here also is discouered a wicked and daungerous practise of the Papists who referre all deciding of controuersies and interpretation of hard places of Scripture to the Church and to the Fathers If we say that Fathers oft dissent and the Church may erre then they send vs to the Popes breast But if this course were safe then the Iewish teachers might haue had a good defence against this charge of Christ for they had both Church and Fathers on their side and the high Priest that was then in place Indeede the Fathers must be reuerenced as lights of the Church in their time and their testimonies duly regarded wherein they agree with the written word but for the confirmation of the truth in mans conscience and for the edifying of the soule in the graces of the spirit the word of God hath the onely stroake by it alone Gods children are begotten and borne anew to a liuely hope and by it alone they are fed and nourished in the faith yea by it alone they are confirmed and stablished in the truth Thirdly in these Iewish Teachers forbidding nothing as a breach of this law but the outward sinne of murther and on the contrarie approouing of those as keepers of this law that kept their hands from this Actuall crime of blood and by consequent worthie of life euerlasting behold a plaine picture of euery naturall man for is not this the common opinion that vnlesse a man kill an other he breakes not this commandement and so for the rest if he abstaine from the outward actuall grosse sinnes of stealing adulterie and false witnes bearing then he keepes those commandements though his heart be neuer so full fraught with enuie malice lust couetousnes falshood c. But let vs obserue Christs reproofe of such erronious interpretations of Gods law as a meanes to schoole our hearts from such vaine conceits vers 22. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall be angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement and whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Raca shall be worthie to be punished by the Councell and whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished by hell fire Here our Sauiour Christ propounds the true interpretation of this Commandement But I say vnto you that is whatsoeuer you haue heard the Scribes or Pharisies teach you from themselues or from their fathers it is nothing let them not deceiue you for I that am the Law-giuer and Doctor of my Church and therefore best know the meaning of mine owne law I say otherwise vnto you whosoeuer is angrie with his brother c. Here Christ laies downe three kinds of murther and three degrees of punishments for the same The first degree of murther is Anger not anger simply but rash and indiserâ—et anger towards a brother and by Brother he meaneth first one Iew with an other to whome Christ spake secondly one neighbour with an other whether Iew or Gentile for by creation we are all brethren hauing one father which is God as Adam is called the sonne of God Luk. 3. 38. The second degree of murther is calling his brother Raca Some expound this word Raca an idle or emptie braine others an euill man others take it to signifie a loathsome man one to be spit at as we by spitting vse to shew our contempt but these interpretations cannot so fitly stand for then the third degree of murther and this second should be one and the same for to call a man emptie braine euill or loathsome and to call him foole are equall in degree Now Christs intent is to set downe distinct degrees of murther as is euident by the distinct degrees of punishment adioined thereunto A more fit exposition is this that Raca hath no perfect signification but is onely an interiection of indignation whereby a man doth not slaunder or reuile his brother but onely in gesture shew the contempt and anger of his heart against him as when in English we say fie tush or such like which words are not open raylings but onely outward signes of the inward anger and contempt concealed in the heart so that the meaning is this He that is angrie with his brother and expresseth this his anger either in gesture or countenance by frowning lookes gnashing of teeth or by imperfect speech as tush fie pish or such like he is guiltie of murther The third degree of murther is wheÌ„ a man doth shew his anger against his brother by open raylings and reproachfull names expressed in these words whosoeuer shall call his brother foole And all these three degrees are beyond the interpretation of the Iewish Teachers who onely condemned actuall killing by this commandement Now to these seuerall kinds of murther Christ addeth distinct degrees of punishment The first is to be culpable of iudgement for vnaduised anger The second to be worthie to be punished of a Councell for outward signes of this anger The third is to be worthie of hell fire for reproachfull names or raylings And here we must vnderstand that Christ speaketh not properly in setting downe these degrees of punishment but figuratiuely alluding to the custome of punishing offenders vsed among the Iewes for they had three courts The first was held by three men for meane matters and other cases of small importance The second was held by three and twentie men wherein were determined matters of great importance that could not be decided in the first court as matters of life and death and it was kept in the cheife cities of the land The third court was held at Ierusalem onely called the court of the Seauentie-two from which none might appeale to any other In it were all weightie and great causes determined and this court is here called a Councell Now Christ alluding hereto saith to this effect Lookâ— as among you Iewes there are different courts and some matters are adiudged in your courts of iudgement and others in the Councell at Ierusalem so God also he hath his Iudgement and his councell those that are rashly angrie shall vndergoe Gods iudgement and he that makes knowne his anger by speech or countenance shall be punished more grieuously and vndergoe a deeper iudgement as it were by the Lords councell but he that shall by open reuilings and raylings shew forth his malice against his brother as by calling him foole or such like he shall be worthie the most grieâ—â—us iudgement and torment of hell fire alluding to the highest degree of torment among the Iewes which was burning for before their Gouernment was taken from them by Herod the Iewes vsed these foure kinds of punishments hanging beheading
after their fall Secondly because he commits euil and wickednesse continually without ceasing and therefore is compared to an hunger-bitten Lyon who goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure The most wicked man that is or euer was will sometime doe good Pharaoh humbled himselfe and confessed his sinnes to Moses and Saul desires to worship God with Samuel Herod also heard Iohn Baptist gladly and did many things according to his Ministerie but the deuil herein differs from all wicked men that he doth nothing but practise wickednesse he is alwaies murthering and neuer ceaseth to seeke mens destruction Thirdly because he practiseth sinnes of all sorts and degrees in himselfe and by his Ministers for the sinnes that be in the world be all from him either originally or by furtherance The vilest man that is doth abstaine from sinne sometime yea by nature he hateth some sinnes the proud and prodigall man cannot abide couetousnesse and the drunkard may abhorre idolatrie but the deuil continually practiseth sinnes of all sorts and therefore is iustly called the euill one Here theÌ„ we may see a reason why we are called the childreÌ„ of wrath and of the deuil by nature namely because by nature we carrie in vs about vs as liuely an image of the deuil in sin as any childe doth of his naturall father For first in our corruption we are guiltie of Adams sin in eating the forbidden fruit Secondly our nature is stained with originall sinne which is not a practise but a pronenessâ— vnto all manner of mischiefe and wickednesse that is committed in the world Seest thou a man kill his father or mother or betray his Master as Iudas did to Christ though it may be thou abhorrest such sinnes yet doubtlesse the seed thereof is in thee yea if God in mercie did not keep vs from it our corruption would carrie vs to the blasphemie against the Spirit And thirdly froÌ„ this naturall corruption do arise innumerable euil thoughts words and deeds in the course of our liues in all which we beare the image of the deuil till God bring vs to repentance and therefore iustly may we be called the children of wrath and of the deuill by nature hauing the same corruption in vs that is in the deuil though not in the same degree and manner Hence we learne First to be ashamed and confounded in our selues yea to hang downe our heads for what cause hath hee to be puffed vp with selfe loue that is by nature in himselfe like to the deuil Secondly this teacheth vs aboue all things to labour to haue the image of God renued in vs in righteousnesse and true holinesse which was lost in Adam that so the deuils image in sinne and wickednes may bee defaced Thirdly this must cause vs to make no account of any worldly thing that pertaineth to vs but all our ioy must be in Christ hee must bee our wisedome and righteousnesse our riches and all things else because by him we are renued from the deuils likenesse to the image of God Verse 38. Ye haue heard that it hath beene said an eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth c. Here Christ returnes to the commaundements of the second Table intending to restore the same to their proper sense and withall to confute the erroneous interpretation therof giuen by the Iewish Teachers And first he commeth to a particular Iudiciall law of Moses pertaining to the sixt commandement touching the Requitall of like for like in which as in the former he first sets downe the words of the law of Moses but yet to be vnderstood with the erroneous interpretation of the Scribes and Pharises verse 38. Then he giues the right sense of that law and withall confuteth the false interpretation of the Iewish teachers v. 39 40 41. For the first the words of Moses law here set downe An eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth are written Exod. 21. 24. whereto as to the former Christ prefixeth this preface It hath beene said thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that he is about to lay downe the law of God in the false sense of the Iewish Teachers for the better perceiuing whereof we must obserue the true meaning of that law An eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth wherein the Lord requireth requitall of like for like not by euery priuate man but by the publike Magistrate As if a man did put out his neighbours eie then the Magistrate should put out his â—ie and strike out his teeth that strikes out his neighbours teeth this appeares to be so because reuenge is directly forbidden to euery priuate person and plainely appropriated to the Iudge Deut. 19. 18 19 21. But the Iewish Teachers expounded this law of priuate reuenge as though God had said to euery priuate man If thy neighbour plucke out thine â—ie plucke out his againe and if hee strike out thy tooth strike thou out his tooth this is the false interpretation of the Iewes Quest. How could they so farre ouershoote themselues in so cleare a case seeing in all the bookes of Moses it is plainely referred to the Magistrate Ans. There may be two reasons giuen thereof First it is a naturall opinion that a man may reuenge himselfe in his owne cause priuately and not waite for recompence of the Magistrate and answerable hereunto there is a mightie strong desire of reuenge in euery mans heart by nature when he is iniuried now it is like that these Iewes followed their corrupt nature and headie affections in the interpretation of this law Againe the Iewish people were mightily giuen to reuenge by their naturall disposition as may appeare by the law of the Cities of Refuge and by mentioning of the Reuenger of blood which plainely imports that the Iewes would haue blood againe of him that shed blood whersoeuer they met with him Now the Iewish Teachers framed their doctrine to the common disposition and behauiour of their people and so falsified the truth of God as many times it fals out that the common practise of men makes sinne to seeme no sinne In the person of these Iewish Teachers we may see the policie of the deuil whose intent is and hath beene in all ages to ouerturne religion and to this end he endeauours to cause men to temper religion to their naturall disposition and common opinion in outward manners whereby he ouerturneth both religion and people This appeares in other points among the Iewes as well as in this case of reuenge They were a people giuen much to couetousnesse as may appeare by the law of toleration for taking vsury of strangers and by their hardnesse of heart so much reprooued by all the Prophets Now the deuill perceiuing this to be their naturall disposition makes Gods doctrine of saluation seeme to them a doctrine of earthly benefits for hee caused them to dreame of an earthly king for their Messias
whereby Christ enforceth the former commandement and it hath two parts the first is drawne from a speciall propertie in God to see in secret the second is froÌ„ his bounty in rewarding openly For the first the words are thus in the originall and thy father which is a seer in secret for the word there vsed signifieth a discerning seer whereby Christ would teach vs that God sees and beholds things that no man can see euen the secret thoughts and desires of mans heart Hence we must learne three things I. to examine our selues strictly not onely of our grosse open sinnes which all the world may see but also of our most inward and hidden corruptions and when we cannot see them yet we must suspect our selues of our secret wants for though men know them not no nor we our selues yet God the secret seer beholdeth them II. Neuer to hide our sinnes within our selues but freely to lay them open before God to our owne shame yea to confesse our vnknowne sinnes we must not like Adam sew fig-leaues together to couer our nakednes or flie from God thinking to hide our selues from his sight for he discerneth in secret III. To be carefull not only to doe good works but also to doe them in an holy manner froÌ„ good grouÌ„ds and to a right end for God seeth secrets and will not be shifted off with false shewes Dauid saith I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies because all my waies are before thee And the rather must we be mooued hereunto because God knowing what is in mans heart doth ofteÌ„times prooue men with temptations that he may discouer the guile of their hearts therfore that we may escape the iudgements of God due vnto hypocrisie we must labour to doe all good duties in singlenes of heart The second reason drawne froÌ„ Gods bountie vnto theÌ„ that in singlenes of heart doe good works is in these words he will reward thee openly wherin he preuenteth this obiectioÌ„ which some of his hearers might make against his former precept If I may not do good works to be seen of men then shall I loose my labour Christ answereth Not so for God the father will reward thee openly if thou doe goods from a single heart onely respecting the praise and honour of God in mans good If it be asked how this can stand with that saying of Christ Ioh. 5. 21. that the father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne I answer that in regard of deliberation of authoritie consent the last iudgement shal be executed by the whole Trinitie but yet in regard of immediate execution the father iudgeth not but Christ onely for he alone giueth the sentence both of absolution and condemnation This second reason teacheth vs sundrie things concerning praise First that God himselfe is the sole author of true praise Paul saith he which praiseth himselfe is not allowed but he whome the Lord praiseth where he compareth the world to a Theater wherein men are Actors and men and Angels be spectators but God alone is the Iudge who giueth praise and good name to euery one that deserueth it not onely in this life but in the world to come in regard whereof we must endeauour our selues so to doe all our good works that God himselfe may approoue thereof to seeke the praise of men is a fond thing seeing that not man but God is the author of true praise yea this must teach vs not to depend vpon man for praise and commendation for the good things we do but vpon God himselfe from whom all true praise commeth Secondly that God as he is a father is the sole author of true praise for Christ saith your father will reward you Now God is our father onely in Christ and therefore our vnion with Christ is the ground of all true praise He is a true Israelite saith Paul which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God This then discouereth the errour of the world in seeking after praise and reputation for some seeke it in the comlines of their bodie some in apparell and some in learning c. but all these are wrong meanes the right way to get true praise is to be in Christ to haue an humble and sanctified heart set purposely to keepe Gods commandement Psal. 119. 22. Dauid praied God to remooue from him shame and contempt because he kept Gods testimoneis as though the keeping of Gods commandements had beene the onely meanes to auoyd contempt and to procure true praise and fame Thirdly that the life to come is the onely time of true praise for Christ here saith he shall reward thee openly that is in the last day 1. Corin. 4. 5. When the Lord shall come then shall euery one haue praise of God This must teach vs not to care for the contempt of the world which followeth our profession so that our conuersation bee godly but to rest patiently contented because it is the lot and portion of Gods children and our sins deserues greater reproach alwaies remembring that the time of our praise is yet to come Yea hence we must learne not to aime at our owne praise in the things of this life but wholly to seeke the glorie of God in all things for if we seeke his glorie now the time will come when he will glorifie vs. Fourthly that the praise that God shall giue his children in the ende of the world shall be opâ—n and manifest before all men and all angels both good bad when they shall stand to be iudged by Iesus Christ this is true praise which shall neuer haue ende whereunto the praise of men is not comparable we count highly of applause and reputation with earthly princes and all men honour him whom the Prince commends how much more then shall they be aduanced whom God himselfe shall vouchsafe to praise and commend vers â— And when thou praâ—â—st be not as the hypocrites for they loue to stand and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streetes because they would be seene of men verely I say vnto you they haue their reward In this verse and the rest to the fourteenth Christ intreateth of the dutie of prayer wherein he dealeth as in the former point touching Almes-giuing for first he forbids a twofold vice in prayer hypocrisie and babling and then teacheth the contrarie vertues and the right practise of praier The vice of hypocrisie in prayer is forbidden in this fift verse and the contrarie vertue inioyned in the next The Exposition When thou prayest To pray properly is to intreate of God the gift of some good thing concerning our selues and in this sense it is onely one part of that holy worship of God which is called Invocation for 1. Tim. 2. 1. the Apostle maketh
stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou Gods speciall kingdome is that whereby hee ruleth his elect and chosen people working his will not onely by them as he doth in his generall kingdome by the deuils themselues but in them also by his holy spirit and it is called speciall because it is not exercised ouer all the world but onely ouer the elect whom hee hath ordained to eternall life This speciall kingdome of God is two-folde either of Grace or of Glorie The kingdome of grace is a spiritual estate wherein God makes men willingly subiect to his written word by his spirit I call the kingdome of grace a spirituall estate both because it is principally exercised in the conscience and also because this regiment in the conscience is by the spirit of God Secondly I shew wherein it consists namely in a voluntarie subiection of the whole man in soule and bodie and spirit to the will of God reuealed in the word Psalm 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly in the day of assembling thine armie in holy beautie And this subiection stands in three things in Righteousnesse Peace and Ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17 18. In Righteousnes that is First in Christs righteousnesse imputed and secondly in the righteousnesse of a good conscience the ground whereof is sanctification by the spirit which Christ giues to them whom he doth iustifie In Peace that is peace of conscience towards God and peace with Gods Church yea with all creatures so farre forth as is needfull for them Now vnder peace we must comprehend loue and all duties of loue for as righteousnesse concernes the person in soule and bodie so peace respects all duties and actions of the life Righteousnesse is the root from whence springeth this peace with euery action thereof for when the heart is sanctified the life is reformed Lastly in ioy in the holy Ghost this is a fruite of both the former respecting especially the state of affliction for when a man is iustified and sanctified and hath peace towards God then ariseth in his heart a spirituall delight in God in all estates yea though great afflictions light vpon him for Gods cause yet he beareth them with inward ioy and delight knowing that the spirit of glorie of God resteth vpon him and that he shall be glorified with Christ if he suffer with Christ which things while he compareth together hee little esteemeth the afflictions of this life in respect of the glorie that shall be reuealed for the light affliction that is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie These are the branches of this spirituall subiection which whosoeuer hath is a good subiect in the kingdome of grace as the Apostle saith in the next verse he that in these things serueth Christ is acceptable vnto God and approoued of men The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of Gods elect in heauen whereby God in Christ becomes all things vnto them immediately 1. Cor. 15. 28. This estate of glorie is a subiection also but yet such a subiectiō as is indeed a glorious regimēt for there we raigne with Christ in whom and through whom God himselfe becomes honour peace health foode raiment and all things needfull to the perfection of felicitie Now these two beeing Gods kingdome differ thus The state of grace is the beginning and entrance to the state of glorie and the state of glorie is the perfection of the state of grace This state of glorie is the citie and the state of grace as it were the suburbs of it In this life wee liue in the kingdome of grace but the kingdome of glorie is reserued for the life to come and this speciall kingdome of God in both these estates doe we here pray for Thy kingdome This imports that there is another kingdome euen the kingdome of Satan which is a kingdome of darkenes full of all disorder and confusion through sinne which greatly hindereth annoyeth Gods kingdome of grace especially Come That is to vs men in the world and then it commeth when God doth erect establish the same in their hearts now vnto perfection it comes by 5. degrees 1. When God giues vnto men the outward meanes of saluation wherein he doth reueale his grace fauour in Christ as the Gospel preached which is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. And so Christ hauing relation to his preaching which he confirmed by miracles among the Iewes saith The kingdome of God is come vnto you Luk. 11. 20. and beeing demaunded by the Pharisies when the kingdome of God should come he tels them it was among them Luk. 17. 21. meaning that it was brought vnto them by the ministerie of Iohn Baptist of himselfe and of his Disciples although indeed it were without profit to many of them 2. When the word preached inlightens the minde so as a man knowes and vnderstands the mysterie of the Gospel which is the law of this kingdome 3. When a man is thereby regenerate and so brought into this kingdome for by regeneration we haue effectuall entrance into the state of grace wherein Christ rules in vs by his word and spirit and wee yeeld subiection vnto him 4. At the ende of this life when the bodie goeth to the earth but the soule to God that gaue it beeing translated to the ioyes of heauen in the glorie of this kingdome 5. At the last iudgement when body and soule beeing vnited againe are both made partakers of the glorie of this kingdome and this is the full and perfect cōming of it So then our request to God in this petition is to this effect O Father let thy kingdome come to vs that be pilgrimes and strangers here on earth prepare vs for it and enter vs into it that be yet without renue vs by thy spirit that we may be subiect to thy will confirme vs also in this estate that our soules after this life and both soule and bodie at the day of iudgement may be fully glorified yea Lord hasten this glorie to vs and to all thine elect The Uses 1. Wants to be bewailed The wants we are taught to bewaile in this petition either concerne our selues or others First we must lament and mourne for our owne miserable estate by nature whereby we are the seruants of sinne and so in thraldome and bondage vnder Satan sinne leads vs into bondage for he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and where sinne raigneth there the deuill hath dominion And hence it comes that wee rebell so much against the kingdome of God and refuse to stoop to the scepter of his word Indeede this bondage is weakened in Gods children but none is wholly freed from it in this life as Pauls complaint declares Rom. 7. 14. The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin The naturall man is dead
of God a sparrow cannot fall to the ground And this absolute will of God is hidden from vs till God reueale it by the euent Gods reuealed will is the sacred doctrine of God in his word whereby he signifieth vnto man so farre as concernes his happinesse and saluation what he ought to doe or what he ought not to doe This is not Gods absolute will but rather an effect thereof concerning man reuealing vnto him not what he simply and absolutely willeth to bee done for that must needes be done but what is pleasing or displeasing vnto him done by man and what he will haue man to doe or not to doe if he desire to come to life and would not be condemned And this reuealed will comprehendeth both the Law and the Gospel with all their commandements prohibitions threatenings exhortations promises such like whereto the Apostle hath relation when he saith Proue what is the good will of God and acceptable Rom. 12. 2. Now this distinction of Gods wil being according to the Scripture hath his vse in this place for when we say Thy will be done wee meane not the absolute but the reuealed will of God Reasons I. The absolute will of God is alwaies done cannot be resisted My counsel shal stand saith the Lord and I will doe whatsoeuer I will and againe Who hath resisted his will that is his absolute will for his reuealed will is generally transgressed by men and men doe that which seemeth good in their owne eies notwithstanding God reueale his will to the contrarie II. A man may sometime dissent from the absolute will of God without sinning so be it he still submit himselfe to the will of God resting therein when it is reuealed Thus Abraham praied for the safetie of Sodome yet submissiuely which God willed and decreed to destroy and Dauid prayed for the life of his childe which God would haue to die and our Sauiour Christ prayed for the remooual of that cuppe which God had absolutely decreed he should drinke of yet submitting his will vnto his fathers And Paul according to his Apostolike function desired to preach the Gospel in Bythinâ—a but the spirit suffered him not which sheweth plainely it was not the will of God that he should preach there and yet he desired it religiously without sinne as did the rest before mentioned And as in will so in affection a man may dissent from Gods absolute will without sinne Christ as the sonne of God knew his Fathers will concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and yet he wept for it in a tender compassion ouer their miserie to come and so the brethren at Cesarea wept and lamented for Pauls going to Ierusalem though Agabus prophesied that God would haue it so neither must this seeme strange vnto vs for two things may remaine both good and yet differ one from the other so may mans created will differ from Gods absolute and vncreated will and yet both remaine good Hauing found that this petition must bee vnderstood of the reuealed will of God wee now come to search out the speciall branches of Gods reuealed will which wee shall finde in seuerall places of the holy Scripture The first is the conuersion of a sinner Ezekiel 33. 11. As I liue saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but that the wicked turne from his way and liue The second is that wee denie our selues and relie wholly on our Sauiour Christ Iesus for life and saluation Iohn 6. 40. This is the will of God that hee that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day The third is our sanctification in soule and bodie and spirit 1. Thess. 4. 3. This is the will of God euen your sanctification The fourth is that euery one that liues in the church of God beside his generall calling of a Christian should haue a particular calling to liue in wherein he must seeke the glorie of God in the good of others 1. Cor. 7. 20. Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he is called and therein walke with God v. 24. The fiâ—t part of Gods will is to subiect our selues vnto the hand of God in all crosses and afflictions whatsoeuer when the brethren at Cesarea saw Pauls resolution to goe to Ierusalem notwithstanding the bonds that there remained for him they said as it were expounding this petition the wil of the Lord be done Act. 21. 14. Be done According to the Scripture there bee two degrees of doing Gods will the first is prescribed in the Gospel to wit a sincere endeauour and strife according to all the power of grace that God hath giuen vs to doe the will of God and this especially is here meant The second is commanded in the Law and it is a fulfilling of Gods will doing that which God commandeth in that manner of perfection which he commandeth but this is not attained vnto in this life and therefore our desire of God in this petition is that he would giue vs grace sincerely to endeauour to doe his whole will here on earth and to hasten that time and state vnto vs wherein we shall doe it perfectly as the Law requires 1. Vse Wants to be bewailed both in our selues and others I. This petition teacheth vs to bewaile our naturall disposition whereby we are prone to rebell against the will of God beeing wholly bent to disobedience in doing that which is euill II. We must bewaile our naturall hypocrisie euen that which remaineth in vs after grace receiued for though we may say these words yet we can not possibly haue our hearts affected with such a perfect desire after obedience to Gods will as we ought to haue III. Though we haue neuer so much grace yet here we must lament and bewaile our want of obedience in all good duties for though we giue our selues to doe good things yet the best of vs all faile in the manner of doing them as in hearing the word in receiuing the Sacraments and praier so as we must be humbled for our wants and confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants when we haue done all that is commanded vs Luk. 17. 10. Secondly we must bewaile the sinnes of others whereby they disobey the will of God and so rebell against him hereby God is dishonoured and therfore in zeale of Gods glorie and loue to our brethren we must be grieued when others sinne Thus was Dauid affected Psal. 119. 136. and Paul 2. Cor. 12. 21. I feare least when I come vnto you my God abase me among you and I shall bewaile many of them that haue sinned alreadie 2. Use. Graces to be desired As we must bewaile the wants that hinder the doing of Gods will in our selues and others so we must stirre vp our hearts vnto heauenly desires after those graces whereby Gods
deale with a broken ioynt wil handle the same very tenderly and so must they be dealt with in reproofe that sinne of humane fiailtie Example of this mildenes in reproofe we haue in Nathan who reprooued Dauid in a parable and so brought him to condemne himselfe the Apostle Paul reproouing the Coâ—inthians in the beginning of the first Epistle doth include himselfe Apollos in the same reproofe as though they had bin guiltie of the same crime 1. Cor. 4. 6. And giuing direction to Timothy how to carrie himselfe in the Church of God though he allow him to vse rebuke reproofe 2. Tim. 4. 2. yet he bids him Exhort an Elder therein giuing good directioÌ„ for admonition if the partie be an Elder though reproofe be not vnlawfull yet it is not so fit as exhortation and the like mildenesse must be vsed toward all those that sinne of humane frailty But if the offence proceede from wilfulnes and obstinacie then the iudgements of God must be denounced against them to driue them to repentance 4. Euery one that is to correct another must consider himselfe and his owne estate knowing that of himselfe he may fall into the like offence So Paul bids them that are to seeke the restoring of such as are fallen to consider theÌ„selues Galat. 6. 1. 5. Brotherly correction must bee deliuered with Doctrine and instruction 2. Tim. 4. 1 2. I charge thee before God to reprooue exhort and rebuke with all long suffering and doctrine He that will admonish must first himselfe be resolued that the thing done is a sinne then he must propound it to the partie as a sinne out of Gods word and deliuer the reproofe not in his owne name but in the name of God so as hereby the partie may know himselfe to haue offended and also say that he is reprooued of God himselfe rather then of man This ought all superiours to practise in correcting and admonishing their inferiours they must not goe thereto in rage but in long suffering nor rudely but with doctrine that the partie offending may see his fault And thus much for this dutie of brotherly correction Vers. 6. Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs neither cast yee your pearls before swine least they tread them vnder their feet and turning againe all to rent you Hitherto the Euangelist hath set down the seuerall heads of Christs Sermon more at large but from this verse to the ende of the Chapter he handleth briefly the points which follow This verse dependeth not vpon the former but herein our Sauiour Christ laies down a new point of instruction directing his Disciples and in them all ministers vnto that Christian discretion which ought to be obserued in the dispensation of the word of God And his direction is here propounded in a prohibition of giuing holy things to dogs or casting pearles before swine which is enforced by a double reason least they tread vpon you c. Now for the better vnderstanding hereof first I will speake of the words because they are hard and difficult and then come to the doctrines In the words foure things are to be sought out 1. What is meant by holy things 2. What is meant by pearles 3. What is meant by dogs and 4. what is meant by swine For the first by that which is holy we must vnderstand first and properly the word of God written in the bookes of the old and new testament in his right and holy vse that is read dispensed and preached and consequently by holy things are meant the Sacraments and Christian admonition Gods word is called an holy thing for sundry causes but principally for these two first because it is holy in it selfe and secondly in effect operation It is holy in it selfe because it is set apart by God to be in the Church in stead of his owne liuely voyce vnto his people for the reucaling and determining of all things to be beleeued and done in his Church In the old testament God himselfe spake by a liuely voice vnto the Patriarkes and after the giuing of the Law hee gaue answer to the high Priest at the Mercie-seat yet we are not inferiour to them though we want that liuely voice for we haue the written word in stead thereof which is answerable euery way thereunto for looke what the written word saith is as much as if the Lord from heauen should speake by a liuely voice and so consequently it is to vs in stead of the Arke of God a pledge of his presence And thus it is holy in it selfe Secondly Gods word is holy in regard of operation for it is the instrument of the spirit set apart by God himselfe to be the meanes whereby he sanctifies and reformes the hearts and liues of his children And consequently the Sacraments are holy things for they are the word made visible so likewise is Christian admonition grounded â—pon Gods word From this doctrine sundrie dutie 〈◊〉 to be learned First we are oft commanded in Gods word to drawe neerâ— vâ—â—o God to seeke him to feare him and to walke before him in his prâ—â—â—nce how shall wee doe these things seeing God is inuisible and in glory and maiestie is in heauen Surely we must consider the word of God which is that holy thing set apart by God to be in stead of his owne liuely voyce therefore we neede not seeke for him that is inuisible but wee must haue recourse vnto the word labour to haue it present with vs in our hearts in our liues and consciences Enoch walked before God not onely in regard of his infinite maiestie which though it bee inuisible is euery where present but principally in respect of his word setting that before him wheresoeuer he was When we are commanded to feare God wee must know that that is done not onely when wee stand in awe of his glorious maiestie but principally when wee feare to offend God commanding vs in his word The Apostle saith that the holy Ghost dwels in our hearts which must not be thought to be meant of that infinite substance of the holy spirit but of the dwelling of the word which is made effectuall by the holy spirit for saith euer hath relation to the word beeing beleeued it dwels in the heart makes the spirit which workes by the same word present also In which regard Paul saith Now I liue not but Christ liues in me which he expoundeth after saying I liue now by faith in the son of God because the word of Christ was present with him and the grace of saith that liues by that word Secondly seeing the word of God is of this holinesse we must learne to vse the same publikely or priuately with all reuerence carefully sanctifying our selues thereunto When the people came to receiue the Law in Mount Sina they were sanctified three daies before the same preparation for substance ought we to
by dogs and swine from whence the meaning of Christ may be plainely thus set downe Giue not that which is holy c. that is haue regard how to whom ye dispense the word and sacraments and if any person be openly conuicted of obstinate enmitie to your doctrine to such publish not my worde be they dogs in railing or swine in senslesse contemning and scorning of the same The Vses 1. Hence wee may see what course is to be vsed of Gods ministers in the preaching dispeÌ„sing of his holy word they must first preach publish the word of God to al men without exception grace must be offered to all good and badde then they must obserue what fruite and effect the word hath with them whether it worke reformation of life in them or not and though as yet they see not that fruit thereof in them yet they must not condemne them as dogs but rather waite and pray for their conuersion to see if at any time God will giue them repentance according as Saint Paul chargeth Timothie 2. Tim. 2. 25. Thirdly hauing waited for their conuersion he must labour to conuince their very conscience of the truth which they in heart and life denie so as he may say with Paul If our Gospel be hid it is hidde to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. but if after all this they giue euident signes of malicious and obstinate enmitie against the word scorning and rayling on the doctrine of God and on the ministers thereof then are they to be cast out by the Church and to be accounted as dogges and to be barred from the word of life till they repent This was Christs owne practise toward the Iewes at the first he preached vnto them the Gospel of the kingdome by Iohn Baptist in his owne person and by his Disciples but when as he saw some of them maliciously obstinate then he propounded his doctrine vnto them in parables vnto them that they might be hardened in sinne and after expounded the same priuately to his Disciples The Disciples likewise after the ascension of Christ preached still vnto the Iewes euen when they were persecuted by them but at length when as they saw that of obstinate malice they oppugned the truth putting it from them and iudging themselues vnworthie eternall life then they turned to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. Now in this that hath beene said we may note two things first the long suffering and great patience of God that will not haue a sinner liuing in the Church condemned till he haue brought him through all the meanes of his conuersion and till he be past hope Thus he dealt with the old world expecting their repentance an hundred and twentie yeares whereunto he then called them by the preaching of Noah Gen. 6. Secondly hereby we must learne to moderate our iudgements concerning wicked men a man must not be condemned for a dogge or for a swine till he giue euident signes of obstinate malice and wilfull contempt of the word and vntill he doe euen conuict himselfe to be such a one by a wilfull contempt of the meanes of his saluation This serues to shew their rashnesse and indiscretion that condemne our Church for no Church and our people for no people of God iudging them for dogges and swine when as they haue not yet conuicted them of obstinate malice in sinne or error It will be said they haue admonished them by writing I answer that their owne bookes haue more errors in them then they doe hold whome they admonish and so their writings can be no sufficient conuiction Secondly here obserue that men become dogges and swine by their wilfull repelling that holy doctrine of God which should purge them and make them cleane It is the naturall propertie of a dog to returne to his vomit and of a swine to his wallowing in the mire as the prouerbe is and hereof they can by no meanes be bereaued And all men by nature returne to the vomit and filth of their sinnes like dogs swine and they which will by no meanes suffer theÌ„selues to be drawen from their old sinnes they haue these properties of dogges swinerand looke as those beasts were excluded the Lords tabernacle congregation vnder the law so are these men debarred from the word sacraments and all holy things vnder the Gospel they are an abhomination vnto the Lord see Psal. 56. 6. and Psal. 50. 16. In this regard we are to be admonished to suffer our selues to be clensed and reformed by the word of God Ye are cleane saith Christ by the word which I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. 3. where he maketh the word of God the instrument of our purification to which effect he saith in his praier to his father Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. And Saint Peter saith our soules are purified in obeying the truth by the spirit 1. Pet. 1. 22. Now we are by nature dogges and swine inclined to the filth of our own sinnes returning thereto with greedines neither can we of our selues be broken of this property but when occasion is offered we doe naturally runne to our old sinnes as the swine and dogges doe to their filth and vomit In consideration whereof we ought to subiect our selues to the word of God labouring to see and feele our owne vncleannesse and to crie with Dauid Wash me throughly from my sinnes and with Peter Not my feete onely but my whole bodie that so it may be said of â—s We are cleane throughout by Christs word If we see any vncleannes in our hearts or liues we must purge it out by this word and returne no more to the filth of our former sinnes It is the propertie of Christs sheepe to heare his voice and to obey the same let vs hereby testifie our solues to be his sheepe that so we may be distinguished from dogges and swine Here it may be demanded whether we should make confession of our faith before dogges and swine Ans. Yes if we be called thereunto we are bound to doe it â—e alwaies readie saith the Apostle to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1. Pet. 3. 15. And in this place our Sauiour Christ speaketh of the pâ—â—ading and dispensing of the word not of confession Now in preaching men acknowledge the word to belong vnto their hearers but in confession they declare the word to belong vnto themselues alone Further here we are to consider diuerâ— points concerning Excommunication First the foundation thereof It is an ordinance of God for all dogges and swine by Christs commandement must be kept from holy things â— many that liue in the Church are open 〈◊〉 of the name of Christâ— some others 〈◊〉 heretâ—â—â—es and these â—â—â—â—wiâ—e are to be barred from the word and sacraments yea a man liuing in the Church may be worse in practise then an open
terrible For if his wordes were thus powerfull in his base estate of humilitie what force will they then haue when he shall come in glorie and maiestie in the cloudes accompanied with thousands of Angels when as his sight shall be so terrible that men shall call to the mountaines to fall vpon them and to the rockes to grind them in pieces if it were possible well let the consideration hereof mooue vs to be obedient to his voice in the ministerie of his word otherwise will we nill we we shall one day be subiect to that fearefull voice of condemnation Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire II. Doctrine This astonishment of the people argues some feare and reuerence in them towards Christ which is some commendation vnto them and yet it prooues not the truth and soundnes of their faith and conuersion though no doubt many that heard him were hereby conuerted for a man may be amased at Christs doctrine and yet not be conueâ—â—ed thereby Luk. 4. 22. the people of Capernaum did maruelously affect the Doctrine of our Sauiour Christ admiring at it and yet they beleeued not in him but tooke exceptions against him because he was soâ—â—â—to Ioseph the carpenter Pharaoh Saul and Ahab when they were reprooued by Moses Samuel and Eliah they were oft-times much amased and confounded in themselues and yet they did neuer truely turne from their sinnes And in this place I take it this astonishment of the people is recorded rather for the commendation of Christs ministerie then to note out the faith and conuersion of the people This we are to obserue for speciall cause for it is the ordinarie maner of the most of our hearers to marke more or lesse what is spokeÌ„ to approoue the doctrine and to speake well of the minister which be good things in their kind but yet this is not enough we must further labour to receiue the word by faith to repent of our sinnes and to conforme our hearts and liues vnto the word Luk. 11. 27. when a woman through admiration at Christs doctrine pronounced her blessed that bare him and the paps that gaue him sucke Christ tooke occasion thence to giue vnto her and to the rest of the hearers this lesson nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and doe it Act. 2. 37. at the first sermon of Peter after the giuing of the holy Ghost the people were greatly amased at his doctrine and being pricked in conscience cried Men and brâ—thren what shall we doe now Peter suffers them not to stand still in this astonishment but labours further to bring them to true faith and repentance and to haue the same by baptisme confirmed vnto them saying Amend your liues and be baptized v. 38. And so dealt Paul with the Iayler that would haue killed himselfe vpon the sudden sight of the prison doore beeing open for after he was truly humbled he brought him to beleeue It may be here demanded why our Sauiour Christ at this Sermon did no more to the most of his hearers but caused them to wonder when as the Apostles conuerted many thousands at some one Sermon and after brought the whole bodie of the Gentiles to the faith Ans. No doubt he was able to haue conuerted them all and we may perswade our selues here were many conuerted though it be not recorded and though indeede the most were onely astonished But this came so to passe that his promise made to his Disciples might be verified Ioh. 14. 12. which was that they should doe greater workes then Christ did whereof this questionlesse was one to conuert moe in their ministerie then Christ did And the causes hereof were two I. that our Sauiour Christ might shew himselfe willing to vndergoe that base estate of a seruant wherein he was borne and continued till his exaltation therefore he was content to restraine the power of his Godhead euen from his ministerie vntill he were exalted into glorie II. that he might make it manifest in his Apostles times that beeing ascended he did not onely sit at the right hand of his father that is rule as a king ouer all in his princely office but also that he did indeede gouerne his Church by his word and spirit and this reason Christ addeth Ioh. 14. v. 12. to prooue that his Disciples should doe greater workes then he did because he went vnto his father there to rule and gouerne his Church It may yet further be asked why Christ did not conuert them all seeing he was able beeing true and very God Ans. No doubt as hath beene said many were here conuerted yet not all because Christ was now the minister of circumcision as the Apostle speaketh that is though in regard of his person he were the Prophet of the whole Catholike Church yet at this time in this action he was preacher onely to the Church of the Iewes in which regard he performed this dutie as man onely and so could doe no more but deliuer his fathers will vnto them and shew himselfe willing to conuert them And in this manner he speakes vnto Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children as a henne gathereth her chickens I would but ye would not that is as the minister of circumcision in mine owne person and as God in the ministerie of my Prophets Thus much of the astonishment it selfe Now follow the circumstances whereby it is amplified and set out and they are three The first circumstance is the time when they were astonished namely when the sermon was ended No doubt they were amased in the time of his deliuerie but yet they were silent all that while and shewed no signes of their affection till the sermon was ended And this good order ought to be obserued of all Gods people in the publike ministerie of the word In the bulding of the materiall temple there was no noise or knocking heard so much as of an hammer whereby was signified that in the assemblies of the Saints where Gods spirituall temple is bulding there should be the like heauenly order obserued men should heare with quitetnes and silence and shew their affectionâ— afterward Secondly we are here taught to labour not onely to be affected in the Act of hearing while the doctrine is deliuered but to treasure it vp in our hearts that we may afterward be affected with it as this multitude was The second circumstance here noted is the persons who were thus astonied to wit the people or the multitude for after the sermon was ended they gathered themselues into companies and make knowne one to another the affections of their hearts toward Christs doctrine Hence we may gather that our Sauiour Christ deliuered his dostrine plainely vnto the conscience of the meanest and to the capacitie of the simplest els they could not thereby haue beene brought to wonder And this is a president for all Ministers to follow in the dispensation