lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them yea the Law of the Lord is perfect his statutes are right and his iudgements true and righteous altogether Now the consideration of this integritie and perfection of the law and word of God must mooue vs to studie the Scriptures with great diligence so saith our Sauiour Christ Search the Scriptures that is shake and sift them as the word signifieth search narrowely till the true force and meaning of euery sentence yea of euery word and sillable nay of euery letter and iotte therein bee knowne and vnderstood conferre place with place the scope of one place with another things going before with things that come after yea compare word with word letter with letter and search it throughly This manner of studying the Scripture is most necessarie as beeing the thing indeede which preserueth and vpholdeth the Church of God and the puritie of religion for about foure or fiue hundred years agone men left off to studie the Bible after this sort and betooke themselues to the writings of men occupying their wits wholly in vaine quidâ—ities in Philosophie and in hid mysteries of Diuinitie by which meanes it came to passe that Poperie and Apostacie from the truth spread it selfe ouer the world for many hundred yeares together Afterward God of his meere mercie put into the hearts of some men to bee carefull searchers in the word of God by which meanes the truth appeared as light out of darkenesse Thus God stirred up Luther about the yeare of our Lord 1517. who by diligent search in the Scripture and especially by serious meditation with praier vpon these words of the Apostle Roman 3. 21. That now by the Gospel without the Law the Iustice of God is made manifest did finde that by the perfect obedience of Christ our iustification was wrought and thereupon began to maintaine and professe Iustification before God to be free through and by faith in Christ onely without helpe from the works of the law against the doctrine of the Church of Rome and so by further diligence and industrie in the Scripture the truth of God shone forth more and more Let all men but especially Students in diuinitie consider this effect of searching out the Scriptures as a spurre to diligence in this behalfe By this means also errors and heresies are auoyded and suppressed the will of God is plainly reuealed And here by the way we may see how profitable and necessarie the gift of Interpretation is It is a most excellent gift of the spirit pertaining to the Ministerie and therefore most commendable necessarie is the vse thereof in Schooles of Learning Eightly this immutabilitie ascribed to Gods law that euery part thereof shall be accomplished to the full teacheth all Princes and Magistrates not onely to be keepers of Moses law in their owne persons but also within their rule and dominions to doe their best indeauour that the same bee fulfilled and kept by others For this cause did the Lord command that the Prince of his people should haue the Law written before him in a booke to read vpon continually that hee may learne to feare God and to keepe all the words of the Law to doe them and that which is there enioyned vnto Princes belongeth also vnto all Magistrates Masters and Parents within their places and charges they must be carefull to see the whole law of God practised and obeyed both in their owne persons and of those that are vnder them Lastly by this immutabilitie ascribed to the Law wee may learne what it is to fulfill the law namely to keepe and obserue to the full euery particular thing which the law commaunds vs and vpon this wee may ground two conclusions against the Papists First that no man can come to life euerlasting by his owne righteousnesse and obedience for hee that would come to heauen by his owne righteousnesse must be able to fulfill the whole law perfectly in euery respect but since Adams fall no man could keepe the lawe in all things sauing our Sauiour Christ both God and man Secondly that our fulfilling of the law must be in the obedience of Christ for he onely was answerable to the whole law in all things and therefore if we would come to heauen we must not come in our owne righteousnesse but in his as Paul wisheth to be found of God Phil. 3. 8 9. Verse 19. Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen Our Sauiour Christ hauing plainely propounded in his Apologie for himselfe the stabilitie and eternitie of the whole law doth here laie downe two notable conclusions for the vpholding thereof 1. Because the Law is immutable and eternall therefore he that breaketh one of the least of the commandements and teacheth men so shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen 2. Because the Law is eternall therefore he that keepes the commandements and teacheth men so shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen For the first by least commandement he meaneth the precepts of the Morall lawe though in the former verse by Law he vnderstood the whole law in three parts Iudiciall Morall and Ceremoniall And he calleth them litle not simply in regard of themselues as though they were so indeede for in it selfe euery commaundement of God is great and waightie but hee speaketh according to the opinion of the Iewes for the Scribes and Pharises had ordained certaine rites and ceremonies according to the tradition of their Fathers the obseruation whereof they made a greater matter of conscience then the keeping of some of Gods commandements and so esteemed them little Againe saying these least commaundements hee pointeth out what particular commaundements of the Morall law the Iewes esteemed lesse then the traditions of men namely those which afterward he expoundeth in this Chapter touching Murther Adulterie Swearing and the rest for they esteemed not all the commaundements of the law lesser then their traditions Shal be called least in the kingdome of heauen Here Christ sets downe the punishment of a false Prophet which breakes Gods commaundements teacheth men so to wit his base esteeme in the Church of God for the kingdome of God is two-fold the kindome of grace and the kingdome of glorie The kingdome of grace is the societie and companie of Gods faithfull seruantes here on earth The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of all the Saints in heauen Now here by kingdome of heauen he meaneth the kingdome of grace which is the militant Church on earth and so Iohn Baptist calleth it Math. 3. 2. Repent and amend for the kingdome of heauen is at hand that is the Church of the old Testament is now abolished and the Church of the new Testament is ready to take place
thinketh on them though heauen be Gods throne and the earth his footstoole yet will hee looke to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit yea the Lord will dwell with him that is of a contrite and broken heart Christ came to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel to the poore yea the Lord filleth the hungrie that is the poore and hungrie soule with good things but the rich he sends emptie away Let these and many such fauours with God which they enioy prouoke vs to become poore in spirit Secondly are they blessed that be poore in spirit then here all poore and wretched persons in the world may learne to make good vse of their wants and distresses they must consider them as the hand of God vpon them and thereby be ledde to the viewe of their sinnes and by the consideration of their sinnes be brought to see their miserie in theÌ„selues the true ground of this spirituall pouertie Now when they are once poore in spirit they are in a blessed state in the iudgement of Christ. If a man bleed dangerously at the nose the best way to saue his life is to let him blood else-where and so turne the course of the blood another way euen so when a man is oppressed with worldly calamities hee cannot finde any comfort in them for in themselues they are Gods curses yet if thereby he can bee brought to see his spirituall pouertie then of curses they become blessings vnto him and therefore when we are in any distresse wee must not onely fixe our eies vpon the outward crosse but by meanes of that labour to see the pouertie of our soules and so will the crosse lead vs to happinesse Thirdly they that abound with worldly wealth must hereby learne to become poore if they would be saued Poore I say not in goods but in soule and spirit this indeed is hard to flesh and blood for naturally euery rich man blesseth himselfe in his outward estate and perswades himselfe that God loues him because he giues him wealth but such conceits must he striue against and learne of God to reioyce in this that he is made lowe Iam 〈…〉 Fourthly on this saying of Christ that the poore are blessed the Popish teachers obseruing the word translated poore to beâ—oken outward pouertie goe about to builde their vowe of voluntarie pouertie whereby men renouncing their wealth and possessions of this world doe be take themselues to some Monasterie there to liue a poore and solitarie life But their voluntarie pouertie will not agree with this text son Christs poorâ— here pronounced blessed are such as by reason of their pouerty are miserable and wretched wanting outward comforts as we shewed oâ—t of Luke where Christ opposeth them to the rich who abound with all worldly delights but to vndergoe the Popish vow of voluntarie pouertie is no estate of miserie or distresse for who doe liue in greater â—ase or enioy more freedome from the crosses and vexations of this life then their begging Friers Againe if their vowed pouertie had any ground in this text then Christ should pronounce such poore blessed as made themselues poore but that he doth not for then in the next verse he should pronounce such mourners blessed as voluntarily cause themselues to mourne for that verse dependeth on this as a more full explanation of this first rule But no man will say that they that mourne without a cause are there called blessed and therefore Popish vowed pouertie hath no ground on this place And thus much of the persons II. Point Wherein the blessednes of these poore consists namely in hauing a right to the kingdome of heauen For theirs is the kingdome of heauen By kingdome of heauen for the better conceiuing of this blessednes we must vnderstand a state or condition of man whereby he is in Gods fauour and hath fellowship with God The truth of this description is euident by the tenour of the new Testament Now this estate of man is called a Kingdome because herein God rules as king and man obeies as Gods subiect for no man can be in Gods fauour nor enioy his fellowship vnlesse God be his King ruling in his heart by his word and spirit and he Gods subiect resigning himselfe to be ruled by him for this happie estate consists in Gods gracious ruling of man and mans holy subiection vnto God Indeede fewe doe see any great happines in this estate but the truth is mans whole felicity stands herein Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Here the Apostle teacheth vs three things namely that when Gods spirit rules in a mans heart then first he is iustified there is righteousnes secondly he hath peace with God euen that peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding thirdly the ioy of the holy Ghost which is all vnspeakable comfort passing all worldly ioy whatsoeuer And these three doe notably set out the state of an happie man which will yet more plainly appeare by their contraries in Iudas who beeing a wretched sinner vnrighteously betraied his master and thereupon fell into the miserie of a guiltie accusing conscience which was the cause of his desperate death and also that his bodie burst asunder and his bowells gushed out now if an euill conscience be so fearefull then â—ow blessed an estate is the peace and ioy of a good conscience which a man then hath when God by his word and spirit ruleth in his heart Againe this estate is called the kingdome of heauen because that man in whom Christ 〈…〉 by his word and spirit is alreadie himselfe in heauen though iâ— bodie he be yet on earth for heauen is like a citie with two gates thorough both of which a man must passe before he obtaine the full â—oyes thereof now so soone as God by his word and spirit rules in any mans heart he is alreadie entred the 〈…〉 te of grace which is the first gate the other remaines to be passed thorough at the time of death which is the gate of glorie and then he is in full possession Doth true happines consist in this estate where Christ ruleth and man obeies then here behold the errour of all Philosophers and wise men of this world touching happines for some haue placed it in pleasure some in wealth and others in ciuill vertue and some in all these But the truth is it stands in none of these A naturall man may haue all these and yet be condemned for the ciuill vertues of the heathen were in them but glorious sinnes Our Sauiour Christ hath here reuealed more vnto vs then all the wise men of the world did euer know and hereby we haue iust occasion to magnifie the bookes of Scripture farre aboue all humane writings because they doe fully set out vnto vs the nature and estate of true felicitie which no humane
sinnefull conception al which our Sauiour Christ was free from for at the very time when hee bare our sinnes hee was in himselfe more holy then all men and all Angels Fourthly it is said that if Christs righteousnesse bee made ours then wee are made Sauiours Answer It followeth not for Christs merits and righteousnesse are conuaied and applied vnto men not as they are in Christs person in whom they are sufficient to saue ten thousand worlds but as they serue to saue and iustifie that particular person onely to whom they are imputed so that this remaines an vndoubted truth that that righteousnesse which brings saluation is Christs righteousnesse onely Here some may say How is Christs righteousnesse made ours and wee assured of it Answ. It is made ours by sauing faith which the holy Ghost creates in the heart and soule as an hand whereby wee may laie hold on Christ and applie his righteousnesse vnto our selues as hee is offered vnto vs in the promises of the Gospel Some obiect that if Christs righteousnesse be made ours by our beleeuing it to bee ours then if a man beleeue his neighbours house to be his it is his also and so for any other thing Answer There is not the like reason in these things for it is a meere fancie and imagination for a man to beleeue his neighbours house to be his hauing no ground for it besides his owne conceit but when a man beleeueth Christs righteousnesse to be his he hath Gods commandement and promise for his warrant and assurance that it shall be imputed vnto him and withall that faith so grounded maketh Christs righteousnesse as truely his as any thing a man hath is his owne beeing giuen him of another Now this sauing faith laying hold on Christs righteousnesse for mans iustification is neuer seuered from sanctification by the spirit with the fruits thereof whereby the old man beeing mortified and the new man in Christ renued according to his image in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse the whole person is turned vnto God and made carefull to please him both in thought word and deede and hereby doe wee receiue assurance of our iustification for true sanctification is the earnest of the spirit of adoption in our hearts whereby we are sealed vnto the day of our redemption Doth that righteousnesse whereby we must be iustified and saued in the day of our Lord come from Christ onely and not from our selues then we see what iust cause we haue to humble our selues and to acknowledge our great vnrighteousnesse and want of all goodnesse in our selues and when wee can doe this vnfainedly wee haue gone one steppe in the way to true happinesse Secondly we also must hereby learne to esteeme all things as drosse and dongue with the Apostle in respect of Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse for he it is that brings vs to heauen and therefore wee must honour him aboue all and value his righteousnesse as that most pretious iewel which when a man hath found hee will sell all that he hath to get and keepe it Matth. 13. 46. Thirdly we must hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse for it is the fountaine of all blessednes and without it we are most miserable yea though wee had all the world beside yet without it wee loose our saluation Now what will it profit a man to winne all the world if he loose his soule Fourthly seeing Christs righteousnesse is made ours by faith we made assured of it by sanctification of heart and life wee must labour for true faith whereby our hearts may bee inwardly renued we must not content our selues with an outward holinesse for that will neuer bring a man to heauen but our endeauour must be for inward holinesse whereby we shal be preferred with God aboue all the Pharises in the world and get assurance of eternall happinesse And this faith wee must shewe forth in all holy exercises as when we heare the word wee must lend the inward eare of the heart with the bodily eare and when we fall downe to praier we must bowe the knees of our hearts and in fasting from meate wee must abstaine from sinne yea in all things wee must be carefull to serue God in spirit and truth for which cause wee must pray with Dauid Lord renue a right spirit within me that so feeling Christ to liue in vs by grace wee may bee assured that Christs righteousnesse shall bring vs vnto glorie Verse 21. Ye haue heard that it was said of olde Thou shalt not kill for whosoeuer killeth shall be culpable of iudgement Our Sauiour Christ hauing laid downe his Preface doth here begin his interpretation of the Law beeing indeed the onely true doctour of his Church and herein especially hee doth meddle with the second Table beginning first of all with the sixt Commandement touching Murther In the handling whereof hee obserueth this order First hee setteth downe the false interpretation of this law by the Scribes and Pharises in this verse Secondly hee sheweth the true meaning of it v. 22. And lastly hee propoundeth rules of concord and agreement betweene those that be at variance verses 23 24 25 26. For the first The Exposition Ye haue heard that is you Iewes which now heare mee whether Scribes Pharises or others you haue heard that it hath beene said of old that is by your auncient Teachers the old Scribes and Pharises who haue expounded this law vnto you and that this phrase must be vnderstood of the ancient Iewish Teachers may plainely appeare because in the next verse hee opposeth his owne teaching thereunto and would haue these his hearers that before had learned a false interpretation of this law from their old Teachers now to learne of him the true exposition thereof The Law is this Thou shalt not kill The exposition of the ancient Iewish Teachers was this for whosoeuer killeth shall be culpable of iudgement that is whosoeuer laieth violent handes on another to take away his life for they knew no other murther neither did they extend this commandement to forbid any sin but actual murther shall be culpable of iudgement that is shall be held guiltie of murther both in the courts of men and also before the iudgement seate of God where hee shall receiue the deserued punishment thereof This was the interpretation of the Iewes Here first obserue that Antiquitie is no infallible marke of true doctrine for this exposition of this commandement was ancient received from ancient Teachers and yet Christ the doctour of truth reiecteth it as false and corrupt and therefore the argument which the Papists vse for the stablishing of their religion drawn from Antiquitie is of no effect Secondly by these words of Christ ye haue heard it hath beene said of olde wee may easily gather after what manner the Scribes and Pharises expounded the law namely they left the Scriptures and followed
to condemne but this is a preposterous course swaruing farre from this direction of our Sauiour Christ. And then shalt thou see cleerly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eie This is the fruite of the former remedie by curing himselfe first a man comes to see cleerely what his neighbours fault is and how it is to bee cured and amended Where wee may note that out of the amendment of our selues followes a spirituall gift of iudgement and wisdom whereby wee see aright how to reforme our brothers fault Hence I gather this generall doctrine that Right wisedome and vnderstanding followes the reformation of our owne hearts and liues The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord Psal. 111. 10. that is true wisdome and good vnderstanding comes from a reuerent awe of God in regard of his word and commandement so Psal. 119. 100. I was made wiser thâ—n the ancient by keeping thy coÌ„mandement first Dauid reformed himself and then hee became exceeding wise As it is said of Manasses that when hee repented and humbled himselfe he knew that the Lord was God and after Nabuchadnezzer was humbled his vnderstanding was restored to him Daniel 4. 31. for God teacheth the humble his waies Psalm 25. 9. The proud man is hee that builds vp his sinnes with posts and beames and such a one the Lord will not teach but him that pluckes downe these posts by amendment of his life will the Lord instruct in the way that he should walke Christ saith to his Disciples Ye are my friends if ye keepe my commandements and to his friends will he make knowne all things needfull that he hath heard of his father Ioh. 15. 14 15. by all which it is plaine that right iudgement followes true reformation of life Vses I. Hereby we see how to come to vnderstand the holy Scriptures read or heard namely by the amendement of our owne liues First reforme thine owne heart and life and then shalt thou haue true iudgement giuen vnto thee to be able in reading or hearing to vnderstand Gods word at least so much thereof as shall be needfull for thee and doubtlesse the cause why most men profit so little in the Scriptures though they heare and read them much is for that they looke not to the reformation of their owne liues and consciences according to the word Prou. 1. 23. Turne you at my correction saith Wisdome and I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my words The student therefore that must fit himselfe to get true vnderstanding in Gods word for the edification of Gods Church must remember this direction and labour first to plucke out the beame out of his owne eie and then shall hee see cleerely to reade with iudgement the word of God and to discerne the true way of euerlasting life for the good of Gods people but if thou come in thy sinnes thou readest without profit II. Use. Againe wouldest thou know thy selfe to be the childe of God remember then to purge thy heart and life from all sinne for thence floweth true vnderstanding and thereupon God will certifie thy conscience of thine election and reconciliation but if thou suffer thy selfe to lie in sinne thou maiest long waite for this certificate and yet neuer haue it III. Use. Many men there be that will bee of no religion because there are so many and diuers opinions about matters of religion in the world and therefore till some generall Councell haue determined of the truth of religion they will liue as they doe but these men must know that they take a wrong course If they would come to know the truth of religion they must first reforme their liues but while they liue in sinne they can neuer see what is good what is badde what is truth what is falshood in religion Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will doe my fathers will saith Christ hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe where he plainely giues vs to vnderstand that true iudgement of religion comes from obedience vnto God This is the right way to reforme an Atheist first to bring him to obedience And in a word whosoeuer thou art that wouldest in thy calling whatsoeuer it be please God and doe good to others first purge thine owne heart and life from sinne and then shalt thou see clearely wherein thou failest and how thou art to amend thy fault and afterward to doe good to others A II. generall Point Further in this remedie our Sauiour Christ opposeth Brotherly correction vnto rash iudgement and withall prescribes brotherly correction as a dutie to be practised among Gods people Touching this point foure things are to bee considered I. who is to correct II. Who is to be corrected III. What is to bee corrected and IV. In what manner For the first the partie that must correct is a brother that is any member of Gods Church so it is said Then shalt thou see cleerely to put out the mote out of thy brothers eie Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne and Math. 18. 15. If thy brother sinne against thee that is doe thee any wrong or else sinne against God and thou be priuie to it for that sinne may bee said to be against a man whereto he is priue though the wrong bee not against him because there is an offence giuen vnto him Then tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone that is correct and admonish him priuately Againe euery man is bound in conscience to saue his brothers soule which oft-times may bee done by brotherly correction and for want thereof many times the soule may perish and therefore it is euery mans dutie to correct his brother yet with this clause and caution that iust occasion be offered and time and place obserued for there be certaine particular exceptions in which a man is freed from this dutie and all because there is no iust occasion of correction offered as first if he bee not certaine of the fault committed for all lawfull correction is of faults certainely and truely knowne Secondly if the partie offending doe repent for the ende of correction is to bring the offender to amendment Thirdly if there bee no hope of his amendment Prou. 9. 8. Reproâ—â—e not a skorner that is such a one as mookes thee for thy labour Fourthly If it may in better manner and to better purpose be performed by others which for place and abilitie may and wil more fitly performe it But yet out of these cases if iust occasion bee offered euery one is to performe brotherly correction vnto his brother Here I note one particular instruction that not onely the Minister of Gods word is our Pastor but euen euery brother after a son is a pastor in regard that hee
This I note because they beginne to be in disgrace with many and corrupt Popish writers are farre better accounted of Thirdly if any among vs doubt of any point in religion let him doe these two things for his resolution which are the ordinarie meanes to know the truth First let him search the holy Scriptures diligently not by priuate studie onely but by conference with the godly Secondly let him in true humilitie of heart pray vnto God for the illumination of his spirit whereby he may in minde rightly conceiue of the truth embrace it by faith in his heart and honour it by obedience in his life thus doing constantly and in sinceritie he shall be sure to be preserued from errour both finall and fundamentall and in due time shall know the truth for the promise is Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde verse 12. and Saint Iames saith If any man lacke wisedome necessarie for his saluation let him aske of God vsing withall other lawfull meanes to come thereby and it shall bee giuen vnto him Hereto may be added this good help for satisfaction in this case of doubting namely to haue recourse to the generall confessions of reformed Churches which may be had in that notable booke The Harmonie of Confessions for although priuate men may erre as also particular Churches not onely seuerally but ioyntly in some things in this world yet the generall consent of reformed Churches may be a good direction to the knowledge of the truth and a good perswasion to constancie therein Fourthly we must keepe a good conscience if we would preserue the truth and puritie of religion for faith and good conscience goe alwaies together whereupon Saint Paul perswading Timothie to this dutie bids him haue faith and a good conscience which some haue put away as concerning faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 1. 19. where a good conscience is resembled to a shippe which saileth ouer the sea of this world beeing laden with faith that is with true religion and other spirituall graces needefull to saluation Now if the shippe of our conscience be crazie and vnsound then is our faith and saluation in great danger and therefore wee must endeauour in all things to haue a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men IU Instruct. This commandement of our Sauiour Christ to beware of false Prophets doth barre the Church of God and euery member thereof from conuersing with false Prophets after they bee conuicted to be such It was Eues fault to admit conference with the deuill in the serpent and all of vs feele the smart thereof at this day It was Pauls counsell to the Romans to marke them diligently which caused diuision and offences among them contrarie to the doctrine which they had learned and to auoyde them and Saint Iohn plainely forbids this societie with them 2. Epist. verse 10. Receiue not him to thine house neither bidde him God speed that comes to teach you and brings not this doctrine yea though we saith Paul or an Angel from heauen teach you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you hold him accursed Galat. 1. 8. In the histories of the Church it is recorded that S. Iohn would not wash himselfe in the same bath wherein Cerinthus an heretike was washing himselfe nor abide vnder the same roofe but leaped out and perswaded others so to doe And indeede by Eues example we may see the danger of conference with false Prophets for the same euill spirit speakes in them Now this shewes first that the practise of many students is dangerous and against this commandement who take delight in popish Cōmentaries and postils ascribing to them more learning and Iudgement then can be sound in those writers that were the restorers of true religion vnto vs hence it is that they labour more in them then in the Scripture it selfe or in other sound writers thereupon But if there bee any false Prophet at this day it is the Papist and their writings are dangerous to be read of those that are not well grounded in the truth for by reading we haue a kind of familiaritie with them and indeede many sucke out of them at vnawares much venim in waighty points of doctrine and religion We ought rather to doe with them as the beleeuers of Ephesus did with their bookes of curious Arts namely bring them out and burne them then take such delight in them albeit this must be graunted it is both lawfull and necessarie for the defence of the truth that men of sound iudgement and piety doe labour in them Secondly hence also it may appeare that it cannot bee but a great hindrance to true religion that hereticall bookes may be publikely sold to any one that will buie them without due consideration whether the partie haue gifts to discerne of truth from falshood in the Popish Church they are more carefull they permit not a man to read an heretikes booke as they call vs Protestants without leaue and that vnder a great penaltie which is seuerely inflicted vpon offenders that way V. Instruct. This commandement also shewes that it is not lawfull to graunt to any man or to any people the libertie of their owne conscience in the matters of religion permitting them to professe what religion they will for how should false Prophets be auoided when euery man may freely professe what he will in religion All gouernours therfore must follow the practise of good king Iosias who assembled all Iuda and caused all his people to heare the word of the Lord and to stand to that religion which the booke of God made knowne vnto them 2. Chro. 34. 32. V. Doctr. Wee haue from this commaundement an answer to the false charge of the Church of Rome who accuse vs of schisme and apostacie because we separate from their Church But we must know that the schisme apostacie is there where the cause of departing is which indeede is not in vs who doe no more herein but obey this commaundement of Christ the cause is in them who are become false prophets whom we must auoyd Here yet two questions may bee demaunded I. Whether a false Prophet may be put to death seeing Christ bids onely to beware of them Answ. Christ here speakes to his Apostles and to other of his auditors that were priuate men whose dutie raught no further but yet the truth is that a false Prophet beeing iudicially conuicted is to bee put to death the word of God elsewhere is plaine Leuit. 24. 14. there is both a commandement and a practise Euery blasphemer must die This wicked Iesabel knew wel who vnder pretence of blasphemie caused Naboth to be put to death and hereupon the Iewes sought to put Christ to death Yea Nabuchadnezzar an heathen king hauing but a taste of this that the God of Israel was the true God made this lawe that whosoeuer blasphemed
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
and matters of faith necessarie to saluation is so plaine that it may be vnderstood of the simplest â—ls Christ would neuer haue sent the Iewes to the Scriptures for the certen knowledge of the Mâ—ssias Which notably discouers the fraudulent dealing of the Romish teachers who in matters of controuersie in religion send vs for resolution to the Church calling it the stay and pillar whereto we must leane in all doubts of doctrines The church I graunt is to be reuerenced but yet we must not build our faith vpon the doctrine of men Our Sauiour Christ sent the Iewes vnto the Scriptures and hereby the Bereans tried Pauls doctrine and are commended And indeede though men be neuer so vnlearned yet if they come in humilitie to search the Scripture and in obedience vnto God praying for knowledge they may be able by Gods word to discerne of false teachers vers 21. Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen From this verse to the 24. is conteined another portion of Christs sermon beeing the seauenth part of this chapter wherein he intreateth of the state of those that professe his holy name in his Church here on earth And his maine scope drift herein is to shew that men must not content themselues to professe religion outwardly but there-with they must ioyne true godlines and sincere obedience This point is as wayghtie and of as great importance as any of the former respecting the maine point of mâ—ns saluation and it conteineth two parts A maine conclusion in this verse And a proofe and explanation of one part thereof ver 22. 23. The conclusion it selfe hath two parts 1. that some men professing the name of Christ shall not be saued which part is afterward explaned and confirmed the 2. part is this that some professors of religion shal be saued which is not onely propounded but the parties also are plainely described The first part is a most fearfull sentence against many that liue in the Church that notwithstanding their profession of the name of Christ yet they shall neuer be saued And this is most true beeing spoken by him that hath the power of life and of death who is also the God of truth that cannot lie saying Not euery one that saith Lord Lord that is that professeth God to be his God shall enter into the kingdome of heauen There be two kinde of professors in the Church of God that shall neuer be saued the first are grosse hypocrites which professe Christ with their mouth and yet in heart and life they renounce him of this sort is first the common Atheist who onely for feaâ—e of the magistrates lawes professeth religion secondly the Epicure that is such a one who beares Christs name for fashions sake and yet his bellie and pleasure is his God thirdly the worldling who spends the strength of bodie and mind and all he hath on the world for earthly things Now none of all these if they thus liue and die can be saued The second sort are more close hypocrites which professe the name of Christ in some truth and haue in them some good gifts of God by reason whereof both before men and in their owne conceite they are reputed members of the Church and yet for all this they are indeed but hypocrites which shall neuer be saued And that we may somewhat discerne of them I will note the gifts which they may haue whereby they may come to professe Christ truly they may be reduced to fiue heads The first is the spirit of bondage to feare Rom. 8. 15. This is a certaine gift of God whereby a man doth discerne the right meaning and iudiciall vse of the law in himselfe concerning sinne and the punishment thereof for though a man by nature know something of the law yet he knowes not all nor the right vse thereof now by reason of this knowledge he sees himselfe in bondage and in regarde thereof doeth feare from whence may proceede many good things as griefe for sinne confession and humiliation for the same and praier for pardon Thus wicked Pharaoh confessed the righteousnesse of God and that he and his people had sinned Exod. 9. 27. And so did Ahab at the heauie message of God by Eliah 1. King 2. 27. he rent his clothes and put sackecloath vpon him and fasted and lay in sacke-cloath So Iudas when he sawe that Christ was condemned he repented of his fact beeing gâ—ieued for it and ashamed to looke any man in the face and also confessed the same before God and men Matth. 27. 3 4. A second gift which a close hypocrite may haue is faith as had Simon Magus for he beleeued and was baptized Act. 8. 13. neither was it a false and dissembling faith altogether but in some sort a true though not a sauing faith for he beleeued and yet was in the gall of bitternesse So Ioh. 2. 23. it is saide certaine beleeued in Christ but he durst not commit himselfe vnto them And that we be not deceiued herein we must know that this faith of an hypocrite hath in it three things knowledge of the truth approbation thereof with assent vnto it and a kinde of perswasion that Christ is his redeemer Of the second degree of this faith we haue example 2. Pet. 2. 18. where some are said to be beguiled with wantonnesse through fleshly lusts who had cleane escaped from them that be wrapt in â—rror that is in idolatrie And of the third degree we haue example in the same chap. vers 1. where some false prophets are said to denie Christ that bought them because for a time they professed themselues to be redeemed and were also perswaded in a generall sort that he had bought them yet herein they failed that they did not truly apprehend the merit of Christ and applie it effectually vnto themselues The third gift of a close hypocrite is a taste of Gods fauour Hebr. 6. 6. it is saide of some that fall quite away That they were inlightned by Gods spirit and had a taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come though they were neuer â—ed nor filled therewith The fourth gift is good affections good I say not in them but in their kinde and so farre forth as we can iudge they haue ioy in the good things of God Luk. 8. 13. They that are on the stones are they which when they haue heard receiue the word with ioy They haue zeale for Gods glorie as had Iehu 2. king 11. 15. and yet he departed not from the sinnes of his forefathers v. 32. Thirdly they haue reuerence to Gods Ministers as Herod to Iohn Baptist Mark 6. 20. Herod knowing Iohn to be a iust and holy man feared and reuerenced him The fifth gift is an outward reformation of life the stonie ground
the vertue of his resurrection to raise and build vs vp againe in newnes of life learning to know Christ vnto our selues by experience in our selues for knowledge in the braine will not saue the soule but he that is truly founded on Christ feeles the benefits of his death and resurrection in some measure in himselfe IV. Point The effect and fruit of bad hearing that is fearefull ruine and destruction resembled by the issue of building on the sands v. 27. The raine fell the floods came c. Where two things are to be noted I. the cause of this fearefull ruine the falling of the raine and beating of the floods and windes II. the qualitie of this ruine it is great and fearefull The house fell and the fall thereof was great For the first Floods and winde and raine doe here betoken trialls and temptations which are here said to befal the professors of the name of Christ. Whence we learne that euery one that doth heare the word of God and professe true religion must looke for a day of temptation and triall It is Gods will that whosoeuer taketh vpō him the profession of his name should be tried what he is Thus he permitted Adam presently after his creation to be tempted and tried the smart whereof we all feele vnto this day and God gaue Abraham a commandement of triall to kill his onely sonne Gen. 22. 1 2. Soe he left Hezekias to himselfe to trie him and to know all that was in his heart 2. Chr. 32. 31. And Iohn Baptist saith of Christ that he hath his fanne in his hand to sift and trie the good corne from chaffe Matth. 3. 12. and Luk. 22. 31. the deuill sought to winnow the disciples as wheate And S. Peter makes it a thing requisite that the faith of Gods seruants should be tried by afflictions as gold is tried in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. Vse We now haue by Gods mercie true religion among vs and are freed from the bondage of the Turke Iewe and Papist we must therefore stand fast in our profession and not suffer our selues to be depriued of true religion for times will come when we must be tried and therefore in this happie time of peace and truth which is to vs the day of grace and mercie we must labour seriously to haue our hearts indued with some good measure of lasting grace as of faith hope and loue which as good gold may abide the triall of afflictions otherwise we shall not stand for all painted shewes of grace in time of triall will vanish away like drosse and stubble before the fire The second point in this effect is the qualitie of this ruine and fall it is great and fearefull It fell and the fall thereof was great The thing resembled hereby is most fearefull to wit that such professors of religion as in the daies of peace did not ioyne practise with their profession shall fall away in the time of triall and come to most fearefull perdition this is the principall point that Christ here aimes at whereby he intends to terrifie men from dissembled profession And the consideration of it must worke effectually in our hearts for we by Gods mercie and blessing haue had the light of the Gospel for many yeares together in such measure as neuer was in this land before and yet though all of vs be hearers where is our obedience alas some among vs grow to be flat and peremptorie Atheists denying God and Christ Iesus others and the most vnder the name of religion root their hearts in the world some in profits and some in pleasures and none of these almost regard religion others professe religion and yet liue in grosse sinnes as swearing drunkennesse vncleannesse c. making no conscience of grosse impietie in their liues so that if we looke into the generall state of our people we shall see that religion is professed but not obeied nay obedience is counted precisenesse and so reproached but we must know that in the ende this prophaning of religion will soone turne all Gods blessings temporall and spirituall into fearefull curses both of bodie and soule If euer any thing bring ruine vpon vs it will be the contempt of Gods word professed and therefore let vs in the feare of God endeauour our selues not onely to know and heare the word of God but to turne vnto God from all sinne and especially in regard of this sinne of disobedience to the word of God Lastly Christ notes the qualitie of this fall to be exceeding great to shew vnto vs the great daunger of hypocrisie for there is great difference betweene these three sorts of men a sinner that makes no profession of religion an hypocrite that makes a great shew of pietie in profession and a true beleeuer whose life and conuersation is answerable to his profession For a true professor may fall into sinne very fearefully as Peter and Dauid did and yet recouer againe Also he that is a most notorious sinner as Manasses was may be conuerted and repent But when a professor that is an hypocrite in religion is tried he falls quite from Christ and makes apostacie from his profession and in this regard his fall is called great And therefore seeing professors may thus fearefully fall away let vs in the feare of God labour in some truth of heart to yeild obedience to that we heare vers 28. And it came to passe when Iesus had ended these words the people were astonied at his doctrine 29. For he taught as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes These two verses containe the issue and euent of this Sermon of our Sauiour Christ in his hearers And in them we may obserue two points first the good fruit that came of this sermon v. 28. secondly the cause reason thereof v. 29. The fruit was the astonishing of the people which S. Matthew sets out by three circumstances I. of the time when it appeared to wit after the Sermon was ended II. of the persons in whom it was wrought the people that is the multitude III. of the matter whereat they were astonished namely at the doctrine of Christ. Touching this Astonishing of the people in it many things are to be obserued I. That though the person of our Sauiour Christ were lowly and base yet his doctrine in preaching was of that force in the minds of his hearers for it did amase and astonish them This caused the officers that were sent to take him to returne without him alleadging the maiestie of his doctrine for the reason of their fact Neuer man spake as this man did Ioh. 7. 46. and when the gouernours came with a band of men to apprehend him so soone as he did but tell them he was the Christ they went backward and fell to the ground Ioh. 18. 6. This sheweth vnto vs that the voice and sentence of Christ giuen at the last day of iudgement will be most fearefull and