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A76798
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Expositions and sermons upon the ten first chapters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Matthew. Written by Christopher Blackwood, preacher to a Church of Christ in the city of Dublin in Ireland.
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Blackwood, Christopher.
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1659
(1659)
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Wing B3098; ESTC R207680
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612,607
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923
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is needful let us avoid wicked suspicions of others concerning us and our received opinion of them is to be tried envy not any man who is dearly loved before others Just Mart. ad Zenam Serenum p. 390. Let no worldly conference flow from us but that which fits us for virtue Our neighbour speaking let us not laugh at him nor hinder him until by our silence he be ashamed and be silent Ibid. p. 391 392. 2 Exhortation to Christians to be like unto salt 1 As salt draws out putrifying humors out of meat and makes it rellishable for the palate so Christians by their doctrine and examples and in particular Preachers draw out the rottenness in the hearts and tongues of men and makes them fit for society of Christians hence they are called the salt of the earth to show that they should not season one or two or a few but even the whole earth and to press it the more upon them he used this similitude not once but often as Mark 9. ult John 14. ult 2 For profitableness Sale sole nihil utilius salt is most profitable called by some the balsome of nature it is mingled with all mixt bodies and preserves them from corruption So Christians are very profitable Philemon 11. Formerly unprofitable now profitable to thee and me 3 Christians are like salt for wisdom salt was an embleme of wisdome as salt seasons meat so wisdom seasons the mindes of good men Hence Sapientia is derived à sapore from savor because wisedome is the savor of the minde that which the soul is in the body that are Christians in the world 4 Salt is of a hot and fiery nature because cast it into the fire it kindles and of a watry nature because if you pour water upon it it turns into water So the Disciples of Christ should be hot and zealous for God yet should this heat be mingled with knowledg and discretion lest we fly out as those Luke 9.53 who called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritans or those who out of zeal to God persecuted Christ and his Righteousness Rom 10.2 5 As Salt stirs up Thirst so Christians should stir up others to thirst after Christ and heavenly things John 7.37 Revel 22.17 We should not so much look for Examples from others as give Examples to others Lyvy called Greece the Salt of the Nations it is more truly said of Christians 6 As by Salt Meat is made fit for our Taste so by the Salt of an holy Conversation the Word is made fit for the Rellish of others 1 Peter 3.1 Hence Christians are called the Salt of the earth that is of earthly minded men 7 As for preservation of Meat and other things from putrifaction there must be a just measure of Salt neither too much nor too little so Christians in general nor Teachers in special ought by an unseasonable application of the Law to swallow up afflicted Consciences Psalm 69.26 They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and talk to the grief of him whom thou hast wounded nor by an unseasonable application of the grace of God to encourage impenitent persons Rom 2.4 5 8 As Salt brings Desolation and a Curse to that which is not seasoned by it Gen 13.3 Zeph 2.9 so the Word in the Mouths and Lives of Christians to whom it is not a savour of life is a savour to death 2 Cor 2.16 2 Exhort to live savoury Lives our selves else how can we season others If the Salt have lost its savour what is it good for Take heed therefore of all scandalous sins for 1 By these the Name of God is blasphemed Ezek 36.20 The Babylonians seeing the loose lives of the Jews cried out These are the people of the Lord these are come out of the Lords land Rom 2 24 The Name of God is blasphemed by you Loose Christians are called Spots Jude 12 Deut 32.19 When David committed folly with Bathsheba by that thing he made the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam 12.14 When the strong despised the weak and the weak judged the strong they caused their good to be evil spoken of Rom 14.16 How carefull are we to preserve the name of a Friend how carefull should we be to preserve the Name of God 2 An holy savoury walking free from scandalous sins is a mans glory 1 Sam 12.3 4 Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass or of whose hand have I received a Bribe and they said Thou hast not defrauded us nor taken any thing of any mans hand 1 Cor 9.15 It were better for me for to dy than that any man should make my glorying void See 2 Cor 1.12 1 Thess 2.10 Contrarily it 's a dishonour to a Christian to be guilty of a spot of uncleanness c. Demetrius had a good report of all men yea and of the truth it self 3 Epist of John v. 12 3 Scandalous sins are worse to keep men off from embracing the truth than persecutions for by scandals men are hardened from embracing the truth Rom 14.13 Let no man lay a stumbling block or a scandal to another for sometimes persons were made by the contentions among strong and weak to stumble and so not to joyn to Gods people sometimes they were made to fall yea to fall off from Christian Assemblies Holy example is a duty we ow to the whole world and as by holy examples persons are built up towards Heaven so by wicked words and works yea by indifferent things done unseasonably persons are made worse and built up towards destruction Lev 19.14 Thou shalt not lay a stumbling block before the blinde Scandals are as Pits and Snares to catch living creatures wherein the unwary and blinde are taken 4 A savoury Life free from Scandals is a special means to stop the mouths of wicked men Dan 6.4 they found nought against Daniel but for the Law of his God 1 Peter 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Peter 3.16 having a good Conscience whereunto an holy Life is joyned that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ Titus 2.8 They that are of the contrary part will be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you contrarily when persons that profess shall fall into scandals wicked men draw these Conclusions as 1 Because some professing persons are bad therefore their Religion is bad 2 Because one is bad thus they are all 5 By an unsavoury scandalous Life thou hast a hand in other mens damnation A mans own personal guilt is heavy enough he need not add the weight of other mens sins Matth 18.6 Wo to the World because of offences there is not onely a Wo to the person that gives the offence but to the World This is a Rock on which thousands dash their souls Therefore as
in against thee are non-suted Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect When God would comfort his people wherewith doth he comfort them he tells them their iniquities are pardoned Esa 40.22 Obj. But my Sins are many my guilts haynous how can I take comfort Answ 1 God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and delivered from the curse all that believe on him John 3.36 1 Thess 1.10 2 We must look on Christs death as able to drown Mountains as Mole-hills All the fiery stingings how great soever were taken away when they lookt on the Brazen Serpent John 3.14 15. God did not onely save just Abraham Isaac and Jacob but unrighteous Thamar Reuben Simeon Levi that no man should presume of his righteousness or wisdom nor that any man should be discouraged because of his sins Luth. in Gen. 38. 3 The Fountain of Christs Bloud is set open for all bleeding and believing souls Zach. 12.10 compared with cap. 13.1 In that day they believe and repent the Fountain is open 4 All hand-writings of Ordinances of what kinde soever that might testifie a believers guilt is taken away as to the accusatory and damnatory power thereof Col. 2.14 If the Jews rejoyced at the revoking Ahazuerus sentence let us much more at this 5 All the power of Hell is led in triumph by Christ to the faith of the believer Col. 2.15 Having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly viz. to the faith of the believer triumphing over them on the Cross 6 In his Redemption Christ had in his eye all the sins that should fall out to the end of the world and he paid not onely for sins that were at present but for those which should come after though one sin be committed to day another to morrow and another the third day yet the travel of Christs soul gave the Father full satisfaction Isai 53.11 Object Could I believe or repent I could take comfort but alas I cannot saith many a poor soul Answ All the promises of remission of sins are belonging and so consequently to be tendered unto those who believe and repent not to believing without repenting nor to repenting without believing Luke 24.47 Mark 1.15 Acts 20.21 Paul preached Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ but the promises are to be tendered to both together Thus we comfort the afflicted Brother It 's impossible thou shouldest be so righteous in this life that thou shouldest feel no sin and that thy body should be clear without spots as the Sun but thou hast yet spots are in thee yet art thou holy but thou sayest How can I be holy seeing I have and feel sin That thou feelest sin and acknowledges it give thanks to God despair not It 's a step to health when the sick person acknowledges his Disease But how shall I be delivered from my sin run to Christ the Physician who heals the broken in heart thy reason being sacrificed believe in him Luth. Tom. 4.76 2 Mourning under unbelief and impenitency and hardness of heart doth usually argue there is some measure of these graces in thy soul for whence could a soul mourn for the want of these graces but because it hath some measure of these already those that mourn under wants and hunger and thirst for supplies are under the promise of blessedness John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink 2 Every thirsting soul is invited to Christ Revel 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely 3 Cast thy thy self upon Christ resolving if thou perishest thou wilt perish in his arms Job 13.15 2 Use Righteous persons may draw comfort from the righteousness of uprightness though not by way of satisfaction yet by way of evidence 1 Chron. 29.9 The People rejoyced because they offered willingly because with perfect heart they offered willingly 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience Doing judgment is accompanied with joy Prov. 21.15 Men persecute for righteousness Matth. 5.10 Devils rage at it but Saints must walk in it Luke 1.75 Those Heb. 11. first wrought Righteousness then obtained promises v. 35. In the name of a righteous man Not because he is a kinsman or friend or because we hope to receive like for like or shall get some gain thereby or ingratiate our self thereby unto some men we would be in favour with but as before he had spoken because he was a Prophet so here because he is a righteous man Gal. 6.10 We should principally look to the moving cause that moveth us to do good to Gods Saints even because we see Christ in them though all other considerations were taken away as of neighbourhood meekness love to us Shall receive a righteous mans Reward That is they shall not onely receive the examples of those holy men they receive and their edifying speeches usually holy either for matter or manner of speaking and sometimes their powerfull prayers for them but they shall also receive the same reward of eternal glory which the righteous man himself shall receive for the just shall live by faith Heb. 2.4 V. 42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his Reward Here 's a third ground against fear of not being received which the Disciples and other Christians might expect for the cause of Christ to wit that the smallest kindness done to any of Christs little ones shall not go without a reward Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water That is being able to give no more for if we can give a cup of wine and shall put the matter off with a cup of water Christ will think this but cold entertainment The meanness of the benefit shall not make the kindness less respected with Christ 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath He names cold water as Augustine supposes lest any man should excuse himself that he wanted fire or a vessel to heat it By little ones Christ means those who are base and vile in their own eys from the sense of their Infirmities and despised by the proud men of the world Against offending and despising these little ones Christ warns Matth. 18.6 1 Saying It were better a man had a Mill-stone hanged about his neck and he be cast into the Sea as the Jews were wont to punish some Malefactours than offend such little ones 2 The Angels of these little ones do always behold the face of God therefore take heed how ye despise them God dignifies them with attendance of Angels therefore do not ye despise them If not despise them then must you