as euery tree that beareth not good fruit is at the length hewen downe and cast into the fire so all corrupt teachers with their Disciples and followers shall in fine be cut off and cast into hell fire The Euangelist Luke n Luk. 6. 43. 44. extendeth this not onely to all Ministers but to all persons in generall as also wee finde it Mat. 3. 10. and 12. 33. From whence in briefe arise these doctrines necessarily to bee considered of euery one first that it is impossible for a mam not borne againe to doe any good and acceptable worke for till a man bee accepted himselfe his worke cannot The o Genes 4. 4. Lord had respect to Abel and then to his offering but vnto Cain and vnto his offering hee had no respect p Mat. 12. 33. Either make the tree good onely regeneration or the new birth doth that and his frnit good or make the tree euill and his fruit euill the fruit must needs bee as the tree is Nothing therefore is done in the businesse of religion vntill a man in deed and in truth become a new creature or as our Lord Christ phraseth it q Iohn 3 5. vntill hee bee borne againe or from aboue of water and the holy Ghost that is vntill the holy Ghost haue renued and restored him to the fauour and Image of God through the ministerie of the Gospell r Luke 3. 3. preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes The second doctrine is that vniuersall righteousnesse or walking Å¿ Luke 1. 6. with Zacbarie and Elizabeth in all the commandements and ordinanees of the Lord blamelesse doth of necessitie proceed from all that are so regenerate It is heere set downe as a ruled case That euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit and cannot bring forth euill habitually or in a setled course as hath beene said they are and must t Mat. 5. 48. be perfect as their heauenly father is perfect as wee haue heard The third doctrine also is as true as it is terrible to all hypocrites and worldlings that vtter reiection from the face of God and hell fire it selfe are the certaine reward of an vnfruitfull life though it bee not tainted with grosse sinnes The fruitlesse tree is sentenced to be cut downe u Mat. 25. 30 the vnprofitable seruant to bee cast into vtter darknesse and in the last day it shall bee said I was hungrie and you fed mee not naked and you cloathed mee not sicke and in prison and you visited mee not c. Wherefore goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels and none excuse will serue their turne The fourth and last doctrine is that which ought to awaken euery man to liue righteously and fruitfully viz. that euery one is to bee iudged not by his words or profession but by the euidence of his workes and that not onely at the last day but euen in present for so hee saith x Verse 20. so Cap. 12. 33. Ye shall know them by their fruits in which respect a man is truly said to be iustified or condemned by his works declaratiuely Wherefore as the Apostle writeth y T it 3 14. Let ours also learne to shew forth good workes for necessarie vses But of this more followeth to be spoken vpon the next verse wherein is contayned the second danger of being with-holden or carried from the strait gate and narrow way and that is by a glorious profession and seeming zeale in these words z Verse 20 Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth ehe will of my father which is in heauen As there is extreame danger from false Prophets so except we looke well about vs there is no lesse danger if not much more from our owne selues through the deceitfulnesse of our euil hearts For it is possible and too too frequent in vse for men to liue vnder wise and faithfull teachers and to heare from them the pure word of God with out mixture of false doctrine or hypocrisie to receiue it also gladly to beleeue Iesus Christ to be the onely begotten Sonne of God the promised Messiah to professe him to bee their one and onely Sauiour to call vpon him not with a single Lord but with Lord Lord that is affectionately and zealously in appearance to doe yea and to suffer many things gladly being at a point with a Mat. 8. 19. the Scribe to follow Christ whithersoeuer hee goeth and in regard of these and such like matters to thinke themselues as good as in heauen alreadie and yet for all that to come short of the goale which is the prize of the high calling of God because these glorious shewes are without the substance and power of godlinesse wherein the Kingdome of God consisteth and not in word profession or any externall thing This is that which Christ here calleth the doing of the will of his father which is in heauen which may then truely be said to be done when the doctrine which wee heare out of his holy word is on our parts receiued and b Heb. 4. 2. mixed with faith vnfained when daily and deepe repentance for our daily transgressions followeth it to that end we narrowly c Psal 119. 59. Lam. 3. 40. search our own hearts and wayes that we may the more effectually turne vnto God in obedience to all his commandements and ordinances when there is to be found in vs a perpetuall striuing and streyning that wee may not e Rom. 8. 13. liue after the flesh but mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit when our speciall combating is against our speciall sinnes and corruptions either by custome complection or calling and herein cheifly against hypocrisie desiring from the heart euen before God to be righteous in euery thing rather then to seeme so making it our ambition and couetousnesse not to please men and to grow great in the world or in common graces of the spirit but to please the all-seeing eyes of God and to grow rich in sauing graces in faith hope charitie patience humilitie meeknesse temperance heauenly-mindednesse to be plentifull in good workes laying vp fot our selues treasures in heauen euer suing and saying with Dauid f Psal 4. 6. Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs when wee apply and settle our hearts g 1. Thes 5. 17 18. to pray without ceasing and watch thereunto In euery thing to giue thankes also because this is the will of GOD in Christ Iesus concerning vs. Lastly to let passe all other particulars when in the point of charitie our faithfull and constant indeauour is to loue our neighbours yea euen our very enemies not onely as our selues which is the righteousnesse of the law but euen aboue our selues being readie according to the will of God to sacrifice not our goods onely but our very
Disciple indeed and he shall tell mee tidings that these words Strait is the gate and narrow is the way were not spoken for nothing when he shall find the Flesh World and Deuill meet in a conspiracie and practice inuisibly against him y Ephes 6. 12. Wee wrestle not saith the Apostle against flesh and bloud onely or chiefly but against Principalities Powers rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Where he resembleth the life of a Christian to a continuall wrestling not onely with our selues and men the flesh alwayes lusting against the spirit and men hating vs to the death for cleauing to God and his truth but with the deuils of hell by nature spirits by situation in high places ouer our heads by condition principalities powers and rulers of this darke and blind world z 1. Pet. 5. 8. ranging abroad as Lyons that seeke their prey In regard of all which dangers the putting on of the whole armour of God is enioyned that wee should not sometime onely when need requireth as in other warres but alwayes haue it about vs march and lye in it As the warre admitteth no truce with the enemie extreamely malicious and restlesse so no vacation or freedome from armes which how vncouth it is to flesh and bloud who knoweth not But to make this point concerning the strait gate and narrow way more cleare wee may remember that there are two things whereunto the state of Christians is most vsually and aptly resembled whose passages of all other are most strait and narrow that is to say of the birth and death of a man For with what paine and difficultie wee come into the world and goe on t of the world who is ignorant Now a Iohn 3. 3 5. except a man bee borne againe or from aboue hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of GOD. A new birth and b 2 Cor. 5. 17. creature is absolutely necessarie againe without dying to sinne and to the world being c Gal. 5. 24. crucified thereto by partaking with Christ Iesus in his crosse and d Col. 3. 3. 4. death there can be no such new birth This mortification or dying to sinne and regeneration or liuing to God is to the quicke expressed in our baptisme wherein wee are ingraffed into the death buriall and resurrection of Christ as e Rom. 6. 3 4 the Apostle teacheth which cannot be without repentance from dead workes faith in Christ Iesus and a sacrificing of our selues to God in new obedience All which necessarily require supernaturall striuing and streining on our part and trauelling as it were in birth or vnder the pangs of death For to beginne with repentance how can that be without an vtter renouncing of all our sinnes naturally most sweet and deare to vs without bewailing and confessing of them out of a broken and contrite spirit without crucifying the most grieuous manner of killing f Gal. 5. 24. the flesh with the affections and lusts of it Againe what faith in Christ can there bee without disclaiming of our owne righteousnesse ciuill hypocriticall legall that comming naked to him we may bee cloathed with his to rest and reioyce therein meerly to which how hardly the naturall man who would faine be some body is drawne all experience teacheth This is a very hard nut to cracke yet is there a farre harder For when the performance of Gods promise is long delayed and nothing almost appeareth in the meane season which seemeth not contrarie to it then with faithfull Abraham g Rom. 4. 18. against hope to beleeue in hope and to h Psal 109. 13. wait for his counsell and not rather with the vnbeleeuing Israelites in the wildernesse to flinch murmure and limit the holy one of Israel hoc opus hic labor this indeed is to croud in at the strait gate and to walke in the narrow way Summa ars piorum as it was notably spoken by an ancient Diuine credere inuisibiliâ— sperare dilata diligere Deum ostendentemse tanquam hostem inimicum sic in finem vsque perseuerare that is The art or mysterie of the godly is the highest of all other to beleeue things inuisible to hope for things delayed to loue God shewing himselfe not as a father or friend but as an enemie and so to perseuere euen vnto the end Lastly what sacrificing of our selues in new obedience can there be without an vtter deniall of our sweet selues of our wit will affections appetites with whatsoeuer seemeth excellent in our owne eyes that wee may submit our selues intirely to the most sacred will of Almightie God our heauenly Father as it is teuealed in his world to make that alone the man of our counsell a lanthorne to our feet and a light vnto our path not turning to the right hand or to the left A mans heart would farre more easily bee drawne to cloy God with i Mic. 6. 6. 7. burnt offerings and calues of a yeare olde to please God if that would doe with thousands of rammes and with ten thousand riuers of oyle to giue his first borne for his transgression and the fruit of his bodie for the sinne of his sonle He would build Almes-houses Churches Colledges good workes indeed Abbeâ—es and what not rather then to humble himselfe to walke with his God in this new obedience This is to him too strait a gate and narrow a way the more are wee to striue to it giuing God most high thankes who of his rich grace hath giuen vs both a calling and minds also to stoope to it To this point of new obedience belongeth that which is terrible of all terribles to flesh and bloud to wit our passiue obedience which euer must goe with the actiue in some degree or other k Luke 9. 23. Whosoeuer will be my Disciple saith our Lord and Master Christ Iesus let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse either of passion or compassion daily and follow me And whosoeuer ouercome woe be vnto vs if we ouercome not must ouercome l Reu. 12. 11. by the bloud of the Lambe by the word of their testimonie and not louing their liues vnto death that is by faith in Christs bloud by free and faithfull confession of the truth and by martyrdome if God so appoint Thus wee see how the gate is strait and the way narrow and by reason thereof much vnknowne and vnfrequented but this ought not to discourage the poore Saints for he that calleth them hereunto and hath promised not to leaue nor forsake them will so vphold them by his grace cheere and strengthen them by his holy spirit from time to time according to their needs that they shall finde it no vaine word m Mat. 11. 30. My yoke is easie and my burthen light and n 1. Ioh. 5. 3. his commandements ate not grieuous In comfort and confidence whereof as also in the vndeceiueable hope of the life
A PLAINE AND COMPENDIOVS EXPOSITION OF CHRISTS Sermon in the Mount Contayned in the 5. 6. 7. Chapters of Saint MATTHEW Being the substance of sundry SERMONS By IOHN CARTER Minister at BELSTEAD neare Ipswych MATTHEW 17. 5. This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare yee him LONDON Printed by W. S. for Samuel Man dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1627. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL Sr. WILLIAM BORLACE the elder of Bockmore-hall in the Countie of Buckingham Knight AND Mistris HELLEN BACON of Shrubland-hall in the Countie of Suffolke Widow Grace and peace be multiplyed RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL HAuing now in appearance well ncere serued my time and hoping shortly to put off this my Tabernacle my desire is to leaue some memoriall of my poore labours to my dearely beloued Parishioners and all other well affected people That after my decease if it bee the will of God they they may haue the mayne documents of the truth which is according to godlinesse heretofore taught by word of mouth alwayes in remembrance Concerning the subiect or matter of this Treatise since our Lord and Master Christ Iesus himselfe goeth before me in the whole and I doe but follow him from step to step as a plaine and I trust faithfull interpreter of his minde it challengeth of right audience attention and absolute obedience at all hands as being in it selfe most sacred and compleate whereof that of Christ elsewhere may iustly bee taken vp This doe and liue For it contayneth a plaine and perfect path-way to Heauen as the conelusion of this Sermon doth vndeniably demonstrate wherein the hearers and doers of these his words are pronounced vnmoueable as being built vpon the rocke The methode or order vsed by this great Prophet is in like manner most admirable though in my poore opinion not so well obserued by interpreters This also I haue endeauoured to vnfold referring euery document to the proper place which as I take it helpeth not a little to the vnderstanding and bearing in minde of the whole Sermon But if any thing be performed by mee in tâ—is Worke and my decrepit old age worth your trauailes in reading I had rather that you should find it then my selfe relate it wherefore I desist Onely giue me leaue I pray you to request two things of your Worships especially of you good Sir William so much conuersant in learned Writers of all kinds which requests also I make to all other who shall venture their paines and time vpon this Treatise first that you would not expect any excellencie of words or intising speech of mans wisdome which the Apostle r 1. Cor. 1. 17. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. so vehemently disclaymeth vpon most strong Reasons and our Lord Christ looketh not after heere or in any other his teachings but deliuereth the plaine and simple truth in all holy plainenessc and simplicitie nothing at all carefull to please mens fancies by curious phrases and figures of speech strange and farrefetcht conceits or various mixture of humane Literature for ostentation sake mine vnfeined endeauour hath beene to follow him herein also from step to step making the exposition as sutable as I could to the Sermon it selfe My second suite is that you would be pleased not to iudge of the whole Worke by some parts and passages of it especially in the beginning of it which perhaps will hardly satisfie the iudicious Reader but to shew me this fauour if you make a beginning to take the paines at your leisure to reade all I dare promise nothing yet my hope is that so doing your labour as the Apostle speaketh in a higher case shall not bee altogether in vaine in the Lord. Thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse in presuming to dedicate these weake papers vnto you I humbly take my leaue intreating God Almightie so to be with you by his grace and Spirit that you may grow euery day more and more like vnto your worthy Mothers your Fathers I knew not so well I meane those two famous Sisters of blessed memory Mistris Elizabeth Barret of Bray and Mistris Anne Borlace of little Marlow both Widowes indeed whom Enuie it selfe cannot deny to haue shined as Lights in their times for the practice of pure and vndefiled Religion Whom also if you continue to imitate and to be inheritours of their great vertues as you are of their great estates you shall leaue your names as a blessing to your Posteritie as they haue done theirs to you Your ancient poore friend and petitioner to God for you and yours IO. CARTER THE WISE BVILDER OR CHRISTS Sermon in the Mount expounded MATTH 7. 24 25 26 27. 24. Therefore whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him vnto a wise man that built his house vpon a rocke 25. And the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell not for it was founded vpon a rocke 26. And euery one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall bee likened to a foolish man which built his house vpon the sand 27. And the raine descended and the flouds came and the windes blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it IN these foure Verses is contayned the conclusion of Christ's most notable Sermon vpon the Mount which is faithfully recorded by this our Euangelist Saint Matthew one of the Pen-men of the Holy Ghost in the fift sixt and seuenth Chapters of his holy Gospell This worthy conclusion seemeth to be inferred vpon his doctrine going immediately before concerning the dreadfull doome of all workers of iniquitie pronounced in three seuerall sentences to this effect Seeing a Verse 19. euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire And againe Seeing b Verse 21. Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen And lastly Seeing c Verse 23. I will then professe vnto many famously knowne and taken forth among men for their eminent and extraordinary gifts I neuer knew you Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie THEREFORE whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine and doth them so d 2. Tim. 2. 21. purging himselfe from these as a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meete for the Master's vse and prepared vnto euery good worke I will liken him vnto a wiseman c. Contrariwise Euery one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not but e Psal 125. 5. turneth aside to his owne crooked wayes with those workers of iniquitie he shall be likened to a foolish man c His aime and scope heere is to set before our eyes the Image and picture of the good and euill hearer expressed to the quicke vnder the similitude of the wise builder verse 24. 25. First by his actions truly religious hee ioyneth practise to his hearing turning the word into worke f Rom.