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.
persecution of the truth yet by circumstance they became infinitely more abominable because they liued therin vnder an hypocriticall shew of sanctimonie that was in them as it is in all other double iniquitie And this vehemencie of our Lord Christ in reprouing who vsed not to be stirred but for very great cause sheweth not onely how detestable this shamelesse selfe-loue pride and hypocrisie is in the eyes of God and ought to be in our eyes but alsowhat propensitie is in euery one of vs to hood-winke our selues and passe by our owne fouler corruptions and in the meane season as if wee had no worke at home to cast our eyes abroad vpon other folkes and to take their actions and intentions nothing so much out of square as our owne to doe as if Lazars all ouer-spread with botches and blaines should haue their fingers itching to turne Physicians for the healing of other mens pushes and pimples But let vs now come to the remedie here prescribed d Verse 5. Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye as if he should say Thou whose grace consisteth in disgracing thy betters first relinquish and that with detestation thine owne villanous actions and intentions and then thou shalt clearely see to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye The mending of thine owne greater faults will get thee both experience and authoritie also to redresse other mens lesse faults This then is the rule of our Lord Iesus euer to bee remembred of all that desire to doe good in their places and not much harme to themselues and others That whosoeuer goeth about to mend others must first mend himselfe and he that taketh vpon him to redresse his neighbours lesse faults must goe through-stitch in the redressing of his owne greater faults Is it probable that he who is fast set in the quagmire of grosse wickednesse and hypocrisie should worke his brother out of the slough or ordinarie frailties and infirmities It is a rule in oratorie that to moue others a man must first bee moued himselfe hee must feele the part which hee acteth this holdeth in preaching reprouing instruction admonition or whatsoeuer other dutie of that kinde which necessarily call for an affectionate reformation of our owne liues with an intestine hatred and loathing of whatsoeuer sinnes wee formerly liued in And as for authoritie wee know it is vtterly lost and insteed thereof contempt and irrision commeth in place when it may bee said Physician heale thy selfe Naturally men are led rather by the eye then by the eare as hath beene said so that when they heare good words and see euill deeds they will incline rather to what they see then what they heare In summe Christ teacheth vs thus much that it is a most fearefull thing for Ministers Magistrates Parents Masters or seeming Zelots of any kind to haue the place and to take vpon them the office of reformers if their practice hold not correspondencie in all points with their place and profession Not but that hauing a calling thereto men are to admonish reproue and correct others as neede requireth though themselues labour of many frailties and infirmities so brethren in Christ to exhort one another and edifie one another though there bee weaknesses on all sides elsewhere there an end of this duty for euer since the poore Saints of God vpon earth shall neuer be fully freed of them But it is to bee vnderstood that Christ heere speaketh of regnant sinnes when there is also little or no care vsed for the repressing or reforming of them but onely a face of holinesse set vpon it borne vp by most vnconscionable censuring of othets Whereas if there bee in men an vnfeined purpose of heart to turne from all vnrighteousnesse if there be a continuall strife indeuor to keep a good conscience in all things that the duty of admonition be performed out of Charitie Humilitie and fellow-feeling at the least there appeareth nothing to the contrarie in this case notwithstanding all wants and imperfections as sickly folkes vsing all the meanes they can for recouerie louingly communicate their counsels and medicines one to another we must euery one of vs so much as in vs is be our Brothers keeper obseruing considering one another to reclaime so much as may be from all euill to prouoke to loue good works And we must euery one of vs e Ephes 5. 21. be subiect one to another in the feare of GOD and then not onely the beames of grosser vices but the motes or strawes of smaller offences come within the compasse of our Brotherly consideration and admonition The second caueat followeth concerning iuordinate zeale in dispensing of holy things Wherein howsoeuer hee f Chap. 5. 19. taught before that Righteousnesse consisteth in doing and teaching the Commandements of God euen to the least of them euery one according to his gifts and calling yet for all that hee willeth vs in teaching to haue respect to the persons with whom we deale to the sacred subiect whereabout we deale and to our owne safetie and comfort so much doe his words intimate g Verse 6. Giue not that which is holy vnto Dogs neither cast yee your Pearles before Swine lest they tread them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rend you Where he instructeth vs First for the persons whom we take in hand to teach admonish or reproue that they be not Dogges for their inueterate hatred and enmitie against the doctrine of the Gospell or Swine for their contempt of holy documents and delight to wallow in the pleasures of sinne as Swine in the mire For if vpon good iudgement and experience we find them to bee such and to be habituated therein then though we haue cast the beame out of our owne eye through Gods grace see in part how to pull the mote out of our Brothers eye yet are they none of those Brethren to whom this dutie of priuate instruction and admonition belongeth They put a barre against themselues by their dogged snapping and swinish grunting and wallowing in the mire The Holy Ghost forbiddeth h Prou. 9. 8. to rebuke a Scorner that is a desperate wicked man that is readier to iarre or to geere then to receiue good counsell Secondly he willeth vs to haue due respect of their maiestie and worth which he tearmeth holy things and Pearles to shew how reuerend precious and inualuable good counsell and instruction out of Gods most holy Word is That we might learne to make more account of these heauenly treasures and iewels bee more thankfull to Almightie God for them rest in them with mote contented minds whatsoeuer our outward estate be rich or poore noble or ignoble and finally which is the scope of this place to dispense them with more care and conscience that so much as in vs is they may be glorified by all meanes and no way abased and abused by malicious and filthy wretches Thirdly hee
willeth vs in all our instructions admonitions and reproofes to haue an eye to our owne safetie that we bring not an old house vpon our heads when like sleeping Curres so awakened by vs they turne againe and all to rend vs by railing and reprochfull speeches and other cruell handlings which vsually commeth from such companions Of this also wee are forewarned by that wise Salomon i Prou. 9. 7. Hee that rebuketh a Scorner purchaseth to himselfe shame and hee that rebuketh the wicked getteth himselfe a blot Be yee wise as Serpents saith our Sauiour now heerein consisteth this wisdome in great part that when we speake the words or k 1. Pet. 4. 11. oracles of GOD which wee stand bound to doe euery where vpon euery iust occasion wee obserue carefully to whom we speake that they bee teachable and not doggish Carpers or swinish Despisers Againe what wee speake euen the most holy words and oracles of God the rather to stirre vp reuerence and admiration in our selues and others Lastly what issue or fruit is to bee hoped for whether it stand with our owne safetie and comfort For why should we not beware of men according to Christs caueat but expose our selues with our most holy and precious treasures to needlesse and forbidden dangers and disgrace Hauing thus forewarned and so fore-armed vs against the hinderances of Righteousnesse to wit worldlinesse rash iudgement and indiscretion he commeth now at the length to the l Handled from Verse 6. to 15. parts of it which are Pietie towardâ— God Charitie towards our Neâ—ghbour and Mortification of our owne corrupt nâ—tuâ—e Pietie towards God according to the vsuall manner in the holy Scriptures is expressed m Vers 7. to 12 by the principall part of it which is inuocation of the Name of God or Prayer to the true and due performance whereof all other parts of Pietie must needes concurre as the knowledge of God Faith vnfained the feare and loue of God with obedience to all his Commandements Thansgiuing for his manifold benefits and what not without which there can be none acceptable Prayer offered vp vnto God This aboue others is enioyned and vrged as the onely meanes to fetch in grace and ablenesle for the performance of all those great duties before required as also of those which shall yet further bee commended and commanded vnto vs. Withour helpe from Heauen wee can doe nothing and Prayer assidâ—ous and feruent by diuine ordination is the hand to reach to vs that helpe In all this passage it is to be obserued that he doth not so much call for the thing to be done as for the due manner of performance that Prayer bee made in sence and feeling of our owne wants in assurance of Faith with seruencie also and perseâ—erance and finally in holy reuerence and sobrietie not presuming to open our mouthes about that which we haue no warrant to aske and is not fitting for vs to receiue For all these and such like matters are implyed in the vehemencie of his exhortation and his most patheticall Reason adioyned drawne from vs earthly Parents by a comparison of the lesse For a man had need to bee deeply touched with the sence of his owne wants haue much assurance of Faith be very feruent in Prayer very submisse also and sober-minded that rightly turneth himselfe into the practice of this most worthy and comfortable exhortation and Reason For obserue heere with me how he is not content to bid vs aske but withall assureth vs that it shall bee giuen vs and what maketh more for the assurance of Faith yet not resting there he biddeth vs seeke those things which we haue not at the hands of God whereof wee feele our extreame want and see no meanes in the World how to come by them he warranteth vs that wee shall find them And as if that were not enough hee vrgeth vs to knocke to vse all earnestnesse and violence as it were rapping and pealing at Heauen-gates without intermission when the doore of Gods bountie seemeth to be shut against vs euen in this case he layeth the weight of his Word and Promise vpon it which neuer failed nor euer shall that it shall bee opened vnto vs. Our Prayers made in such feeling assurance feruencie and reuerence will breake open all locks and barres Iacob wrestled with God and was too hard for him because his good pleasure was to be ouercome by the importunitie of his poore afflicted and infirme Seruant Neither hath he any more power to resist vs setting vpon him with that humble resolution and courage which was in Iaakob and the Cananitish woman who extorted this from our Sauiour n Mat. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith bee it as thou desirest And this is yet further made good in the next Verse where it is admirable to consider that not contenting with what he had said hauing spoken so comfortably and fully knowing the certaintie and infallibilitie of this great truth and our extreame propensitie to distrust and so to waxe faint in Prayer he yet fetcheth it about againe and auoucheth it as confidently as before that not onely his Disciples or neere and deere Fauourites but generally whosoeuer man or woman learned or vnlearned strong or weake Christian asked receiued sought found knocked had the doore opened As the Sunne shineth indifferently vpon all who could open the eye of Faith to behold it As none at Gods bidding did looke vpon the Brazen Serpent which by vertue of the promise were not cured so assuredly none at Christs bidding doe thus flie vnto the Throne of Grace by Prayer casting the eyes of their Faith vpon him lifted vp vpon the Crosse now ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of his Father to make request for them which by vertue of this and many such like promises receiue not that they pray for so farre forth as is any way expedient for them Heereunto serueth the comparison before mentioned o Vers 9 10 11 What man is there of you which if his Sonne aske him bread c. The summe is You Parents that are naturally euill yet when your children aske good things at your hands cannot find in your hearts to giue them any thing which you know to be naught or noysome nay you would withhold it from them and looke out such things as you thought best and wholsomest for them shall not then your heauenly Father who is good and gracious abundant in kindnesse and truth that setteth you on worke to aske and hath so often and earnestly promised to grant your requests much more in due time giue you good things indeed and withold the contrarie though hee exercise your Faith and Patience with neuer so long delayes And our Lord Iesus by this notable comparison further teacheth vs to descend into our selues and seriously to consider of those few drops of Fatherly kindnesse which hee hath instilled into vs that when our Faith in Prayer fainteth
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