Matthew 5

ANd seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying. The last Chapter concluded with telling us, that a great multitude followed Christ, which he observing, that he might with more Conveniency to himself, and Advantage to them, speak what he had to say, he went up into a Mountain; and sitting down, after the manner of the Iewish Doctors to show their Authority, which our Saviour also at other times observed. Matth. 26.55. Luk 4.20. Ioh. 8.2. h s Disciples came to him, both those strictly so called, and others also, viz. the multitude, mentioned in the la t Chapter or some of them, and he began to speak to them, with Freedo, so as the multitude might hear, Christ thought it as lawful to Preach in the Mountain, as in the Synagogues: Nor did his Disciples, doubt the Lawfulness of hearing them, where ever he thought fit to speak.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy are they, who tho they be not Rich in this Worlds goods, yet have a Spirit suted to their State and Condition, not looking for their Consolation here, but having a Poor, and low Opinion of the World, and all that is therein, looking after more excellent Riches, and in order to it, are of broken and Contrite Spirits, for their manifold sins, and cannot entertain any Proud Opinion of their own Righteousness, but fly unto the free Grace of God, and the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not the Great, and Rich, and Proud Men of the World are happy, but these are the Blessed Men, for true H ppiness lyeth not in Worldly Po se sions but in the Favour of God, and a right to the Kingdom of Heaven, and that these Men have, Psal. 34.18. & 51.17. Isa. 66.2.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. The World is mistaken in accounting the jocund, and merry Companions the only happy Men, their mirth is Madness, and their joy will be like crakling of Thorns under a Pot, but those are rather the happy Men who mourn, yea such are most certainly Happy, who mourn out of Duty in the Sense of their own sins, or of the sins of others, or who mourn out of choice rather to suffer Afflictions, and Persecutions with the People of God, than to injoy the Pleasure of sin for a Season. Tho such sufferings do excite in them natural Pa sions, yet it is a Blessed mourning, for those are the blessed Te rs which God will wipe at last from Peoples Eyes, and such are these, They shall be Comforted either in this Life, with the Consolations of the Spirit, or with their Masters joy in the Life that is to come, Isa. 61.3. Ioh. 16.20. Iames 1.12. So as this Promise, and Declaration of Blessedness is not to be extended to all Mourners, but only to such as God has made so, or who in Duty have made themselves so, obeying some Command of God; for Sympathizing with Go s Glory, or with his afflicted People Rom. 12.15. or Te tifying their Repentance for their sins, for there is a mourning, which is a mere natural effect of Passion, and a Worldly sorrow which worketh unto Death, as well as a Godly sorrow, working Repentance to Salvation, 2 Cor. 7.10.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Men count the Hectors of the World happy, whom none can provoke, but they must expect as good as they bring, an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth: But I tell you these are not truly Happy, they are tortured with their own Passions, as their hand is against every one, so every Mans hand is against them, besides that there is a God, who will revenge the wrongs they do But the meek who can be angry, but restrain their wrath in Obedience to the Will of God, and will not be angry, unless they can be angry and not sin: Nor will easily be provoked by others, but rather use soft words to pacifie wrath, and give place to the Passions, of others these are the Blessed Men; for tho others may by their Sword, and their Bow, conquer a great deal of Earth to their Will, and Power: Yet they will never quietly and comfortably inherit, or possess it, they are Possessors malae fidei, forcible Posse sors, and they will injoy what they have, as rapacious Birds injoy their's unquietly, every one has his Gun ready Charged, and Cockt against them: But those who are of meek and quiet Spirits, tho they may not take so deep Root in the Earth, as others more bouterous, yet there will be no Worm at the Root of what they have, and they shall enjoy what God giveth them with more quiet, and certainty, and God will provide for them, Verily they shall be fed, Psal. 37.3.11.

Blessed are they which do hunger, and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. You see many Men and Women, Hungring, and Thirsting after sensual Satisfactions, or after sensible Injoyments; these are unhappy miserable Men, they often Hunger, and Thirst, and are not satisfied: But I will show you a more excellent way, a more excellent Object of your Hunger and Thirst, that is a Righteousness, both a Righteousness wherein you may stand before God, which is in me, Ier. 23.6. and is revealed from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.17. and the Righteousness of an Holy Life. Those are Blessed Men, who first seek the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Righteousness thereof, God will fill these Men with what they desire, Isa. 55.1, 2. Luk. 1.53. There are some who understand this Text, of an Hungring after the clearing of their Innocency towards Men which is natural to just and innocent Persons falsly accused, and traduced, and they have a Promise of being filled, Psal. 37.6. but I see no reason to conclude this, the Sense of this Text.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The Men of the World bless themselves, if they can take Care of themselves, let others do what they will, and as well as they can: But I tell you, that those alone are the Blessed Men, who are touched with a true Sense and feeling of the Wants and Miseries of others, and that not out of a mere Goodness, and Tenderness of Nature, but out of a true Obedience to the Will of God, and a Sense of his Love to them, and Faith in his Promises, and moved from these Principles, do not only Pity, and Compassionate them, and wish them well, but extend their helping hand to them, sutably to their Miseries: For these Men shall obtain mercy, and that not only from Men, if they come into Straits and Distress, but from the hand of God. Psal. 37.26. Psal. 112.5. he does not say they shall merit Mercy at Gods hand, but they shall be Mercified, they shall obtain Mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The Men of the World bless those who appear Pure, and Holy to men, and put on a Vizard, and Mask of Purity: Tho they be but painted Sepulchers and their Hearts be as Cages of all unclean Birds: But those alone are Blessed, who being washed from their filthiness by my Blood, are of a sincere and upright Heart, tho they be not legally Pure, and free from all sin; yet are so Pure as that God will accept them, the bent of their Hearts being after Holiness. Who have not an Heart, and an Heart, no doubleness of mind, who are Persons in whom is no Guile. For tho no mortal Eye can see, and comprehend the Essence of God, yet these Men shall by an Eye of Faith, see and enjoy God in this Life, tho in a Glass more darkly, and in the Life to come, Face to Face, and as he is, 1 Cor. 13.12. Heb. 12.14. 1 Ioh. 3.2.

Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. The World blesseth the boisterous unquiet Party of it, that can never be still, but are continually thinking of more Worlds to Conquer, and blowing up the Coals of War, Division, and Sedition. But they are Blessed indeed, who study to be quiet, seeking Peace, and pursuing it; and are so far from sowing the Seeds of Discord or blowing those Coals, that their great study is to make Peace between God, and Man, and betwixt a Man, and his Neighbour, doing this in Obedience to God, and out of a Principle of Love to God, and Men: For those that do so, shall approve themselves like unto God to be his Children, and so they shall be called. To be called, and to be is much the same, so what Moses said, Gen. 21.12. is interpreted by Paul, Rom. 9.7.8. So what is said by Matthew, Matth. 21.12. is interpreted, by Luk. 19.46. what was said by St. Iohn, Chap. 1.13. is interpreted, 1 Ioh. 3.1. for God is the God of Peace, 1 Cor. 14.33.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Men of the World judge those Men very unhappy and miserable, whom their Rulers make the Objects of their Wrath and Malice, and pursue violently to the loss of their Estates, Liberties, or Lives never considering the Cause, for which they are so pursued: But they are quite mistaken. For that Man who is pursued by such Violence, and hunted upon this Account, because to please Men, he durst not sin against God, but Labours to keep a Conscience void of offence, both toward God, and toward Men, Acts 24.16 is a Blessed Man, and if he be hunted out of the Kingdoms of the Earth, yet he shall be hunted but to Heaven, for to such Men belongeth the Kingdom of God in Glory, Iames 1.12. 1 Pet. 3.14. & 4.13.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute ye, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake. Revising, and speaking Evil of Personss falsly, because of their Profession of Christ, and because they dare not sin against God, is a species of Persecution. Gen. 21.9. Gal. 4.29. tho the lowest Degree of it. It has been the constant lot of Gods Servants, David said, Psal. 35.11. that false Witnesses did rise up, and laid to his Charge things that he knew not. Thus Iohn and Christ were served, Matth. 11.19. Luk. 7.34. nor is it to be wondred, that those whose Consciences are so eared, that they cannot feel the Guilt of Persecuting others for Righteousness sake, should not feel the Guilt of Lying and fa se Swearing. But says our Saviour, you are B essed when these things happen unto you, 1 Pet. 4.13.

Rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Be so far from being troubled, as to count it all Ioy, when you fall into these Tryals, Iames 1.2. Let it be Musick in your Ears, to hear that the Drunkards make you their Song. Rejoyce in your Hearts, express it in your Lips, and Behaviour, for great is your reward, not of Debt but of Grace, for our light and moment Afflictions are not worthy to be compared with an Eternal and exceeding weight of Glory, where there is no Proportion, there can be no Merit: Especially, when it is given to us on the behalf of Christ to suffer, Phil. 1.29. Peter upon this Argument says, 1 Pet. 4.14. The Spirit of God and of Glory resteth upon us. Our Saviour adds: For so they persecuted the Prophets before you. The Magistrates, and the Rulers of the Iews persecuted Elijah, Micaiah, Ieremiah, Amos and the rest of the Prophets whom you succeed, not in time only, but in the same Office of revealing the mind of God to the People.

Ye are the salt of the earth, But if the salt has lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thence forth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be troden under foot of men. In our Christian Course we are not to trouble our selves with what Men say of us, and do unto us, but only to attend to our Duty of Holiness, and Exemplary Life, which is what our Saviour presseth plainly, v. 16. and leads his Hearers to it by four Comparisons, which he instituteth betwixt them and four other things, the first we have in this Verse, ye are the Salt of the Earth. The Doctrine which you profess is so, a thing as opposite as can be to the Putrefaction of the World, both in respect to corrupt Doctrine, and corrupt Manners (therefore by the way it will be no wonder, if they resist it by Reviling and Persecuting you) you are the Salt of the Earth, through the Grace of God bestowed upon you, Mar. 9.50. Col. 4.6. If it were not for the number of sound and painful Ministers, and Holy and Gracious Persons, the Earth, would be but a stinking Dunghil of Drunkards, unclean Persons, Theeves, Murderers, unrighteous Persons, that would be a stench in the Nostrils of a Pure and Holy God. Look as it is in the World, if the Salt has lost its avour, its Acrimony by which it opposeth Putrefaction in Fish, and Flesh, not the Fish or Flesh only will be good for nothing, but the Salt it self so infatuated (as it is in the Greek) will be good for nothing, but to be cast upon a Dunghil and trodden under Foot. So it is with Ministers of the Gospel, so with the Professors of it, if they their soundness in the Faith, and Holiness of Life, they no value, nay they are worse than other men. Mony clipt in pieces, and has lost its usefulness as Coyn, use for a Gold-Smith, Meat corrupted, if it will not Men, yet will feed Dogs, Salt is good for nothin more are pretended Ministers or Christians, their lyes in their savour, if that be lost, wherewith shall salted: Of what use are they, unless to cause the Name of God and Religion to be blasphemed. Such another similitude the prophet useth, Ezeck. 15.2.3.

Ye are the light of the world, A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. You that are to be my Apostles, are so Eminently, but all you that are my Disciples are so also. Christ is the Light of the World, Ioh. 1.5.9. but tho the Sun be the Light of the World, yet it does not follow, that the Moon and the Stars also are not so, he is the Original Light, the great Light who has Light from and in himself. The Ministers of the Gospel are the Lights of the World also, the Angels of Churches are Stars, Rev. 1.20. and Holy Persons are Children of the Light, 1 Thess. 5.5. A City that is set upon an Hill cannot be hid. The Church is often called the City of God Christ compares his People here not to a City, but to a City upon a Hill, so that all which our Saviour mentions a City here for, is the Conspicuity of a City so built. It is as much as if our Saviour should have said: You had need be Holy for your Conversation cannot be hid, any more than a City can that is builded upon an Hill, which is obvious to every Eye. All Mens Eyes will be upon you.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. You ought also to consider the End, why I have Communicated of my Light unto you, it is in part the same with that of Men, when they light up a Candle in a Room, which is to show Light to all those that are in the Room, they do not use to light it up to hide it under a Vessel, or a Bushel: So I have not Communicated my Truths, or my Grace unto you merely for your own use, but for others use. It is said of Iohn (by our Saviour) he was a burning and shining Light: So is every true Minister of the Gospel, yea and every true Christian; not only a burning Light, burning with Love to God, and Zeal for God, and Love to, and Zeal for the Souls of others: But also a shining Light, Communicating his Light to others, both by Instruction, and an Holy Conversation. Others pretended Candles were never of Gods lighting.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. Our Sav our now plainly tells us, what he intended by the Comp risons before mentioned. Let the Lig t of that Doctrine which you receive from me, and the Light of your Holy Conversation (the latter by the following words, seemeth to be here Principally intended) so shine before Men, be so Evident and apparent unto Men: That they may see your Good works, all sorts of Good works, whatsoever I have Commanded or shall Command you, and as I Command you, and in Obedience to such Commands, otherwise they are no Good works, and Glorifie your Father which is in the Heavens. You are not in your good Actions to aim at your selves, to be seen of Men, as Matth. 6.1. nor merely at doing good to others, the Good works, Tit. 3.14. are to be maintained for necessary uses, but having a Primary and Principal respect to the Glorifying of your Father, for Ioh. 15.8. herein is my Father Glorified, if you bear much Fruit: Not that we can add any thing to Gods essential Glory, but we may predicate and manifest his Glory. Which now we can do by Good works, if they proceed from, and Liberty of our own Wills, not from his special Efficacious Grace, is hard to understand. Our Father is said to be in the Heavens, because tho his Essential Presence filleth all places, yet he is pleased there more than any where to manifest his Glory and Majesty.

Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. There are so many Adversaries, Iews, Papists, Socinians, Anabaptists, Antinomians, &c. That make their advantages of this Text, for the Establishing their several Errors, that it would require a Volume to vindicate it from their several Exceptions, those who desire Satisfaction may read Spanhemis Dub. Evang. 12.3. The plain Sense of the Text is this: It would have been a great Cavil with the Iews especially (who had a great reverence for the Law) if either our Saviours Enemies amongst them, could have persuaded People, that Christ came to destroy the Law and the Prophets: Or his own hearers had entertained from his Discourse any such Apprehensions. Our Saviour designing in his following Discourse, to give a more full and strict Interpretation of the Law than had been given by the Pharisees and other Jewish Doctors, prefaceth that Discourse, with a Protestation against his coming to destroy the Law, and averring that he came to fulfil it. It is manifest by his following Discourse, that he Principally spake of the Moral Law, tho he also fulfilled the Ceremonial Law, he being the Antitype in whom all the Types of that had their Complement, and real fulfilling and Accomplishment. Says he, I am not come to Destroy, and put an end to the Moral Law. I am come to fulfil it, not to fill it up, as Papists and Socinians contend, adding any new Precept to it, but by yielding my self a Personal obedience to it, by giving a fuller and stricter Interpretation of it, than you have formerly had, and by taking the Curse of it (so far as concerneth my Disciples) upon my self, and giving a just Satisfaction to Divine Justice for it. The greatest Objection urged against Christ destroying part of the Law, and adding new Precepts to the Moral Law, is that about the Change of the Sabbath, but this is none, if we consider, that the Moral Law required no more than one Day of seven to be kept as a Day of Holy Rest, not this or that particular Day, for the particular Day, the Iews learned it from the Ceremonial Law, as Christians learn theirs from Christ's, and the Apostles Practice. Nor is it any Objection against this, that the seventh Day from the Creation is mentioned in the Law, to those who know how to distinguish betwixt the Precept and the Argument, the seventh from the Creation is not in the Precept, but in the Argument. For in six Days, &c. Now there is nothing more ordinary than to have Arguments of a particular Temporary Concernment used to inforce Precepts of an eternal Obligation, where the Precepts were first given to that particular People, as to whom those Arguments were of Force, an instance of which is in the first Commandment, as well as in this: As on the other side Arguments of universal Force, are oft annexed to Precepts, which had but a particular Obligation, upon a particular People for a time. Thus in the Ceremonial Law, we often find it is an Argument to inforce many Ceremonial Precepts. For I am the Lord thy God.

For verily I say unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot, or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Amen I say unto you, so it is in the Greek, a Phrase as some observe never used, but by God and Christ himself who is the Amen, the Faithful and true Witness, Rev. 3.14. tho the Servants of God have sometimes used it, as an Adverb of wishing. It is by most concluded a form of an Oath, God by it Swearing by his Truth and Faithfulness [till Heaven, and Earth, &c.] that is the Law is the certain and unchangeable Will of God concerning reasonable Creatures, and it shall never be altered in the least Title, nor ever be abolishe, you may therefore be secure that I come into the World upon no such Errand.

Whosoever theref ore shall break one of these least Commandements, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do, and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whosoever shall in his Practice violate but one of the Commandements of God, which the Pharisees judge of the least, and which possibly are so, compared with others, and shall teach Men that they may do, as he does; making suc false Intepretations of the Law, as may warrant such a Practice, he shall be accounted, of the least value, and Esteem in the Church of God, and shall never come in the Kingdom of Glory: But he who shall strictly and uniformly obey all the Commandements and teach others to do the like, by his Doctrine and Example, that Man shall have a great Renown, and Reputation in the Church which is the Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth, and shall have a great reward in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter.

For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I am so far from giving a Liberty to the Violation of my Fathers Law, (as the Scribes and Pharisees may possibly suggest) that I assure you, that unless your Obedience to it exceed that Obedience, which the Scribes and Pharisees teach you, and themselves Practise, you shall never come in Heaven. What the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was, we cannot better learn than from St. Paul, who was himself a Pharisee, and bred up at the Feet of Gamaliel a great Doctor amongst them, Acts 23.5. & 26.5. Phil. 3.5. That it was a Righteousness of works appeareth from Phil. 3. and the whole Epistles to the Romans, and Galathians, and their not owning Christ as the Messiah: Nor believing on him, Ioh. 7.48. made it impossible that it should be any other, that they lookt upon their mere Obedience to the Ceremonial Law as their Righteousness, cannot be proved, yea the contrary is enough Evident, by their Obedience to the Moral Law, according to the Interpretation they put upon it. But their Interpretation of the Moral Law was so short and jejune, that it is manifest that their Righteousness, was not only a Righteousness not of Faith, but of Works, but Works that were very imperfect and short of what the true Sense of the Law required, our Saviour afterward proveth. That is to say, it was no Righteousness, for he that keepeth the whole Law, if he be Guilty in one Point is Guilty of all, Ia. 2.10.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the Judgment.

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the Judgment, and whosoever shall say unto his Brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the Councel, but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. The Pharisees in their Lectures upon the Law usually thus prefaced, It was said to them of old time, this says Christ, you have heard, Thou shalt not kill: This was spoken by God in Mount Sinai, it was the sixth of the ten words then spoke, and whosoever shall Kill, shall be in danger of the Iudgment: This now was the Pharisees addition, for we read of no such addition to the Law, as deliverd, Exod. 20.13. Thus they mixed their Traditions with the word of God, which po sible might be the reason of their saying rather, It was said to them of old time, than it was said by Moses: Or, It was said in the Law of God, for under that Phrase, It was said to the Ancients, they both comprehended the Law given by Moses, to the Ancient People of God, and also their own Traditions, and false Glosses, which tho not so Ancient as the Law, yet had obtained for some considerable time, in the corrupt State of the Iews: Shall be Guilty of,or Obnoxious unto the Iudgment, not to the Wrath and Vengeance of God, of that they said nothing, but to those Courts of Judgment which sate amongst them, to administer Justice in criminal Causes. As if this Law of God had been only intended to uphold Peace, and to preserve humane Society, and Civil order. Thou shalt not Kill (that is, as they interpreted) thou shalt not without a Warrant from God, or from the Law, actually take away the Life of another. It appears by what followeth, that they extended not this Law, to unjustifiable Passions in the Heart, such as rash Anger, Malice, revengeful Thoughts: Nor to any opprobrious or revengeful Words. But I say unto you: I shall give you another Sense of this Law. The killing here forbidden is as well, Rash and causeless Anger, and opprobrious Threatning Speeches, as bloody Actions. Whosoever is Angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be in Danger of the Iudgment, &c. Our Saviour (as most Interpreters judge) speaks this with Allusion to the three Courts amo g t the Iews: The one was the Court of three Men, which only judged of smaller and lighter Causes, not in Capital Causes. Another was their Court of twenty three Men, which much answered our Courts at Westminster. The third was their San edrim consisting of seventy Men, which answered our Parliament. Some think that by the Iudgment, is meant the first or second of the Courts. By the Councel, the Superiour Courts amongst the Iews, but the Judgment of our Reverend Dr. Light-foot, seemeth much more probable, that by the Iudgment is meant the Iudgment of God. By the Councel and Hell-fire, not only the Iudgment, and Vengeance of God, but the Iudgments and Punishments, that are inflicted in the Courts of Men, that are Magistrates, and bear not the Sword in vain; so as the Sense is this. I say unto you, that if a Man does but in his Heart nourish Wrath, and Anger against another, without a just Cause, and lets it grow up into Malice, and Thoughts, and Desires of private Revenge, tho he be not by it obnoxious to Courts of Justice, who can only determine upon overt Acts, yet he is accountable to God, and liable to his Judgment, but if Men suffer their Passions to break out into Reviling terms, and Language, such as Raca (signifying a Vain Person) or thou Fool (speaking this from Anger or Malice) they are not only liable to the Eternal Vengeance of God, compared to the Fire of Gehenna, but ought to be subjected to the Punishment of the Civil Magistrate. Every civil Government being by the Law of God, in Order to the prevention of Quarrels, or Blood-shed (which often followeth Revilings each of other) obliged to punish such offences, as being the beginnings of Murder, Provocations to it, and Indications of murderous Hearts, Hearts full of that, which in the Eye of God is Murder.

Therefore if thou bring thy Gift to the altar, and there remembrest that thy Brother has ought against thee.

Leave there thy Gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. The Iews were to offer Gifts, and Sacrifices, Heb. 5.1. Their Gifts were their Free-Will-Offerings, they were the most frequent Oblations amongst the Iews, as may appear from Leviticus, and what the Priests pressed with the greatest Importunity, as may appear from Mar. 7.11. therefore our Saviour instanceth in these, rather than in other parts of their Worship. Bring unto God the best and most acceptable Sacrifices (in your or the Teachers judgment) that you can, if there be found Malice, or rash Anger in your Hearts, God will not accept them. Therefore, how near soever you be come to a Religious Action, if you there remember, that your Brother has a just reason to be offended with you for any Malice or rash Anger, showed, or expressed by you, do not think this will discharge of your Obligation to pay your Homage to God, but forbear a while, leave your Gift before the Altar, and do what in you lyes to be reconciled to your Brother, to have a placable Spirit to him, to purge your Heart of Wrath, and Malice, and any Desire of Revenge, and then come and offer your Gifts, pay that Homage which you owe, and it was in your Heart to pay to God. It is a Text usually applyed with reference to Communion with God in the Lords Supper, but equally Extensive to any other part of Worship, hearing the word, Iam. 1.21. and Prayer, 1 Tim. 2. God accepteth no Service, no Homage from an implacable, Malicious Heart.

Agree with thine Adversary quickly, whilest thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Forasmuch, as the overt Acts, and Expressions of injust Wrath and Malice, are iniquities, punishable by the Judge, let it be the Care of those that will be my Disciples, if by their Passions they have provoked any, and made him their Adversary quickly to agree with them, for you know the ordinary Course of enraged Adversaries amongst Men, is to bring their Actions, and to bring Men before the Civil Judge, and when the Judge upon inquiry has found them Guilty, he useth to deliver them to the Goaler to be carried to Prison, until they have fully paid their Fines for such offences: And forasmuch, as not only the overt Acts, but the Passions which cause such Acts are culpable before God, and make Men obnoxious to his righteous Judgment, and God by them is made, an Adversary to the Soul; as having violated his great Command: Thou shalt do no Murther. Let all my Disciples, who have been, or may be overtaken with such Faults, by Repentance and Faith in me, make their Peace with God in this Life, lest dying in impenitency they be put under the Eternal Displeasure and Wrath of God, from whence they shall never be delivered, Chap. 6.15. & 18.35.

Ye have heard, that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his Heart. The Scope of our Saviour in these Verses, is the very same as in the Verses immediately preceding, viz. to Correct the jejune Interpretation which the Pharisees had put upon the Divine Law, and to show that he instead of coming to destroy the Law, came to fulfil it, as other ways so by giving a more strict, and true Interpretation of it; and whereas they interpreted it, only as to Overt Acts, which disturb humane Society, and break Civil Order, he shows that it reacheth to the inward Thoughts, and unlawful Desires of the Heart, and any means that have a Tendenc o such prohibited Acts. It was said by God to those Fathe of the Iews, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, Exod. 20.14. This Law (says our Saviour) your Doctors expound, You shall not carnally lye with a Woman that is not your Wife, but there is a great deal more in it than so, for he that but secretly in his Heart desireth such a thing, or taketh Pleasure in such Thoughts, and casts his Eyes upon a Woman, in order to such a thing, is in the sight of God an Adulterer. Hence we read of Eyes full of Adultery, to avoid which, Iob made a Covenant with his Eyes, Iob 31.1. and would not, v. 7. Suffer his Heart to walk after his Eyes: We must so interpret the Commandements of God, as not to extend them only to forbid, or command those Acts which are plainly mentioned in them, but the inward pleasing of our Hearts with such things as are forbidden, the Desires of our Hearts after them, or whatsoever is a probable means to give us that sinful Pleasure of our Thoughts, or further inflame such unlawful Desires in our Souls.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

And if thy right Hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that that thy whole body should be cast into hell. The sum of these two Verses is, That the Salvation of our immortal Souls, is to be preferred before all things, be they never so dear, and precious to us, and if that Mens ordinary Discretion teacheth them for the Preservation of their Bodies to cut off a particular Member, which would necessarily indanger the whole Body: It much more teacheth them to part with any thing, which will prejudice the Salvation of their Souls. Not that any Person is by this Text obliged to cut off any bodily Member (as some have done) because there can be no such necessity: but only to mortifie their Members, Col. 3.5. the Deeds of the Body, Rom. 8.13. their inward Lusts, which being mortified there will be no need of Mutilating our selves; for the Members of the Body, are but Commanded, and animated to their Motions, from the inward Lusts of the Heart: But if there could happen such a Case, as that a Man must voluntarily part with the most useful Member of his Body, or sin against God to the Damnation of his Soul, he ought rather to choose the former than the latter. How much more then ought Christians to Mortifie their inward Lusts and unlawful Desires, which can be of no Profit nor Advantage to them: But will certainly make them to offend God, and so run them upon the Danger of Hell-fire?

It has been said, whosoever shall put away his Wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.

But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery, and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. The Law to which our Saviour referreth here, or rather the Indulgence and Toleration (for none was obliged to put away their Wives in Case of uncleanness) is that Deut. 24.1. where we have it in these words. When a Man has taken a Wife and married her, and it cometh to pass, that she findeth no Favour in his Eyes, because he has found some uncleanness in her, then let him write her a Bill of Divorcement and give it her in her hand, and send her out of his House. The Pharisees had extended this Toleration which God gave Husbands amongst the Iews to other Cases, besides that of uncleanness or Adultery; so as they put away their Wives upon every light occasion, interpreting those words [if she find no Favour in his Eyes] separately from the following words, because he has found some uncleanness in her, and gave a Liberty for Men upon any dislike of their Wives to put them away, provided that they first gave them a Bill of Divorcement, and that in these Cases it was lawful for the Parties thus separated each from other, to Marry to whom either of them pleased, and this is expressed in terms in their Form of those Writings of Divorcement, in Iosephus and other Writers. This indeed is a Case properly relating to the Iudicial Law, but all the Iudicial Laws are either Appendices to the Moral, or to the Ceremonial Law. This particular indulgence, was an Appendix to the Moral Law, by the seventh Commandment, to which our Saviour is now speaking, and giving the true Sense of it. He here opposeth the Pharisees in two Points. 1. Asserting that all Divorces are unlawful except in cause of Adultery. 2. Asserting that whosoever Married her that was put away committed Adultery. It has been a great Question, not so much amongst Divines as amongst Lawyers, Whether it be not lawful in any Case to put away a Wife, unless for Adultery? The Canonists have found out many Cases, in which they affirm it lawful. And the Councel of Trent (from whom we may learn the Sense of the Popish Divines) Anathematize those who deny the Church a Power of determining other Causes of Divorce. But their Blasphemous Curse falleth upon him, who is above them, God over all Blessed for ever, who in this Text has determined that Point. Nor indeed did Moses give a Toleration in any other Cases. There may indeed be a parting betwixt Man and Wife upon other Accounts: Either, wholly or in part. In Case one of them will part from the other, which the Apostle determineth, 1 Cor. 7.11.15. In which Case the Person departing is only Guilty, if he or she Marry again. In Case of an Error, through ignorance or inadvertency upon the Marriage, that it appeareth, that the Persons married were such as by the Law of Nature, and of God ought not to have married, &c. But if we take Divorce for the voluntary Act of the Husband, putting away of his Wife: It is unlawful in any Case, but that of Adultery, which dissolves the Marriage knot and Covenant. 2. A second Question is also here determined by our Saviour, viz. That it is unlawful for her, that is justly put away to Marry to any other, or for any other to Marry her wittingly.

Again, you have heard, that it has been said by them of old time, Thou shall not forswear thy self, but shall perform unto the Lord thy oaths. This was said, Exod. 20.7. and more plainly, Levit. 19.12. the substance was there said, tho the words be not Verbatim recited.

But I say unto you, Swear not all, neither by Heaven for it is Gods throne.

Nor by the earth, for it is his Foot-stool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Neither shalt thou swear by thine head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Does our Saviour here oppose himself to the Law of God, which says Deut. 6.13.10.20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and swear by his Name: Does he condemn Abraham, who sware his Servant by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, Gen. 24.3. does he destroy such an useful mean, for the end of Strife, Heb. 6.16? None of all these: We must consider that our Saviour is here opposing himself to the Corruptions of that Age brought in by the Pharisees, who had taught People that swearing was nothing, if they did not forswear themselves, or at least swearing by the Heaven, by the Earth, by Ierusalem, by their Head, or in such like Forms was no sin, if they forbear the Name of God: That they were only obliged to swear by the Name of God in publick Courts of Iustice, but they were not tyed up to it at other times. To these and such like Corruptions our Saviour opposeth these words, I say unto you swear not all, not at all voluntarily, but where it is necessary for the end of Strife; not at all in your common Discourse, Ia. 5.12. and so it is expounded in the next Verse: The Law does not only forbid false swearing, but common and ordinary swearing, needless swearing which speaks a great want of Reverence in the Heart, of the Name of God. And let not your Teachers cheat you, in telling you God, or the Name of God is not concerned, in your swearing by Heaven. Is not Heaven the Throne of God? Or by Earth, is not that the Foot-stool of God? Or by Ierusalem, is not that the City of God. Or by your Head, is it not God that has given you your Life, and bodily Members? Is it in your Power to make an Hair of your Head, White or Black: So as the great thing here forbidden, is common and ordinary Swearing, where God calleth not us unto it, for the Determination of Strife. Do not only think that false Swearing, but be assured, that Ordinary, Common, needless Swearing is forbidden by God.

But let your communication be Yea, Yea, Nay, Nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. St. Iames says much the same, Ia. 5.12. Let your ordinary Discourse in the World be mere Affirmations, or Denials of things in Terms, or Phrases of the same import, with Yea and Nay, tho you do not always use those Terms: Let Forms of Swearing, be preserved for special times, when the Providence of God calls to you for them to determine strife, and make some weighty matters which you assert credible unto others who will not take your bare Assertions, have such a Reverence for the Name of God, as not to use it for every trifle, and let not my Ordinance for the end of Strife be made of no use, by your common use of the Name of God, for in ordinary Discourse, and common Talk, whatsoever is more than bare Affirmations and Denials, cometh of an evil Heart or from the Devil, or from the Corruption of other mens Hearts. Some would make the Communication mentioned here, to be understood as if it were Conversation, or your ways of dealing with Men be plain without Fraud, and Guile, and so think our Saviour here strikes at the Root, and cause of so much idle and vain Swearing, viz. the common Falshood, Frauds, and Cosenages of Men in their dealings; but it seemeth hard so to interpret in this place. Our Saviour especially being speaking concerning Words and Forms of Speech.

Ye have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. This was the Commandement of God to the Magistrate, in Case a Woman with Child were struck, and any Mischief came of it, Exod. 21.24. & Levit. 24.20. in C se of Damage done to a Neighbour, and in the Case of False-witness, Deut. 19.21. But in the mean time God had said to private Persons, Levit. 19.18. Thou shall not avenge, and it is said, Prov. 24.29. Say not, I will do to him, as he has done to me. The Pharisees had interpreted this Law of God, into a Liberty for every private Person, who had been wronged by another, to exact a Satisfaction upon him, provided that he did not exceed this Proportion of taking an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth, doing no more wrong to another, than that other had done to him.

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. The Apostle Paul giveth the best Exposition upon this Text, Rom. 12.17, 18, 19.21. Recompense to no man Evil for Evil—if it be possible as much as in you lyes, live Peaceably with all Men. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves, but rather give place unto Wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord, v. 21. Be not overcome with Evil, but overcome Evil with Good, The general Scope of our Saviour is that which they must observe, who would understand the Sense of these words, they must not think that the particular things mentioned, are their Duty, but 1. That it is the Will of their Lord, that they should not take any private Revenge, but leave the avenging of their injuries unto God, and to the publick Magistrate, who is God's Vice-gerent, before whom notwithstanding any thing here said, they may seek a just Satisfaction. 2. That in lighter Cases, we should rather remit the wrong done to us for Peace sake, than stand upon a Rigor of Justice, rather overcome Evil with Good, than suffer our selves to be overcome by the Evil of others. Rather suffer a blow on the other Cheek, than with our own Hands revenge the blow, which is given thus on our Cheek; rather loose our Cloak also, than contend for our Coat, taken away in Judgment from us, tho we be in that Judgment oppressed. No injury can deserve a private Revenge: Light injuries are not of that Nature, as we should contend for a publick Revenge of them.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn thou not away. In these words our Saviour presseth another piece of Charity, viz. Liberality to those who are Poor, who are of two sorts, some such as are never able to repay us, to those he Commandeth Christians to give, to him that asketh, who has need to ask, and in that Order too which God has directed, who has Commanded us to provide for our own Houshold, and to do Good to all, but especially to the Houshold of Faith. The other sort are such as may have only a Temporary want. To these he Commandeth us to lend, and not to turn away from them, when they desire to borrow of us, and we can spare it. This was an Ancient Precept of God, Deut. 15.7, 8, 9. confirmed by Christ, as a piece of his Will under the Gospel.

You have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. T ou sh lt love thy Ne g bour s thy self was the old Law o God. Lev 19 18. the other p rt, and hate thy Enemy, was the Phar sees Addit on, or rather their Co lection, because t e Law only Commanded the to Love their Neighbour, s g if es so etimes a Friend, so etimes more largely any other Per on; they took it in the strict Sense, yet t ey co ld not be so blind as not to extend it to all those of their own Nation or v. 17. there are two Words used, one signifying t y Brother, the other thy Countryman, whom they are Co manded in that Verse not to hate in their Hearts. But it appeareth by Luke 10.29. that they did not very we l kno t eir Neighbour. The Lawyer asked who is my Neighb ur? C ri t in tructs him by the Parable of him that was fallen amon st Thieves, that they ought not to look upon t ose of their own Country only as Neighbours, for a Samaritan might deserve the Name better than a Priest or Levite. But they generally lookt upon all the Uncircumcised, as not their Neighbours, but their Enemies, whom the Precept did not oblige them to love.

But I say unto you Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despightfully use you, and persecute you. That this is no Counsel of Perfection (as the Papists would have it) nor any new Precept added to the Law of God (as the Socimans would have it) is plain from Prov. 25.21. where we find it commanded under the old Testament Neither is it I advise you, but I say unto you, which argueth a Command. Love here does not signify the Complacency of the Heart in an object, which is Love in the strict Sense, but be Charitable unto, do good to your Enemies, nor are we equally obliged to do good to our Enemies as to our Friends, but it is Expounded by the following Words, and to be under tood. 1. Of not seeking unlawful private Revenge. Bless them that Curse you: do not return Reviling for Reviling, while they Curse, do you Bless. 2. Doing them common Offices of kindness. Rom. 12.20. If thine Enemy Hunger, feed him: if he Thirst, give him to Drink. This is a doing good to them that hate us, relieving them in their pre sing Nece sities 3. Doing them all the good we can for their Souls: Pray for them who Despightfully use you and Persecute you. So did our Saviour Lu. 23.43. and Stephen, Acts 7.60. so did David, Psal. 35.13, 14, 15. In the mean time we may hate those who are Gods Enemies, as such, Psal. 139.21, 22. And for such, we may seek a due Revenge of God's Honour upon them, and for our Enemies, this Precept Prohibits not the seeking of a just Satisfaction for Wrongs done unto us in a way of Publick Justice, yet not without a Mixture of Charity.

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. As your Heavenly Father, has a common Love, which he extendeth to all Mankind, in supplying their Necessities, with the Light and Warmth of the Sun, and with the Rain as well as a special Love and Favour, which he exerciseth only toward those that are good, and Members of Christ, so ought you to have, tho you are not obliged to take your Enemies into your Bosom, yet you ought to love them in their order, and as your Heavenly Father, tho he will one Day have a Satisfaction from Sinners, for the wrong done to his Majesty unless they Repent; yet to heap Coals of Fire on their Heads, gives them good things of Common Providence, that he might not leave them without Witness, yea, and affords them the outward means of Grace for their Souls: so altho you are bound to seek some Satisfaction for Gods Honour and Glory, from Flagitious Sinners, and tho you may in an orderly Course seek a moderate Satisfaction for the wrong done to your selves, yet you ought to love them, with a love consistent with these things. That so you may imitate your Heavenly Father, and approve your selves to e his Children.

For if you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?

And if you salute you brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? Reason obligeth you, who expect a reward from God for what you do, to do something more than those who know of no such reward; or at least live in no Expectation of any such thing, and you who Condemn others as great Sinners, and Men not worthy of your Converse, ought to do something by which you may outdo those whom you so Conde n, both in Offices of Piety towards God, and Charity towards Men. But if you only show kindness to your Relations, and to your Country-men, you do no more than those whom you look upon as Heathens, and the worst of Men, who act only from the Light and Law of Nature and know of no reward God hat to give, nor live in any such Expectation of it. By loving here is me nt doing good Offices, either for the Souls, or Bodies of others. By Saluting is meant Common Offices of kindness, such as inquiring of our Neighbours Health, wishing the well, &c. The Publicans were Civil Officers appointed by the Romans, to gather up Publick Taxes and Revenues, the Chief Commi sioners were Knights and Gentlemen of Rome, who either let out these Revenues to others, or imployed others under them in the Collecting of them, these thus employed were some Iews (such were Matthew and Zacheus) some Romans. These (as is ordinary) made their own Markets, and exacted of the People, upon which Accounts they were exceeding odious: and therefore ordinarily in Scripture we shall find Publicans and Sinners put together, Chap. 9.11. & 11.19. and they are joyned with Harlots, Ch. 21.32. and the Pharisee in his Justification Gloried, he was not as that Publican, Lu. 18.11. Those who Condemn others, ought to take care that they be better than others.

Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Perfect here is not taken in that Sense, as it is taken in other Texts of Scripture, where it signifyeth Sincerity and uprightness, as Iob 2.3. or where it signifieth a Comparative Perfection, as Paul says, he spake to those that were Perfect, but for an absolute perfecti n, such as is in our Father which is in Heaven, and so much is signifyed by the proposing of our Heavenly Father as our Example. Nor will it therefore follow, either that thi is a mere Counsel, not a Precept, or that an absolute Perfection in holiness, is a thing in this Life attainable. But that it is our Duty to labour for it, forgetting what is behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, pressing towards the Mark, for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ (as the Apostle speaks) Philip. 3.13, 14. Pro perfecto est, qui perfecto Proximus. God accounteth him Perfect, who is nearest to Perfection.