Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 18
Verse 18.
For truely I say vntounto you, till heauen and earth perish, one iot or one title of the Law shall not escape, till all things bee fulfilled.
Here our Sauiour Christ propoundeth the second argument, for the clearing of himselfe from their false imputation of destroying the Lawe, and it is drawne from the nature of the Law, which is immutable.
The Exposition. For: This sheweth the dependance of this verse vponupon the former. Truely I say vntounto you: This is a forme of speech which our Sauiour vsed, when he would solemnely auouch any waightie truth: and▪ propounding this in his owne name; herein he sheweth himselfe to bee the Doctour of his Church, whome we must heare in all things, for hee speaketh as one that cannot lie. The thing hee saith is this; Till heauen and earth perish, one iotte or title of the Lawe shall not passe. In which wordes he setteth downe the stabilitie and the vnchaungeablenesse of the Lawe; and that hee might fully expresse his mind…, hee borroweth a phrase from the Hebrewe Alphabet, wherein Iod is the least letter: One iot; signifying, that not so much, as this little letter Iod, shall passe out of the Lawe.
Againe, by Title some thinke is meant the Hebrewe vowels; but properly it signifieth a line bent crooked, or the toppe of an horne; so thatforeign here it properly signifieth the bending or bowing that is in the top of some Hebrew letters; insinuating, that not so much as the least part of a letter in the Law should passe away. Now these things must not be taken properly, for it hath beene, and may be, that in the Hebrew copies of the old Testament, some letters should bee changed, as may appeare by the diuers readings in sundrie copies; for that may be without the losse of any sentence: but Christs meaning is this; That not the least parcell or sentence in the Law shall passe away; making parts in the Law, to be as titles in the Alphabet. Till heauen and earth perish: that is, neuer; so much this phrase insinuateth: for though heauen and earth shall be changed in regard of their qualities, yet the substance of them shall neuer passe to nothing: and in this sense is the word Till vsed else-where, 1. Sam. 15. 35. Samuell came no more to see Saul, till the day of his death: that is, neuer. Till all things be fulfilled: that is, till eueryevery thing commanded in the Law bee done, so as it shall no more vrge a man to any obedience: which shall neuer bee, for it must eternally bee fulfilled: so that this phrase hath the like sense with the former; importing thus much, euen for euer and euer: so that this is the meaning of this verse; That the Law of God is vnchangeable, not onelyonly in the whole, but for eueryevery part thereof; and the fulfilling thereof shall neuer hauehave an ende. Christs reason then stands thus; If the Lawe bee immutable, and for obseruation eternall, then I came not to destroy it: but the Lawe is immutable and eternall; and therefore I came not to destroy it.
Gods law is …perpetuall.First here obserue, that the Law of God is made perpetuall and vnchangeable: If any man aske how this can be, seeing the Apostle faith, iHeb. 7. 12▪The Lawe is changed? Answer. The Law is threefold; Ceremoniall, Iudiciall, and Morall, as hath beene said: now that place is principally to be vnderstood of the Ceremoniall law, which indeede is abrogated, in regard of the obseruation of it in Gods worship; but in the scope and substance of it, which is Christ crucified, with his benefits, whom it shadowed out, it remaineth still, and is now more plaine then euer it was. As for the Iudiciall law, though it be abrogated vntounto vsus, so farre forth as it was peculiar to the Iewes; yet, as kSee Treatise of Cōsc. cap. 2. sect. 5.it agrees with common equitie, and serues directly to establish the precepts of the Morall lawe, it is perpetuall. If it be said, that Christ changed the Morall law, in changing the Sabbath day, from the seauenth day to the eight: I answer, Christ did so indeed by his Apostles, but that is no change of theOf the chāge of the Sabboth day. substance, but of the ceremonie of the Sabbath: for the substance of that law is, the inioyning of a seauenth daies rest vntounto the Lord. Now though the seauenth day from the creation be not kept, yet a seauenth day is kept still. If it be further said, that the Law it selfe is abrogated; for that eueryevery one that breaketh the Lawe is not accursed, according to the sentence thereof, Deut. 27. 26. Answer. Wee must knowe that the Law is but one part of Gods word, and the Gospel another, reuealing another part of Gods will, besides that which the Lawe made knowne; for it addes a qualification to the Law, moderating the rigour thereof, after this manner: Hee is accursed (saith the Law) that faileth in any commandement, except (saith the Gospel) he bee reconciled againe in Christ, and in him hauehave the pardon of his transgressions. And yet the Morall law remaines for euer a rule of obedience to eueryevery childe of God, though he be not bound to bring the same obedience for his iustification before God.
Againe, this propertie of the Law, in beeing vnchangeable, and for euer to be kept, sheweth, that no creature may dispense with the Law of No creature may dispense with Gods lawe.God. Mens lawes may be abrogated and changed, but Gods Law euen in the least parts thereof, must stand for euer, till it be accomplished to the full: but if it might be dispensed with, then not onelyonly iots and titles thereof, but whole lawes might bee abrogated. This shewes the blasphemous impietie of the Popes of Rome, who in their l1. In Gregorian. de cōcess. praeb. cap. proposuit, in Glos. Papa dispensat contra novum & vetus Testamentum.Canons be authorized to dispense with the lawes of God: yea, in the last mSess. 24. Can. 3.Councell of Trent, hee is priuiledged to dispense with some of the lawes of Consanguinitie, against nature, flatly forbidden in the nI. euit. 1…. No booke of Scripture is lost.word of God; which is most horrible rebellion, and a great disgrace vntounto God.
Thirdly, from this propertie of the Law, we may obserue, that it is not likely that any whole booke of Canonicall Scripture is lost; for not one sentence▪ of the Law shall passe till all be fulfilled; much lesse then can whole bookes perish. Sundrie men do thinke that whole bookes be loste; but that opinion cals into question the fidelitie of the Church, and Gods own prouidence, in preseruing his word: neither can it stand wel with this text, that saith, no title thereof shal faile. Those that seeme to be lost, were either humane writings, as bookes of lawes and Chronicles, such as our books of statutes or Chronicles be; or books of philosophie, such as Salomon writ: or else some of them are in the Canonicall Scripture; for the bookes of Samuel and the Kings, were written by diuers Prophets: and therfore we may more safely hold, that no part of holy Scripture is lost, neither shall euer faile. For howsoeuer after the last iudgement the vse of the word written shall cease, yet the substance thereof shall remaine in mens hearts, and be kept for euer.
Fourthly, this immutabilitie of the Law, containes a matter of great terrour & woe vntounto al impenitent sinners; for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues with a presumption of Gods merciemercy, yet the curse of Law which is against them, shall stand for euer: and therefore whileA terrour to the wicked, moouing to repentance. they goe on in sinne, they hauehave iust cause to houle and crie; for Gods iustice in that his Law is inuiolable: neither will Pro. 11. 4.gold or siluer pacifie Gods wrath; for though a man by his power and wealth were able to ouerturne heauen and earth, yet that would not helpe him: though heauen and earth be brought to nothing, yet eueryevery part of Gods Law must stand for euer, and be fulfilled. And therefore whosoeuer doe lie in any finne, must in time repent, humble themselues, forsake their sins, and betake themselues vntounto Christ, that he may fulfill the Law for them; or else the cuise thereof shall certainly be fulfilled in them, and they shall there lie howling vnderunder it eternally, where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Fiftly, this immutabilitie of the Law, and so proportionably of eueryeveryA comfort to the godly. part of Gods word, as it prooueth the Scriptures to be the word of God, so it is a most excellent ground of comfort for all Gods seruants to stablish their hearts in the assurance of all his promises. A Christian heart is subiect to receiue many doubtinges of the truth of Gods promises, especially in the time of triall and temptation; but this must be remembred for euer, that the whole word of God is immutable; though mans promises may faile and their lawes be abrogated, yet no iot or part of Gods word shall passe vnfulfilled: and therefore they must constantly waite for the accomplishment thereof, for in due time it shall be fulfilled.
Sixtly, we are hereby taught to put on patience in afflictiōs; for theyA ground of patience. come by the speciall appointment of our God, who saith in his word, pAct 14. 2….That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen: now eueryevery part of Gods word must be accomplished; and therefore Christ bade Peter to put vp his sword, when he would hauehave rescued his apprehension; for (saith he) I could pray to my Father, and hee would send more then twelue legions of Angels to helpe me; but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say, It must be so? Matth. 26. 52, 53, 54.
Seauenthly, our Sauiour Christ in this propertie of immutabilitie,The integritie of the Law. giueth vntounto the whole Law, and vntounto eueryevery sillable and letter thereof, his proper force, vertue, and sense; so as there is nothing in it, not so much as one letter vaine or idle: for eueryevery commandement reueales the perfect iustice of God, and eueryevery letter serues to expresse the same comaundement. And herein the Law of God differeth from mens lawes; for in them bee many vaine and idle words, yea oftentimes whole sentences; but in the law of God it is not so: Prou. 8. 8. All the words of my mouth are righteous, there is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them: yea, the Law of the Lord qPs. 19. 7. 8.is perfect, his statutes are right, and his iudgements true and righteous altogether. Now the considerationDiligent stadie of the Scripture. of this integritie and perfection of the law, and word of God, must mooue vsus to studie the Scriptures with great diligence; so saith our Sauiour Christ, rIoh. 5. 39.Search the Scriptures: that is, shake and sift them (as the word signifieth) search narrowely, till the true force and meaning of eueryevery sentence, yea of eueryevery word and sillable; nay, of eueryevery letter and iotte therein, bee knowne and vnderstood; conferre place with place, the scope of one place with another, things going before with things that come after; yea, compare word with word, letter with letter, and search it throughly. This manner of studying the Scripture is most necessarie, as beeing the thing▪ indeede, which preserueth and vpholdeth the Church of God, and the puritie of religion; for about foure or fiue hundred years agone, men left off to studie the Bible, after this sort, and betooke themselues to the writings of men, occupying their wits wholly in vaine quid…ities in Philosophie; and in hid mysteries of Diuinitie: by which meanes it came to passe▪ that Poperie and Apostacie from the truth, spread it selfe ouer the world, for many hundred yeares together. Afterward, God of his meere merciemercy, put into the hearts of some men, to bee carefull searchers in the word of God, by which meanes the truth appeared, as light out of darkenesse. Thus God stirred up Luther▪ about the yeare of our Lord▪ The meanes of Luthers conuersion.1517. who by diligent search in the Scripture, and especially by serious meditation; with praier, vponupon these words of the Apostle, Roman. 3. 21. That now by the Gospel, without the Law, the Iustice of God is made manifest: did finde that by the perfect obedience of Christ, our iustification was wrought; and thereupon, began to maintaine and professe Iustification before God to be free, through and by faith in Christ onelyonly, without helpe from the works of the law, against the doctrine of the Church of Rome; and so by further diligence and industrie in the Scripture; the truth of God shone forth more and more. Let all men, but especially Students in diuinitie, consider this effect, of searching out the Scriptures, as a spurre to diligence, in this behalfe. By this means also, errors and heresies are auoyded and suppressed, & the will of God is plainly reuealed. And here by the way, we may see how profitable and necessarie the gift of Interpretation is▪ It is a most excellent gift of the spirit, pertaining to the Ministerie; and therefore most commendable & necessarie is the vse thereof in Schooles of Learning.
Eightly, this immutabilitie ascribed to Gods law, that eueryevery part thereof shall be accomplished to the full teacheth all Princes and Magistrates,Magistrates must be keepers of the Law. not onelyonly to be keepers of Moses law in their owne persons; but also within their rule and dominions, to doe their best indeauour, that the same bee fulfilled and kept by others. For this cause did the Lord command, that the Prince of his people should hauehave the Law sDeut. 17. 18, 19.written before him in a booke, to read vponupon continually, that hee may learne to feare God, and to keepe all the words of the Law to doe them: and that which is there enioyned vntounto Princes, belongeth also vntounto all Magistrates, Masters, and Parents; within their places and charges, they must be carefull to see the whole law of God practised, and obeyed, both in their owne persons, and of those that are vnderunder them.
Lastly, by this immutabilitie ascribed to the Law, wee may learne,What it is to keep the law what it is to fulfill the law; namely, to keepe and obserue to the full, eueryevery particular thing which the law commaunds vsus: and vponupon this wee may ground two conclusions against the Papists; First, that no man can come to life euerlasting by his owne righteousnesse and obedience; for hee that would come to heauen by his owne righteousnesse, must be able to fulfill the whole law perfectly, in eueryevery respect: but since Adams fall, no man could keepe the lawe in all things, sauing our Sauiour Christ, both God and man. Secondly, that our fulfilling of the law, must be in the obedience of Christ, for he onelyonly was answerable to the whole law in all things; and therefore if we would come to heauen, we must not come in our owne righteousnesse, but in his; as Paul wisheth to be found of God, Phil. 3. 8, 9.