Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 17
Verse 17.
Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them.
In this verse, and the rest which follow, to the ende of this Chapter,The third part of Christs sermon. is contained the Third part of Christs Sermon; wherein hee goes about to restore the Morall law to his true sense and meaning, which was much corrupted by the Iewish teachers. And to the ende the same might bee the better accepted, hee makes way thereto by a notable Preface, verse 17, 18, 19, 20. Wherein hee seekes, as well to preuent and to remooue the false opinion which the Iewes had conceiued of him, in respect of the Law; as also to procure all reuerence and loyaltie to bee shewed therevnto: For the Iewish teachers seeing our Sauiour Christ condemne and neglect the traditions of the Elders, and not so much to respect the ceremonies of the Law, as they thought hee should, did thereupon iudge him to bee a deceiuer, and one that went about to ouerturne the whole law▪ of Moses. This opinion Christ confuteth by three arguments: First, from the ende of his comming, in this verse: The second, from the nature of the law, in the 18. verse; whereupon he infers two notable conclusions, to procure reuerence thereunto, verse 19. And thirdly, from the scope of his Ministerie, verse 20.
For the first: The Exposition. Thinke not that I am come, &c. This comming of Christ, must bee vnderstood of the manifestation of the godhead in our nature: for otherwise, his godhead being eueryevery where▪ cannot be said to come properly; and as for his manhood, it had notThe law in generall. beene in heauen. To destroy the Law▪ The Law in generall, is that part of Gods word, which commaunds things iust, honest, and godly; and beeing thus conceiued, it is threefold; Ceremoniall, Iudiciall, and Morall. The Ceremoniall law, is that part of Gods word, which prescribedCeremonial. to the Iewes, ceremonies, rites, and orders, to be performed in the worshippe of God: this law is laid downe in the bookes of Moses, especially in Leuiticus. The Iudiciall law, is that part of Gods word, whichIudiciall. prescribed ordinances for the gouernment of the Iewes common wealth, and the ciuill punishment of offendours: The Ceremoniall lawe concerned the Iewes onelyonly: the Iudiciall lawe did indeede principally concerne them; but yet so farre forth as it tendeth to the establishing of the Morall law, hauing in it common equitie, it concerneth all people, in all times and places. What the Morall lawe is, IMorall. will describe in three points: First, It is that part of Gods word, concerning righteousnesse and godlinesse, which was written in Adams minde by the gift of creation; and the remnants of it be in eueryevery man by the light of nature: in regard whereof, it bindes all men. Secondly, it commaundeth perfect obedience, both inward, in thought and affection; and outward, in speech and action. Thirdly, it bindeth to the curse and punishment, eueryevery one that faileth in the least dutie thereof, though but once, and that in thought onelyonly: Galatians 3. 10. Cursed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law, to doe them. The summe of the Morall law is propounded in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements, which many can repeat, but fewe doe vnderstand.
That wee may further conceiue aright the Morall lawe, wee mustDifference between the Law and the Gospel. make a difference betweene it and the Gospel: for the Gospel is that part of the word which promiseth righteousnesse and life euerlasting to all that beleeue in Christ: the difference betweene them stands especially in fiue things.
First, the Law is naturall, and was in mans nature before the fall; but1 the Gospel is spirituall, reuealed after the fall, in the couenant of grace.
Secondly, the Law sets forth Gods iustice, in rigour, without mercy;2 but the Gospel sets out iustice and merciemercy, vnited in Christ.
Thirdly, the Law requireth a perfect righteousnesse within vsus; but3 the Gospel reuealeth our acceptance with God, by imputed righteousnesse.
Fourthly, the Law threatneth iudgement without mercy, and therefore4 is called a2. Co …3. 7. ….the ministerie of condemnation, and of death; but the Gospel shewes merciemercy to mans sinne, in and by Christ, if we repent and beleeue. Lastly, the law promiseth life to the worker and doer of it; bRom. 10. 5.Doe this, and thou shalt liue: but the Gospel offereth saluation to5 him that worketh not, cRom. 4. 5.but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly: not considering faith, as a worke, but as an instrument apprehending Christ, by whom we are made righteous.
The Church of Rome in a manner confound the Law, and the Gospell,Tonens. August. Confes. lib. 2. cap. 6. sauing that the Gospel, which is the new Law, reuealeth Christ more clearely then Moses Law did, which they call the old Law. But this is a wicked opinion, which ouerturnes all religion, beeing the cause of many grosse points in poperie, which could not stand, if they would acknowledge a true distinction betweene the Law and the Gospel. They say for their defence, that the precepts of both, are the sameBellar. de Iustis. l. 4. c. 3. for substance; that both require righteousnesse, both promise life, and threaten death; both commaund faith, repentance, and obedience; and therefore they are the same. Answer. First, the laws and precepts of1 Law & Gospel differ in precepts.the Law and Gospel are not the same; for Adam in his innocencie knew the Law, but hee knewe nothing then of beleeuing in Christ: and though both require righteousnesse, promise life, and threaten death, yet the manner is farre different, as before was noted: So likewise they differ in the commaunding of faith; for the Gospel commandeth faith, not as a worke done, as the Law doth; but as an instrument laying hold on Christ. Againe, the Law commaundes faith generally;2 as to beleeue in God, and to beleeue his word to be true: but besides this, the Gospel requires a particular faith in Christ the Redeemer, whom the Law neuer knewe. Thirdly, the Law commandeth not3 repentance, for the knowledge of the Law was in Adams heart, when hee needed no repentance: true repentance therefore is a sauing grace, wrought and commanded onelyonly by the Gospel. And fourthly,4 for obedience, though it bee commaunded both by the Law and the Gospel, yet not in the same manner: The Law commaundeth obedience eueryevery way perfect, both in parts, and in degrees, and alloweth none other: but the Gospel commaundeth, and in Christ approoueth imperfect obedience; that is, an indeauour in all things, to obey and please God, if it be without hypocrisie. Againe, the Law commandeth obedience, as a worke to bee done, for the obtaining of saluation: but the Gospel requires obedience, onelyonly to testifie our faith and thankefulnesse vntounto God. The Church of Rome therefore erreth grosly, in cō founding the Law and the Gospel, which indeed are farre differing; & so we must beleeue, if we would come into, & hold the right way that leadeth vntounto life.
Now whereas Christ saith, Thinke not that I came to destroy the Law; by Law he meaneth principally the Morall law, and in the second place, the Ceremoniall law also: Next obserue the opposition that Christ maketh betweene the Law and the Prophets; thereby signifying vntounto vsus, that by the Law, hee meaneth that part of Gods word, concerning Righteousnesse, and Iustice, which Moses penned by Gods commaundement: and by the Prophets, hee meaneth that part of Gods word, which is contained in the writings of all the Prophets in the old Testament, after Moses; which bookes of the Prophets, contained in them either an interpretation of Moses Lawe, or predictions of the state of the Church in the newe Testament. Againe, by destroying the Law, we must not vnderstand a breach of the Law, such as is made by mans sin; but such a dissolution, as taketh from it all vertue and power, whereby it is a Law: and so to destroy the Prophets, is to put an ende vntounto them, so as they should nothing auaile, either to the interpretation of the Law, or to the foretelling of the state of Gods Church vnderunder the Gospel.Christ fulfilleth the law 3. waies. But to fulfill them. Christ fulfilleth the Law three waies; by his doctrine, in his person, and in men. By his doctrine he fulfilleth the Law1 two waies; both by restoring vntounto it his proper meaning and true vse, as we shall see afterward, where he correcteth the corrupt interpretations thereof, by the Pharises; as also, by reuealing the right way, wherby the Law may be fulfilled. Secondly, in his person he fulfilleth the Lawe2 two waies; First, by becomming accursed to the Lawe, in suffering death vponupon the crosse for vsus. Secondly, by performing perfect obedience vntounto the Law, doing all that the Law required, for the louelove of God, or of his neighbour; in which respect he was said, dGal. 4. 4. 3.to hauehave beene vnderunder the Law. Thirdly, Christ fulfilled the Law in men; Men bee of two sorts, Elect, and Reprobates: In the Elect he fulfilleth the Lawe two waies; First, by creating faith in their hearts, whereby they laie hold on Christ, who for them fulfilled it: Secondly, by giuing them his owne spirit, which maketh them indeauour to fulfill the Law; which in Christ is accepted for perfect obedience in this life, and in the life to come is perfect indeede. In vnbeleeuers Christ fulfilleth the Law, when he executeth the curse of the Law vponupon them; for that is a part of the Law, and the execution and enduring of the curse, is a fulfilling of the Lawe. And thus doth Christ fulfill the Law; so that the meaning of the words is this: Whereas you thinke that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets, by making them of none effect, you are deceiued; nay, on the other side, know that the ende of my manifestation in the flesh, was to fulfill the law, both in my doctrine and person; and also, in the persons of men both good and badde.
In this Apologie of Christ, for his behauiour towards the Law; obserue,The Vse. what malice some of the Iewes, especially the Scribes and Pharises, bare vntounto him: for Christ was the Author of the Law, and yet they maliciously suspect and charge him with the abrogation therof; so as he is faine to cleare himselfe in this behalfe.
The like hath beene the malice of wicked men in all ages, against the deerest seruants of God; Act. 6. 14. Stephen is accused to speake blasphemous words against the Law: Act. 21. 28. Paul is charged with the same crime. And such is the malice of the Papists, against all Euangelicall reformed Churches; because wee denie Iustification by workes, therefore they condemne vsus for enemies to good workes: and in many other points, they fasten vponupon vsus notes of reproach, for holding the truth. Yea, among our selues, the like malice doth appeare in those that brand their brethren with odious names, because they shew forth more care then others, of their dutie to God: but let all Gods children beware of this Pharisaicall practise.
Againe, obserue the Titles, vnderunder which he comprehendeth theVse 2. whole Scriptures of the olde Testament; The Law and the Prophets: Luke 16. 31. they are called Moses and the Prophets. Luke 24. 27. Christ beganne at Moses, and at all the Prophets, and interpreted vntounto them in all the Scriptures: there Moses and the Prophets containe all the Scriptures of the old Testament.
Here then we may note a propertie of the bookes of the olde Testament;A propertie of the old Testament. namely, that eueryevery one of them was written either by Moses, or some other of the Prophets. And by this wee may knowe the Canonicall bookes of the olde Testament, and distinguish them from the bookes called Apocrypha: for the Apocrypha bookes were not penned by any of the Prophets, who spake and writ in the Hebrew tongue, the natiue language of the Iewes; but by some other in the Greeke tongue, which was not the language of the olde Prophets. These bookes may bee regarded in sundrie respects, as containing many worthie Rules touching manners; in which regard, wee may preferre them before other writings of men, so farre forth as they are consonant with the Scripture: and so the Church of God hath of long time reuerenced them; but yet they are no part of the Law, nor of the Prophets.Concil. Trid. sess. 4 sect. 1. And therefore the Church of Rome doth notably wrong and abuse the world, in stiling these Apocryphall bookes, for Canonicall Scripture.
Thirdly, Christ in this his Apologie, sheweth a sweet consent betweene the Law and the Gospel: They are not contrarie one to the other;Consent of Law and Gospel. for Christ, who is the substance of the Gospel, came to fulfill the Lawe… and therefore Paul saith, that by eRom. 3. 3….faith wee establish the Law: and Hebrewes 9. 19, 20. &c. When Moses had giuen the Lawe vntounto the people, hee offered sacrifices, and sprinkled the blood thereof vponupon the booke, and vponupon the people, which was a type of the shedding of Christs blood, as it is fver. 23, 24.there expounded: which did notably signifie this consent betweene the Law and the Gospel, in so much▪ as without Christ, the Law could not stand.
Now this consent betweene them standeth herein; The Law requireth perfect obedience, and threateneth death to the least breach thereof, not propounding any way for the fulfilling thereof, out of our selues; but the Gospel directeth vsus to Christ, who as our suretie hath fulfilled the Lawe for vsus: for which cause, Christ is called, gRom. 10. ….the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse to eueryevery one that beleeueth. And through Christ it is, that the hRom. 8. ….righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in vsus, which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit.