Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 19
Verse 19.
Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements, and teach men so, he shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen; but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them, the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen.
Our Sauiour Christ hauing plainely propounded in his Apologie for himselfe, the stabilitie and eternitie of the whole law; doth here laie downe two notable conclusions, for the vpholding thereof: 1. Because the Law is immutable and eternall, therefore he that breaketh one of the least of the commandements, and teacheth men so, shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen. 2. Because the Law is eternall▪ therefore he that keepes the commandements, and teacheth men so, shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen.
For the first; by least commandement, he meaneth the precepts of the Morall lawe, though in the former verse, by (Law) he vnderstood the whole law in three parts; Iudiciall, Morall, and Ceremoniall: And he calleth them litle, not simply in regard of themselues, as thoughHow some commandements are little. they were so indeede; for in it selfe eueryevery commaundement of God is great and waightie: but hee speaketh according to the opinion of the Iewes, for the Scribes and Pharises had ordained certaine rites and ceremonies, according to the tradition of their Fathers; the obseruation whereof, they made a greater matter of conscience, then the keeping of some of Gods commandements: and so esteemed them little. Againe, saying these least commaundements, hee pointeth out what particular commaundements of the Morall law, the Iewes esteemed lesse then the traditions of men; namely, those which afterward he expoundeth in this Chapter, touching Murther, Adulterie, Swearing, and the rest: for they esteemed not all the commaundements of the law lesser then their traditions. Shal be called least in the kingdome of heauen: Here Christ sets downe the punishment of a false Prophet,Punishment of a false Prophet. which breakes Gods commaundements, & teacheth men so; to wit, his base esteeme in the Church of God; for the kingdome of God is two-fold, the kindome of grace, and the kingdome of glorie: The kingdome of grace, is the societie and companie of Gods faithfull seruantes here on earth: The kingdome of glorie, is the blessed estate of all the Saints in heauen. Now here by kingdome of heauen, he meaneth the kingdome of grace, which is the militant Church on earth: and so Iohn Baptist calleth it, Math. 3. 2. Repent and amend, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand: that is, the Church of the old Testament is now abolished; and the Church of the new Testament is ready to take place by Christs comming: and therfore repent and amend: and Math. 11. 12. from the time of Iohn hitherto, the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence. So then the meaning of this first conclusion is this,The meaning. Whosoeuer breaketh one of these least commandements of the Moral law (which afterward I shall expound) and teacheth men so to doe, he shall be contemned, and not counted worthie to bee a member of the Church of God in the new Testament.
In this conclusion, in the practise of the Iewes, Christ setteth forthThe corruptiōs of hypocrites respecting Gods word. two notable corruptions of an hollow heart, towards God: The first, to set little by the commandements of God, esteeming no more of them, nay lesse, then of mens lawes and traditions: but Saint Iames tIam. 2. 10.saith, he that breaketh one commandement, bee it neuer so little, is guiltie of all, though hee make shewe of keeping all: so likewise, hee that maketh light and base account of one commandement, contemneth all; though he seeme to honour the rest neuer so much. Though Herod heard Iohn gladly, and obeied his doctrine in many things, and so seemed to make some account of some commandements; yet because he would needs liue in incest, against the seauēth commandement, he did in effect contemne and breake them all: so at this day, there are many who professe religion, and giuegive testimonie thereof, by hearing the word, and receiuing the sacraments; and herevpon they would be counted louers of Gods lawe: yet in the course of their liues, and in their particular callings, they will not sticke to oppresse▪ the poore, and to deale vniustly for their aduantage; to prophane the Sabbath for a little profit or pleasure, and to sweare, and curse, when they are a little prouoked. Now howsoeuer such persons may make a glorious shew of profession outwardly, yet by these and such like particular actions, they shew plainly that they hauehave but Pharisaicall hearts, which indeed make little or no account of Gods commandements. Let vsus therfore eueryevery one looke into our waies, and search in our owne hearts, whether this corruption be in vsus, or no: and if it be, let vsus repent and forsake it, and labour to become like Dauid, uPsal. 119. 6who had respect vntounto all Gods commandements: and so shall we not be despised in the Church of God.
The second corruption of an hollow heart, noted likewise of Christ,…. Corruptió in these Iewes, is to place the ceremonies, rites, and traditions of men, aboue the commandements of the Morall law: Herewith he doth expresly charge the Iewish teachers, Matth. 15. 3. Why doe ye transgresse the commandements of God, by your traditions? And this is also the practise of the Church of Rome at this day, they account xTollet. Summa Cas. Consc. l. 6. cap. 3.eating flesh in Lent, and on their fasting daies, a deadly sinne: & yet they will vLib. de iusta abdicat. Heur.dispense with threasons, & murthers, of Christian Princes: they zPope Six…us 4.allow of Stues, they permit and pardon Sodomie; and yet aCalixt. …. …pud grat. dist. 27. Can. Presbyt. Rbem. …. Tim. …. sect. 5.vtterly forbid mariage in some estate, which the holy Ghost bHeb. 13. 4.calleth honourable among all men. In these and many moe, they preferre their owne traditions before the most holy commandements of God: yea, many ignorant persons among vsus, are tainted with this corruption; for be not some feast daies, appointed by the Church, as Christs natiuitie, all Saints, and such like, obserued by them with greater conscience and reuerence, then the Lords owne Sabbath? Though the memorie of Christs natiuitie may be celebrated; yet the Lords day should hauehave the speciall honour. Now for the reforming of this corruption, we must labour to hauehave the same minde that was in Dauid, who grew into admiration with GodsPsal. 119. commandements, and thereupon invred himselfe to the obseruation of them. We must therefore labour to hauehave an high estimation of theA ground of obedience. lawes of God, and this will be a notable meanes to drawe vsus to a reuerend feare and obedience towards to the same: one cause why men do not so highly aduance the law of God, as they ought, is because they doe not sufficiently waigh the dignitie thereof. In eueryevery commandement therefore, we must first deepely consider the waight thereof; then labour to vnderstand it aright: thirdly, learne to admire the wisdome and iustice of God therein: and lastly, endeauour to yeeld loyaltie and obedience thereunto.
Secondly, in this Rule our Sauiour Christ puts a difference betweenDifference between a false prophet and a true. a false Prophet, and a true: The false Prophet breakes the commandements of God in his owne person, and also by his doctrine teacheth others to doe the like: But the true Prophet and seruant of God, in the Ministerie, endeauoureth the aduancement of Gods glorie, as well by integritie of life, as by soundnesse of doctrine.
Thirdly, in the punishment of a false Prophet here set downe, weeRome no part of Christs Church: and why. hauehave good direction for our iudgement, touching the present Church of Rome; namely, that shee is not worthie to be esteemed a part of Christs Church on earth, by the sentence of our Sauiour Christ; because shee breakes Gods commaundements, and teacheth men so: for whereas the second commandement forbiddeth the worshipping of Images, yea and the making of Images to resemble God; the Church of Rome doth not onelyonly allow the contrarie, against this commandement; but teacheth others so to doe: saying, that it is lawful aSanders treatise of the worship of images. Bellar. de Imag. Sanct. l. 2. c. 8.to resemble the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost in Images, either painted or carued, and to worshippe them therein; yea, and to worshippe bBellar. ib. cap. 12.the very Images of Christ, and of Saints, as also the cIdem de sanct. beat. l. …. c. 1….Saints themselues, with religious worship.
Againe, they plainely breake the tenth commandement, which forbiddeth the first motions vntounto sinne with delight, though without cō sent of wil, by teaching dConcil. Trid. sess. 5. Can. 5.that concupiscence after baptisme, is no sinne. And as they deale with the commandements, so deale they with the Prophets, who giuegive testimonie vntounto Christ; for first they destroy his manhood, by their forged transubstantiation: secondly, they ouerturne his kingly office, by making the Pope the eBellar. de Concil. author. l. …. c. 15.head of the Church, and giuing him power fDe Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. c. 15, 16.to make lawes to binde the conscience. Thirdly, they ouerturne the Priesthood, by their massing Priesthood, wherein gRhe. Heb. …. sect. 10. Cō cil. Trid. sess. 22. c. 1, 2. &c.they daily offer vp an vnbloodie sacrifice, for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead. Fourthly, they rob him of his propheticall office, in giuing liberty to the hSee the Popes robberie of Christ at large, Foxe Acts & Monuments, …. 784. edit. 1583.Pope, to make new Laws, & iHa…d answ. to Iewel, art. 4. diuis. 19.to expound the Scriptures, as supreame iudge: these things they teach, & therefore that Church is not worthy to be counted a member of Christs Church. But seeing God in great merciemercy hath vouchsafed vsus this fauour in this land, that we should▪ receiue, and embrace his holy word, to publish▪ and teach the same; and so esteemeth vsus worthie to be accounted a member of his Church: wee are therefore to reioyce in this merciemercy, and to praise God vnfainedly for this vnspeakable blessing; and to shewe forth our thankefulnesse, not onelyonly by teaching, and receiuing the truth of his word, but also by yeelding obedience in all things thereunto: yea, our earnest and daily prayer must be, because it is so great a blessing, to be counted worthie of his kingdome, that God would continue the truth of his will to vsus, and to our posteritie for euer.
The second Conclusion: Whosoeuer shall keepe them, and teach men so, the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen: that is, hee shall bee honoured in the Church of God, and esteemed a worthie member thereof, because by this meanes, he endeauoureth to keepe the law vnchangeable for euer. In this conclusion two points areThe office of a faithfull Teacher. to be considered; the office of a faithfull Teacher, and his reward: his office is two-fold; First, in his owne person hee must be a doer of Gods commandements: Secondly, in his publike Ministerie hee must teach men so to doe.
Here first obserue the order of these duties; Doing must goe beforeDoe, and teach. Teaching: This order Christ propounds, and that doubtlesle on speciall grounds; First, because a man cannot with ioy and comfort fitly teach others, before himselfe bee a doer of the thing hee teacheth; for if a man teach others, from the instruction of the spirit, hee shall finde his owne heart inclined by the same spirit, to the obedience of the word he teacheth.
Againe, the experience of the fruite and efficacie of the word, in his owne person, is the best Commentarie a man can hauehave, for the opening of it vntounto others: The writings of men, with the knowledge of artes and tongues, are excellent helpes▪ yet if a man want the spirit of God, framing his heart to beleeue, and obey the word hee teacheth, whereby he should become a doer of it; doubtlesse the word wil seeme but a dreame or riddle vntounto him, neither can he fitly apply the same vntounto others, hauing neuer had experience of it in his owne soule. This then should mooue all Ministers, and such as set themselues to this calling, first and chiefly, to labour to become doers of the word themselues; other helpes of learning are to bee fought for with all diligence, to make them fit and able Ministers of so great mysteries; but especially, they must labour for the spirit of grace, to frame their hearts to embrace, and their liues to obey the word which they teach▪ that so they may be fitted, according to our Sauiour Christs direction. Now this spirit is attained, by knocking ut hea…n gates by praier, Luke 11. 13. and by opening the doore of our hearts, when our Sauiour Christ knocketh thereat by his wo…d, Reuel. 3. 20.
Secondly, in …aying downe this dutie, our Sauiour Christ propoundethA comfort to faithfull Ministers, in their peoples vntowardnesse. a singular comfort to such faithfull Ministers, as be grieued with the vntowardnesse of their people; hee propoundeth not the conuersion of the people, as a propertie of a faithfull Teacher, but the doing and teaching of the will and word of God. And doubtlesse a man may bee a faithful Teacher, and yet not conuert many vntounto God; hence the Prophet complaines, that hee had kIsay 49. ….laboured in vaine, and spent his strength in vaine▪ nay, the same Prophet is sent lIsay 6. 9. 10to blinde the eies of his people, to make them dull of hearing, and to harden their hearts by his Ministerie, which was a heauie case, but yet that saying of the Apostle Paul, must be remembred; that howsoeuer vntounto some, his Ministerie was the sauour of death; yet, m2. Cor 2. 15, 16.vntounto God it was alwaies the sweet sauour of Christ: So that a Minister mourning truely for his people, to see their hardnes of heart, may comfort himselfe with this; that in a good conscience hee endeauoureth to obey the word of God, and to teach men so.
II. Point. The reward of a faithfull Teacher is this; hee shall bee The reward of a faithfull Minister.counted great in the kingdome of heauen: that is, he shall be honoured, and counted worthie to bee a member of Christs Church, both in this life, and in the life to come. This must be remembred, to incite all Ministers to become faithfull Teachers, both in life and doctrine. To get respect in Princes courts, is much sought after on earth; O then, how should this high respect with God, preuaile in our hearts, to incite vsus to be faithfull in this calling.