Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 24
verse 23.
If thou then bring thy gift to the Altar, and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee,
24. Leaue there thy gift before the Altar, goe thy waies, first be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift.
Here Christ propounds a Rule of concord, by seeking reconciliation with them whome we hauehave wronged: and it depends vponupon the former verse as a consequent and conclusion drawne therefrom, as mayCoherence. appeare by the first wordes, If then, or therefore: as if he had said, If rash anger and the testification thereof, either in gesture or reuiling speech be murther, and deserue condemnation, then we are with all diligence to seeke to be reconciled to our brethren, whensoeuer any breach of louelove is made betweene vsus and them.
The Exposition. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar] Here Christ alludeth to the Iewes manner of worshippe vnderunder the law; which was, to offer in the Temple sacrifices vntounto God both of propitiation, and thanksgiuing. And though Christ here onelyonly name this one kind of ceremoniall worshippe, yet vnderunder this he comprehendeth all manner of true outward worshippe, whether Legall or Euangelicall; as if he should say, If thou come to worship God any way, either by offering sacrifices, or by praying vntounto God, by hearing his word, or receiuing the Sacraments; and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, that is, that thou hast any way wronged and offended thy brother: this appeareth to be the true meaning by the like wordes of aMark. 11. 15.Marke, If thou hast ought against thy brother, (meaning for iniurie done vntounto thee by him) forgiue him: and therefore our brother hath something against vsus, when we hauehave wronged or offended him in word or deede, and he hath knowledge thereof, and iust cause thereupon to complaine.
Leaue there thy gift before the Altar] Still he alludeth to the manner of the Iewes worshippe; who when they went to sacrifice to the Lord, brought their sheepe or bullocke vntounto the vtter court; or as some thinke, tied it to the hornes of the altar, in token that they presented it vntounto the Lord: now if at that very instant, they did remember that they had any way offended their brother, then were they to leaue their gift there, (not quite omiting this dutie, but onelyonly suspending or deferring it for a while) and goe seeke to be reconciled to their brother whome they had wronged.
Question. How could this departure be warrantable, seeing the Iewes had a law bEzek. 46. 10.that when the seruice of God was once begun, none might depart, no not the Prince himselfe, till it was ended. Ans. This Rule must be vnderstood of departure out of the vtter court of the Temple, whither the people brought their sacrifice soone after they had presented it, before it was begunne to be offered: for till the Priests had begunne Gods seruice, it was lawfull for the people to depart, especially vponupon this occasion.
Question II. But what if the partie offending, cannot possibly come to his brother whome he hath wronged, by reason of his absence in some farre countrey, his close imprisonment, or such like. Ans. He must testifie his endeauour to be reconciled vntounto him; and if the act it selfe be necessarily hindred by Gods prouidence, God will accept the will for the deede, if there be a willing minde: for this is Christs meaning, that we should doe our vtmost endeauour to be reconciled vntounto our brethren whome we hauehave wronged, shewing such care thereof, that we preferre the same before the outward actiōs of Gods worship; not presuming to worship God, till we be reconciled to our brethren.
Here we hauehave a notable Rule for the maintaining of louelove and charitie among men; namely, brotherly reconciliation. In the giuing whereof, Christ still continues his exposition of the sixt commandement: for hauing condemned murther, and the prouocations thereunto, in the former verse; here he commandeth the contrarie vertue of brotherly louelove, and the meanes to vphold the same; to wit, Reconciliation for offences giuen.
Out of this Rule in generall we may obserue: first, a Third directionA third rule for expounding Gods commandements. to the right expounding and vnderstanding of Gods commandements; namely, where any vice is forbidden, there the contrarie vertue is commanded: and on the contrarie, where any vertue is commaunded, there the contrarie vice is forbidden. This Rule must be obserued as a priuiledge of the law of God, aboue all humane lawes; for mens lawes are satisfied, by abstaining from the vice forbidden, though the contrarie vertue be not practised: as he satisfies mans law, forbidding Murther, that abstaines from the actuall crime, though he louelove not his brother: But he transgresseth the law of God, that performeth not the contrarie vertue, though he abstaine from the vice forbidden: for though a man abstaine from killing, yet if he doe not louelove his brother, hee is guiltie of the breach of this sixt commandement; which serues to confute the error of our ignorant people, who because they abstaine from Murther, Adulterie, and other outward sinnes, doe perswade themselues that they keepe the law, and that God will therefore be mercifull vntounto them. But they must know, that though they should abstaine from the vices forbidden, yet they stand culpable of Iudgement, for want of doing the contrarie vertues; for it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill, but we must doe good, and therefore Iohn Baptist saith, aMath. 3. 10EueryEvery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire: and the sentence of damnation shall bee denounced against the Reprobates, for their omission of doing good: bMat. 25. 42I was an hungrie, and ye gaue me no meate &c.
Secondly, by this Rule of Reconciliation, it appeareth that the performanceGod reiects sacrifice without merciemercy. of any outward seruice vntounto God, is displeasing vntounto him, if it be separated from the louelove of our brethren: Isay 1. 11, 12. What hauehave I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices, saith the Lord: and so hee proceedeth, reiecting in particular, all the seruice of the Iewes, because they liued in enuie, debate, and oppression; Their hands were full of blood, Isay, 58. 5, 6. The Lord doth there reprehend the Iewes fasting from meates, because they did not withall abstaine from strife, and oppression; adding withall, that refraining from crueltie, and doing workes of merciemercy, is the fast which hee requires: which serues to ouerthrowe the naturall conceit of men, who thinke that the whole worshippe of God, standeth in the duties of the first Table. This was indeede the conceit and practise of the Pharises, whereupon they cMath. 15. 5.taught the people, that if they gaue oblations to the Church, though they releeued not their poore parents, yet God was well pleased with them. And the like is the practise of the Church of Rome, who in cases of transgression, through want of brotherly louelove, doe not appoint this Reconciliation, but Auricular confession, and Canonicall satisfaction, as matters well pleasing vntounto Almightie God: yea, such is the conceit of our common people, that if they be present at diuine seruice, if they heare the word preached, and receiue the Sacrac…aments at ordinarie times, then they hauehave done good seruice, and he will respect them, though in their ciuill conuersation they be at enmitie with their brethren, or liue in such like sinnes. But we must learne, that God is serued, not onelyonly in the duties of the first Table, but of the second also; and that God abhortes the duties of pietie in such persons as make no conscience of the practise of louelove and merciemercy: Ierem. 7. 9, 10. Will you steale, murther, comm…t adulterie, &c. and yet come and stand before me in this house▪ wherein my name is called, and say we are deliuered though we hauehave done all thes… …b…ominations? as if he should say▪ neuer thinke it: and therefore if … desi…e true comfort in our seruing of God, let vsus make conscience to ioyne therewith the practise of merciemercy towards our brethren.
Thirdly, here also we may learne, how to behaue our selues beforeA dutie of …. we come to the Lords Table: if we call to minde, euen when we be in the Church, that we hauehave any way offended our brother, we must first goe and reconcile our selues vntounto him, and then come to the Lords Table: we must not abstaine vponupon the remembrance of our wrong doing, for so we adde sinne vntounto sinne, refusing spirituall societie with God, because we will retaine enmitie towards our brother: but seeking speedily reconciliation, we must returne to receiue the Lords Sacrament. Which flatly condemnes the common practise of many, who abstaine from the Lords Supper, because they will not seeke to be reconciled to their brethren. This argues an heart full stu… with pride and malice, which preferres it owne lust before the will of God: for God commands that the sunne goe not downe vponupon our wrath; and it is his ordinance we should receiue the Sacrament to shew forth Christs death, when it is administred by the Church; against both which he offendeth that abstaineth, because he is at variance with his brother: for Christ wil not hauehave the gift that is brought, to be taken away, but there left a while, till reconciliation be made.
Fourthly, in this Rule of Reconciliation, we may see, there be degrees Degrees of duties in Gods worship.in the duties of Gods worship; all are not equall, but some more, and some lesse necessarie. The first and highest degree of holy worship, is prescribed in the first Commandement, as to louelove, seare, and to 1reioyce in God aboue all, and to beleeue in him, and all his promises. The second degree of holy duties, is to louelove our neighbour as our selues, 2to seeke peace and reconciliation with them whome we hauehave wronged or offended. Thus much doth Christ here import, in preferring the practise hereof before the offering of sacrifice. The third degree consists, in the outward ceremoniall duties of Gods worship, commanded in the first Table: as the outward actions of Gods worship, and the outward solemnitie of the Sabbath: for these giuegive place to the workes of louelove and charitie commanded in the second Table, and therefore Christ saith, first be reconciled, and then offer thy g…t.
Now by this distinction of holy duties, we hauehave a good direction…. for our behauiour; that seeing the louelove of God and of our brethren, are the two highest degrees of good workes, therefore we are aboue all things to seeke after them, and to preferre the doing of them before the outward worship of God; for that we see commeth in the last place. But the practise of men i… otherwise; generally they are more forward in outward ceremonies, then in the maine duties of the louelove of God, and of their brethren; like to the Pharisies, dLuk. 11. ….who passed ouer …udgement and the feare of God, and were very strict in tything mint and …ue: but this is a preposterous course, and cleane contratie to this precept of our Sauiour Christ.
Thus much of this Rule in generall. Now I come to more particular…. obseruati…us out of the words: I …aue thy gift at the Altar Here Christ approou…h of this worship of God among the le…es by offering sacrifices; from whence it followeth, that sacrificing a… the Al…ar, and by proportion other ceremoniall worship, was not abrogated either at Christs birth, or baptisme, for here Christ alloweth of them: and therefore they ceased onelyonly at his death, when vponupon the crosse he said, Ioh …. …. … Col. 2. ….It is finished, then he put out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vsus.
Thy gift; that is, thy sacrifice; whereof the Iewes had two kindes: Propit…ator…e, and Gra…lator…e, or of thanksgiuing: and they are here called gifts, because in sacrificing the people gaue some thing vntounto God: in which respect a sacrifice differeth from a Sacrament, wherein…. God giues some thing vntounto vsus. Now the sacrifices of the law, wherein men gaue something vntounto God, signified two things: first, that Christ should giuegive himselfe vntounto his Father for our sinnes: secondly,1 that we should wholly giuegive our selues vntounto God, both in soule and2 bodie, to serue him: and therefore God saith, Prov. 2…. 26. My sonne, giuegive me thy heart: Rom. 6. 13. GiueGive your members … we …pons of righteousnes vntounto God, as they that are aliue from dead work… ▪ Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you g…ue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice, holy, and acceptable vntounto God: this we ought to doe in token of thankefulnes for Gods endlesse mercies: and this we then doe; First, when we acknowledge our selues not to be our owne, but Gods in Christ: Secondly, when we consecrate and dedicate our selues to the seruice of God, that both in heart and life we may shew our selues thankfull for our creation, preseruation, & Redemption especially. But lamentable is the case with men in this behalfe: in stead of giuing themselues to God, men bequeath themselues to the deuill, and become his slaues and vassals: they make their hearts his dwelling place, by malicious, wicked, and lustfull thoughts; they consecrate the faculties of their soules, with all the parts of their bodies vntounto him in the practise of sinne: this ought not to be, seeing Christ gaue himselfe for vsus, let vsus giuegive our selues wholly vntounto him.
And there remembrest; that is, doest call to minde, that thy brother hath ought against thee, &c. By this Christ teacheth vsus, that whensoeuerExamination of our selues before w… doe seruice to God. we come to doe any seruice vntounto God, we ought first of all to enter into our owne hearts, and there to search and trie our owne estate, in respect of offences giuen to God or man, whereof we hauehave not repented, that so before we come to Gods solemne worship, we may be reconciled both to God, and to our brethren. The want of this, brings many a curse vponupon mens soules, euen in the meanes wherein they thinke to receiue Gods blessing: and therefore we must looke to the practise of this dutie, that we doe it speedily and from our hearts. This we had neede to looke vntounto in respect of God, whome we daily offend: for if he hauehave ought against vsus, and yet we stand out against him by impenitencie, who can saue vsus from his wrath? Let vsus thinke on Elies speech, g1. Sam. 1. ….If one man sinne against an other, the Iudge shall iudge it: but if a man sinne against the Lord, who will pleade for him?