Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 19,20
vers. 19.
EueryEvery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewne downe and cast into the fire.
20. Therefore by their fruits shall ye know them.
These words containe a conclusion gathered from the former similitude, which is here also continued; wherein is set downe a grieuousThe punishment of sa…e prophets. threatning of eternall damnation, the deserued punishment of all false prophets. As if Christ had said; looke as in an orchyard eueryevery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit i. hewen downe, and cast into the fire to be burnt: so in the Church of God the false prophet shall not alwaies be reputed for a true Prophet, but at the length shall be discouered, cut off from the Church, and condemned. Answerable to this is that saying of our Sauiour Christ, EueryEvery branch which beareth not fruit in me, Io… 15. 2. 6.is taken away, cast forth, and withereth, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire and they burne. And S. Peter saith; Their damnation sleepeth not, 2. Pet. 2. 3.
The vse. 1. This serues to comfort Gods children in regard of false prophets, for though Gods Church be troubled with them for aComfort against false prophets. time, yet it shall not alwaies be so: the time will come wherein they must be cast out, and receiue their due and deserued destruction. And this especially must be remembred, to stay and comfort our hearts in regard of the Popish religion which doth most of all molest and trouble vsus: first, because it is naturall, and so readily embraced: secondly, many among vsus doe much affect it: and thirdly, it is maintained by mightie Monarchs. But yet for all that it must downe, for it is a plant which God neuer set nor planted. Matth. 15. 13. And the cheife vpholders of it shall be destroied.
II. Vse. This teacheth vsus to eschew and shunne false teachers: and therefore doth Christ ad… this exhortation, Matth. 15. 14. L…t them alone, they are the blind leaders of the blinde: and, Reuel. 18. 4. Come out of her (that is, spirituall Babylon which is Rome) my people, for if you partake with her in her sinnes, ye shall suffer of her punishments.
III. Use. The words of this threatning beeing further applied vntounto all men (as they are in S. Luke) doe …each vsus, that it is not sufficient for vsus to abstaine from committing grosse sinnes, and to doe no man h…rm…, but beside eschewing e…ill we must doe good. In the last iudgement, the sentence of condemnation shall be pronounced against the wicked, not for robbing the poore, but for not releeuing of them, and for Matth. 25. 42. 45.not visiting and cloathing them. Which doth notably confute that vaine opinion of many ignorant people, who thinke, that if they liue an innocent and harmelesse life, God will hold them excused, and saue them; but the tree that brings not forth good fruit must be burnt.
vers. 20. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Here Christ repeats againe the Rule he deliuered in the 16▪ verse, which sh…ws, that it is a speciall rule to be obserued of vsus all: for there is no idle word in Scripture, neither any thing repeated in vaine. The meaning thereof we hauehave heard: and the meanes whereby a false prophet may be discouered, with the vses thereof: among which we shewed that eueryevery true beleeuer in Gods Church may be able to discouer a false prophet, whereto these three caueats must be added: I. The pai…ie that would discouerDuties of him that would discouer a false prophet. a false prophet, must humble himselfe before God, & hauehave an heart in some sort emptied of all pride and selfe-louelove: for the Lord will teach the humble his waies, Psal. 25. 9. yea, he doth exalt the humble & meeke, Luk. 51. 3. and in all things the humbled heart is preserued with the Lord. II. The partie humbled must yeild himselfe to obey the will of God. If any man doe my fathers will; he shall know of my doctrine whether it be of God, Ioh. 7. 17. and Dauid professeth of himselfe, that he was wiser then his teachers, and vnderstood more then the auncient, because he kept Gods commandements. Psal. 119. 99, 100. III. He must pray vntounto the Lord and aske wisdome in faith, and in humilitie, and the Lord will giuegive it vntounto him. Iam. 1. 5. If any man lacke wisdome, let him aske of God who giueth liberally. Yet some will say, it is an hard matter to discerne a false prophet: I answer, we hauehave ordinarily this capacitie, when we read or heare read, the last will and testament of our Ancestors, we are able to conceiue and iudge of the meaning thereof: well, our Lord Iesus hath left with vsus his will and testament in the holy Scriptures; which concerning morall duties, and matters of faith necessarie to saluation is so plaine that it may be vnderstood of the simplest, …ls Christ would neuer hauehave sent the Iewes to the Scriptures for the certen knowledge of the M…ssias. Which notably discouers the fraudulent dealing of the Romish teachers, who in matters of controuersie in religion send vsus for resolution to the Church, calling it the stayRhem. on 1. Tim. 3. sect. 9. and pillar whereto we must leane in all doubts of doctrines. The church I graunt is to be reuerenced, but yet we must not build our faith vponupon the doctrine of men. Our Sauiour Christ sent the Iewes vntounto the Scriptures: and hereby the Bereans tried Pauls doctrine, and are commended: And indeede though men be neuer so vnlearned, yet if they come in humilitie to search the Scripture, and in obedience vntounto God, praying for knowledge, they may be able by Gods word to discerne of false teachers.