Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 21
vers. 21.
Not eueryevery one that saith vntounto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen.
From this verse to the 24. is conteined another portion of Christs12. Part of Christs Sermon. sermon beeing the seauenth part of this chapter; wherein he intreateth of the state of those that professe his holy name in his Church here on earth. And his maine scope & drift herein, is to shew that men must not content themselues to professe religion outwardly, but there-with they must ioyne true godlines and sincere obedience. This point is as wayghtie and of as great importance as any of the former, respecting the maine point of m…ns saluation: and it conteineth two parts. A maine conclusion, in this verse: And a proofe and explanation of one part thereof, ver. 22. 23. The conclusion it selfe hath two parts: 1. that some men professing the name of Christ shall not be saued, which part is afterward explaned and confirmed: the 2. part is this, that some professors of religion shal be saued: which is not onelyonly propounded, but the parties also are plainely described.
The first part is a most fearfull sentence against many that liue in the Church, that notwithstanding their profession of the name of Christ, yet they shall neuer be saued. And this is most true, beeing spoken by him that hath the power of life and of death, who is also the God of truth that cannot lie, saying, Not eueryevery one that saith, Lord, Lord, that is, that professeth God to be his God, shall enter into the kingdome What professor, shall not be saued Three grosse hypocrites.of heauen. There be two kinde of professors in the Church of God that shall neuer be saued: the first are grosse hypocrites, which professe Christ with their mouth, and yet in heart and life they renounce him: of this sort is, first the common Atheist, who onelyonly for fea…e of1 the magistrates lawes professeth religion: secondly, the Epicure, that2 is, such a one, who beares Christs name for fashions sake, and yet his bellie and pleasure is his God: thirdly, the worldling, who spends the3 strength of bodie, and mind, and all he hath on the world for earthly things: Now none of all these if they thus liue and die can be saued. The second sort are more close hypocrites, which professe the nameClose hypocrites. of Christ in some truth, and hauehave in them some good gifts of God, by reason whereof both before men and in their owne conceite, they are reputed members of the Church; and yet for all this they are indeed but hypocrites which shall neuer be saued.
And that we may somewhat discerne of them, I will note theWhat gifts a close hypo crite may hauehave. gifts which they may hauehave, whereby they may come to professe Christ truly: they may be reduced to fiue heads. The first, is the spirit of 1bondage to feare, Rom. 8. 15. This is a certaine gift of God whereby a man doth discerne the right meaning, and iudiciall vse of the law in himselfe concerning sinne and the punishment thereof: (for though a man by nature know something of the law, yet he knowes not all, nor the right vse thereof:) now by reason of this knowledge he sees himselfe in bondage, and in regarde thereof doeth feare; from whence may proceede many good things, as griefe for sinne, confession and humiliation for the same, and praier for pardon. Thus wicked Pharaoh confessed the righteousnesse of God, and that he and his people had sinned, Exod. 9. 27. And so did Ahab at the heauie message of God by Eliah, 1. King. 2. 27. he rent his clothes, and put sackecloath vponupon him and fasted, and lay in sackecloath. So Iudas when he sawe that Christ was condemned, he repented of his fact, beeing g…ieued for it, and ashamed to looke any man in the face; and also confessed the same before God and men, Matth. 27. 3, 4. A second gift which a close hypocrite may hauehave,2 is faith; as had Simon Magus: for he beleeued, and was baptized▪ Act. 8. 13. neither was it a false and dissembling faith altogether, but in some sort a true, though not a sauing faith: for he beleeued and yet was in the gall of bitternesse. So Ioh. 2. 23. it is saide, certaine beleeued in Christ, but he durst not commit himselfe vntounto them. And that we be not deceiued herein, we must know that this faith of an hypocrite hath in it three things; knowledge of the truth, approbation thereof with assent vntounto it, and a kinde of perswasion that Christ is his redeemer. Of the second degree of this faith we hauehave example, 2. Pet. 2. 18. where some are said to be beguiled with wantonnesse through fleshly lusts, who had cleane escaped from them that be wrapt in …rror: that is, in idolatrie. And of the third degree we hauehave example in the same chap. vers. 1. where some false prophets are said to denie Christ that bought them; because for a time they professed themselues to be redeemed, and were also perswaded in a generall sort that he had bought them: yet herein they failed, that they did not truly apprehend the merit of Christ, and applie it effectually vntounto themselues. The third gift of a close hypocrite, is a taste of Gods fauour: Hebr. 6. 6. it is saide of some that fall quite away, That they were inlightned by Gods spirit, and had a taste of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, though they were neuer …ed nor filled therewith. The fourth gift, is good affections; good (I say) not in them but in their4 kinde, and so farre forth as we can iudge: they hauehave ioy in the good things of God: Luk. 8. 13. They that are on the stones are they which when they hauehave heard receiue the word with ioy. They hauehave zeale for Gods glorie, as had Iehu, 2. king. 11. 15. and yet he departed not from the sinnes of his forefathers, v. 32. Thirdly, they hauehave reuerence to Gods Ministers, as Herod to Iohn Baptist, Mark. 6. 20. Herod knowing Iohn to be a iust and holy man, feared and reuerenced him. The fifth gift, is5 an outward reformation of life: the stonie ground receiues the seede with ioy, and brings forth some fruit, but it lasteth not: of such it is said, Hebr. 10. 29. They tread vnderunder foote the sonne of God, and count the blood of the Testament an vnholy thing wherewith they were sanctified: that is, according to their profession and perswasion. And thus we see what kinde of gifts an hypocrite may hauehave, and yet neuer be saued.
Vses. 1. The consideration whereof must mooue vsus to looke vntounto our selues, that we hauehave better things in vsus then these are: for here we see we may goe on to perdition carying the profession of Christ in our mouthes. And the rather is this to be considered of vsus, because many looke to be saued who come short of Simon Magus in knowledge, and of Saul, Ahab, and Iudas in humilitie; yea and for faith, farre short of the deuill himselfe, who is saide to beleeue and tremble: but how canst thou looke to be saued, that in regard of grace, commest short of those which are now condemned?
Secondly, hence we must learne to suspect our selues, and call our selues to a reckoning about our faith and obedience, and we must not flatter our selues herein: for these things before named will not saue vsus: many hauehave had faith in some truth for some degrees thereof, and also good affections and other gifts, as we hauehave seene, who are yet for all this condemned.
Thirdly, seeing there be two sorts of men in the Church that shal be condemned, the one whereof hauehave many worthie gifts, this must moue vsus not to rest in these things, but to labour and striue to hauehave our hearts rooted and grounded in the louelove of God in Christ, and to become new creatures in righteousnes and true holinesse; and then shall we be as the wise virgins hauing the oyle of grace in the vessells of our hearts, which will neuer be quenched till we come into the marriage chamber with our Bridegroome Christ Iesus.
The second part of the conclusion laid downe by our Sauiour Christ is this, That some men professing the name of Christ in the Church of God shall be saued. And these persons are here described vntounto vsusWhat professors shal be saued. by their effect or action, to wit, The doing of the will of the Father. And because this is an infallible note of them that shall be saued, I will briefly shew what it is to doe the Fathers will. The Scriptures best expound themselues, Iohn 6. 40. This is the will of him that sent me, that eueryevery one that hath seene the Sonne, and beleeueth in him, should hauehave euerlasting life. 1. Thess. 4. 3, 4, &c. This is the will of God, euen your sanctification: and that you should abstaine from fornication; and that eueryevery one should know how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour,—that no man oppresse or defraud his brother, &c. These two places ofWherin the doing of God will standeth. Scripture laide together, shew that the doing of the Fathers will stands in three things, in faith, in repentance, and new obedience: faith is directly expressed in the place of Iohn: and repentance which is a fruite of faith, as also new obedience the fruit of them both, in the wordes of the Apostle Paul: for by Sanctification is meant repentance, and new obedience by the duties following.
For the first; in true sauing faith there are three things required.Sauing faith comprehēds 3. things. Knowledge, assent, and application. By knowledge, I meane the right conceiuing of the necessarie Doctrines of true religion, especially of those which concerne Christ our Redeemer. Assent, is when a man knowing this doctrine, doth further approoue of the same as holsome doctrine, and the truth of God, directing vsus aright vntounto saluation. Application, is when we conceiue in our hearts a true perswasion of Gods merciemercy towards vsus particularly in the free pardon of all our sinnes, and for the saluation of our soules: example of this particular applying we hauehave in the Apostle Paul, Gal. 2. 20. who professeth thus, Now liue not I, but Christ liueth in me, and the life that I now liue is by faith in the sonne of God: which what that is, he sheweth after, saying, who hath loued me, and giuen himselfe for me: and without this particular application, neither knowledge nor assent can saue vsus: in the 6. of Iohn Christ propounds himselfe vntounto vsus as the bread of life and water of life: now we know that foode vnlesse it be receiued will not nourish the bodie: euen so vnlesse we doe by the hand of faith particularly receiue and applie Christ vntounto our selues, all our knowledge and assent will be as foode vneaten and vndigested. It may be said that hypocrits hauehave knowledge, assent, and a perswasion of Gods fauour, and therefore this is not a sure note of doing the fathers will. I answer, an hypocrite (as Simon Magus) may hauehave true knowledge of Gods word, and giuegive assent thereunto, & in regard of both these hauehave true faith in some degree; yea he may conceiue a perswasion of Gods merciemercy in the pardon of his sins, though falsely in presumption vponupon false grounds and insufficient. Now that aHo… to know …r f…h to b… …. man may discerne the truth of his faith and perswasion of Gods merciemercy from that which is in hypocrisie: he is to obserue therein three things: the beginning of his faith, the fruites, and the constancie thereof. The beginning of true faith is hearing the word of God preached, especially the Gospel: the law going before as an occasion or preparing meanes whereby a man comes to see his sinnes and his miserie thereby, and thereupon to desire reconciliation with God in the pardon of them: and hearing the promises of merciemercy, to desire faith whereby he may imbrace the same, labouring against vnbeliefe. This, though it be not a liuely …aith, yet it is the beginning of true faith, and no hypocrite hath the same soundly wrought in him. The fruite of true faith, is a chaunge of the whole man both in heart and life: making the heart contrarie to it selfe in moderating the naturall affections and passions thereof, and keeping them in compasse of true obedience, and causing a man in eueryevery estate to rest contented with the will of God, as I say saith, he that beleeueth shal not make hast. Thirdly, constancy in true faithIsa. 28. 16. is knowen by this, when a man relyes wholly on God euen then when he feeles no tast of his merciemercy, but hath all tokens of his displeasure. EueryEvery man will beleeue when he hath present signes and pledges of Gods louing fauour: but true faith beeing the euidence of things hoped for, will make a man beleeue aboue hope as Abraham did: and beeing the subsisting of things not seene, will cause a man to beleeue when he sees no tokens of Gods merciemercy: and indeede he that lets go the hold of Gods merciemercy when he is in distresse, may assure himselfe he neuer had true faith: for the iust shall liue by faith in all estate, and will with Iob, trust in God though he kill them.
The second worke wherein consisteth the doing of the Fathers will,The grou… …f repēt…ce. is to repent of our sinnes: and this is a fruite of faith. In true repentance there be two things; the beginning, and the nature of it: The beginning of it is a godly sorrow when a man is greeued properly and directly because by his sinne he hath offended God, who hath beene vntounto him so louing a father in Christ. This causeth repentance vntounto saluation not to be repented of, 2. Cor. 7. 10. and it ariseth not so much from the feare of punishment, as from the consideration of Gods merciemercy, making a man displeased with himselfe for offending so louing a God, who hath beene so gratious and bountifull vntounto him in Christ. The nature of repentance stands in the change of the minde: when any personThe nature of repentance. laies aside the purpose of sinning, and by Gods blessing and grace taketh to himselfe a new purpose neuer to sinne more. This is properly to repent, and if this be in truth, hence will follow the change of the will, of the affections, and of all the actions of the life.
It may be said, that an hypocrite may repent as Iudas did, Matth. 27. 3. and therefore this is not a good note of doing Gods will. Answ. Iudas did repent, hee was indeed grieued for his fact, wishing with all his heart that it had neuer beene done: but this was nothing, his sorrow was onelyonly worldly, causing death, as the Appstle calleth it, 2. Cor. 7. 10. arising from the horror and feare of punishment, not from consideration of Gods mercy: it was without true hatred of sin committed, without hope of merciemercy, or purpose to glorifie God by new obedience, and so was no true repentance.
The third worke wherein consisteth the doing of Gods will, is new New obedience.obedience: and it is the fruite of both the former, whereby a man beeing indued with faith and repentance, doth according to the measure of grace receiued, indeauour himselfe to yeeld obedience to all Gods commaundements, from all the powers and parts both of his soule and his bodie: and this I call newe, because it is a renuing of that in man, whereto hee was perfectly enabled by creation. But here it will bee said, that many who shall neuer bee saued, hauehave attained to reformation of life; and therefore this is not a true and sufficient note of him that shall bee saued. Answ. True it is, many hypocrites hauehave reformation of life, but yet they faile two waies; First, their reformation is onelyonly outward not inward, their thoughts, wills, and affections still remaine wicked and corrupt. Secondly, their obedience is partiall, onelyonly to some of Gods commaundements, not to all: so Herod, he would heare Iohn gladly, and doe many things, but yet he would not leaue his brothers wife. But true obedience which proceedeth from true faith, hath these heads and branches; First, theBranches of new obedience. partie must pro…ue what is the good will of God, Rom. 12. 2. Secondly, he must restraine his life from outward offences which tend to the dishonour of God, and scandall of the Church, 1. Thess. 5. 22. 1. Pe…. 2. 11, 12. Thirdly, he must mortifie the inward corruptions of his owne heart. Fourthly, he must labour to conceiue new motions agreeable to the will of God, & thence bring forth and practise good duties; so performing both outward and inward obedience vntounto God; and by these may a man discerne the truth of his obedience▪ and thus we see what professors they be which shall be saued.
Uses. 1. Now considering that saluation is promised to them that …e doers of Gods will, we must hereby be exhorted to become more chearefull in doing Gods will by faith, repentance, and new obedience: and to further vsus in this dutie we must vse these helpes. I. We mustHow to become cheerfull d… of the will of God. labour for a true perswasion of Gods mercy in the pardon of our sinnes, and for the saluation of our soules: this beeing truly conceiued will vrge a man to true obedience, whereby he may shew himselfe thankefull to God for so great a merciemercy. II. We must consider that we are the temples of the holy Ghost, which is a wonderfull dignitie to a sinfull man: and in regard hereof we must stirre vp our selues so to liue that we make not sadde the spirit of God which dwelleth in vsus. III. We must consider the blessings of God bestowed vponupon vsus both in soule and bodie one by one: and this will mooue vsus to louelove God, which louelove we shall shew in keeping his commandements: for this is the louelove of God that we keepe his commandements, 1. Ioh. 5. 3. IV. Let vsus consider the threatnings of God against sinne, and his iudgements vponupon thē that liue in sinne, for eueryevery place is full of Gods iudgements, and these will helpe to restraine our corruptions that they breake not forth into action. V. We must meditate on the word of God, & vse feruent praier vntounto God for his grace: for by this meanes Dauid did notably stirre vp himselfe to faith, repentance, and new obedience, as we may see at large in the 119. Psalme.
II. Use. In that many hauing faith, and repentance, and outwardWe must go be…ond hypocrite… in grace. reformation of life in some degrees, shall neuer be saued, we must labour to goe beyond all hypocrites in these graces: in faith we must not content our selues with a generall perswasion of Gods merciemercy, but we must labour to conceiue the same to be true and sound touching the remission of our sinnes, and the saluation of our soules: we must looke that it hauehave a sound beginning, good fruits, and stead fast continuance. And for repentance we must labour to see that our sorrow arise from the consideration of the goodnes of God whome we hauehave offended; & that it breed in vsus a change of our minds in the purpose of not sinning; whereto must be conformable the will and affections, and the whole man. And for new obedience we must be as carefull in minde, will, and affections, as in the outward actions of our life, and to doe the will of God, and than in all Gods commandements.
III. Vse. Many there be that thinke their case good, because they liue a ciuill honest life without wronging others openly or wittingly, which thing indeed is commendable; but yet farre short of that which is required for saluation: therefore they must no… trust to these broken st…es of outward and common honestie, though they be good things in their kind: for many there be that shall neuer come in heauen which hauehave had farre more in them then these things are: and therefore whatsoeuer these persons be they must not rest, till they find some portion of true grace in their hearts, by vertue whereof they may plainly see themselues gone beyond all hypocrits in the things that concerne saluation.