Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 2
vers. 2.
For with what iudgement ye iudge, ye shall be iudged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you againe.
This verse containes a double confirmation of the former reason, drawne from the euent. The first, in these words, For with what iudgement ye iudge, ye shall be iudged: as if Christ had said; If ye iudge men rashly, then men againe, by the appointment of God in his wisdome and prouidence, shall accordingly giuegive rash iudgement vponupon you: but if ye iudge men righteously, then men againe, by Gods appointment and prouidence, shall iudge well of you: for so I take the words to be meant of mens iudgement by Gods appointment in his prouidence, and not of Gods iudgement immediatly.
Now in this proofe, first, we may obserue one true and maine causeA maine cause of personall defamation. of that personal defamation which is common in the world, and it is to be found in the person himselfe that is defamed; he hath rashly and vniustly censured others, for which God in his prouidence, doth most iustly cause others to defame him againe: so as men themselues doe most of all wound their owne good names, and by their bad cariage toward others, iustly cause their owne disgrace. In regard whereof we must learne; first, to set a carefull watch before our mouthes, to keepe the doore of our lips, gouerning our tongues by the word of God▪ for when we censure others rashly, we doe procure iudgement vntounto our selues. Secondly, to be patient vnderunder the rash censures and slaunders of others. For we must thinke, that we our selues hauehave heretofore done the like to others: and therefore it is iustice with God to reward vsus in the same kinde, wherewith we hauehave wronged others. This is Salomons …ecles. 7. 23, …4.counsell, GiueGive not thine heart to all the words that men speake, least thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee: for oft …imes also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
Secondly, in this proofe wee may also obserue the right way how to get and keepe a good name: to wit, by iudging others with ChristianHow to get a good name. iudgement, carying a charitable opinion of eueryevery one, speaking the the best of them in all companies, so farforth as we can with good conscience, and neuer iudging hardly of any, till we be indeed lawfully called thereunto, hauing a good ground for our action, and doing it for a good end: If thou wouldst liue long, (saith the Prophet) and see good Psal. 34. 13.dayes, refraine thy tongue from euill, and thy lips that they speake no guile; that is, speake not euill of any man though thou know ill by him, till thou be lawfully called thereto.
Thirdly, from the consideration of this prouidence of God, whereby he ordereth and disposeth, that defamers of others shal be rewarded in their kind, and that by others; we may gather, that God knowes eueryevery vnaduised thought of the heart, and eueryevery rash censure which we speake or thinke of others; els how could this be true, that rash Iudgers shalbe so rewarded in their kind, seeing men may cōceale their thoughts, and many times their words from the eyes of men. To this purpose Salomon admonisheth, not to curse the king, no not in thy Eccles. 10. 20thought, nor the rich in thy bedchamber, for the foule of heauen shal carie the voice, and that which hath winges shall declare the matter. And this must teach vsus to make conscience of all our speaches and thoughts that concerne others, yea then when we our selues are iudged. When Dauid was rayled vponupon by wicked Shemei, he staied himself with the consideration of this, that God knew it, and had appointed Shemei to curse Dauid. 2. Sam. 16. 10.
Lastly, here it may be doubted howe God can be cleared from the guilt of rash iudgement, seeing in his prouidence he causeth it by his decree. Answ. Though he decree it, yet is he free from the fault thereof: for first, he decrees it not to be the cause thereof himselfe, but to permit it among men, leauing them to be the authors thereof: secondly, he decrees to dispose of it well, and to order it as a iust punishment of the rash iudgement of others, and so in no sort is the cause of the euill in rash iudgement; howsoeuer he dispose hereof for the iust punishment of offenders in this kinde.
The second confirmation of the first reason is contained in this parable, which tendeth to the same ende with the former sentence: And with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you againe: That is, the Lord hath ordained that men shall be rewarded in their kind, like for like. Hence we may obserue this rule of Gods iustice in the punishmentGods iustice in punishing sinners i… their kind. of sinne: namely, to reward men in their kind, punishing them in the same things wherein they offend. David sinned by committing adulterie with Bathsheba, the wife of Vriah; and God by way of punishment raised vp euil against him out of his owne house in the same kind: for his own son Absolon deflowred his fathers cōeubines in the sight of all Israel, 2. Sam. 12. 9. 11. & 16. 22. And experience shewes, that blood will hauehave blood; for though the murtherer escape the hands of the ciuill Iudge, yet the terror & vengeāce of God doth ordinarily pursue him to destruction. A notable exāple hereof we hauehave in the holy league (as it is called) but indeed the bloodie league; wherein the enemies of Gods grace and truth did confederate themselues to roote out true religion, and the professors thereof from off the earth: but the Lord hath rewarded them in their kind, and turned their owne swords against thēselues, causing them to spoile one an other; according to the prophesie of Isai, Woe to thee that spoilest, and was not spoiled: and doest wickedly▪ and they did not wickedly against thee: when thou shalt cease to spoile, thou shalt be spoiled. Isa. 33. 1.
This rewarding iustice of God well obserued, doth discouer vntounto vsus,A terror to all oppressors. yea and denounce a fearefull woe, not onelyonly against all those that giuegive out rash iudgement of others; but against all vsurers and oppressors, who met… out hard measure vntounto others, euen cruelty without merciemercy: but so shall they be serued againe. Gods heauie hand hath heretofore laine sore vponupon this land for many yeares in dearth and sca…fitie, which also in some sort hath bin made more grieuous vponupon the poore by hard hearted rich men, who are like to great fishes that deuoure the lesser: for they grind the faces of the poore, and plucke off their skinnes from thē, and their flesh from the bones by their wicked couetousnes, yea doubtlesse their cruelty costs many a mans life. Some in higher place by inclosing▪ and racking of rents: others of meaner sort, by ingrossing and withholding the commodities of the land frō the common good, till a time of dearth come, wherein (as the Prophet saith) they may make the Epha Amos …. 5.small, and the Shekel great; that is, sell little for much, lessening the measure, and enhauncing the price. And indeed such a time of dearth is the worldlings day, wherein they doe inrich themselues by the spoile of the poore: but they must know that a feareful woe belongs vntounto thē: for the like mercilesse measure shall be measured to them againe; and when they cease to spoile, then shall they be spoiled: for when the hand of God is heauie vponupon the poore, then no doubt is vengeance preparing for hard hearted rich men, who increase the same. The Lord forbiddeth to trouble the widdow or fatherles child: Exod. 22. 22, 2…. &c. for if thou vexe and trouble such, and so he call and cry vntounto me, I will surely heare his crie: then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword: and your wiues shall be widows, and your children fatherles. This is Gods word, and it must stand. The Lord himselfe foretold that towards the latter day, iniquitie should abound, and charitie should waxe cold: & are not these the times whereof Christ spake? for what power hath theMatth. 24. 12. Gospel to withdraw mens hearts from iniquitie? and when was there euer lesse charitie then is now? well, these are forerunners of greater iudgements; and therefore in the feare of God, let vsus make conscience of this and all other sinnes euen in consideration of this, that the Lord will pay vsus home in that kinde wherein we offend.