A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
JUdge not, that ye be not judged: 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye ſhall be judged: and with what meaſure ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you again.
1, 2. Make not your ſelves judges of other men and their actions without a juſt call, and be not cenſorious medlers, nor hold ſevere condemners of others without proof, and beyond cauſe. For otherwiſe you muſt look for severe judgement from God, and to be repaid by man, and uſed as you uſed others.
3. And why beholdeſt thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but conſidereſt not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how wilt thou ſay to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye?
3, 4. So cenſorious are hypocrites of others, that the mote of a ſmall infirmity or diſſent is ſeen in their eyes, as if it were ſome intollerable thing, which they muſt pluck out (as the Phariſees cenſured Chriſt and his Diſciples for not obſerving their ceremonies and traditions) But if thou know thy ſelf, mayeſt thou not find worſe than this in thy ſelf? (Hath a Phariſee nothing worſe than Non-conformity to his ceremonies and traditions? How canſt thou think his mote of ceremonial or ſmall difference intollerable, while thou eaſily beareſt thy own formality, magiſterial pride and worldly mind, and other great and deadly ſins?
5. Thou hypocrite, firſt caſt out the beam that is in thine own eye, and then ſhalt thou ſee clearly to caſt out the mote out of thy brothers eye.
5. Thou Hypocrite, firſt ſee that thou have no greater fault thy ſelf; caſt away the beam of pride, worldlineſs, formality, malignity, and fleſhly vice out of thy ſelf, and then thou wilt be more capable to judge of thy brothers ſailings, and ſitter to reprove him.
6. Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither caſe ye your pearls before ſwine, leſt they trample them under feet, and turn again and rent you.
6. And as it is not every one that is fit to reprove, ſo it is not every one that is fit to be reproved. Tho to ſeek mens ſalvation by teaching and reproof, be a work of great moment, when it is uſed in ſeaſon, to them that are capable of it; yet take this rule; pretend not duty to teach and reprove when its clearly like to do more hurt than good: ſome men are hardened ſoorners, and ſome ſenſleſs neglecters, and ſome hateful, perſecutors: To ſuch as thoſe, holy counſel, doctrine and reproof, is but like caſting Sacramental or conſecrated bread to the dogs, or pearls before ſwine. To be thus wiſe and righteous over much, is but the way to periſh and be rent, or at leaſt made a ſcorn to beaſtly men. It is no duty where it is no means to good, yea to greater good than hurt.
Note, Yet if a ſlothfull hypocrite ſhall raſhly cenſure others to be Dogs and Swine, and deſperate, to excuſe himſelf from duty and trouble, this is but a doubling of his ſin.
7. Ask, and it ſhall be given you: ſeek, and ye ſhall find: knock, and it ſhall be opened to you. 8. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that ſeeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it ſhall be opened.
7. And to obtain grace and mercy to your ſelves, true Prayer is Gods appointed means, Ask of God and he will give it you, ſeek diligently and you ſhall find, &c. For every one that asketh in ſincerity, and ſeeketh with diligence and conſtancy ſhall obtain.
Note, That is, if he pray to God believing his power, and goodneſs, in the name of Chriſt, and truſting in his merits and interceſſion, and this firſt and chiefly for God's glory and for things ſpiritual and everlaſting, and for earthly things as means to theſe, and if he be earneſt, diligent and conſtant in ſuch askings, ſeeking and knocking, he ſhall certainly have grace and Glory, and all outward things ſo far as they are ſit for him, and he for them.
9. Or what man is there of you, whom if his ſon ask bread, will he give him a ſtone? 10. Or if he ask a fiſh, will he give him a ſerpent? 11. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more ſhall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.
9, 10, 11. Do not diſtruſt Gods goodneſs and willingneſs to do good: All the love that is good in you, is but a ſpark from the God of infinite goodneſs. Therefore if you would not give a ſtone to your Children that ask bread of you, nor a Serpent to that Child that asketh a Fiſh; and if you that are ſo bad men, will give good things and not evil, to your Children, O how much more abundantly ſhould you believe your heavenly Father ready and willing to do good to his children who ask it of him, being fitted to receive it.
12. Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
12. And as you may gather by your own love to your children what love God hath to you; ſo if you would have God over-rule the hearts and actions of men to love you and do you good, ſee that you firſt love them and do them good, and that is the moſt probable way to obtain it: It is deſirable, that all men do uſe you with Juſtice and Charity: Do you therefore be ſure ſo to uſe all men: (Not that a man who hurteth himſelf, or would have another hurt him by temptation or ſin, may therefore hurt another. But) be more forward to do good, than to expect it from others: and put your ſelf in their caſe, and do to them, whatever (prudently and juſtly) you would have them do to you, ſuppoſing their caſe and yours were exchanged.
13. Enter ye in at the ſtrait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way which leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which go in thereat. 14. Becauſe ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
13, 14. And let not the ſtrictneſs of the gate and way of life diſcourage you: The gate is wide, and the way is broad that leadeth to deſtruction: It is eaſie to pleaſe the fleſh, and to neglect a holy life, and great is the multitude that go this way: But do not you follow the multitude in ſin unto damnation. The entrance into a life of Faith and Holineſs is ſtrait, and the way is narrow, requiring ſelf-denial, mortification, holy diligence, and patient ſuffering; and it is but few that find this way and the life to which it leadeth. But life eternal cannot be too dearly obtained: Therefore let no difficulties ſtop you or turn you off.
N. 1. It is becauſe of our corrupt averſeneſs, (ſuch as ſick men have to a feaſt) and the reſtraints and ſufferings of the fleſh, that Godlineſs or Faith is called difficult or ſtrait. But in it ſelf and to a ſound underſtanding and will, it is the only pleaſant life. To believe God's love and our everlaſting glory, muſt needs be ſweeter than to live in guilt and terrour, and in deſpair of any future happineſs. 2. The Gate is the entrance by converſion into a life of Faith and Holineſs as the way: and the Devil, the World and the Fleſh will ſtrive hard againſt both: But Grace will conquer and make all a delight. 3. Fewer turned Chriſtians then, than did after Chriſts aſcenſion. But if moſt on earth periſh, how little is the earth, to the vaſt and glorious regions of the bleſſed.
15. Beware of falſe Prophets who come to you in ſheeps cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves: 16. Ye ſhall know them by their fruits: Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiſtles?
15, 16. And you muſt expect the temptation, of Teachers falſly pretending Divine inſpiration and authority, they will come to you with enticing pretences, as ſpeaking for God, for truth, for godlineſs, for your ſalvation, for order, peace, &c. but miſchief and hurtfulneſs is in their heart and deſign: And if you think their pretences too hard for you to confute, look to the tendency and effects: Thorns and thiſtles prick and hurt, and Grapes and Figs are ſweet and nouriſhing. If their Counſel and their practice be hurtfull and deſtroying, they are Wolves, and not of God. Their bloudy jaws and teeth will bewray them tho in ſheeps cloathing: If they would draw you to wickedneſs, or turn you from a ſober, juſt and holy life, or if inſtead of Love and Peace and doing good, they are for hatred, contention, cruelty, oppreſſion, unjuſt ſilencing, excommunicating and perſecuting, by theſe fruits you may know them.
N. Tho every cruel wicked man is not a falſe teacher, nor every man is to believed in all his Doctrines who is loving and godly; Yet 1. that doctrine that tendeth to do more hurt than good, is naught. 2. And uſually God teacheth the meek and loving, and holy perſons all neceſſary truth, and forſaketh moſt, the underſtanding of the wicked, proud and worldly: And tho not meer ornamental accompliſhments, yet the ſaving gifts of the Spirit go together; that is, Illumination, and holy, love, and obedience and peace; And who can be confident that Gods Spirit teacheth thoſe men the truth above others, whom he never taught the knows neceſſary duties of love, peace, juſtice, holineſs and temperance. When their lives tell us that they ſerve the Devil, its hard to believe that they are inſpired of God as extraordinary men, tho they may preach the truth for reputation and advantage.
1. Even ſo every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit: 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and caſt into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye ſhall know them.
17, 18, 19, 20. As the man is, ſo will he do. Therefore by the badneſs of their fruit you may know that they ſpeak not from the Spirit of God.
Note, That Chriſt giveth us not this Rule to know ordinary Prieſts and Preachers Doctrine by: For when Rulers and Countreys own ſound Doctrine, wic…ed worldly men will own it for preferment and worldly ends: But it is to trie Prophets by, who pretend to the Spirits inſpiration: He that is not ruled by the Spirit is not like to be inſpired by the Spirit. 2. And tho this hold true as to all wickedneſs, yet the fruit that Chriſt ſpecially meaneth, is hurtfulneſs: As the names of Wolves, Thorns and Thiſtles ſhew. 3. If a good man ſpeak or do ill, it is becauſe he is not perfectly good, but partly bad. For inſtance, The Papal Church pretendeth to the infallible guidance of the Spirit when Pope and Councils agree, which is, To Prophetical Inſpiration, beyond the meer improvement of thei… own knowledge: How ſhall we know whether their pretence be true? 1. We find that they cheriſh ignorance, by forbidding the reading of the Scripture in a known Tongue without a Licenſe, and praying in a Tongue not underſtood: 2. We find that they divide the Chriſtian world by laying its Unity and Peace on impoſſible terms, even a multitude of their own Canons. 3. We find they are adverſaries to Catholick love, by damning all the Chriſtian world ſave their own Sect, and keeping up their Church and Religion by bloudy Doctrines, Inquiſitions, and Maſſacres. 4. And that it is a worldly intereſt that is thus managed. Theſe being all Wol…iſh Thorny hurtful fruits, diſprove their pretence to the Spirits infallibility. But it being their intereſt to be for the Deity, Chriſtianity, and Immortality of Souls, in that they may own the truth. And if the Reformed Churches have had ſome errours, it is becauſe they are but of imperfect knowledge and reformation.
21. Not every one that ſaith to me, Lord▪ Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
21. It is not verbal profeſſions, and pretending to the Spirit, or to be Orthodox, or to be better than others, nor is it formal worſhipping God as the Hypocrites do, nor honouring me with the lips and knee alone, that will ſave any one: but it is only the holy obedient beliver that ſhall be ſaved.
22. Many will ſay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy name, and in thy name have caſt out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works: 23. And then I will profeſs to them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity.
22, 23. Many will then plead, not only that they were Biſhops or Preachers in the Church, but even that they Propheſied, and wrought miracles in my name: to whom I will ſay, Depart from me all you that lived wickedly, whatever you ſaid or did in my name, I never owned you, nor will I ſave you.
24. Therefore whoſoever heareth theſe ſayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wiſe man who built his houſe upon a rock. 25. And the rain deſcended and and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat on that houſe, and it ſelf not, for it was founded on a rock.
24, 25. He that heareth, believeth and obeyeth that which I have now taught you, is like a wiſe man, &c.
Note, The obedient believer is the only wiſe man, that buildeth the hopes of his ſalvation on a ſure foundation.
26. And every one that heareth theſe ſayings of mine, and doth them not, ſhall be like …ed to a fooliſh man who built his houſe on the ſand: 27. And the rain deſcended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that houſe, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
26, 27. Note, 1. Ungodly men, that hear Chriſts Goſpel and obey it not, are fools, and build their hopes of Salvation as on the ſands, 2. All mens Religion and hopes ſhall be tried, as a houſe by Storms, whether it be well founded and built or not. 3. Grievous will be the overthrow of the religious hopes of all hypocrites and ungodly livers.
28, 29. And it came to paſs when Jeſus had ended theſe ſayings, the people were aſtoniſhed at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes.
28, 29. The hearers admired his Doctrine; for he ſpake not as the Scribes and ordinary Teachers, but as by Prophetick authority and the Majeſtick power of the Spirit.