Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 1 – Verse 3
Verse 1. And seeing the multitudes,]
AS sheep without a shepherd, or as corn ripe and ready, falling, as it were, into the hands of the harvest-man. The children cried for bread, and there was none to break it. Lam. 4. 4.His eye therefore affected his heart, and out of deep commiseration,
He went up into a mountain.]
This Mount was his pulpit, as the whole Law was his Text. It is said to be in the Tribe of Nephthali, Hist, of holy warre, f. 31.and called Christs mount to this day. As Moses went up into a Mount to receive the Law: so did Messias to expound it, and so must we to contemplate it. Sursum corda. Winde we up our hearts, which naturally bear downward, as the poyes of a clock.
And when he was set,]
Either as being weary, or as intending a longer Sermon. This at his first onset upon his office, and that at his last (when he left the world, and went to his Father, Joh. 14. 15, 16, 17.) being the longest and liveliest that are recorded in the Gospel. He preached (no doubt) many …, many hours together. But as his miracles, so his oracles are no more of them written, then might suffice to make us believe, and live throughJoh … his name: As the Prophets of old, after they had preached to the people, set down the summe of their Sermons, the heads only, for the use of the Church in all ages: So did the Apostles record in their day-books, the chief things in our Saviours Sermons, out of which… …. …. …. they afterwards (by the … and guidance of the Spirit of God) framed this holy history.
His Disciples came unto him]
To sit at his feet, and hear his word. Among the Jews the Rabbi sate, termed foreign' or the …; … …. ….the scholar foreign, or one that lieth along in the dust, a token of the scholars humility, subjecting himself even to the … of his teacher. Thus Mary sate at Jesus feet, and heard his word. Thus all Gods Saints are said to sit at his feet, every one to receive Luk. 10 39.his Word. Thus Paul was brought up at the feet of …. 3.Gamaliel, a great Doctour in Israel. And this custome itAct. 22 2. is thought Saint Paul laboured to bring into the Christian Church, 1 Cor. 14.
Verse 2. And he opened his mouth.]
This phrase is not superfluous (as some may conceit) but betokeneth free and full discourse, Ephes. 6. 19. of some weighty and important matter, Psal. 78. 26. uttered with great alacrity of spirit, and vehemency of speech.
And taught them, saying,]
He taught them sometimes (saith Theodoret) when he opened not his mouth, sc. foreign; by his holy life and wonderous works. A mirrour for Ministers, who as they should open their mouths with wisdom (Heaven never opened in the Revelation, but some great matter followed) so their lips should be consonant to the tenour of their teaching, a very visible Comment on the audible word. Timothy must be a stamp, a standard, a patern, a president to the believers, both inforeign. word and conversation. Aaron must have both bels and pomegranates… 4. 12. on his vesture. And Ministers should (as Gideons souldiers) carry trumpets of sound doctrine in one hand, and lamps of good living in the other. There should be a happy harmony, a constant consent between their lips and their lives, foreign, that their doctrine and conversation may run parallel, as Isidor saith in one place; or (as he hath it more emphatically in another) foreign, that their preaching may have life put into it by their practice. Nolite (saith one) magis eloqui magna, quam vivere. Vivite concionibus, concionamini moribus: foreign: Sic vocalissimi eritis praecones, etiam cum tacetis. Speak not, but live Sermons, preach by your practice: the life of teaching is the life of the teacher.
Verse 3. Blessed.]
The word signifieth such as are set out offoreign, … foreign. … ot. the reach of evil, in a most joyous condition, having just cause to be everlastingly merry, as being, beati re & spe, blessed in hand and in hope, and such as shall shortly transire à spe ad speciem, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. They are already … of it, as by turff and twig. There were eighty opinions among Heathens about mans blessednesse. These did but beat the bush: God hath given us the bird in this golden Sermon.
Are the poor in spirit.]
Beggars in spirit: such as have nothing…. … & alij. at all of their own to support them, but being nittily needy, and not having (as we say) a crosse wherewith to blesse themselves,Qui suarum … agnolcunt foreign, … pauperes spiritu Homer. get their living by begging, and subsist merrily upon alms. Such beggars God hath alwaies about him, Matth. 26. 11. And this the Poets hammered at, when they feigned that Litae or praiers were the daughters of Jupiter, and stood alwaies in his presence.Act. and Mon. Lord, I am hell, but thou art heaven, said Hooper, I am a most hypocriticall…. 1508. wretch, not worthy that the earth should bear me, saidIbid. Bradford. I am the unmeetest man for this high office of suffering for Christ, that ever was appointed to it, said sincere Saunders. Oh that my life, and a thousand such wretches lives more (saith John Carelesse, Martyr, in a letter to M. … ) might go for yours! Oh! Why doth God suffer me and such other Cater-pillars to live, that can doe nothing but consume the alms of the Church, and take away you so worthy a work-man, and labourerIbid. 1744. in the Lords vineyard? But woe be to our sins, and great unthankfulnesse, &c. These were excellent paterns of this spirituall poverty, which our Saviour here maketh the first; and is indeed the first, second and third of Christianity, as that which teacheth men to finde out the best in God, and the worst in themselves.
For their's is the kingdome of heaven.]
Heaven is that true Macaria, or the blessed Kingdom: So the Island of Cyprus was anciently called, for the abundance of commodities that it sendeth forth to other Countries, of whom it craveth no help again. Marcellinus, to shew the fertility thereof, saith, That Cyprus aboundeth with such plenty of all things, that, without the help of any other forraign countrey, it is of it self able to build a tall ship, from the keel to the top-sail, and so put it to sea, furnisht of all things needfull. And Sextus Rufus writing thereof, saith, Cyprus famosa divitijs, paupertatem populi Rom: ut occuparetur; sollicitavit. Cyprus, famous for riches, tempted the poor people of Rome to ceize upon it. What marvell then if this Kingdome of heaven sollicite these poor in spirit, to offer violence to it, and to take it by force, sith it is all made of gold? Revel. 21. yea search is made there thorow all the bowels of the earth, to finde out all the precious treasure that could be had, gold, pearls, and precious stones of all …. And what can these serve to? only to shidow out the glory of the wals of the new Jerusalem, and the gates, and to pave the streets of that City.