Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Section 29
Motives to this duty.
1 Vengeance belongs to God, Gen. 50.15, 19. who will revenge thy wrongs far more ſharply then thou wouldeſt have him, Pſal. 94.1. Into whoſe hands its a fearful thing to fall, Heb. 10.31. He that doth wrong ſhall receive for the wrong that he hath done, Col. 3.25.
2 Conſider what an enemy thou waſt to God when he caſt his love upon thee; for all he was the party offended, and ſtood no need of thee, yet he ſought unto thee. Col. 1.21. 1 Joh. 4.10, 11, 12. thou reaſoneſt thou canſt live without thy enemy, ſo could God without thee; thou ſaieſt he hath done thee many wrongs, ſo haſt thou done to God.
3 Either thy Enemie repents of the wrong done to thee, or not: if he do not repent of it, God will puniſh him more ſore then thou wouldeſt have him puniſhed; if he do repent of it, what Chriſtian ſpirit is there that will not pardon it? This kept Chriſt from rendring reviling for reviling, 1 Pet. 2.23. why? he committed his cauſe to God, who judgeth righteouſly. It was the praiſe of Solomon that he deſired not to have the life of his enemies, 1 Chron. 1.11.
4 Thou never ſuffers any wrong but God is firſt offended, and more offended then thou art, and takes thy wrong more heinouſly then thou thy ſelf, therefore revenge not thy ſelf, hear not that ſuggeſtion, that it argues good mettal to be quick of touch.
5 This is the way to overcome him, Rom. 12.18. as contraries do overcome one another when they draw them into their own ſimilitude, when we are drawn by provocations to rage as wicked men do, then they overcome us, but when we refrain from revenge we overcome them, as David did Saul, 2 Sam. 24. Daven. in Col. 3.13.
Bleſs them that curſe you] Chriſt comes in three particulars, to ſhow our love to enemies, which is, 1 by bleſsing them that curſe us, ſo Paul. 1 Cor. 4.12, being reviled we bleſs. By bleſſing he means a ſpeaking to him with kind words; when he ſpeaks curſed words to thee, do thou ſpeak kind words to him. We pray for you, and for all other men that are enemies to us, that repenting with us you may not blaſpheme, and reproach him, who for his works and miracles done in his name was without blame, even Jeſus Chriſt, and believing on him may be ſaved at his glorious coming, and may not be condemned of him to fire. Juſt. Mar. cont. Triph. p. 196.
Do good to them that hate you] Second particular wherein to ſhow our love to enemies, viz. in doing them good. Rom. 12.20. Eliſha 2 King. 6. ver. 20. when his enemies were ſmit with blindneſs, he prayes God would give them ſight, alſo ver. 22. when the king of Iſrael would have ſmote them, Eliſha would not conſent thereto, but bids that bread and water be ſet before them, and yet they were ſuch as came to take away his life. Do good then to their ſouls by endeavouring to bring them to repentance; alſo to their bodies, if you give alms to a company of poor people, not to exclude two or three, becauſe they have hurt thee, ſo lend to them; alſo do good to their poſterity.
Pray for them that deſpitefully uſe you] The third particular is to pray for enemies: when they are curſing thee, pray God to forgive them; when they are pained in their bodies, pray God to eaſe them; when decayed in their Eſtates, pray God to ſupply them; when they are damning their ſouls, pray God to ſave them: thus David to his enemies, Pſalm 35.13. and Stephen Acts 7.59. and Chriſt Luke 23.34. When thy Enemy by tale-carryings, underminings, diſgracefull ſpeeches, uncharitable cenſures, and ſlanderous accuſations ſtrives to work thee out of the affections of the godly, or of thoſe who may do thee good, do thou pray for them, not that they may have ſucceſs in their wickedneſs, but that they may acknowledg their evils and be pardoned.
This is the excellency of a Chriſtian, to do things above nature, to pardon ſpitefull perſons: ſuch prayers are not onelyonly inſtrumental to obtain pardon for our Enemies, as the prayers of Chriſt and Stephen did, but are arguments or evidences of Gods pardoning us. What a bleſſed thing will it be at the day of Chriſt to appear to have been a mean by thy prayers of ſaving the ſoul of a perſecuting Enemy? When David's Enemies compaſſed him with words of hatred, and became adverſaries to him for his love to them, he gave himſelf to prayer, Pſalm 109.3, 4, 5.
V. 45. That you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven, for he maketh his Sun to riſe on the evil and on the good, and ſendeth Rain on the juſt and unjuſt.
Chriſt here gives Reaſons why we ſhould love our Enemies, as, 1 [That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven] not that love to our Enemies is the form of our Adoption, but a demonſtration thereof, that ye may be, Phil. 2.15. that is, that ye may be made manifeſt to be. He that performs not this duty is none of Gods children. Love to Enemies doth manifeſt our Adoption, becauſe Love to our Enemies doth flow from that Love God hath ſhewed to us when we were Enemies, 1 John 4.10, 11.
Of all duties Chriſtians ſhould be carefull to practiſe thoſe which evidence aſſurance, 2 Peter 1.10. This duty tends thereunto. What ſhall we think of thoſe who are ſo far from loving their Enemies that they do not love their Friends? theſe are like the rebellious Angels who having had a bleſſed nature from God, ſet him at nought. Many have ſuch a frame of ſpirit, as Achitophel had to David, Pſalm 55.12, 13. and Joas to Jehoiada, 2 Chron. 24.22. Many men lay aſide not onelyonly grace but even the light of nature.
Alſo that ye may be the Children of your Father, that is, like to your Father, as Children to their Father: your Father doth good to his Enemies, giving them the Sun to ſhine on them, and the Rain to fall on their Land to make it fruitfull, be ye like him, Epheſ. 4. ult. compared with cap. 5.1, 2. He that is like another is proverbially ſaid to be his Son.
Who maketh his Sun to riſe and his Rain to fall] All Nations refer the effects of Nature to the God of Nature; hence theſe phraſes, it rains, it thunders, that is, God rains and thunders. Pſalm 19.4, 5. In the Heavens hath he ſet a Tabernacle for the Sun, which is removed as a Tabernacle from place to place. The day is thine and the night is thine, thou haſt prepared the light and the Sun. Pſalm 74.16. To him that made great Lights, Pſalm 136.8, 9.
Alſo for the Rain it is from him, He ſaith to the ſmall Rain and to the great Rain, Be thou on the earth, Job 37.4.
Learn, 1. To acknowledg the higheſt cauſe on whom all ſecond cauſes depend. As in bodies politick, inferiour governments depend on the ſuperior, or as in artificial motions the inferiour depend on the ſuperiour, as in motions of Clocks and Watches. So the ſecondary cauſes depend upon the firſt. He gives the early and latter Rain. In droughts therefore ſeek to God for Rain, 2 Chron. 7.13. Jer. 14.22. In immoderate Rains ſeek to God for fair weather, Iſai 38.8.
2 Praiſe God for fruitfull Seaſons, Pſalm 147.7, 8, 9.
3 See outward things fall alike to all, the Sun ſhines to all, the Rain falls on all, Eccleſ. 9.1, 2.
V. 46. For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? Do not even the Publicans the ſame?
Here's a third Reaſon from the unprofitableneſs of other love which ariſes from natural friendſhip, or that which ariſes from our own profit and benefit, which hath no Reward with God, whereas love that is done for Gods ſake hath a Reward with God. He that loves not his Enemies, declares that he loves not his Friends for Gods ſake but for his own ſake, becauſe his Enemies in ſome ſenſe may be ſaid to bear the Image of God, as well as his Friends.
Do not even the Publicans the ſame] They are called Publicans from publick, becauſe they gathered the publick Tributes, wherein too oft they oppreſſed the poor, and ſo became infamous among the Jews, not becauſe they gathered the Magiſtrates Tribute, nor as if theſe Publicans were the worſt of men, but Chriſt ſpeaks according to the received opinion of men, for Matthew and Zacheus were Publicans. It's like in all the Roman Provinces, and ſo in Judea, the Romans farmed the Cuſtoms, but they let it out to the Jews, and ſo this became abominable to other of the Jews, that they ſhould be Inſtruments of their ſlavery, and therefore Publicans are joyned with Heathens and ſinners, and therefore as appears out of the Thalmud, they were not admitted to be Witneſſes before the Jewiſh Judges.
What Reward have ye] i.e. No Reward, for you receive a Reward from your Friends even like love, but if from faith in Gods Command you love both your Enemies and your Friends, you may hope for a gracious Reward. Sylla boaſted that he overcame his Friends with Benefits, and his Enemies with Miſchiefs, and therefore, as Plutarch in his Life ſaith, he cruelly tore Marius; but let Chriſtians overcome Enemies with good turns. How much better did Phocion, who being condemned to death, being askt of his Friends what he would have told to his Sons anſwered, I will that he forget the Wrong the Athenians have done to me. If Heathens did thus, what ſhould Chriſtians do?
V. 47. And if ye ſalute your brethren onelyonly, what do you more then others? Do not even the Publicans ſo?
Here's a fourth reaſon, becauſe ſalutations belong and ought to be performed, not onelyonly to brethren and friends, but alſo to enemies. Under ſalutations Chriſt comprehends all ſignes of good will, as putting off the hat, embracement, asking how they do. So that the fourth reaſon is taken from the difference of Chriſtian love and that which is worldly, the one ſalutes friends onelyonly, the other ſalutes enemies. Unleſs then your love extend to enemies, you differ nothing from the Publicans charity.
Theſe duties of ſalutation, as asking, Is all well? 2 Kin. 9.17, 18, 19, 22. three times this ſalutation is mentioned, Is it peace? how do you all at home? Theſe duties the Jews did onelyonly to their fellow Jews, judging all others unworthy of ſalutation: now Chriſtian religion teaches us to ſalute all, except it be thoſe who are Apoſtates from Chriſtianity. 2 Epiſt. of John, v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed, for he that biddeth him God ſpeed, is partaker of his evil deeds. For that command of Luke 10.4. Salute no man by the way, Chriſt means they ſhould make ſuch haſt in divulging and publiſhing the Goſpel, that they ſhould not ſpend their time in ſalutations.
V. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your father in heaven is perfect.
In the words,
1 A duty, Be perfect.
2 The pattern of this duty, As your father is perfect.
3 The inference whence it is inforced, Therefore.
Be ye perfect] Not in equality, but in ſimilitude; as Luke 6.36, Be ye mercifull as you father is mercifull.
Probably it might be taken out of Levit. 11.44.19.2. from whence Peter took it, 1 Pet. 1.16. Be holy as I am holy.
Perfection is taken, 1 For the perfection of ſinceritie, Gen. 17.1. Walk before me and be thou perfect. Gen. 6.9. Noah was a juſt and a perfect man in his generation, and Noah walked with God, that is, his ſincerity ſhowed it ſelf by walking with God, making God preſent with him, and himſelf preſent with God in his actings. Now this perfection of ſincerity is taken in oppoſition to hypocriſie in the reign, Iſa. 38.3. Remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. Luke 1.76. In holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of our life. Many have an outward perfection, but they are like Apples, rotten at the core, though they look lovelily. Contrary Saints, 2 Cor. 2.17.
2 Perfection is taken for univerſality of obedience, Pſal. 119.7. I will praiſe thee with uprightneſs when I ſhall have learned, not onelyonly notionally but practically, thy Commandements. Now when a man lives in a purpoſe of any ſin, or in an omiſſion of any known duty, or in an unreſolvedneſs againſt any known evil, he is not perfect; alſo if he admit a conſtant neglect of any duty, or an ordinary Commiſſion of any ſin, he is not perfect; but when a man, though he be ſubject to infirmities, had rather dye then omit a known duty, or live in a known ſin, he is perfect, and will grow out his infirmities in time, as a ſound man wears out his ſickneſs. This perfection is called Sanctification throughout, 1 Theſ. 5.23. and turning to God with the whole heart, Joel 2.12. Jer. 3.10. There is not any thing in his ſoul the bent whereof is not from God. Now where men are not thus perfectly univerſal, ſomething or other ſteals away their heart, as riches, honour, &c. that if God and that come in competition, they leave the Lord. This univerſality of obedience is ſeen in eying every of Gods commands, Pſal. 119.6. as in governing the tongue, without which we are not perfect, Jam. 1.26. compared with Jam. 3.2. q.d. he is not a perfect man unleſs he look to this command of governing his tongue as well as other.
3 Perfection is taken for ſingleneſs of heart, Gen. 17.1. which is when a man ſingles out God from all other objects, he will follow God in his ways, that neither favours of great ones, contempts of multitudes, proffers of preferment, nor perſecutions of enemies, ſhall draw him off from the Lord, Joſh. 24.15. Heb. 11.24. Dan. 6.10.
4 Perfection is taken for ſtraightneſs, Pſal. 37.37. Mark the juſt and perfect man, or, as the word is rendred, ſtraight man. Straightneſs appears in a mans ayms and ends, as when a perſon ſhall make Gods glory, profitableneſs to others, and his own ſalvation to be his end. Imperfect men go in crooked paths, Pſal. 125.4. Crooked hearts and ſtraight rules to aym at God cannot meet.
For application, try your perfection of heart by four trials ſuitable to this fourfold acception of perfection.
1 Whether are you ſincere to eye God in what you do, as in alms, prayer, and faſting? Matth. 6.1, 2, &c. Col. 3.22, 23. ſpeaking to Chriſtian ſervants he ſaith, Servants obey your maſters, not with eye ſervice, as men-pleaſers, but with ſingleneſs of heart fearing God, and whatſoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men, q.d. in all your ſervices eye God, 2 Cor. 2.17.
Obj. But if none are perfect with God, but thoſe that eye God, what will become of me who have ſo many byends in what I do?
Anſw. Gods children, though by ends creep into them, groan under them, Rom. 7.16, 17. 2 Their earneſt deſire is to be wholly rid of them, and where a man can do no more but will, his will is accepted for the deed, 2 Cor. 8.12. 3 Ordinarily and uſually they look at Gods eye in what they do, and this is a bleſſed temper, belonging onelyonly to perfect men. Rom. 8.1. Thou herein walks after the ſpirit, and ſo art bleſſed.
2 Whether doſt thou look at all Gods commands? Herod did many things, but would not part with Herodias, Mark 6.20. If thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightneſs, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, 1 Kings 9.4. As if he ſhould ſay, Thy heart O Solomon cannot be perfect unleſs thou obſerve all my commands. The young man, Mat. 19. proved his unſoundneſs, in that he would not part with all for Chriſt; in ſomething or other unſound men diſcover themſelves, if not to the obſervation of others, yet to the conviction of their own hearts, if they would not want in the due trial hereof. If thy bloud riſe when thou hears a ſtranger ſwear an oath, and thou canſt hear thy Apprentice to lye and cheat, and never be moved at it, this is but a falſe fire. True obedience, as it diſputes not the comands of God, but obeys them cheerfully, ſo doth it not divide the commands of God but obeys them equally, Pſ. 119.6. Joh. 15.14.
3 When a man is not onelyonly willing to do, but to ſufer any thing that God commands, Matth. 19, 17. If thou wilt be perfect, go and ſell all; as if he ſhould ſay, If there be any enjoyment in the world that a man is not willing to part with, as to leave this pleaſant dwelling, to part with thy country, to fall out with thy near friend, to loſe the favour of this man that could prefer thee, to leave ſuch an Office or imployment as brings it in, or if there be any evil thou art not ready to ſuffer, as baniſhment, impriſonment, reproach and confiſcation of goods, thy heart is not perfect with God, Acts 9.6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Let the buſineſs be eaſie or difficult, tell me what thou wilt have me to do. See in Moſes, Heb. 11.25, 26. Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I ſhould rejoyce in any thing ſave in the croſs of Chriſt, that is neither in wealth, honour, liberty or relations more then in duty to God.
4 Whom doeſt thou make thy end? A perfect man makes God his end, Rom. 14.7, 8. None of us who profeſs our ſelves to be Chriſtians lives unto himſelf, &c. 1 Cor. 10.31. Joh. 7.18. He that hath no unrighteouſneſs in him, that is to ſay, a perfect man, ſeeks the glory of him that ſent him. The Apoſtle exhorting ſervants to uprightneſs, bids them with good will do ſervice as to the Lord, Eph. 6.6, 7. and bidding maſters to be upright in their places, v. 9. he urges on this ground, Knowing they have a maſter in heaven. Alſo Col. 3.23. Whatſoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men. This conſideration, that I have to do with God, makes a man act uprightly, and the execution hereof declares him to walk perfectly. 2 Cor. 4, 5. We preach not our ſelves, but Chriſt Jeſus the Lord. That is, in our preaching we onelyonly aim that the Lord may be exalted. Unſound men have God in admiration for advantage, but when they have got what they would, and are delivered from what they fear, they ſtart aſide: Contrary, ſound men have not onelyonly a conſtant good opinion of God, but alſo make him their end in all things. Pſal. 101.3, 4. I will walk with a perfect heart; how doth that appear? I will ſet no wicked thing before me, that is, I will eye God, and not iniquity. Carnal men eye their credit, profit, pleaſure, and herewith are they moved to act, but a perfect man is moved with this, that God beholds him that this thing he doth is pleaſing to God, and that God ſees and approves it, as when he doth alms in ſecret, Matth. 6, &c.
If it be asked how I ſhall know whether Gods eye moves me to do what I do, or other ends of credit or profit?
We may know it hereby; a perfect man will do duty though other ends be taken away, he will ſuffer for a good conſcience though no praiſe but reproach accompany it. Secondary reſpects may make a perfect man move with more chearfulneſs, but Gods eye moves the ſoul to act without any of theſe, without whoſe command the ſoul ſtands ſtill, as the ſervant doth at the command of him who is not his maſter.
As your Father which is in heaven is perfect] Perfection in God is his eſſential fulneſs of all goodneſs and vertues.
Perfection is two-fold, 1 That which is perfect in its kinde, ſo the light is perfect light.
2 For ſelf-ſufficiency, ſo God is perfect. As the Sun hath a ſelf-ſufficiency of light in it ſelf, ſtanding no need of the Moon, or ſtars; ſo God hath a ſelf-ſufficiency in himſelf, not ſtanding need of any creature, yea he hath all the perfections of creatures in himſelf. Acts 17.25. Neither is he worſhipped as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he gives to all life, and breath and all things.
Perfection in God is an eſſential property, whereby he hath the perfections of all creatures in himſelf, from everlaſting to everlaſting, and nothing is wanting to him, but he is the patern and cauſe of all perfection of nature and grace that is in the creature.