Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Section 18
Reaſons againſt merit.
1 God needs not any of our ſervices, nor gets no benefit by them, Job 22.3. Can a man be profitable to God? Job 35.7, 8. If thou be righteous what giveſt thou to him, or what receiveth he of thine hand? Acts 17.25. He is not worſhipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing.
2 When we have done what we can, we are unprofitable ſervants, Luke 17.10.
3 All good works are the workings of God in us; and therefore reward is not due to our own works, but God crowns his own grace in us, ſo that Deus eſt debitor noſter, non ex commiſſo, but promiſſo, as Aug. ſaith, God is our debtor, not for any thing done by us, but for his promiſe, Matth. 10.42. So he promiſeth to reward a cup of cold water given to a diſciple.
4 There is no proportion betwixt our ſufferings and the crown of glory, Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. we ought to take heed herein, becauſe the Papiſts uſe it to deſtroy grace.
Seeing then there is a reward in heaven, let us endure reproaches: we endure bitter Phyſick and ſharp cutting in hope of long health; let us endure reproaches and other ſufferings in hope of glory, Heb. 10.34.
Uſe. Caution Render not reviling for reviling; imitate Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.23. and Paul 1 Cor. 4.12. being reviled we bleſs. Yea he took pleaſure in reproaches, 2 Cor. 12.10. Let us look to the reward in heaven, as Chriſt did, Heb. 12.1, 2.
3 Things may comfort under theſe;
1 That our heart is well affected to every man, yea even ſuch as rail againſt us, Matth. 5.44.
2 That in private prayer we can pray for ſuch reproaches, Pſal. 109.3, 4.
3 That thou haſt a God to make thy complaint unto in all revilings, as Nehemiah did, Nehem. 4.3, 4.
4 Your great reward in heaven.
2 Exhortation. Carry patiently under revilings, for elſe;
1 Thou wilt diſturb thine own peace.
2 Hereby thou wilt by an impatient frame of ſpirit diſcover ſo much evil as may be a juſt cauſe of revilement.
3 By impatiency herein we may make others think us to be guilty.
4 By reviling again you harden others in their reviling.
5 You ſhow great weakneſs, to think ſo as if there were no other means to deliver you from an ill name, but by an ill tongue, Pſal. 38.12.13. When Davids enemies ſpake miſchievous things againſt him, he was a man that is both deaf & dumb, yet muſt we not ſo neglect our names, that we ſhould neglect the crimes falſely objected to us, and confirm the ſlanderers, but we muſt ſay, I have not a Devil, alſo, If I have ſpoke evil, bear witneſs of the evil. He that neglects his name is cruell; a good conſcience is neceſſary for us before God, a good name before our neighbour, Luth.
Ob. But I am guiltleſs and innocent, and they reproach me falſely.
Anſ. The more falſe the things are, the more cauſe thou haſt to rejoyce: if they were true thou hadſt cauſe to be confounded.
For ſo perſecuted they the Prophets] Here's the ſecond ground of rejoycing. It's no otherwiſe with you then with the ancient Prophets of God, whom they perſecuted with reproaches, as David, Pſal. 31.11. Who was a reproach among his neighbours. Pſal. 41.10. Mine enemies reproach me, ſaying, Where is thy God? So ſtrange were his reproaches, that his heart was as it were broken with them, Pſal. 69.20. So Jeremy cap. 20 10. I have heard the defaming of many, Report, ſay they, and we will report it. Nay it hath generally been the lot of true Prophets to be perſecuted, Matth. 23.34. So that we may ſay Which of the Prophets have not your fathers perſecuted? W…neſs Eliah, Micaiah, Amos c. 7.13. Zachary, Matth. 23.35, 36. Yea the Diſciples, Matth. 10.23. So that we may …y, Gal. 4.29. As he that was born after the fleſh perſecuted him that was born after the Spirit. So it is now. Gal. 4.29.
V. 13. Ye are the ſalt of the earth, but if the ſalt have loſt its ſavour, wherewith ſhall it be ſalted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be caſt out and to be troden under foot of men.
Ye are the Salt of the Earth] Queſt. Doth Chriſt call Miniſters the Salt of the earth, or all believers?
Anſ. Chriſt calls believers, whether preachers or others, the Salt of the earth, 1 Becauſe Chriſt not onelyonly taught the twelve but all the diſciples; 2 Becauſe it is not appropriated unto preachers alone, but unto all believers to ſeaſon others with grace, for not onelyonly preachers but all believers have the means of ſeaſoning others; as 1 Savoury ſpeeches, Col. 4.6. Let your ſpeech be always with grace powdered with ſalt. 2 Savoury examples, Luke 14. ult. Have ſalt in your ſelves and peace one with another; that is, as you live together in peace, ſo let there be ſavoury and holy examples: earth is put for the inhabitants of the earth by a Metonymie; ſalt for them that do the duty of ſalt, by a Metaphor.
But if the ſalt have loſt his ſavor, wherewith ſhall it be ſeaſoned] It is good for nothing, no not ſo much as for the dunghill, becauſe it cauſes barrenneſs, as if Chriſt ſhould ſay, If other men be unſavory, you may ſeaſon them, but if you be unſavory who ſhall ſeaſon you?
Uſe. To apply this ſee, 1 How unſavory mans nature is, unleſs it be ſeaſoned by the word, Pſal. 14.3. men by nature are altogether become ſtinking, their throats are like open ſepulchres, Rom. 3.13. Like putrified fleſh to mans taſte.
2 See the duty of Chriſtians, which is to ſeaſon others. This is done, 1 By the word, which like unto ſalt gives relliſh Pſal 119.9. Wherewith all ſhall a young man cleanſe his way? by taking heed unto thy word.
2 By a holy and blameleſs converſation. Scandalous practiſes make perſons to ſtink, Gen. 34.30. Simeon and Levi, by their ſlaying the Sichemites, made Jacob to ſtink among the inhabitants of the land. Holy practiſes inſenſibly gain others, 1 Pet. 3.1. Wives be ſubject to your husbands, that if any obey not the word, they may be won by the converſation of their wives: let no man be led with vain glory becauſe of preſent hearers, let us live blameleſly among men, and ſpeak nothing for trifling ſake, but being much ſilent to anſwer to what is needful, let us avoid wicked ſuſpicions of others concerning us, and our received opinion of them is to be tried envy not any man who is dearly loved before others Juſt. Mart. ad Zenam & Serenum. p. 390. Let no worldly conference flow from us, but that which fits us for virtue. Our neighbour ſpeaking let us not laugh at him, nor hinder him, until by our ſilence he be aſhamed and be ſilent, Ibid. p. 391, 392.
2 Exhortation to Chriſtians to be like unto ſalt. 1 As ſalt draws out putrifying humors out of meat, and makes it relliſhable for the palate, ſo Chriſtians by their doctrine and examples, and in particular Preachers, draw out the rottenneſs in the hearts and tongues of men, and makes them fit for ſociety of Chriſtians; hence they are called the ſalt of the earth, to ſhow, that they ſhould not ſeaſon one, or two, or a few, but even the whole earth: and to preſs it the more upon them, he uſed this ſimilitude, not once but often, as Mark 9. ult. John 14. ult.
2 For profitableneſs. Sale & ſole nihil utilius; ſalt is moſt profitable, called by ſome the balſome of nature: it is mingled with all mixt bodies and preſerves them from corruption. So Chriſtians are very profitable, Philemon 11. Formerly unprofitable, now profitable to thee and me.
3 Chriſtians are like ſalt for wiſdom: ſalt was an embleme of wiſdome; as ſalt ſeaſons meat, ſo wiſdom ſeaſons the mindes of good men. Hence Sapientia is derived à ſapore, from ſavor, becauſe wiſedome is the ſavor of the minde, that which the ſoul is in the body, that are Chriſtians in the world.
4 Salt is of a hot and fiery nature, becauſe caſt it into the fire it kindles, and of a watry nature, becauſe if you pour water upon it it turns into water. So the Diſciples of Chriſt ſhould be hot and zealous for God, yet ſhould this heat be mingled with knowledg and diſcretion, leſt we fly out as thoſe Luke 9.53. who called for fire from Heaven to conſume the Samaritans, or thoſe who out of zeal to God perſecuted Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, Rom: 10.2.
5 As Salt ſtirs up Thirſt, ſo Chriſtians ſhould ſtir up others to thirſt after Chriſt and heavenly things. John 7.37. Revel: 22.17. We ſhould not ſo much look for Examples from others, as give Examples to others.
Lyvy called Greece the Salt of the Nations; it is more truly ſaid of Chriſtians.
6 As by Salt Meat is made fit for our Taſte, ſo by the Salt of an holy Converſation the Word is made fit for the Relliſh of others, 1 Peter 3.1, Hence Chriſtians are called the Salt of the earth, that is, of earthly minded men.
7 As for preſervation of Meat and other things from putrifaction there muſt be a juſt meaſure of Salt, neither too much nor too little, ſo Chriſtians in general, nor Teachers in ſpecial, ought by an unſeaſonable application of the Law to ſwallow up afflicted Conſciences, Pſalm 69.26, They perſecute him whom thou haſt ſmitten, and talk to the grief of him whom thou haſt wounded; nor by an unſeaſonable application of the grace of God to encourage impenitent perſons, Rom, 2.4, 5,
8 As Salt brings Deſolation and a Curſe to that which is not ſeaſoned by it, Gen, 13.3, Zeph, 2.9, ſo the Word in the Mouths and Lives of Chriſtians to whom it is not a ſavour of life, is a ſavour to death, 2 Cor, 2.16.
2 Exhort to live ſavoury Lives our ſelves, elſe how can we ſeaſon others? If the Salt have loſt its ſavour what is it good for? Take heed therefore of all ſcandalous ſins; for,
1 By theſe the Name of God is blaſphemed. Ezek, 36.20, The Babylonians ſeeing the looſe lives of the Jews, cried out, Theſe are the people of the Lord, theſe are come out of the Lords land. Rom, 2 24, The Name of God is blaſphemed by you. Looſe Chriſtians are called Spots, Jude 12, Deut, 32.19, When David committed folly with Bathſheba, by that thing he made the Enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme, 2 Sam, 12.14, When the ſtrong deſpiſed the weak, and the weak judged the ſtrong, they cauſed their good to be evil ſpoken of, Rom, 14.16, How carefull are we to preſerve the name of a Friend, how carefull ſhould we be to preſerve the Name of God?
2 An holy ſavoury walking free from ſcandalous ſins is a mans glory, 1 Sam, 12.3, 4, Whoſe Ox have I taken? or whoſe Aſs? or of whoſe hand have I received a Bribe? and they ſaid, Thou haſt not defrauded us, nor taken any thing of any mans hand. 1 Cor, 9.15, It were better for me for to dy, than that any man ſhould make my glorying void, See 2 Cor, 1.12, 1 Theſſ, 2.10, Contrarily, it's a diſhonour to a Chriſtian to be guilty of a ſpot of uncleanneſs, &c. Demetrius had a good report of all men, yea and of the truth it ſelf, 3 Epiſt. of John v. 12,
3 Scandalous ſins are worſe to keep men off from embracing the truth than perſecutions; for by ſcandals men are hardened from embracing the truth, Rom, 14.13, Let no man lay a ſtumbling block or a ſcandal to another; for ſometimes perſons were made by the contentions among ſtrong and weak to ſtumble, and ſo not to joyn to Gods people, ſometimes they were made to fall, yea to fall off from Chriſtian Aſſemblies. Holy example is a duty we ow to the whole world, and as by holy examples perſons are built up towards Heaven, ſo by wicked words and works, yea by indifferent things done unſeaſonably, perſons are made worſe, and built up towards deſtruction. Lev, 19.14, Thou ſhalt not lay a ſtumbling block before the blinde. Scandals are as Pits and Snares to catch living creatures, wherein the unwary and blinde are taken.
4 A ſavoury Life free from Scandals is a ſpecial means to ſtop the mouths of wicked men, Dan, 6.4, they found nought againſt Daniel but for the Law of his God. 1 Peter 2.12, Have your converſation honeſt among the Gentiles, that whereas they ſpeak againſt you as evil doers, they may glorifie God in the day of viſitation, 1 Peter 3.16, having a good Conſcience (whereunto an holy Life is joyned) that whereas they ſpeak evil of you as of evil doers, they may be aſhamed that falſely accuſe your good converſation in Chriſt. Titus 2.8, They that are of the contrary part will be aſhamed, having no evil thing to ſay of you: contrarily, when perſons that profeſs ſhall fall into ſcandals, wicked men draw theſe Concluſions, as,
1 Becauſe ſome profeſſing perſons are bad, therefore their Religion is bad.
2 Becauſe one is bad, thus they are all.
5 By an unſavoury ſcandalous Life thou haſt a hand in other mens damnation. A mans own perſonal guilt is heavy enough, he need not add the weight of other mens ſins, Matth, 18.6, Wo to the World becauſe of offences: there is not onelyonly a Wo to the perſon that gives the offence, but to the World. This is a Rock on which thouſands daſh their ſouls. Therefore as all Creatures by natural inſtinct are ſhy of the Snare laid for them, ſo ſhould all perſons take heed that when a Scandal falls out there be not a Wo to them. The unholy carriage of Eli his ſons made people abhor the offerings of the Lord, 1 Sam: 2.17.
6 Nothing ſo darkens the glory of the Church, as the ſpots and unſavoury Life of thoſe that pretend to Chriſtianity. What hath kept people from joyning to us? Was it Priſons, Baniſhment, hazards? Perhaps ſo in ſome, but that which in likelihood hath hindered many, hath been our not walking up to our Profeſſion. Fire and Fagot though it may ſcare ſome, yet it cannot make them think in their conſciences ſuch and ſuch Tenents to be Errours, but ſcandalous practices of headineſs, pride and paſſion: worldly mindedneſs makes them think in their conſciences we are in an errour, and ſo may in time hearten them to perſecute us. Moreover, hereby blurs and reproaches are caſt upon the Church. If it be ſo great an offence to bring a ſcandal on one Iſraelite, that he that did it was amerced in an hundred Shekels of Silver for bringing up an evil name upon a Virgin in Iſrael, Deut. 22.19. then what ſhall be done to them that bring a Reproach upon all the Iſrael of God?
7 The great triumphs and outcries wicked men make when any of Gods children fall into ſcandalous ſin (I ſay, Gods children, for properly a ſcandal cannot be given but by Gods children, or by them that profeſs the truth) when ſuch are overtaken, though the wicked themſelves be a thouſand times worſe, they are apt to triumph, Pſalm 38.16. When my foot ſlippeth (though I did not actually fall) they magnifie themſelves againſt me. As things that fall from on high make a great ſound, ſo the falls of perſons that are high in profeſſion are heard afar off. Wicked men hunger and thirſt after the falls of godly men, and if at any time they fall into evil, like hungry Dogs they muzzle in their Excrements, like Horſe-Flies that paſſing by many precious Flowers faſten upon Dung. The wicked paſs by the graces of Saints, and faſten upon their infirmities.