Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Section 7 – Section 8
Means to Meekneſs.
1 Get poverty of ſpirit, that you ſeeing your own wants and weakneſſes may carry meekly towards others, Gal, 6.1. Reſtore him in the ſpirit of meekneſs, conſidering thy ſelf leſt thou alſo be tempted.
2 The ornament of this grace before God and men, 1 Pet. 4.3, 4. Hence it's propounded to women inſtead of other ornaments.
3 The wofull effect of a paſſionate frame of ſpirit, Prov. 29.22. A furious man aboundeth with tranſgreſsions; it's apt to ſtir up ſtrife.
4 Conſider we cannot walk worthy of our Chriſtian calling without it, Eph. 4.2. Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all meekneſs.
5 As to have the ſea calm, the windes muſt be quieted; ſo, to have a meek ſpirit, we muſt mortifie our luſts, Jam. 4.1. Whence come wars and fightings, come they not hence? even from your luſts? Though you may lay the cauſe on ſomething elſe, yet turbulency of heart ariſeth from pride, impatiency, envy, revenge, &c.
6 Conſider the times wherein thy ſelf was ſinful and outragious, Tit. 3.2, 3. ſhowing all meekneſs to all men, for we our ſelves were ſometimes fooliſh and diſobedient, living in malice and envy, and thou then ſtood'ſt in need of forbearing, ſo do now to others.
Obj. But if we muſt be thus meek, how ſhall ſin be reproved, and Gods glory preſerved, and ſinners gained?
A. As a good Muſitian muſt know when he muſt ſtrike the ſtring of a lower ſound, when of a higher, ſo muſt a Chriſtian wiſely conſider from due circumſtances, where is place for meekneſs, where for holy anger; hence, 1 meekneſs muſt be with conſervation of Gods glory, as in Moſes.
2 With a due witneſſing againſt ſin in the compaſs of our callings, both by reprehenſions and puniſhments; herein Eli failed towards his ſons, 1 Sam. 2.23.
3 With an endeavor to amend the ſinner by reproof, Gal. 6.1. We muſt not let him lie being faln, for fear of grieving him, no more then we would let a man lye that hath broken his leg, for fear of putting him to pain; onelyonly, as the one is done by a gentle hand, ſo ſhould the other be by a meek ſpirit.
There may fall out times and places where the exerciſe of meekneſs may be ſuſpended, and other graces take turn, as to make good muſick all the ſtrings muſt be in tune, but it's not for all to ſound, but ſome at ſome times muſt be ſilent, that others may do their part and their ſound be heard.
For they ſhall inherit the earth] q. d. Whereas it may be ſaid, If we be thus meek we ſhall expoſe our ſelves to all loſſes, Chriſt ſaith, Nay, ſuch ſhall inherit the earth. Obj. Such as revenge themſelves, and will put up no wrongs are rather Lords of all things. Anſ. Though they be Lords yet the tumultuouſneſs of their lives keeps them from a comfortable poſſeſſion of any thing. Some by earth underſtand heaven, Pſalm 27.13. hence heaven is call'd foreign, i.e. the land over againſt us, ſee Pſalm 142.5. thou art my portion in the land of the living, q. d. ye meek are driven from your poſſeſſion, but you have a better in heaven.
He ſhall inherit the earth] That is, he hath not onelyonly right to all at preſent, 1 Cor. 3.22. All is yours, but he ſhall partake of the new heaven and new earth, 2 Pet. 2.13. They are not onelyonly poſſeſſors of all by having contentation, which is in ſtead of all, but they ſhall actually reign on earth with Chriſt, Apoc. 5.10. and hath made us unto our God Kings and Prieſts, and we ſhall reign with him on earth. Hence the text ſaith not, the meek do inherit, as if they had ſuch a meaſure of earthly things as others, or more, but they ſhall have it for an inheritance; Thoſe that have followed me in the regeneration ſhall ſit upon Thrones, Matth. 19.28. the Kingdome, and Dominion, and the greatneſs of the kingdome under the whole heaven ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt high. Alſo Heb. 2.5. Unto the Angels hath he not put in ſubjection the world to come, there Saints have an inheritance.
To apply this, 1 Comfort your ſelves in that ſmall meaſure of earthly poſſeſſions. As Abraham comforted himſelf, that he ſhould be heir of the world, Rom. 4. though as yet he had not a foot thereof, ſo ſhould we comfort our ſelves in the promiſe.
2 In all our ſpoil of goods, when perſecutors drive us from our poſſeſſions.
3 In baniſhment, whitherſoever thou art driven thou art in thy own earth.
2 Exhortation, 1 Not to take any thing upon pretence of right to all, for thou haſt them but onelyonly in promiſe.
2 Moderate thy affections to the world, thou ſhalt have earth enough one day, be not like them Eſai 5.8. They lay field to field, that they may be placed alone in the midſt of the earth.
3 To have a greatneſs of mind in hope of theſe enjoyments. Earthly heirs are apt to have greatneſs of mind and to ſwell becauſe of their eſtates, 1 Tim. 6.17. but let us have a ſpiritual greatneſs of mind to contemn the pomp of the world, Eccleſ. 2.11.4 To preſs after the qualification.
4 To get weanedneſs of affection to preſent poſſeſſions, knowing though now you have a right in them for a time yet they ſhall be given to others (though you ſhall have your ſhare if godly) notwithſtanding any aſſurance in law, that they are made over to you, and your heirs for ever. 1 Cor. 7.30.
5 To have your faith and hope raiſed up to the expectation of the promiſe of new heavens, and new earth, Eſa 65.17. 2 Pet. 3.13.
6 To preſs after meekneſs in hope of this inheritance.
V. 6. Bleſſed are they which do hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled.
Here is another bleſſedneſs propoſed.
Q. What is meant by righteouſneſs?
A. Some think the way of righteouſneſs, and the doctrine of that obedience that God requires of us.
2 I rather think it to be meant of a conformity of our will to Gods will, that together with Chriſt's righteouſneſs made over to us we may have this.
Obſ. It's a bleſſed thing to have an hunger and thirſt af-righteouſneſs.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe with a thirſt after righteouſneſs goes along a groaning under corruption, Gal. 5.17. The ſpirit luſteth againſt the fleſh. Now to groan under corruption is a bleſſed thing; for, 1 Such perſons hate the evil they do, and groan to do the good they do not, Rom. 7.15. 2 They conſent unto the goodneſs of the law, v. 16. 3 They delight in the law after the inner man, v. 22. all which declare a bleſſed temper of ſpirit.
2 Becauſe ſouls that hunger and thirſt are under a promiſe of ſatisfaction, Eſa. 44.17.They are not thence bleſſed becauſe they hunger and thirſt, but becauſe they ſhall be filled: bleſſedneſs will be in fulneſs not in hunger, but hunger muſt go before filling that we may not loath the loaves. Aug. de verbis domini Serm. 5. When the poor and needy want water, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Iſrael will not forſake them, I will open rivers in high places. Eſa. 35.7. The parched ground ſhall become a pool, and the thirſty land ſprings of water; The Prophet ſpeaks it of the effects of the Goſpel, in that fruitfulneſs and comfort comes to ſuch ſouls, Eſa. 44.3. I will pour water upon the thirſty, and floods upon dry ground, Joh. 4.14.
3 Becauſe an hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs eats out our hunger and thirſt after the world, Joh. 4.13, 14. Whoſoever drinketh of this water ſhall thirſt again, but whoſo drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt; Hence the woman of Samaria leaves her water pot for to do her duty, v. 28. Mary, Luke 10.41. ſhe leaves attendance on Chriſt to hear his word.
The reaſon is, becauſe the ſoul ſees better meat and drink then it ſaw before. So that as when we are at a feaſt, and ſee a freedom to partake of better meat and drink, our hunger and thirſt is taken off, from that which is more courſe to that which is more delicate and pleaſant; ſo the ſoul ſeeing Chriſt and holineſs to be meat that endures to everlaſting life, and all things here but periſhing food, the hunger and thirſt to the one eates out the hunger and thirſt to the other, Joh. 6.27.
4 Hungring and thirſting after righteouſneſs argues a principle of renovation, becauſe naturally our deſires are after the fleſh and carnal things, Epheſ. 2.2. Rom. 8.5. Phil. 3.19.
Now, when our deſires, and hungrings and longings are for righteouſneſs, it argues a principle of renovation, Joh. 6.35. I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt, q. d. when once a man comes to Chriſt he doth not hunger and thirſt as formerly he did.
5 It's a bleſſed thing to be made like Chriſt; but in hungring after righteouſneſs we are made like to Chriſt, Joh. 4.32. My meat is to do the will of him that ſent me, and to finiſh his work;
Hence Chriſt preferred the doing the will of God before his food, Mark 3.20. ſo Job 23.12. I eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food.
For application, 1 Information of the curſed condition of thoſe who hunger and thirſt after wickedneſs, after uncleanneſs, revenge, and not in ſome one act or motion, but it's the uſual temper of their hearts, ſee it in covetous perſons, Amos 8.5. When will the ſabbath be gone that we may ſet forth wheat, making the Ephah ſmall and the ſhekell great? They ſleep not except they have done miſchief, they eat the bread of wickedneſs and drink the wine of violence, Prov. 4.16, 17. See it in Ahab who laid him down on his bed, and would eat no bread, why? his ſickneſs was for Naboths Vineyard, 1 Kings 21.4. Amnon was ſick for his ſiſter Tamar, 2 Sam. 13.2. The drunkard for all he hath ſuch miſery by his potting, Prov. 23.29, 34. Yet when he awakes he ſeeks it again, Hoſ. 7.4, 6, 7. Their hearts were heated with revenge and uncleanneſs like an oven, and in the morning theſe luſts of theirs did burn like a flaming fire v. 7.8.
2 The difference betwixt godly and wicked; one ſays, Who will ſhew any good, Pſal. 4.6. the other ſays, Lord lift up the light of thy countenance on us. v. 7. Phil. 3.19.20. Job 20.12, 13.
3 No earthly thing is able to ſatisfie the hunger and thirſt of a Chriſtian, Eſa. 55.2. wherefore do you lay out your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Eccleſ. 5.10. He that loveth ſilver ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver, nor he that loveth abundance with increaſe. Solomon had abundance of all, yet nothing ſatisfied him, but all was vanity, Eccleſ. 2.11. The main reaſon is, becauſe that which principally afflicts the ſoul, is either guilt with which Belſhazzar was afflicted; though his Lords and Ladies were about him, yet his knees falls to trembling, Dan. 5.6. or filth, which ſo made Paul to cry out, Rom. 7.23. as one that is brought into captivity by a ſtronger then himſelf, ſigheth and groanes, ſaying, Who ſhall deliver me, &c. and the world cannot take away theſe.
Grounds to take off the heart from earthly things.
1 We are not ſure to get them; we come into the world as a lottery, many get blanks, few prizes.
2 We are not ſure to hold them when gotten; fire, water, plunder, &c. may take them away, Job 1.20.
3 Should we get them they cannot fill the ſoul. We may as well fill a bag with grace as the ſoul with earthly things. In this ſenſe earthly things they may be called a ſhew or an apparition, 1 Cor. 7.29. as there are apparitions of men and horſes in the air, which are not what they ſeem to be.
4 The moderation we have in other things, we would have ſo much money as would ſerve our journey, ſo much meat as will fill our belly, ſo much Phyſick as will purge our diſeaſe. Let us moderate our deſires to the world.
5 The enjoyment of theſe glorious things in the world, is like the clothing of a Stage-player with glorious apparel: the player thinks not himſelf, nor do others think him better for his apparrel, for he ſhall go off from the ſtage and be as he was before, ſo ſhall we go off from the ſtage of this world.
6 Within theſe things we look after there's much emptineſs. What is within riches? Cares. What is within honour? Diſquiet: for one that is bowed to, there are thouſands that bow. What is within pleaſures? Wearineſs. What is within bravery and beauty but a gladding of the beholders, not the havers? What is within government? fears of inſurrections, and a ſervile courting of all ſorts of men; theſe are like pictures that ſeem goodly ſtuffe farre off, but near at hand they are baſe and courſe.
2 Exhortation to raiſe up your hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, Pſal. 119.80. Mine eyes fail with looking, but Lord when wilt thou comfort me? Davids ſoul panted for God, as the hart for the rivers of water, Pſal. 42.1, 2. yea his heart and fleſh cryed out for the living God, Pſal. 84.1, 2. Pſal. 27.4. there was one thing his ſoul lookt after Multa novit vulpes, verum Echinus unum magnum, as the proverb, The Fox knows many things, the Hedge-hogge knows one great thing.
Holy perſons long to know their duty, as every man deſires to know what belongs to the office he is imployed in, Pſal. 119.33, 34. ſo do they thirſt for a conformity to it, Pſal. 19.10. More to be deſired are they then gold, yea then fine gold, ſweeter alſo then hony and the hony comb, Pſal. 119.130. I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for thy commandements. He uſes a Metaphor from hungry or thirſty perſons; look as when they are hungry or thirſty they greedily open their mouth to take in meat and drink to quench the thirſt, ſo when my ſoul conſiders the ſence of Gods anger againſt ſin, or my own filth, I flie to thy word to quench my thirſt by thy promiſes, and to get direction by thy commandements.