Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6 · Section 7
Grounds to do the will of Chriſt.
1 It's a good will, Rom. 12.2. Eph. 1.5. Whatſoever God commands is grounded upon righteouſneſs, yea upon moſt perfect reaſon.
2 It's a known will. Had God kept his minde in his own breaſt we might have pleaded for our ſelves, and might have had a cloak, John 15.22. but now we know it, therefore our ſin will be great if we do it not, John 9.41. Luke 12.48. That ſervant that knew his Lords will and did it not, was beaten with many ſtripes.
3 It's an acceptable will. The Lord onelyonly knowes what will pleaſe himſelf, Rom. 12.2. Voluntary ſervices, though never ſo ſeemingly glorious, are not regarded of him, becauſe not commanded, Eſai 1.11, 12, 13. Eſai 66.3. Amos 5.22, 23.
4 The pattern of Chriſt, who was ſtill ready to do his fathers will, Father not my will, but thine be done, Matth. 26.39, 42. yet was it in a moſt hard caſe, even in the enduring the curſed death of the croſs. Yea, ſaith Chriſt, I do always thoſe things which pleaſe him, John 5.30.8.29.
5 Poſſibility of doing Gods will. Some men are hard to pleaſe, that do what you can you can never content them, they are ſo humerous, but it is not ſo with God. If there be a willing minde and an holy ſincere endeavour, God accepts it, 2 Cor. 8.12. If God ſhould require obedience in rigour we could not pleaſe him, Pſal. 130.3. but he requires obedience on eaſie terms, even Goſpel obedience, and if there be ſome ſlips the Lord will be well pleaſed for his righteouſneſs ſake, Eſai 42.21. Matth. 17.5.
6 It is a duty ſutable to our conſciences, for when we do the will of God, how doth conſcience approve of it, and how doth the conſcience fill us with comfort herein? 2 Cor. 1.12. when Paul's conſcience witneſſed that he endeavoured in godly ſincerity to do Gods will, it filled his ſoul with rejoycing.
7 No formal profeſſions are regarded of God, how glorious ſoever, unleſs we do Gods will, Matth. 7.21. Not every one that ſaith Lord, Lord, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, Mat. 21.29, 31. The Father there had two ſons, one ſaid he would go work in the Vineyard, and did not; the other ſaid he would not, and yet did, and he is ſaid to do the will of God. Hence Chriſt ſaith, Whoſoever doth the will of my Father, the ſame is my father and mother, ſiſter and brother, Mark 3.35.
8 It's an everlaſting duty. When we come in heaven we muſt ſtill be doing the will of God, let us begin it then on earth. Some duties ceaſe when we die, as prayer, repentance, mortification, but this duty ſtill continues for ever, Pſ. 19.9. Pray we that God would grant us his grace, not as to the wicked, to do his will in being unwilling to do it, but as to his children, at leaſtwiſe to be willing to do it even in not doing it. Du Pleſ. c. 13. of Chriſt. Relig.
9 This is the way to be ſtabliſhed in conſcience. What is the will of God when we inure our ſelves to do it? John 7.17. whereas others are wavering and uncertain.
10 It hath been the commendation o… Chriſtians, that they have done the will of God. It was Enech's praiſe that he pleaſed God, Heb. 11.5. It was the praiſe of Zachary and Elizabeth, Luk. 1.6. They walked in all the Commandements of God blameleſs; for this Epaphras prayed, that the Celoſsians might ſtand perfect in all the will of God, Col. 4.12.
11 To do Gods will is the way to have our own will; bring your will to Gods, and ſo you ſhall always have your will. Becauſe wicked men will not bring their wils to Gods they ſhall eternally ſuffer that they would not.
In earth as it is in heaven] Though it may be interpreted of the courſe of the Stars that in a continual motion obey God, yet Chriſt means it of the Angels, Pſal. 10 … 22, 21, Praiſe him all his hoſts, ye miniſters of his that do his pleaſure. We need not be aſhamed of doing that our betters will do. Herein we deſire that we may ſerve the Lord on earth, as the Angels in heaven ſerve him; they do his will 1 Univerſally. 2 Out of love. 3 With cheerfulneſs. 4 Perpetually, ſo ought we; this is to converſe in heaven, or to dwell in heaven, to be like the Angels of heaven. 5 Speedily, as in the Angels ſent to deſtroy Sennacheribs hoſt, and the ſeventy thouſand in Davids time, and young and old in Ezekiels time, cap. 9.4.
6 Faithfully. The Angel tells the Lord, I have done as thou haſt commanded me, Ezek. 11 9. We ſhould endeavour to be …ke them, not that we can attain ſuch perfection, but that we ſhould follow after without ſetting any meaſures or ſc…ings to our holineſs.
In order to which patterns of holineſs, let us not onelyonly look upon the Angels who are ready to ſerve us, becauſe the Lord bi…s them, for they all are miniſtring ſpirits, Heb. 1.14. but we muſt uſe all means whereby we may more and more come to ſuch an end, which are the leading of the Spirit, Rom. 8.14. and the guidance of the word, and frequent prayer, 2 Cor. 10.5.
From all this four inferences,
1 That not onelyonly Angels but men ought to take notice of Gods will; God ought not onelyonly to rule in heaven but in the world.
2 To mourn under our natural rebellion, and long that God would heal it, Rom. 7.15, 16, 17, 23.
3 Pray to know the whole will of God, Pſal. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will, O God. And that God would incline your hearts to do it. It was Solomons prayer, 1 Kin. 8.58. that God would incline the peoples hearts to walk in all his ways.
4 That it's not enough to do Gods will, but we muſt do it like Angels, we muſt do Gods will by being humble in converſation, ſtedfaſt in faith, gracious in words, righteous in deeds, exemplary in manners, living peaceably with brethren, enduring the wrongs of enemies, and not retaliating. To love God ſoveraignly and dearly, to awe him reverently, yea we muſt do it as Angels, with an as of ſimitude, though not of proportion.
Give us this day our daily bread] Now we come to ask things which concerns our ſelves. This Petition ſhews,
1 That we muſt have a continual dependance upon the providence of God for earthly things, Pſal. 145.15, 16 The eyes of all wait on thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon, as the Iſraelites had for Manna.
2 That we are onelyonly to pray for neceſſities, not for ſuperfluities; to pray for ſilk garments, gold rings and jewels, &c. we have no command, but onelyonly for bread and clothes, 1 Tim. 6.8. Having food and raiment be content, but if God make our cup run over, we owe more to God and his people the more we receive. Prov. 8.9. Feed me with food convenient for me. Therefore ſome Tranſlations render foreign, agreeing to our ſubſtance, or the bread of want. Jacob deſired food to eat, and raiment to put on, Gen. 28.20.
3 Chriſt would caution us herein againſt a carking ſollicitude for to morrow, Matth. 6. ult. yet may there be a lawful care; foreign comes of foreign, which ſignifies the following day, day after, and under day is not meant onelyonly one day, but after the manner of the Hebrews, the time of our life to come, ſo that Chriſt would have us to commit the care to God, that ſo long as life laſts he would give us nouriſhment. Chriſt herein would remove from us, as diſtruſtfulneſs, as not to doubt of Gods care of us, ſo greedineſs, whereby ſome pretend the expectation of old age for their covetouſneſs. So that Chriſt means, give me ſufficient for all my life following, if thou pleaſeſt not to give yearly, give monethly, if not monethly, give daily bread, and what ever thou giveſt more, comes in over and above.
4 Under bread is meant health, peace, and all temporal bleſſings, Gen. 3.19. 2 Kings 6.22. Job 42.11. houſes, ſtrength.
5 It ſhowes all our pains and care is nothing, unleſs God give a bleſſing, Pſal. 127.1, 2.
6 To bridle our immoderate covetouſneſs.
7 That we ſhould not take that which is anothers, but that which is our own, either left us, or got with honeſt labour, Pſal. 128.2.
8 To acknowledge our own beggery and want, Pſal. 104.27, 28. Acts 14.17. and that what we have becomes ours by Gods gift, Jam. 1.17.
9 To put us in minde of our frailty, in that every day we are a new to beg for bread.
Obj. But I am rich, what need I ask daily bread?
A. The greateſt heaps you have without Gods bleſſing will not profit. Deut. 8.3. Man doth not live by bread onelyonly, but by Gods word. In vain put we meat into our ſtomacks, unleſs God give meat power to nouriſh, and the ſtomack ability to digeſt.
10 In that we are onelyonly to pray for bread, we are to learn contentment in any little that the Lord ſhall ſend, Phil. 4.12.13. and not greedily to pray for wanton abundance. OnelyOnly know that this bread is to be meaſured according to mens ſeveral callings and charges, as if a man be a publike perſon, a Magiſtrate or Preacher, a beggerly maintenance makes their callings contemptible, ſo where there is great charge of children there is need of more, and the reaſon why abundance is not to be prayed for, is, becauſe in abundance we are apt to forget God, Deut. 8.12, 13, 14. See it in Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.26. David, 2 Sam. 24.1. 1 Tim. 6.17. In reſpect of our proneneſs to abuſe plenty, a competency is the ſafeſt eſtate to paſs through this world.
11 It denoteth to us that we muſt pray every day for the good things we want, if God give us good things this day for to morrow, let us to morrow pray for ſupplies for the 3d. day.
Give us] He ſaith not me, but us, 1 To ſhow that we muſt not onelyonly regard our ſelves in our eſtates, but be alſo mindful of others; many covetous perſons inſtead of praying for a ſupply of their brethrens wants, cry, give me all, give them none.
2 We are hereby taught ſo to uſe our portion, that others may have part with us. God makes rich men Stewards for the poor. Eat the fat, and drink the ſweet, and ſend portions for them for whom nothing is prepared, Neh. 8.10. Stewards receive ſometimes the wages of the whole family, not to keep them, but to diſtribute them. Job 31.17. Job did not eat his morſels himſelf alone, but the fatherleſs did eat with him alſo, v. 19.
And forgive us our treſpaſſes] By treſpaſſes Chriſt means ſins, Luk. 11.4. Becauſe ſin is the greateſt debt. Hence no man is without ſin, contrary to the Pelagians, who ſaid righteous men pray for pardon of ſin for others, not for themſelves, or if they ſaid ſo, for themſelves, it was not in truth but out of humility, and modeſty; but to ſay that which is falſe is not humility, but Hypocriſie. Now we ſee there's none ſo holy but needs pardon, and pardon of ſins from Chriſts advocation and interceſſion is a continued act in God. This word [Forgive] is a metaphor taken from creditours, who upon occaſion forgive debts.
And though God in the new covenant forgive our ſins, Heb. 8.12. and hath promiſed ſo to do, yet would he not deliver us from eternal death, but upon theſe terms, that whiles we are in this life we ſhould humbly acknowledge before God, our ſins paſt, and perſevere in asking pardon for them. The Lords prayer teaches us that we are daily ſinners, and alwayes ſin, and that our whole life is a repentance, Luth. Tom. 1.301.
Under ſins Chriſt means original and actual ſins.
Obj. But theſe are all forgiven to Gods children, Rom. 8.1. There's no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. Why then ſhould they ask pardon?
Anſw. Becauſe there is not a juſtified perſon that ſins not, Pſal. 130.3.143.2. Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant. David committed Adultery and Murther after juſtification, and Peter denyed Chriſt.
This petition is put next to the former of begging daily bread, that after we have got a natural life, we ſhould ſeek for a life of juſtification, when God pardons our ſins we are thus alive; as malefactors that have obtained pardon from the Prince are then ſaid to be alive. Beſides we could not begg pardon of ſin, if God ſhould not continue our natural life, and this petition is joyned to the former, to ſhow that all the bread or outward things in the world are no comfort to us, if together with them we obtain not pardon of ſin.
In deſiring forgivenneſs we ſee, 1 There muſt be an acknowledgement of our ſins, Pſal. 32.5. I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſsions and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin; David firſt confeſſed, ſaying I have ſinned, and then Nathan ſaith, the Lord hath put away thy ſin, 2 Sam. 12, 13. He that confeſſes and forſakes ſhall find mercy, Prov. 28.13. 1 Joh. 1.8. If we confeſs our ſins he is faithful and juſt to forgive us them. The ſick ſinner, Job. 33, 26. confeſſes, I have ſinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, then follows, ver. 58. he will deliver his ſoul from going into the pit. And this according to Chriſts preaching, Mar. 1.15, Repent ye and believe the Goſpel. To preach remiſſion of ſins to faith without repentance is a dangerous doctrine, ſeeing both of them are together in the ſoul, Zach. 12.10. They ſhall look on the Lord as crucified, and mourn, and in that day when there is ſuch mourning (which alwayes includes confeſſion of ſins in it) there is a Fountain ſet open for ſin and for uncleanneſs.
1 As to obtain pardon there muſt be the blood of Chriſt, Heb. 9.22. without ſhedding of blood there's no remiſſion, and with the blood of Chriſt the whole Church is purchaſed, Act. 20.28. Rev. 1.5. Rev. 7.14. ſo muſt this blood be applyed to every individual ſoul that hath the power of believing; this blood waſhes white, yet muſt there be waſhing before whiteneſs. Pardon muſt be had, not onelyonly from bloodſhed, but from blood ſprinkled. See Eſa. 52.15. Ezek. 36.25. Heb. 9.13, 14.10.22.12.24. 1 Pet. 1.2. Yet as the Spirit muſt beſprinkle thee, and apply this blood to thee, ſo muſt thou by faith waſh and beſprinkle thy ſelf, Rev. 7.14. They have waſhed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. God hath fore-appointed Chriſt to be the propitiation for our ſins, yet is it not before believing, but through faith in his blood. Rom. 3.25. Faith is the hand of the ſoul, and the ſoul by faith puts her hand into Chriſts blood, and ſo waſhes off its guilt, Zach. 13.1. Chriſts blood is reſembled to a Fountain opened for ſin and uncleanneſs, but its not ſtanding by the Fountain, but the waſhing with the water thereof that will cleanſe, hence Luk. 7.49, 50. Thy faith hath ſaved thee, go in peace.
2 To obtain pardon there muſt be repentance. As there is a faith unto life, Joh. 6.47. A juſtification to life, Rom. 5.18. So is there repentance unto life, Act. 11.18. Ezek. 36.25, 26. With Gods ſprinkling clean water, there's a taking away the ſtony heart: where God gives repentance he alſo gives forgiveneſs, and appoints his Appoſtles to preach repentance and remiſſion of ſins together, Luk. 24.47. Some doctrines of theſe latter times ſuppoſe a forgiveneſs, not onelyonly before repentance, but alſo before the ſinner was born, nay ſome go as high as to ſay from eternity, if it was ſo, to what purpoſe was it then for Chriſt to preach repentance and remiſſion together?