Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 36 · Chapter 5 – Chapter 7
CAP. V.
2 And hee opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,ANd he composed himselfe to speake unto the multitude; and taught them, saying.
3 Blessed are the poore in spirit: for theirs is the kingdome of heaven.Blessed is the end ye all ayme at; and that which the most men are apt to mistake; ye are wont commonly to account them blessed, which abound with wealth, & honour, & pleasure; & those (on the contrary) miserable, who are wanting in any of these: but I must teach you other Doctrine; would ye therefore know who are truly blessed. Howsoever then the world esteemes them, they are blessed, who being dejected by the hand of God, have learned to make a good use of his affliction, being thereby inwardly humbled under that mighty & just hand; for God will recompence their want with abundance, their abasement with heavenly glory.
And whereas the world accounts none blessed but the merry and joviall;4 Blessed are they that mourne: for they shall be comforted. I tell you that they are blessed who mourne for their sinnes; and are sadly affected, whether with their owne, or others evills; for this sorrow shall end in joy and comfort.
Blessed are the lowly and gentle, and patient and long-suffering; for God shall reward their humilitie,5 Blessed are the meeke: for they shall inherit the earth. and meeke and quiet disposition, with a comfortable fruition of these earthly blessings, and of better above.
Blessed are they,6 Blessed are they which do hunger & thirst after righteousnesse; for they shall be filled. who when they have so moderated their appetite, that their desires are no other than just and equall, yet wait and languish under the forbearance and want thereof, and doe eagerly affect spirituall blessings; for God will finde a time to satisfie their longing, and to fill them with all good things.
Ye my Apostles and Disciples are unto the world as salt is to meat;13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it bee salted: it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to cast out, and to be trodden under foote. without your Doctrine the world would be altogether unsavory; consider therefore in what state ye are; the greater your use and service is, the more is your danger and judgement. Other things when they have lost their savour, recover it by the vertue of salt applyed unto them; but if salt it selfe have lost the savour, what can be able to fetch it againe? Even so, yee serve to season the gracelesse hearts, and lives of men, by your good Doctrine and life: but if yee your selves become gracelesse, what remedy can there be for you? Other things when they have lost their nature and good qualities, yet even after their corruption may bee usefull for some purposes; but for salt, if that have once lost the savour, it is, it can bee good for nothing; and therefore must necessarily bee cast out as utterly unprofitable. Even so it is with you, if yee shall degenerate from this holy calling, wherein yee are set.
God hath not given unto you, these stations,15 Neither doe men light a candle, and put it under abushell. or these graces, that yee should keepe them to your selves, and smother them in an obscure privacie; but that ye should bring them forth to the benefit of the world, and improve them to the direction and salvation of many, as men do not light a candle to hide it, &c.
17 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.Because ye heare some doctrines from mee, whereto your eares were not formerly inured, do not imagine, or conceive, that I am come to make any innovation, or change of that doctrine, or holy covenant that is contained in the law of Moses, or the Prophets; no, it is so farre from that, as that I am come to make good, and ratifie, and perfect the same; in that by my spirit I shall quicken the dead letter of the law; and really exhibit and performe that which was shadowed out by the figures of the Law.
18 For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth passe, one jot, or one tittle, shall in no wife passe from the Law, til all be fulfilled.For verily, I say unto you, the truth of this law is firme, and stable, and inviolable; as soone shall the frame of heaven and earth be dissolved, as any the least part of the law shall miscarry and fall to the ground unfulfilled; or as the truth, and equity of any clause of the morall law of God shall cease or be abrogated.
19 Whosoever therefore shall breake one of these least commandements, and shall teach men so, hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven? but whosoever shall doe, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heaven.Whosoever therefore shall breake any one of these Commandements (which in the opinion of men shall seeme the very least and sleightest) and shall either by example, or doctrine, draw men to a neglect, or violation thereof, hee shall justly be held unworthy to sustaine any the meanest place, or charge in the Church of God, under the Gospell; but on the contrary, hee who both in life and doctrine shall set forth, and commend this law of God to his people, that man shall be accounted worthy of great honour, and respect in Gods Church.
20 For I say unto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees, yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven.The Scribes and Pharisees take upon them to be the great masters of the law, and professe much rigorous austeritie in their traditionall observations, but in the meane time, they place the breach, and fulfilling of the law, in outward actions, and do by their false glosses corrupt the holy law of God: except therefore ye go further than they, both in the understanding, and observing of this law, yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time: Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgement.Ye have heard that it hath beene taught of old, by those which have taken upon them to be expositors of the Law. Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall outwordly violate this law, by an actuall and malicious shedding of innocent blood, shall be in danger of a capitall punishment.
22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall bee in danger of the judgement; & whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha, shall be in danger of the Counsell: but whosoever shall say, Thou foole, shall be in danger of hell fire?But I say unto you, that not onelyonly the outward act of murder is a breach of the Law; but the inward mispassion of the heart also; and therefore (that I may expresse the degrees of Gods displeasure, and wrath by those three degrees of punishment, which are wont to be inflicted in those three severall orders of Courts, and proceedings of judicature amongst you; amongst whom the lesser offences are punished by the judgement of three authorized officers; the greater by the Sanhedrim or Counsell of three and twenty: the greatest of all by the Supreme Sessions of sixty one) I say unto you, that even rash, and causelesse anger (as comming under the first head) deserves a just punishment from Gods hand; but if that anger breake forth into gestures of scorne, and disgrace, it goes yet higher, and deserves a further degree of judgement, but if it shall yet proceed further into words of reviling, and contumely: it then, as a notorious offence, incurres the danger of the highest degree of punishment; such as is reserved for the hainousest malefactors.
And there remembrest that thy brother hath a just quarrell against thee,23 And there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee. and that thou hast given him cause of unkindenesse.
And if there bee a controversie betwixt thee and thy neighbour, so as you are going to law about it;25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliver thee to the officer. be thou so inclined to peace, as to take up the matter speedily, betwixt you two, ere ye come to a publike triall of it; lest, upon the pursuit of thine adversary, thou bee foyled in the cause, and the Judge deliver thee into the hands of the officer, &c.
But I say unto you;28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. That adultery doth not onelyonly consist in outward act onelyonly, but in the wicked concupiscences of the heart, so as whosoever looketh lasciviously upon a woman, with a will & desire to feed his lust after her, hath already cōmitted adultery with her in his heart.
And if this bee difficult for a man to avoyd all lustfull glances, yet it must be laboured for,29 And if thy right eye offend thee, plucke it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish. and there must bee a firme resolution taken up in the soule, rather to part with the dearest part or member of our bodies, than to yeeld it up as a weapon of unrighteousnesse unto sinne. For it were much better for thee that one &c.
So also vers. 30.
Ye doe easily yeeld that the name of God may not bee taken in vaine in your oathes,34 But I say unto you, sweare not at all, neither by Heaven, for it is Gods throne. but ye thinke it not unlawfull (according to your common practise) to sweare by heaven, or by earth, or by the Temple, or Jerusalem, or by your head, or any such like created subject, and herein ye thinke ye may have liberty enough, so as these names cannot be taken in vain, nor make you liable to perjurie: but I say unto you, Sweare not unnecessarily by God himselfe: neither sweare at all by these creatures, as they are such; and if ye do sweare falsely by them, as in relation to God their maker, ye make your selves no lesse guilty of perjury; for there is none of them which hath not some reference unto God: heaven is his throne, the earth his footstoole, &c.
38. 39 Ye have heard that it hath beene said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, that ye resist not evill, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke, turne to him the other also.Ye have heard the glosse of the Scribes and Pharisees, warranting retaliation of injuries, even in the cases of private revenge: but I say unto you, Do not returne one evill turne for another: but be so inclinable to peace and meekenesse, that yee rather be ready to take a second wrong, than to returne the first.
So also verse 40. and 41.
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect.Do yee labour and strive towards perfection; and propound unto your selves the patterne of God your heavenly Father; imitate ye his holinesse; and though ye may never hope to attaine to a full measure thereof, yet indeavour that your holinesse may be conformable to his in the manner of it, for truth and sincerity; and that it may not rest in any measure which it hath atchieved, but may still aspire unto more.
CAP. VI.
3 But when thou dost almes, let not thy left hand know what &c.DO thine almes so secretly, that, if it were possible, thou might'st even hide them from thine owne selfe.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, annoint thine head, and wash thy face.When thou fastest privately, upon the occasions of thine owne humiliation, make no shew of it, outwardly to others, but rather compose thy selfe to cheerfulnesse in the view of thy neighbours.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.See Luke 11.3.
13 Lead us not &c.See Luke 11.4.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.As the eye is to the body, so is reason to the soule; the light and direction to all the other parts, and faculties: if the eye of the body be cleare, all the members of the body receive perfect direction for their motions.
But if there be a blemish, or defect in the eye,23 But if thine eye bee evill, thine whole body shall bee full of darknesse: if therefore the light that is in thee bee darknesse, how great is that darknesse? all the body wants guidance: so, if the reason, or understanding facultie be rightly informed; all the other powers of the soule are steered aright; but if that be corrupted, there is nothing but darknesse, and disorder, and miscarriage in the soule.
No man can serve two opposite masters,24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else hee will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and Mammon. neither can he divide himselfe betwixt them, to please them both: if he love the one, hee must disrespect the other. If hee lay to please the one, the other will be offended: So it is betwixt God and riches. If yee bee the servants and vassalls to your wealth, yee cannot bee the servants of God.
Be ye not anxiously, distrustfully,25 Take no thought for your life, what yee shall eat, &c. carkingly careful for the things of this life, for your food, or apparrell, or any other necessary or convenient thing for the maintenance of your present life.
Every day hath trouble and care enough pertaining to the present occasions thereof,34 Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof. we need not burden it besides, with a sad and afflictive thoughtfulnesse for the affaires and events of future times.
CAP. VII.
DOe not presume to passe a rash and uncharitable judgement upon others,1 Iudge not, that yee be not judged. that God may not enter into a severe judgement with you.
Doe not impart the holy things of God,6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast yee your pearles before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turne againe and rent you. the divine mysteries of salvation, unto profane and irreligious, and malicious scorners, neither doe ye cast away the most precious counsells, and ordinances of God upon filthie persons, who are resolved to wallow in their knowne uncleannesses; Lest they do both contemne those sacred institutions, and returne unto you scoffes, indignities, persecutions.
See Matth. 3.30.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe, &c
I never tooke any approving knowledge of you;23 I never knew you. yee may perhaps have made formall professions of mee, but I never gave allowance either to you or them.
And he taught them with much power,29 For he taught them as one having authority, & not as the Scribes. and evidence of the Spirit, stirring their hearts with his effectuall and heavenly doctrine, which hee delivered, and inclining them to beleeve, & imbrace what he taught them, and not in that fashionable, cold, and heartlesse fashion which the Scribes used in their expositions of the Law.