Judge not, that ye be not judged. Ver. 1. _Judge not, that ye be not judged_] _Hoc verbum quandam indaginem involvit._ The word _a_ imports a kind of curious inquiry into other men's faults, that we may the more severely censure and subject them to a sinister interpretation. It signifies sometimes... [ Continue Reading ]
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Ver. 2. _For with what judgment ye judge, &c._] Our Saviour sets forth what he had said before by these two proverbial sentences, as well known among them as those among us: "Ye sh... [ Continue Reading ]
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Ver. 3. _And why beholdest thou_] Here is the true method of preaching, by doctrine and use, explication and application. Ministers must (as our Saviour in his text) bring hammers wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam _is_ in thine own eye? Ver. 4. _Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, &c._] How impudent are hypocritical find faults, that can say such things to others, when themselves are most obnoxious! whence is... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Ver. 5. _Thou hypocrite_] This is a dull generation, and must be rebuked sharply or cuttingly, that they may be sound in the faith. _a_ And ministers, by our... [ Continue Reading ]
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ver. 6. _Give not that which is holy to dogs, &c._] Having shown how, here our Saviour shows whom _a_ we should admonish. Give not holy things,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Ver. 7. _Ask, and it shall be given you, &c._] Whereas it might be objected, -These are hard lessons, neither know we how to quit ourselves in the discharge of them; our Saviour answers, as Isaiah did b... [ Continue Reading ]
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Ver. 8. _For every one that asketh receiveth, &c._] And he is worthily miserable that will not be happy for asking. "Prayer," saith Lambert the martyr, "is in Scripture much commended, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Ver. 9,10. _Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, &c._] By an argument from the less to the greater. Our Saviour sweetly confirmeth what he had said, that we may "ask in faith, nothing wavering," or... [ Continue Reading ]
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? Ver. 10. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 7:9 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Ver. 11. _If ye then being evil_] Even ye my disciples also; for by nature there is never a better of us. But as the historian said that... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Ver. 12. _Therefore all things whatsoever ye would, &c._] _q.d._ To wind up all in a word (for it would be too tedious to set down each particular duty), let this serve f... [ Continue Reading ]
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide _is_ the gate, and broad _is_ the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Ver. 13. _Enter ye in at the strait gate_] Our Saviour having hitherto pointed out the right way of well doing, and showed how to steer a straight cour... [ Continue Reading ]
Because strait _is_ the gate, and narrow _is_ the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Ver. 14. _Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, &c._] "In Lollards' tower, passing through six or seven doors I came to my lodging" (saith Philpot, martyr) "through many strai... [ Continue Reading ]
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ver. 15. _Beware of false prophets, which come to you, &c._] This is another dangerous rock, that the less careful may easily split against. Take heed, therefore, lest while ye shun a shelf ye fa... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Ver. 16. _Ye shall know them by their fruits_] That is, chiefly by their doctrines, which tend either to the infecting of the judgment with error or tainting of the life with uncleanness, or both; and commonly... [ Continue Reading ]
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Ver. 17. _Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit_] _i.e._ All sound doctrine tends to good life, and rotten opinions to wretched practices. As, besides the old heretics, we see in the Papists... [ Continue Reading ]
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither _can_ a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Ver. 18. _A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, &c._] Heretics, then, and heterodoxes are not good honest men, as the common people counts them, for all their pretended holiness and counterfeit humi... [ Continue Reading ]
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Ver. 19. _Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, &c._] Fruitless trees are cut down to the fire. Short shooting loseth many a game. The idle servant is delivered to the tormentors; and unsavoury salt is cast... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Ver. 20. _Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them_] See Matthew 7:16, where the self-same words are used. Lest any, under pretence of danger in hearing false prophets, should refuse to hear any, though they come with never so much evidence of truth... [ Continue Reading ]
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Ver. 21. _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter, &c._] Not every verbal professor or forward pretender to me and my truth, shall be s... [ Continue Reading ]
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Ver. 22. _Many will say to me in that day, &c._] That day of judgment, by an appellative proper called "that day," or at the day of death... [ Continue Reading ]
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Ver. 23. _And then well I profess unto them, I never knew you_] No, not when you professed most love to me, and did me (to see to) greatest service. I knew you well enough for "black sheep," or rather for re... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: Ver. 24. _Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, &c._] Here we have the conclusion of this, if not first, yet certainly fullest, of our Saviour's sermo... [ Continue Reading ]
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. Ver. 25. _And the rain descended, and the floods came, &c._] Many are the troubles of the righteous; they come commonly thick and threefold, one in the neck of... [ Continue Reading ]
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: Ver. 26. _And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, &c._] Which is the greater number of hearers, for most men hear to hear, an... [ Continue Reading ]
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Ver. 27. _And the rain descended, &c._] The old heart cannot possibly hold out the hardship of holiness, nor bear the brunt of persecution for well doing. Like a che... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: Ver. 28. _And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings_] All this then was but one sermon, though twice preached at various times, as some collect out of Luke. A long sermon it was, and y... [ Continue Reading ]
For he taught them as _one_ having authority, and not as the scribes. Ver. 29. _For he taught them as one having authority_] Never man spake as he spake, said those catch poles that came to take him, but were taken by him. For matter, his doctrine was not his own, but his Father's that sent him, Jo... [ Continue Reading ]