_truth which is after Godliness_, bringing forth its proper fruit,
holiness of heart and holiness of conversation. He rejoices to find,
that even those who oppose him, whether with regard to opinions or
some points of practice, are nevertheless lovers of God, and in other
respects unreprovable. He is glad to hear good of them, and to speak
all he can consistently with truth and justice. Indeed, good in general
is his glory and joy, wherever diffused through out the race of mankind.
As a citizen of the world he claims a share in the happiness of all
the inhabitants of it. Because he is a man, he is not unconcerned in
the welfare of any man: but enjoys whatsoever brings glory to God, and
promotes peace and good-will among men.
14. *This love _covereth all things_. (So without all doubt πάντα
στέγει should be translated: for otherwise it would be the very same
with πάντα ὑπομένει. _endured all things_.) Because the merciful man
_rejoiceth not in iniquity_, neither does he willingly make mention of
it. Whatever evil he sees, hears, or knows, he nevertheless conceals,
so far as he can, without making himself _partaker of other men’s
sins_. *Wheresoever or with whomsoever he is, if he sees any thing
which he approves not, it goes not out of his lips, unless to the
person concerned, if haply he may gain his brother. So far is he from
making the faults or failings of others the matter of his conversation,
that of the absent he never does speak at all, unless he can speak
well. A talebearer, a backbiter, a whisperer, an evil-speaker, is to
him all one as a murderer. He would just as soon cut his neighbour’s
throat, as thus murder his reputation. Just as soon would he think of
diverting himself by setting fire to his neighbour’s house, as of thus
_scattering abroad arrows, firebrands and death, and saying, Am I not
in sport?_
*He makes one only exception. Sometimes he is convinced, that it is
for the glory of God, or (which comes to the same) the good of his
neighbour, that an evil should not be covered. In this case, for the
benefit of the innocent, he is constrained to declare the guilty.
But even here, 1. He will not speak at all, ’till love, superior love
constrains him. 2. He cannot do it from a general confused view of
doing good, or promoting the glory of God, but from a clear sight of
some particular end, some determinate good which he pursues. 3. Still
he cannot speak, unless he be fully convinced, that this very means is
necessary to that end; that the end cannot be answered, at least not so
effectually by any other way. 4. He then doth it with the utmost sorrow
and reluctance, using it as the last and worst medicine, a desperate
remedy in a desperate case, a kind of poison never to be used but to
expel poison. Consequently, 5. He uses it as sparingly as possible. And
this he does with fear and trembling, least he should transgress the
law of love by speaking too much, more than he would have done by not
speaking at all.
15. Love _believeth all things_. It is always willing to think the
best; to put the most favourable construction on every thing. It is
ever ready to believe whatever may tend to the advantage of any one’s
character. It is easily convinced of (what it earnestly desires) the
innocence or integrity of any man; or, at least, of the sincerity of
his repentance, if he had once erred from the way. It is glad to excuse
whatever is amiss; to condemn the offender as little as possible, and
to make all the allowance for human weakness, which can be done without
betraying the truth of God.
16. *And when it can no longer believe, then _love hopeth all things_.
Is any evil related of any man? Love hopes, that the relation is
not true, that the thing related was never done? Is it certain it
was?――“But perhaps it was not done with such circumstances as are
related; so that allowing the fact, there is room to hope, it was not
so ill as it is represented.” Was the action apparently, undeniably
evil? Love hopes the intention was not so. Is it clear, the design
was evil too?――“Yet might it not spring from the settled temper of the
heart: but from a start of passion, or from some vehement temptation,
which hurried the man beyond himself.” And even when it cannot be
doubted, but all the actions, designs and tempers are equally evil:
still love hopes that God will at last make bare his arm, and get
himself the victory; and that _there shall be joy in heaven over this
one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons
that need no repentance_.
17. *Lastly, _It endureth all things_. This compleats the character,
of him that is truly merciful. He endureth not some, not many things
only, not most, but absolutely _all things_. Whatever the injustice,
the malice, the cruelty of men, can inflict, he is able to suffer. He
calls nothing intolerable; he never says of any thing, “This is not to
be borne.” No; he can, not only do, but suffer all things thro’ Christ
which strengtheneth him. And all he suffers does not destroy his love,
not impair it in the least. It is proof against all. It is a flame that
burns even in the midst of the great deep. _Many waters cannot quench
his love, neither can the floods drown it._ It triumphs over all. It
_never faileth_, either in time or in eternity.
“In obedience to what heaven decrees,
Knowledge shall fail and prophecy shall cease.
But lasting charity’s more ample sway,
Nor bound by time, nor subject to decay,
In happy triumph shall for ever live,
And endless good diffuse, and endless praise receive.”
So shall _the merciful obtain mercy_: not only by the blessing of God,
upon all their ways, by his now repaying the love they bear to their
brethren, a thousand fold into their own bosom: but likewise by _an
exceeding and eternal weight of glory_, in the _kingdom prepared for
them from the beginning of the world_.
18. *For a little while you may say, _Wo is me that I am constrained to
dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar_!
You may pour out your soul, and bemoan the loss of true, genuine love
in the earth. Lost indeed! You may well say, (but not in the antient
sense) “See how _these Christians_ love one another!” These Christian
kingdoms, that are tearing out each other’s bowels, desolating one
another with fire and sword! These Christian armies, that are sending
each other by thousands, by ten thousands quick into hell! These
Christian nations, that are all on fire with intestine broils, party
against party, faction against faction! These Christian cities, where
deceit and fraud, oppression and wrong, yea, robbery and murder go
not out of their streets! These Christian families, torn asunder with
envy, jealousy, anger, domestic jars, without number, without end!
Yea, what is most dreadful, most to be lamented of all, these Christian
churches!――Churches, (_tell it not in_ Gath――but alas, how can we
hide it, either from _Jews_, _Turks_, or _Pagans_?) that bear the
name of _Christ_ the Prince of peace, and wage continual war with each
other! That convert sinners by burning them alive: that are _drunk
with the blood of the saints_!――Does this praise belong only to Babylon
_the Great, the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth_? Nay,
verily: but reformed churches (so called) have fairly learned to tread
in her steps. Protestant churches too know to persecute, when they have
power in their hands, even unto blood. And mean while, how do they also
anathematize each other! Devote each other to the nethermost hell! What
wrath, what contention, what malice, what bitterness, is every where
found among them? Even where they agree in essentials, and only differ
in opinions, or in the circumstantials of religion. Who _follows after_
only _the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may
edify another_? O God! How long? Shall thy promise fail? Fear it not,
ye little flock. Against hope believe in hope. It is your Father’s good
pleasure, yet to renew the face of the earth. Surely all these things
shall come to an end, and the inhabitants of the earth shall learn
righteousness. _Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they know war any more. The mountain of the_ Lord’s _house shall
be established on the top of the mountains_: and all the kingdoms of
the world shall become the kingdom of our God. _They shall not_ then
_hurt or destroy, in all his holy mountain_: but _they shall call their
walls salvation and their gates praise_. They shall all be without spot
or blemish, loving one another, even as _Christ_ hath loved us.――Be
thou part of the first-fruits, if the harvest is not yet. Do thou love
thy neighbour as thyself. The Lord God fill thy heart with such a love
to every soul, that thou mayest be ready to lay down thy life for his
sake! May thy soul continually overflow with love, swallowing up every
unkind and unholy temper, ’till he calleth thee up into the region of
love, there to reign with him for ever and ever!
SERMON XXIII.
UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
DISCOURSE III.
MATT. v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
_Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be called the
children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness-sake; for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven:
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you._
I. 1. HOW excellent things are spoken of the love of our neighbour!
It is _the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment_. Without
this all we have, all we do, all we suffer, is of no value in the sight
of God. But it is that love of our neighbour which springs from the
love of God: otherwise itself is nothing worth. It behoves us therefore
to examine well upon what foundation our love of our neighbour stands:
whether it is really built upon the love of God? Whether _we_ do _love
him, because he first loved us_? Whether we are _pure in heart_? For
this is the foundation, which shall never be moved. _Blessed are the
pure in heart; for they shall see_ God.
2. _The pure in heart_ are they, whose hearts God hath _purified even
as he is pure_; who are purified thro’ faith in the blood of _Jesus_,
from every unholy affection; who being _cleansed from all filthiness
of flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the_ loving _fear of_ God.
They are, through the power of his grace, purified from pride, by the
deepest poverty of spirit; from anger, from every unkind or turbulent
passion, by meekness and gentleness; from every desire but to please
and enjoy God, to know and love him more and more, by that hunger and
thirst after righteousness, which now engrosses their whole soul: so
that now they love the Lord their God, with all their heart, and with
all their soul and mind and strength.
3. But how little has this _purity of heart_ been regarded, by the
false teachers of all ages? They have taught men barely, to abstain
from such outward impurities, as God hath forbidden by name. But they
did not strike at the heart; and by not guarding against, they in
effect, countenanced inward corruptions.
A remarkable instance of this, our Lord has given us, in the following
words: _Ye have heard, that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not commit adultery_.[59] And in explaining this, those blind leaders
of the blind, only insist on men’s abstaining from the outward act.
[60]_But I say unto you, whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after
her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart_, for God
requireth truth in the inward parts. He searcheth the heart and trieth
the reins. And _if_ thou _incline unto iniquity with_ thy _heart, the_
Lord _will not hear_ thee.
4. And God admits no excuse for retaining any thing, which is an
occasion of impurity. Therefore _if thy right eye offend thee, pluck
it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one
of ♦thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be
cast into hell_, ver. 29. If persons as dear to thee as thy right eye,
be an occasion of thy thus offending God, a means of exciting unholy
desire in thy soul; delay not; forcibly separate from them. _And if
thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for
it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell_, ver. 30. If any who
seem as necessary to thee as thy right hand, be an occasion of sin, of
impure desire; even though it were never to go beyond the heart, never
to break out in word or action: constrain thyself to an entire and
final parting: cut them off at a stroke; give them up to God. Any loss,
whether of pleasure or substance or friends, is preferable to the loss
of thy soul.
Two steps only it may not be improper to take, before such an absolute
and final separation. First, Try whether the unclean spirit may not
be driven out by fasting and prayer, and by carefully abstaining from
every action and word and look, which thou hast found to be an occasion
of evil. Secondly, If thou art not by this means delivered, ask council
of him that watcheth over thy soul, or at least of some who have
experience in the ways of God, touching the time and manner of that
separation. But confer not with flesh and blood, lest thou be _given
up to a strong delusion to believe a lie_.
5. Nor may marriage itself, holy and honourable as it is, be used, as
a pretence for giving a loose to our desires. Indeed, _It hath been
said, Whosoever will put away his wife, let him give her a writing of
divorcement_. And then all was well, tho’ he alledged no cause, but
that he did not like her; or liked another better. _But I say unto
you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication_ (that is, adultery; the word πορνεία signifying unchastity
in general, either in the married or unmarried state) _causeth her to
commit adultery_; if she marry again; _and whosoever shall marry her
that is put away, committeth adultery_, ver. 31, 32.
All Polygamy is clearly forbidden in these words, wherein our Lord
expresly declares, That for any woman who has a husband alive, to marry
again is adultery. By parity of reason, it is adultery for any man
to marry again, so long as he has a wife alive. Yea, altho’ they were
divorced: unless that divorce had been for the cause of adultery. In
that only case, there is no scripture, which forbids to marry again.
6. Such is the purity of heart which God requires, and works in those
who believe on the Son of his love. And _blessed are they_ who are
thus _pure in heart. For they shall see_ God. He will _manifest himself
unto them_, not only _as he doth not unto the world_, but as he doth
not always to his own children. He will bless them with the cleared
communications of his Spirit, the most intimate _fellowship with the
Father and with the Son_. He will cause his presence to go continually
before them, and the light of his countenance to shine upon them. It
is the ceaseless prayer of their heart, _I beseech thee, shew me thy
glory_: and they have the petition they ask of him. They now see him
by faith (the veil of flesh being made, as it were, transparent) even
in these his lowest works, in all that surrounds them, in all that God
has created and made. They see him in the height above, in the depth
beneath; they see him filling all in all.
*The pure in heart see all things full of God. They see him in the
firmament of heaven, in the moon walking in brightness, in the sun when
he rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. They see him _making the
clouds his chariots, and walking upon the wings of the wind_. They see
him _preparing rain for the earth, and blessing the increase of it;
giving grass for the cattle, and green herb for the use of man_. They
see the Creator of all, wisely governing all, and _upholding all things
by the word of his power_. O Lord, _our governor! How excellent is thy
name in all the world!_
7. In all his providences relating to themselves, to their souls or
bodies, the pure in heart do more particularly see God. They see his
hand ever over them for good; giving them all things in weight, and
measure, numbring the hairs of their head, making a hedge round about
them and all that they have, and disposing all the circumstances of
their life, according to the depth both of his wisdom and mercy.
8. But in a more especial manner, they see God in his ordinances.
Whether they appear in the great congregation, to _pay him the honour
due unto his name, and worship_ him _in the beauty of holiness_; or
_enter into their closets_ and there pour out their souls before their
_Father which is in secret_: whether they search the oracles of God, or
hear the ambassadors of _Christ_ proclaiming glad tidings of salvation;
or by eating of that bread, and drinking of that cup, _shew forth his
death till he come_ in the clouds of heaven: in all these his appointed
ways, they find such a near approach as cannot be exprest. They see him,
as it were, face to face, and _talk with him, as a man talketh with his
friend_: a fit preparation for those mansions above, wherein they shall
_see him as he is_.
9. But how far were they from seeing God, who having _heard, that it_
had been _said by them of old time, [61]Thou shalt not forswear thyself,
but shalt perform unto the_ Lord _thine oaths_: interpreted it thus,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, when thou swearest by the Lord Jehovah.
Thou _shalt perform unto the_ Lord these _thine oaths_. But as to other
oaths, he regardeth them not.
So the Pharisees taught. They not only allowed all manner of swearing
in common conversation: but accounted even forswearing a little thing,
so they had not sworn by the peculiar name of God.
But our Lord here absolutely forbids all common swearing, as well as
false swearing: and shews the heinousness of both, by the same awful
consideration, That every creature is God’s, and he is every where
present, in all, and over all.
[62]_I say unto you, swear not at all: neither by heaven, for it is_
God’s _throne_. And therefore this is the same as to swear by him, who
sitteth upon the circle of the heavens: [63]_nor by the earth: for it
is his footstool_; and he is as intimately present in earth as heaven:
_neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King_, and God
is _well known in her palaces. [64]Neither shalt thou swear by thy head;
because thou canst not make one hair white or black_: because even this,
it is plain, is not thine but God’s, the sole disposer of all in heaven
and earth. [65]_But let your communication_, your conversation, your
discourse with each other, _be yea, yea; nay, nay_: a bare, serious
affirming or denying; for _whatsoever is more than these, cometh of
evil_: ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἔστιν· _is of the evil one_; proceedeth from the
devil and is a mark of his children.
10. That our Lord does not here forbid, the _swearing in judgment and
truth_, when we are required so to do by a magistrate, may appear,
1. From the occasion of this part of his discourse, the abuse he was
here reproving, which was false swearing and common swearing; the
swearing before a magistrate being quite out of the question. 2. From
the very words wherein he forms the general conclusion, _Let your
communication_, or discourse, _be yea, yea; nay, nay_. 3. From his
own example; for he answered himself upon oath, when required by a
magistrate. When [66]_the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by
the living_ God, _that thou tell us, whether thou be the_ Christ, _the
Son of_ God? _Jesus_ immediately answered in the affirmative, _Thou
hast said_ (i.e. the truth). _Nevertheless_ (or rather, _Moreover_)
_I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the
right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven_. 4. From the
example of God, even the Father, [67]who _willing the more abundantly
to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath_. 5. From the example of St. _Paul_, who,
we _think had the Spirit of_ God, and well understood the mind of
his master. [68]God _is my witness_, saith he, to the _Romans, that
without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers_: to the
_Corinthians, [69]I call_ God _to record upon my soul, that to spare
you I came not as yet unto Corinth_: and to the _Philippians_. [70]God
_is my record, how greatly I long after you, in the bowels of_ Jesus
Christ. (Hence it undeniably appears, that if the apostle knew the
meaning of his Lord’s words, they do not forbid swearing on weighty
occasions, even to one another: how much less before a magistrate?)
And lastly, from that assertion of the great apostle, concerning solemn
swearing in general, (which it is impossible he could have mentioned
without any touch of blame, if his Lord had totally forbidden it)
[71]_Men verily swear by the greater_, (by one greater than themselves)
_and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife_.
11. But the great lesson which our blessed Lord inculcates here, and
which he illustrates by this example, is, that God is in all things,
and that we are to see the Creator in the glass of every creature; that
we should use and look upon nothing as separate from God, which indeed
is a kind of practical atheism; but with a true magnificence of thought,
survey heaven and earth and all that is therein, as contained by God in
the hollow of his hand, who by his intimate presence holds them all in
being, who pervades and actuates the whole created frame, and is, in a
true sense, the soul of the universe.
II. 1. Thus far our Lord has been more directly employed, in teaching
the religion of the heart. He has shewn, what Christians are to be. He
proceeds to shew, what they are to do also: how inward holiness is to
exert itself, in our outward conversation. _Blessed_, saith he, _are
the peace-makers; for they shall be called the children of_ God.
2. _The peace-makers_: The word in the original is οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί· It
is well known that εἰρήνη in the sacred writings, implies all manner
of good; every blessing that relates either to the soul or the body,
to time or eternity. Accordingly when St. _Paul_ in the titles of his
epistles, wishes _grace and peace_ to the _Romans_ or the _Corinthians_,
it is as if he had said, “As a fruit of the free, undeserved love and
favour of God, may you enjoy all blessings, spiritual and temporal, all
the good things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
3. Hence we may easily learn, in how wide a sense, the term,
_peace-makers_ is to be understood. In its literal meaning it implies,
those lovers of God and man, who utterly detest and abhor all strife
and debate, all variance and contention: and accordingly labour with
all their might, either to prevent this fire of hell from being kindled,
or when it is kindled, from breaking out, or when it is broke out, from
spreading any farther. They endeavour to calm the stormy spirits of men,
to quiet their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of contending
parties, and, if possible, reconcile them to each other. They use all
innocent arts, and employ all their strength, all the talents which God
has given them, as well to preserve peace, where it is, as to restore
it, where it is not. It is the joy of their heart, to promote, to
confirm, to increase mutual good-will among men: but more especially
among the children of God, however distinguished by things of smaller
importance; that as they have all _one_ Lord, _one faith_; as they
_are_ all _called in one hope of their calling_, so they may all _walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called: with all lowliness
and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;
endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace_.