Matthew 18

The world looks upon humility as that which will make one contemptible, but it is the ready way to honor: the way to rise is to fall, the way to ascend is to descend. Humility exalts us in the esteem of men, and it exalts us to a higher throne in heaven (Matthew 18:4): Whoever s…

4. God delights in their company, he loves to see their countenance and hear their voice (Song of Solomon 2:14). He cannot refrain long from their company: Let but two or three of his children meet and pray together, he will be sure to be among them (Matthew 18:20). Where two or…

Prayer is more powerful when many join and unite their forces. [reconstructed: Vis unita fortior] (Matthew 18:19). 7. Private prayer; when we pray by ourselves (Matthew 6:6).

I wish there be none in our age guilty of this, who when they are in want, use indirect means for a livelihood, they consult with witches, who are the Devil's oracles; the end of these will be fearful as that of Saul was, whom the Lord is said to have killed, because he asked co…

First, the one of knowledge (Luke 11:52). Secondly, the other of jurisdiction (Matthew 18:18), and both of them mentioned (Matthew 16:19). Where then a congregation enjoys a faithful ministry, opening an entrance into the kingdom of Heaven to penitent believers, and shutting it…

(3) See question the eighth and ninth. (4) Exodus 29:42, 43, 45; Deuteronomy 14:23; Psalm 133:3; Matthew 18:20; Revelation 21:3. (5) Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:23, 24; Joshua 24:19; Ezekiel 16.

Quest. 17. Which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God? Answ. (1.) The calling, gathering and setling of Churches with their Officers, as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted worship. (2.) Prayer with thanksgiving. (3.)…

First they are appointed and approved by Christ. "If your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone, if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother; but if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mou…

Quest. 20. By what means do persons so called become a Church of Christ? Answ. They are constituted a Church, and interested in the rights, power, and priviledges of a Gospel-Church, by the will, promise, authority, and law of Jesus Christ, upon their own voluntary consent and e…

And whoever takes upon himself the exercise of any rule, or authority, or power in the Church, not granted to them by him, or not rightly derived from him, is an oppressor, a thief, and a robber; this necessarily follows upon the absolute investiture of all power in him alone (1…

(4) In exhorting, comforting, and restoring to the enjoyment and exercise of Church privileges such as are recovered from the error of their ways; all according to the laws, rules, and directions of the Gospel. (1) (Matthew 18:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Titus…

Q. What persons are subject to Church censures? A. All and only they that are members of the Church (Matthew 18:15; 1 Corinthians 5:12; Psalms 149:4). Q. In what way, and by what steps and degrees must an offending brother be dealt withal?

He may not admit him to see his face; he may shut a son out of doors when yet he does not cast him off. He may retain their sins (as Christ's expression is, John 20:23; Matthew 18:18) — that is, call in the patent of his pardon which he had passed under his hand and seal in eart…

Hence the Apostle exhorts the Church of the Hebrews: let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never fail you, nor forsake you: so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what ma…

Thus I have answered the objections. Because, if two disciples of Christ agree together in earth, touching any thing that they shall ask, they have promise it shall be done for them of his Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). But there is no promise to any people in faith and order…

But there is no ground to conceit or fancy such distinct places in heaven above; yes, it is contrary to the Scripture so to do: for the residence of the holy angels is before and about the throne of God. So are they always placed in the Scripture (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 18:10; Rev…

It is so to believe in him, as to believe that he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him. This is the ground whereon in our holy worship we assemble in his name (Matthew 18:20), and make all our supplications to God in his name (John 16:26), that is, by an exe…

But that is not the fire that is here intended. It is devouring, consuming, destroying, such as answers the severity of God's justice to the utmost, as Isaiah 9:5; chapter 30:33; chapter 66:15; Amos 7:4; Matthew 18:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Psalm 11:7; Deuteronomy 32:22. Therefore…

(2.) With respect to the judgment of God. The first is that binding or loosing which the Lord Christ has given power for to the ministers and guides of the Church as to the communion thereof (Matthew 18:18). For by the ministerial application of the Word to the sins and conscien…

All the partakers of the heavenly inheritance, are doing of good works therein for ever; they do nothing but good works there throughout eternal ages. Now, except a man have a heart for good works [in conversion, (Matthew 18:3)] given to him, he is not meet for that inheritance,…

Yet this on the other hand is also a sure and clear truth, that no act of a man's own will or can cut him off from membership, but that which deserves a cutting off by censure, and for which the Church should cut him off by censure if she did her duty. This is plain, because whe…

Whereby it appears, that when we rush on into the practice of any sin, we do as much as in us lies to cause God to send down his judgments upon us for our sins, and that by the ministry of his angels. Secondly, we are taught another lesson by Christ himself: See (says he) that y…

And 'tis a means to engage our dependance upon God for knowledge and instruction; Christ's Prophetical Office would lie idle and useless, were not the chains of consent sometimes broken, and the language divided, some saying one thing some another, as the difference between the…

You are daily grieving and wronging God, and yet he bears it, forgives, and will not take vengeance upon you — and will you be so quick in avenging yourselves upon others? O what a sharp and terrible rebuke is that — Matthew 18:32-33: 'O you wicked and slothful servant, I forgav…

For the second, I would both weep and tremble, considering that they (so abiding) must be damned doubly (Matthew 24:51). And for the third, no less than any of the rest, because, though they themselves may and shall be saved, yet their examples make fast the bonds of death upon…

Possibly some professors of religion have given you occasion, and you are glad of it — as wicked men usually are both at the sins and sufferings of God's people, though none have less cause for it. Matthew 18:7. Woe to the world because of offences: the blame of the offence will…

But let us hear what he has said concerning some Scriptures (for he names but two of them) upon which the acts of spiritual or ecclesiastical government have been grounded. That place, 1 Corinthians 5, takes not hold (says he) on my conscience for excommunication, and I admire t…

When the woman of Samaria pleaded, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship; Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, The hour comes, and now is, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem wors…

The highest orders among them are not exempted from being officers for the Church. Though they are called God's angels in respect of their immediate attendance on God; yet they are called man's angels in respect of the service they do for them (Matthew 18:10): their angels do al…

Now this he would not have done, if they had had no power over him, or if there had been any room for them to say, we have nothing to do with him, we have no power over him. And the same is proved in other Scriptures also; as Matthew 18:17; Psalm 149:6, 7, 8, 9. And the conseque…

Things of this sort a ruling Elder may and ought to do by his power of Order, and by virtue of his election and ordination to such an office. For example, every Christian is bound in charity to admonish and reprove his brother that offends; first, privately, then before witnesse…

Our second argument we take from Matthew 18:17. Let an obstinate offender, whom no admonition does amend, be brought and judged by the Church.

The members of Nationall and Oecumenicall Councils, are supposed to be men of knowledge and discretion, and so may be kept in good order, much more easily then a rude multitude in the Congregation. They who are of another judgement object to us: First, our Savior's precept (Matt…

This sense is given by Parker, though he be most tender in the vindication of the liberty of congregations. For, says he, since Christ would have every man to be judged by his own church (Matthew 18), or if the judgement of his own church should displease him, yet ever it must b…

Secondly, the will of Christ for Provincial and National Assemblies to be over Presbyteries, even as they are over the Elderships of particular congregations, appears also in this. He has given us in the New Testament, express warrant for Ecclesiastical Courts and Assemblies in…

But good Sir be pleased mutually to resolve us where you have read in Scripture, or in Greek Authors the name Church (setting aside all representatives of Churches and Assemblies of sole Governors) used for men alone, and them grown and of discretion, secluding women and childre…

Esther, when she had a yet more important request to make, for the saving of the Church of God, and whole nation of the Jews, dispersed through the empire of Persia, when on the brink of ruin, sends to all the Jews in the city Shushan to pray and fast with her and her maidens; a…

To this, last of all is adjoined humility, when emptying ourselves of all, we give God the whole glory of all good things, which are in us (Genesis 18:17; 1 Peter 5:5; Isaiah 40:3, 4). Forbidden: love of our honor (Matthew 18:3, 4); vain glory (Philippians 2:3); boasting of any…

James 5:15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Matthew 18:16. But if he shall not hear you, take yet with you, one or two, that of the mouth of two or three witnesses, the whole…

By the contrary, commanded to acknowledge, love, &c. only the proper use of every rite and outward means which the Lord has ordained: so to receive the Sacraments, as pledges of our conjunction with Christ, the remission of our sins in him, &c. not to make them a sacrifice for t…

We have not then reason to think this secret was whispered in the ears of the Devils, before they fell. 2. It is true (Matthew 18) the elect angels, [in non-Latin alphabet], always now behold the face of Christ's Father; for now they are confirmed, that they cannot look awry, an…

Now as there is in roses, gardens, creatures that are fair, something [reconstructed: pleasant], that ravishes eye and heart; so there are in God so many fair and pleasant truths to take the mind, and God is so capacious, and so comprehensive a truth, and so lovely, such a botto…

Therefore it is notable, they are sometimes called God's Angels (Psalm 103:21), Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, you ministers of his that do his pleasure. Sometimes their Angels (Matthew 18:10), Take heed, that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say to you, that…

Angels know not only themselves, but all the elect now; how else do they minister about them? They know the least believer (Matthew 18:10): Take heed that you offend not one of these little ones, for I say to you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Fathe…

Thus Paul (1 Corinthians 4:9): We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men. Now the angels, that are witnesses to their combats and sufferings, cannot but make report to God (Matthew 18:10): Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say to…

So for place and manner, them that sin openly must be rebuked before all, and testify their repentance before the church. So, if the sin be private or less known, the rule in (Matthew 18:15-16) is to be observed for private admonition and confession: And consequently secret sins…

Hence Schoolmen distinguish of prayer, that it is either [Communis or Singularis] common or singular: both have their place and use. Though they lay great stress upon Christ's promise, in (Matthew 18:20), promising to be where two or three are met in his name; which as we deny n…

When he says, I travail again, he teaches, that if men fall after their first initial repentance, there is still a possibility of mercy, and place for a second repentance. We must forgive till seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:22). Much more will God do it.

Fourthly, hence we are taught, not to wonder, though sinners be so loath to be reproved, and account it so painful a thing to be restored, and think those offensive to them, and scarce their friends, which labor to reclaim them: considering the same is to be seen in the body: fo…

This was done to confirm our faith as truly as that of the shepherds. Among men, the testimony of "two or three witnesses" (Matthew 18:16) is sufficient to remove all doubt. But here is a heavenly host, with one consent and one voice bearing testimony to the Son of God.