Matthew 19

Comfort in regard of the Resurrection: This seems difficult to believe, that the bodies of men when eaten up by worms, devoured by beasts and fishes, or consumed to ashes, should be raised the same numerical bodies; but if we believe the power of God, it is no great wonder: Whic…

1. If we love our estate more than God, then we make it a God. The young man in the Gospel loved his gold better than his Savior; the world lay nearer his heart than Christ (Matthew 19:22). Fulgens hoc aurum praestringit oculos, Var.

The Apostles went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41), that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for the name of Christ: this is a hallowing of God's name when we are content to have our name eclipsed that God's n…

For the wedge of gold he will part with the pearl of price. The young man in the Gospel, when Christ said, Sell all, and come and follow me; [reconstructed: Abiit tristis], He went away sorrowful (Matthew 19:22). He would rather part with Christ, than with his earthly possession…

Either God makes our burden lighter, or our faith stronger. He will compensate and recompense our sufferings (Matthew 19:29): every one that has forsaken houses or lands for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit life everlasting. Here are encouragements to suf…

Thirdly, God calls some men to some private Personal duty, which he designs not to others, but to be done by them alone. Such a calling had he assigned him (Matthew 19:21) that would needs be perfect; Go sell all that you have, etc. Now the calling of Abraham in this place, is t…

Thirdly, God tempts his servants by giving unto them some strange and extraordinary commandment; As in the Gospel, when the young man came to our Savior Christ, and asked him, what good thing he might do to have eternal life? Matthew 19:16, Christ bids him go and sell all that h…

1. that a rich man remaining a rich man may be a servant of God, and also be saved: for riches are the good blessings of God, and in themselves do no whit hinder a man in coming to Christ. But some will say, Christ himself says, It is easier for a cable to go through the eye of…

Objection 2. Matthew 19:12: Christ says, There are some who have made themselves chaste for the kingdom of heaven. Therefore (say they) the vow of single life is warrantable and is a work of special glory in heaven.

We embrace the saying of Theodoret on 1 Timothy chapter 4: He does not blame single life or continency, but he accuses those who by enacted law compel men to follow these. Men made themselves chaste for the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:12), not by vow but by a purpose of heart,…

1. To consider the dangerous ensnaring temptations attending a pleasant and prosperous condition. Few — indeed very few — of those that live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition (Matthew 19:24). It is easier, said Christ, for a camel to pass…

For as much as Jesus Christ unto whom the children were offered, Matthew 19, to the intent he should lay his hands upon them and pray, with a favourable countenance receiving the same, declared that he came to be a savior also of such, because the very infants (as well as others…

It is most certain, and might be cleared, both from the word of God, and from experience, that many hundreds of professors dash, and perish on this stumbling block (Isaiah 48:1-2), where the Lord is speaking of a people, that made mention of his name, and swore by him, but not i…

And the frame and arrangement of the words shows that it is a judicial procedure; for they suppose a charge or libel, and a sentence, and the meritorious cause of the sentence of absolution is that Christ has died. Secondly, if we consider the nature of the two covenants, and co…

Rule 10. Nor is Christ made a loser, by losing his will for the Lord, but his will is fulfilled in that which he feared (Hebrews 5:7). Providence submitted to renders a hundredfold in this life (Matthew 19:29). God makes the income above hope (Genesis 48:11).

Now these same things befall the dying saints: 1. While the saints are here they are from home, and not at their Father's fireside, and this world their stepmother looks ever askance on them (John 16:33). And the cross gets a charge from God concerning a saint, wait on him, as h…

It is true, should a man offer his house full of treasure for Christ, it would be despised (Song of Solomon 8:7), and when Simon Magus offered to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost for money, it was rejected with a curse (Acts 9:8-10), and if the gift of the Holy Ghost cannot be bo…

If men begin to apply themselves to a strict course, such as they have sworn to in Baptism, either it is so hard as not to be borne, as (John 6:60): This is a hard saying, who can bear it? Whereas (Matthew 19:29): Every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, &c. for my name'…

For thus they teach: It is true (say they) that faith in Christ justifies, but withal we must needs keep the commandments of God. For it is written: If you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Here even at the first dash Christ is denied and Faith abolish…

And generally whatever good thing a man does the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free (Ephesians 6:8). He that forsakes father and mother, etc., for Christ's sake, shall receive a 100 times more in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting (Ma…

Abraham was of an excellent faith, and constancy, of singular meekness, and holiness, yet had he not this gift. Christ himself testifies that it is not given to all, even then when his Apostles so highly commended single life (Matthew 19:6, 10, 11, 12), and Saint Paul says the l…

And thus the wife was set at liberty, and her innocence approved; and the fault was laid only upon the husband, to whose discontented mind the cause of this rent was imputed. Moses ordained this law (Deuteronomy 24:1) in regard of the people's hardness of heart, as witnesses our…

These expressions are worthy of remark; because Satan labors, with amazing contrivance, to lower the effect of doctrine, in order that the grace of the Spirit connected with it may be weakened. The outward preaching, I acknowledge, can do nothing separately or by itself; but as…

As if we asserted that true righteousness is not laid down in the law, or complained that its instruction is in fault for not justifying us, and not rather that it is weak through our flesh, (Romans 8:3.) In the commandments of God, as we have a hundred times acknowledged, life…

But as we shall, before long, meet with this sentence again in the Gospel by Matthew I now glance at it more slightly. 30. And, lo, they are last who shall be first The same words, as we shall elsewhere see, were frequently employed by Christ, but in a different sense, (Matthew…

Vain and deceitful, also, would have been that promise, “The man that does them shall live in them,” (Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5; Galatians 3:12.) That Christ, on the other hand, intended to make no correction in the precepts of the law, is very clear from other passages: for t…

Matthew 5:31. Whosoever shall put away his wife. As a more suitable occasion for discussing and explaining this doctrine at greater length will afterwards occur, (Matthew 19:9,) I shall now state briefly what Christ says in this passage. As the Jews falsely imagined that they di…

On the other hand, they who boast that they are satisfied with the secret inspiration, and on this ground disregard the outward preaching, shut themselves out from the heavenly life. What the Son of God hath joined let not men, with wicked rashness, put asunder, (Matthew 19:6.)…

Matthew 19:1-2 1. And it happened, when Jesus had finished these discourses, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan.

Matthew 19:13-15 13. Then were presented to him children, that he might lay hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked them.

Matthew 19:16-22 16. And, lo, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

Matthew 19:23-26 23. And Jesus said to his disciples, Verily I say to you, A rich man will with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:27-30 27. Then Peter answering said to him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?

Matthew 19:3-9 3. And the Pharisees came to him, tempting him, and saying to him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?

So Psalm 147:6. 'The Lord lifteth up the Meek: He casteth the Wicked down to the Ground.' It is doubtless very much on this Account, that Christ represents all his Disciples, all the Heirs of Heaven, as little Children, Matthew 19:14. 'Suffer little Children to come unto me, and…

Christ condescends to take notice of beggars (Luke 16:22), and of servants, and people of the most despised nations. He that is thus high, condescends to take a gracious notice of little children (Matthew 19:14): Suffer little children to come to me. Yes, which is much more, his…

The third practise of couetousnes here forbidden, is to put trust andconfidēce in worldly things treasured up: this is the Idolatry of the heart, for looke whereon a man sets his heart, that he makes his God, & therefore is couetousnesse called idolatrie, Colos. 3. 5. Hence it…

Life indeed is more worth than all the World, but my Soul is more worth than Ten thousand Lives. Nature teaches you to value the first so high, and Grace should teach you to value the second much higher, Matthew 19:26. Now here is the case: Either you must part with your Sins, o…

So also is that no less true, do this and live, that life is not to be obtained, unless all be done, that the law requires. That is still true, if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17); they must then be kept by us, or our surety. Neither is it of any v…

This then is our duty, that we suffer not any natural affection and dotage on our parents to swallow up that love we owe to Christ, as Pharaoh's ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine (Genesis 41:4). How much less should any love of this wor…

The Apostle expressly says that a woman, when her husband is dead, is at liberty to be married (1 Corinthians 7:39): indeed speaking of young widows he further says, I will that they marry (1 Timothy 5:14). This liberty which the Prophet of God, and Apostle of Christ grant to a…

It is his ordinance: and he it is that by his ordinance has made of two, one flesh. Now mark the consequence which Christ as a ruled case, and undeniable principle infers thereon, What God has joined together, let no man put asunder (Genesis 2:18, 22, 24; Matthew 19:6). If no ma…

Moses notes a man's hatred of his wife to be a cause of much mischief: for the nearer, and dearer any persons be, the more violent will that hatred be which is fastened on them (Deuteronomy 22:13, &c.). Hence was it that a divorce was suffered to be made between a man and his wi…

Matthew 19. 17. — If you will enter into Life, keep the Commandments.

God lays affliction upon his people, and he gives them mercies as they are able to bear; if they had more, they would have more snares, more temptations. You find it hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven; (Matthew 19:24) a man may take a larger draft than he is…

He would fain know how he might come to God. So the young nobleman in the Gospel (Matthew 19:16): "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I might have eternal life?" Though he disliked the bargain afterwards, yet he cheapens it, and asks what way he must take.

Simple approbation is when in the abstract notion, we apprehend Christ and pardon of sins, and heaven, good: but when compared with other things, and considered in the frame of Christian doctrine, or according to the terms upon which they may be had, they are rejected. Many appr…

The prevailing part of the soul bends them to carnal interests; as the person that was told that he must take up the cross and follow Christ, he is offended (Matthew 11:21). The young man turned away discontented when he heard the terms (Matthew 19:21-22). They like God's offers…

What had he left? A net, a fisher-boat — it was a great all indeed (Matthew 19:27). We are easily puffed up if we suffer a little for God, and the Lord encroaches on us in our worldly conveniences, for self-conceit may grow out of self-denial: too often we find it so.

When we are full of self, there is no room for grace. (3) Own God's power (Matthew 19:26): But Jesus beheld them, and says to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. The difficulties that we meet with in the way to heaven should serve only to mak…