In this third and last Chapter of his Sermon, because we know not men’s ends, he biddeth us beware of judging: (6) and nevertheless to take open dogs and swine (so he calleth them) as they be. (7) If these works of justice seem too hard, we must pray instantly to him that giveth them. (12) In the conclusion, he giveth one short rule of all justice, (13) and then he exhorteth with all vehemency to the straight way, both of the Catholik faith, (21) and also of good life; because only faith will not suffice.
JUDGE • not, that you be not judged. 2For * in what judgement you judge, you shall be judged: and in what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye: and the beam that is in thine own eye thou seest not? 4Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast out the mote of thine eye; and behold a beam is in thine own eye? 5Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
6Give not that which is • holy to dogs: neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they tread them with their feet, and turning, all to tear you.
7Ask, * and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8For • every one that asketh, receiveth: and that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his child shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? 10Or if he shall ask him fish, will he reach him a serpent? 11If you then being naught, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father which is in Heaven, give [a] good things to them that ask him?
12All * things therefore whatsoever you will that men do to you, do you also to them. For this is the Law and the Prophets.
13Enter * ye by the narrow gate: because broad is the gate, and large is the way that leadeth to perdition, and many there be that enter by it. 14How narrow is the gate, and straight is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!
15Take ye great heed of false Prophets, which come to you in the • clothing of sheep, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 16By • their * fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree yieldeth good fruits, and the evil tree yieldeth evil fruits. 18A good tree can not yield evil fruits, neither an evil tree yield good fruits. 19Every tree that yieldeth not good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you shall know them.
21Not every one that saith to me, • Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.22Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out Devils, and in your name wrought many miracles? 23And then I will confess unto them, That I never knew you: depart from me you that work iniquity. 24Every * one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, 25and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat against that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, 27and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat against that house, and it fell, and the fall thereof was great.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had fully ended these words, the multitude were in * admiration upon his doctrine. 29For he was teaching them as having power, and not as their Scribes and Pharisees.
Footnotes
- ↑ These good things are grace and all spiritual gifts, and whatsoever pertaineth to the health of the soul.
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. VII.
↑ 1. Judge not.) It is not Christian part to judge ill of men’s acts, which be in themselves good, and may proceed of good meaning, or of man’s inward meanings, and intentions, which we can not see; of which fault they must beware, that are too suspicious, and given to deem always the worst of other men. But to say, that Judas, or an Heretik evidently known to die obstinately in heresy, is damned, and in all other plain and manifest cases, to judge, is not forbidden.
↑ 6. Holy to dogs.) No holy Sacrament, and specially that of our Saviour’s Blessed Body, must be given wittingly to the unworthy, that is, to them that have not by confession of all mortal sins examined and proved themselves. See the Annot. 1. Cor. 11:27–29.
↑ 8. Every one that asketh.) All things that we ask necessary to salvation with humility, attention, continuance, and other due circumstances, God will undoubtedly grant when it is best for us.
↑ 15. Clothing of sheep.) Extraordinary appearance of zeal and holiness, is the sheep’s coat, in some Heretiks: but these of this time wear not that garment much, being men of insatiable sin. This is rather their garment, common to them with all other Heretiks, to take much of the word of the Lord, and by pretenced allegations and * sweet words of benediction, and specially by promise of knowledge, light and liberty of the Ghospel, to seduce the simple and the sinful.
↑ 16. Fruits.) These are the fruits which Heretiks are known by, division from the whole Church, division among themselves, taking to themselves new names and new maisters, inconstancy in doctrine, disobedience both to others and namely to spiritual officers, love and liking of themselves, pride and intolerable vaunting of their own knowledge above all the holy Doctors, corruption, falsification and quite denying of the parts of Scriptures that specially make against them, and these be common to all Heretiks lightly. Othersome are more peculiar to these of our time, as Incestuous marriages of vowed persons, Spoil of Churches, Sacrilege and profanation of all holy things, and many other special points of doctrine, directly tending to the corruption of good life in all states.
↑ 21. Lord, Lord.) These men have faith, otherwise they could not invocate, Lord, Lord, Ro. 10. But here we see that to believe is not enough, and that not only infidelity is sin, as Luther teacheth. Yea Catholiks also that work true miracles in the name of our Lord, and by never so great faith, yet without the works of justice shall not be saved. 1. Cor. 13. Again, consider here who they are that have so often in their mouth, The Lord, the Lord, and how little it shall avail them, that set so little by good works, and contemn Christian justice.
Margin Notes
- 15–21. The Ghospel on the 7th Sunday after Pentecost.
- annot. 6. Worthy receiving.
- annot. 15. Heretics wolves in sheeps skins.
- annot. 16. Heretics known by their fruits.
- annot. 21. Not only faith.
Margin References
- 2. Luc. 6, 37. Mar. 4, 24.
- 7. Luc. 11, 9.
- 12. Luc. 6, 31.
- 13. Luc. 13, 14.
- 16. Luc. 6, 44.
- 24. Luc. 6, 47.
- 28. Mar 1, 22, Luc. 4, 32.
- annot. 15. Rom. 16, 18.
