First, That herein he alludes to th• common and corrupt Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees distinguishing God's Commands into great and small. The great Commandments they held to be those only which concerned the external Acts of Religious Worship; such as Fastings and Washings, and Sacrifices, and scrupulous Tithings, with various Gifts and Offerings; these were their great Commandments; but for inward Concupiscence, for unmortified Lusts; for vain Thoughts and sinful Desires, these, they, as a Generation, corrupt in themselves, and Corrupters of others, taught as the Papists now do, either to be no Sins at all, or at most, but venial, so ⟨p. 47⟩long as they did not break forth into Act; and truly the greater part of this Chapter is spent in setting forth the evil of •hose Sins that the Jews accounted to be ••ght and small;1 as to be angry with our brother, to call him Racha, or thou Fool, •erse 22. To harbour inward Motions •f Concupiscence, ver. 28. To use Divorce, ver. 29. Common Swearing, ver. 34. Private Revenge, ver. 39. Now says our saviour, I am so far from destroying the Law and the Prophets, either by my Doctrine, or by my Practice, as these Men falsely accuse and calumniate me; •hat contrariwise I teach that the violation of those Commands which your Doctors, the Scribes and Pharisees account •mall and little, will bring with them •n heavy guilt, and sore condemnation; or whosoever breaks those Commandments that are commonly vilified and called least, shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
First, That herein he alludes to th• common and corrupt Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees distinguishing God's Commands into great and small. The great Commandments they held to be those only which concerned the external Acts of Religious Worship; such as Fastings and Washings, and Sacrifices, and scrupulous Tithings, with various Gifts and Offerings; these were their great Commandments; but for inward Concupiscence, for unmortified Lusts; for vain Thoughts and sinful Desires, these, they, as a Generation, corrupt in themselves, and Corrupters of others, taught as the Papists now do, either to be no Sins at all, or at most, but venial, so ⟨p. 47⟩long as they did not break forth into Act; and truly the greater part of this Chapter is spent in setting forth the evil of •hose Sins that the Jews accounted to be ••ght and small;1 as to be angry with our •rother, to call him Racha, or thou Fool, •erse 22. To harbour inward Motions •f Concupiscence, ver. 28. To use Di•orce, ver. 29. Common Swearing, ver. 34. Private Revenge, ver. 39. Now says our •aviour, I am so far from destroying the Law and the Prophets, either by my Doctrine, or by my Practice, as these Men falsly accuse and calumniate me; •hat contrariwise I teach that the violati•n of those Commands which your Do•tors, the Scribes and Pharisees account •mall and little, will bring with them •n heavy guilt, and sore condemnation; or whosoever breaks those Commandments that are commonly vilify'd and called least, shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- 1Matth. 5.22, 28, 29.
