MAT. 5. 20.
I shall take that doctrine for granted which the Orthodox prove against Papists and Socinians, viz. that in this Chapter our Saviour doth not as a Law-giver impose new commands, and duties, which were not obligatory in the Old Testament; but doth only vindicate the Law of God from corrupt glosses and interpretations; so that although his doctrine and interpretation was new, through the default of those corrupt traditionall Expositions, which the Pharisees had delivered, yet it was not new indeed, for the same duties had alwaies been commanded. Our Saviour doth as the Painter, which doth not draw a new image or picture, only varnisheth it over, where the colour and beauty was lost; He doth not dig up new fountains, but cleanseth away that earth and mudd which these Pharisees had thrown in. The Lord Christ in this Chapter teacheth excellent and admirable purity and holinesse, transcendent not only to Pharisaicall glosses, but to all the corrupt opinions and judgements of men, pressing upon us heart-duties above external obedience, and prohibiting inward and soul-sinnes above outward filthinesse. And in the Text, he doth by a vehement asseveration, remove all that reputed righteousnesse, which dazeled the eyes of the world in those daies.
So that in the words you have a necessary qualification for out entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The qualification is in an exceptive expression; Unlesse your righteousnesse, &c. By righteousnesse is not meant that Evangelicall righteousnesse imputed to us, but inherent wrought by Gods grace, and therefore called your righteousnesse, because subjected in us: our holinesse is called righteousnesse, not because we are justified or accounted righteous before God because of it: but because there are all the essentiall parts of righteousnesse commanded by the Law, though defective in the graduall intentions thereof.
In the next place there is the necessary requisite to our righteousnesse, viz. that it doth exceed, abound, as the greek word, or encrease and be greater then that [of the Scribes and Pharisees] Scribes are named because of their learning, and Pharisees because of their pretended exactnesse in piety. He doth not say, unlesse your righteousnesse be more then Publicans and Harlots, for that would easily be granted, but more then Scribes and Pharisees. Nor, unlesse it be like and equall to that of the Pharisees, but unlesse it exceed. This was extreamly offensive and paradoxall, and it is, saith Musculus, as if in the time of Popery a Preacher had said, Unlesse your righteousnesse exceed that of the Minorites and Carthusians, you cannot be saved; Now the generall ground why the Pharisees obedience was insufficient; was because it consisted in an externall conformity to the Law, without any inward change or renovation of the heart, as Paul speaketh of himself, that he knew not inward lusts to be sins.
That externall morall obedience unto the Law of God, though it be much relyed upon1 by men; yet it is no sure evidence for heaven.
To open this consider these particulars.
First, That by externall obedience we mean an innocency or freedom from all grosse vices. No drunkard, no whoremonger, no prodigall, &c. For the Pharisees made clean the outside, howsoever inwardly their hearts were dens of theevish Iusts: Now although this innocency be no symptome of grace; yet how many such noisome and filthy weeds grow in Christs garden! how many such beastly swine are in Christs sheepfold, sins that should not be named among Christians, are yet practised and boasted of among them. What comfort and hopes caost thou have in thy conscience, who carriest about with thee such evident plague-tokens of Gods wrath? What do such Crows among Christs Doves? What do such Brambles among his pleasant plants? Depart ye workers of iniquity from Christian assemblies for these know you not: God called you not to uncleannesse but unto holinesse. Oh that these spots and reproaches of Christianity were once purged away from us.
Secondly, By this morall obedience we mean a fair externall conformity2 both unto the duties of the first and second Table: so that they have the outward lineaments both of piety and righteousnesse. For thus the Pharisees they were carefull about the externall worship of God, how zealous about the Sabbath, charging the pollution thereof upon Christ! and as for morall duties among men, had they not excelled therein, they could not have enjoyed such admiration and applause of men. It is true, our Saviour made them the worst of men, pulling off their vizards and discovering their pride and covetous ends in all they did: but though they were inwardly ravening wolves, yet outwardly they seemed innocent sheep. Hence our Saviour called them hypocrites severall times together; If therefore you have a man that is carefull in duties to man, faithfull in his word, just in his dealings, but neglective of Gods worship, a prophane despiser of the Sabbath; this man is not to be accounted so much as a morall righteous man, Again, if you see a man strict about the worship of God, in keeping of the Sabbath, in writing and repeating of Sermons, yet unjust and deceitfull in his doings, this man riseth not so high as this Pharisaicall righteousnesse. That which must be exceeded is an universall, generall conformity unto all the Commandements of God.