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The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to
St. Matthew Pasquier
Quesnel Translated
by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, D.D., Vicar of Islington and now Bishop of Chapter XXII. Sect. I. The Parable Of The
Marriage-Feast. The Wedding Garment. 1. AND Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, The Jews were the first who were called to
the belief of the incarnation, wherein Jesus Christ espoused the human nature
and the church. He chooses the most strict, tender, fruitful, and most
inviolable of all alliances, to make us comprehend how intimate and
advantageous to the Christian soul that union is, which God is pleased to
have with it in his Son, by faith and charity. What may we not expect from a
royal alliance! For what may we not hope from a divine union! 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding; and they would not come. The law, the prophets, and the gospel are
but so many different invitations to the wedding of Jesus Christ, to the
belief and fruits of his incarnation. By these nuptials, which are yet only
begun, the creature is already become one spirit and one heart with God; how
then will it be, when, this marriage being consummated, he will admit the
creature to a participation of all his treasure, perfect his charity in it,
and make it live eternally for himself! This union with God is contracted
very freely; and no man can be forced or necessitated to it; for it is an
immediate union of will to will, of heart to heart; and it is by willing and
consenting, that we come to God and Jesus Christ. 4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fallings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage. God’s patience is not wearied by the
denial and resistance of man’s heart. He seems as earnestly desirous of
uniting it to himself, as if some great advantage would accrue to him
thereby; whereas in truth he finds nothing in it but poverty, misery, and
corruption; and, on the contrary, the heart finds in him wisdom, holiness,
greatness, riches, and all things which make a perfect, infinite, and
incomprehensible felicity. Jesus Christ is himself the true victim of God,
slain for us, to which we are invited, and of which we ought to partake, the
sacrifice of the Christian covenant, and the marriage-feast and banquet; and
it is by eating of it that this union is completed, here under the veil of
the sacrament, but in heaven openly and without any veil. 5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise; 6. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. There are three sorts of states, wherein
men run the risk of living in a continual forgetfulness and neglect of
salvation. The first, is that of a soft, idle, and
voluptuous life, wherein a man thinks of nothing, but quietly to enjoy life,
health, riches, conveniences, good cheer, public diversions, and private
pleasures. This is the life of a man of fortune and plea sure. The second state of life, is that of a man entirely taken up with worldly
business, merchandise, the public revenues, or any gainful employment, in
which the love of riches, and application to the means of acquiring them,
generally stifle all thoughts of salvation, and engross all that time
which should be set apart for the prosecution of it. The third state, is that of men openly unjust, violent, and
outrageously wicked, who are sinners as it were by profession, in the face of
the world, and who not only neglect their salvation, but are incensed against
all those who exhort them to mind it, and impartially declare to them the
truth. Permit us not, Lord, ever to be forgetful of thee in any state, or to
be engaged in such as are inconsistent with salvation! 7. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth; and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. God, either sooner or later, takes
vengeance on men for their contempt of his word and truth, and for their
injurious treatment of his ministers. The punishment of the Jews, by the destruction
of Jerusalem, which is here prefigured, is it self but a figure and shadow of
the punishment of Christians. Death, which to the saints is the beginning of
their happiness, to the reprobate is the beginning of the eternal vengeance
of God. The city of this present world, which they make their earthly
paradise, is then burnt up and destroyed as to them. 8. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. The substitution of the Gentiles in the
room of the Jews, denotes to us another substitution
much more to be dreaded. Grace is often taken away from a wicked Christian,
and given to others. No person is excluded from the feast, except he be
unworthy; though no man is of himself worthy to be admitted to it. Deplorable
was the blindness of the Jews, who knew not the feast which was prepared for
them; but more deplorable is that of a Christian, who, after having tasted
and fed deliciously on it, loathes and nauseates it, and leaves it, to return
to his vomit. 9. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. There is no respect of persons in the
business of salvation. All sorts of sinners are invited to it, Jews and
Gentiles, and the poor who have no settled abode, more than the rich and
great ones of the world. The church is everywhere represented as visible, and
containing both good and bad, righteous and wicked,
united together by the participation of the same sacraments. Abundance of
Christians are present at the table of the eucharistical feast, who will never be seen at the
eternal table of God. Let us tremble at the thought! 11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Let every man learn from hence, to examine
and judge himself, and to abstain from the holy table, until he has put on
the wedding-garment; conformably to the apostle’s injunction, which Christ
authorizes so long before by this parable. Thus we may prevent this dreadful
separation, which will certainly be followed by an eternal excommunication.
It is by faith that we come to the wedding- feast; it is by charity which is
the life, and by good works which are the fruits of faith, that we are
qualified to eat the flesh of the Lamb, and to receive nourishment from it.
Among a thousand unworthy communicants, perhaps there is but one, whose
conscience up braids him after this manner, How earnest thou in hither? Happy
is he, if amended thereby. No answer can be made at the tribunal of God. The
confusion arising from sin, and the conscience of the sinner, will stop his
mouth. 13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. See here the sad state and total
interdiction of a damned soul. No more feet to run to God’s mercy, or to flee
from his justice. No more hands to do good, or to
make any amends for evil. No more light whereby to know God or his own duty.
Nothing but darkness, pain, grief, tears, rage, fury, and despair remains for
those who are cast out from the wed ding-feast. This is the fruit of sin, and
especially of the abuse of faith, grace, and the holy communion. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen. Many are called by the law of nature, by
the written law, and by the preaching of the gospel; but few are there who
come in by faith; few among these who live by faith; and few, even of these
last, who persevere in the life of faith. The elect are not known until the
separation is made. One single reprobate cast out represents all the rest.
God some times manifests his justice on a sinner, even in this world, on
purpose to awaken all others; with whom he either bears, in expectation of
their repentance, or whom he reserves for the torments of hell. Let us strive
to be of the small number. Sect. II. God And Cesar. 15. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. The devil’s ministers, like himself,
retire only for a while; but never lay aside the design of destroying
virtuous people. Of all wicked persons, the envious are the least discouraged
at disappointments. The good and pious ought strictly to watch over their
words, because the world Is always vigilant to make them serve its interests
or passions. Set a watch, Lord, upon my mouth, and secure it from being
surprised either by the devil, or the world, or my own corrupt desires! 16. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men. The praises of the world are full of snares;
he who loves them, loves temptation; and to love it,
is to be willing to perish. The wicked scarcely ever make any other use of
good, but only to promote their malicious designs. Real enemies and false
friends take advantage very often of the good qualities which they discover
in us, so as to make us act indiscreetly, and to put us upon imprudent
measures. The fidelity which an ecclesiastical person owes to his ministry,
banishes all fear of men from his mind; but agrees very well with Christian
prudence, which is neither rash nor insensible. There are some regards which
proceed from timorousness, ambition, and complaisance, but there are also
others, which spring from charity, discretion, and prudence. 17. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not? It is one of the common artifices of ill
men, to set the spiritual and temporal powers at variance if possible; to
engage princes in the disputes about doctrine and religion; and to find some
means to render those odious whom they design to ruin. When the enemies of
truth are undeniably convinced, their last shift is to make their adversaries
pass for persons disaffected to the state, and to cry out against them as a
faction. We must be sure not to give any occasion for this charge, but must
avoid even the least appearance of deserving it. 18. But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? They know but little of Christ, to whom
the very bottom of the heart is open, who hope to conceal the wickedness of
it from him. It is of great advantage to expose the designs of hypocrites,
and to cover them with shame in order to render their calumnies ineffectual.
We ought not to suffer the mask of piety, and a false love of truth, to
remain on those who take it with no other design but to obstruct truth and
piety itself. 19. Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? Nothing but the wisdom of God can teach us
to avoid the snares of men, without wounding truth or justice, without
interesting our own passions, and without flattering or provoking those of
others. When we make the divine truth and wisdom the standard of our words,
we then weigh them as we ought. Christ seems not to know the tribute money:
(1.) To recommend to us a contempt of riches. (2.)
To show, that he did not concern himself about secular affairs. (3.) To
confound his enemies by their own answer. 21 They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. This is an answer full of wisdom, which
establishes the limits, regulates the rights, and distinguishes the
jurisdiction of the two empires of heaven and earth, of the spiritual and
temporal powers. The image of princes stamped on their coin, denotes that
temporal things belong all to their governance; and the image of God
imprinted on the soul of man, teaches that whatever use he makes either of
himself or of the creatures, ought to be referred to God. Respect,
submission, dependence, and obedience to sovereign princes, as to whatever is
temporal, being part of the divine law, we cannot pay them as we ought in the
sight of God, but by doing it heartily, and on a principle of love. Princes
being more the images of God than other men, ought
also to render to God whatever they receive from men, by directing it all to
his glory. 22. When they had heard these wards, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. They cannot forbear admiring him, and yet
they cannot persuade themselves to love him; the hardness of their heart
resists the light of their understanding. Thus worldly per sons admire good
preachers, praise good men, and approve good actions, through a kind of
natural integrity of heart; but yet are not converted for all this. Sect. III. The Resurrection,
And Angelical State. 23. The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, One temptation succeeds another. It is not
to be expected that the devil should let those rest who boldly attack him,
and labour to destroy his kingdom. He uses his utmost endeavours to render
the preaching, miracles, and whole mission of Christ ineffectual, by
overturning the very foundation of all the belief of the resurrection. Few
persons openly deny it; the generality live as if they did not believe it. 24. Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. In this was a figure of Christ, who was
fruitful only after he was dead, and even by his death itself. The apostles,
as being his brethren according to the human nature, raise
up children; who therefore all bear his name, and not theirs. The expectation
of the Messias, and the desire of having a share in
his birth according to the flesh, which was the chief ambition of the Jews,
gave occasion to this law. But now we have a share in his birth, by faith and
the Spirit; and more perfectly by the barrenness of virginity, than by the
fruitfulness of marriage. 25. Now there were with us seven brethren; and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother; 20. Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. 27. And last of all the woman died also. 28. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Sensualists fear the loss of carnal
pleasures in the other world. They are always mistaken, either in referring
to the present life the truths of the other, or in entertaining dishonourable
notions of this last, and applying to it those mysteries and truths which
belong to the church here below, and to the forming of the mystical body of
Christ. The devil amuses men with cares suited to their inclinations. Curious
questions are a dangerous temptation in the church, and produce libertines
therein. The truths of the resurrection of the body, and of the immortality
of the soul, disturb and perplex these men the most, and therefore they
attack them on every side, and by all the ways imaginable. 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. Let us be sure not to judge of God, of his
designs, and of his works, by the power of reason alone; this is to derogate
nature, from the infinity of his being, and the incomprehensibility of his
greatness. There are two causes of the opposition of men to the truths of
Christianity. The first is, in that they do not sufficiently understand the
Scriptures for want of due application, zeal, faith, reverence, and humility;
they will not frequent the school of God, in order to learn that which he
vouchsafes to teach them concerning himself. The
second, which flows from the former, is, in that
they frame to themselves too mean an idea of his greatness, holiness, and
power over his creatures; of his wisdom, conduct, and designs concerning his
elect; and of that eternal life which he bestows on his saints, in himself,
without any human means. It is a very great temerity to pretend to measure
the eternal and infinite reason, and the omnipotency
of the Creator, by the weak and corrupt reason of the creature. 30. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. All the alliances and unions here on earth
are tokens and effects of man’s indigence and mortality. When once he shall
enter into eternity, where all his desires will be satisfied, all his wants
supplied, and his mortality swallowed up in glory; then all unions and
societies shall be lost in the union and society with God. The less
intercourse and union we have with the creature, the more have we with the
Creator. Happy is that soul, which, even in this world, begins the life of
angels, by separating itself from every thing, that it may live only to God, and for him alone as his spouse! Charity can render
us like to angels in spirit; virginity only makes us resemble them in body as
well as spirit. 31. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. God, who is the God, that is, the
bountiful, magnificent, and almighty Rewarder of
the righteous whom he recompenses in proportion to his own love and their
fidelity declared to Moses, long after the death of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, that he was even then their God in this sense, and in a manner
altogether peculiar. Now, if they were not present with God, and in his
sight, any more than they were present with men, he could not style himself
their God in so particular a manner. For the advantages they received on
earth were not sufficient to verify this divine promise in respect of them.
And therefore it is absolutely necessary that they should enjoy another life,
and that their souls, which still subsist, should one day be reunited to
their bodies, to receive in them such advantage as may make it evident that
God is their God, and their reward in a most extraordinary manner. 33. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. God permits the infidelity of some, for
the instruction and edification of others; the offences taken by the world,
for the trial and manifestation of those who belong to him; and heresies, for
the greater illustration of the truth. The doctrine of the church, when
cleared and explained by holy men, appears the more admirable the more odious
heretics have endeavoured to render it to the people. Thus God knows how to
bring good out of evil, light out of darkness, and to discover the lustre of
truth through the cloud which the wickedness of false teachers has cast upon
it. Sect. IV. The Love Of God And Of Our
Neighbour. 34. But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Those who are powerful in wickedness are
always striving to succeed better in it than others. The admiration of the
people, and the putting the Sadduccees to silence,
instead of discouraging envy, excite and stir it up. A wicked man takes no
joy in the mortification of one enemy, when another more odious is exalted
thereby, and thinks of nothing but how to deprive the last of the advantage
he has gained. 35. Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? We see here three kinds of enemies and
false accusers of Christ and his disciples, and three sorts of accusations
brought against them, which are to the latter so many occasions of
temptation: (1.) The Herodians, or the politicians
and courtiers, who form their accusation on the rights of the prince, and on
matters of state, (v. 16.) (2.) The Sadducees, or the heretics and
libertines, who build theirs upon the foundation of religion and faith, (v.
23.) (3.) The Pharisees, or the loose casuists and pretenders to devotion,
who ground theirs upon morality, and chiefly upon the love of God, in this
place. 37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. If to love God with all the heart be to
seek, adhere to, and rest in him alone, for his own sake; and to seek, adhere
to, and take pleasure in nothing, but only so far as it is conformable to his
will, as it may be referred to his glory, or be useful to our own salvation,
to that of our neighbour, or to the good of the church, we may then be
assured, that the number of those who love God from the bottom of their heart
is much smaller than we imagine. There must be no thoughts nor designs in the
mind, no desires nor motions in the will, no
business nor actions in the life, but what must have the love of God for
their principle, and his glory for their end. 38. This is the first and great commandment. The greatest sins are those which are committed
against the love of God, because this is the first and great commandment. And
it is so; (1.) In antiquity, being as old as the world, and engraven in our very nature. (2.) In dignity, as directly
and immediately respecting God. (3.) In excellence, being the commandment of
the new covenant, and the spirit of the divine adoption. (4.) In justice,
because it alone renders to God his due, prefers him before all things, and
secures to him his proper rank in relation to them. (5.) In sufficiency,
being sufficient of itself to make men holy in this life, and happy in the
other. (6.) In fruitfulness, because it includes all the other commandments,
and is the root of them all. (7.) In virtue and efficacy, because by this
alone God reigns in the heart of man, and man is united to God. (8.) In
extent, leaving nothing to the creature which it does not refer to the
Creator. (9.) In necessity, being indispensable. (10.) In duration, as being
never to be discontinued on earth, and to continue eternally in heaven. How then,
my God, can any one forbear loving thee? yet how can
any one possibly love thee, unless thou thyself vouchsafest
to inspire this love into him? 39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The love of our neighbour is found in the
love of God, as in its principle, pattern, and end; and the love of God is
reciprocally found in the love of our neighbour, as in its effect,
representation, and infallible mark. We take nothing from God when we love
our neighbour for his sake. To love him as ourselves,
is to love him as we ought to love ourselves, in observing the order of
charity; and not as we love ourselves when we follow our own irregular
inclination. It is but one and the same love, which loves God in our
neighbour, and our neighbour for God’s sake, when we desire that his name may
be hallowed, that his kingdom may come, and that his will may be done in our
neighbour after the same manner that we desire it for ourselves. 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. The Scripture contains and commands
nothing but charity. How extensive soever our
external performance of the divine law may be, we always transgress a part of
it when we perform it not for God’s sake; because, by this neglect, we fail
in the observation of the great precept concerning loving him, which is
included in every part of his law. This double precept, concerning the love
of God and of our neighbour, is the summary of all the divine and positive
commandments, the compendious direction and way to salvation, the Bible of
the simple and ignorant, and the book which even the
most learned will never thoroughly understand in this life. Sect. V. Christ The Son And Lord Of David.
41. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42. Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. Jesus here asks a question in his turn,
not to tempt, but to instruct his disciples; to confound the obstinate, to point
out the source of all their captious questions, namely, their ignorance of
the prophecies which foretold the Messias; to
furnish his church with weapons against the Jews in all ages; and, by this
last public instruction, to establish the truth of his divinity, incarnation,
power, and kingdom, as the foundation of all religion. 43. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45. If David then call him, Lord, how is he his son? This psalm appears to be a prophecy
concerning the Messias, by the explication of
Christ himself, from the confession of his enemies, and according to the
general opinion of those times. We herein find sufficient proof of the
divinity of Christ the son of David, not in the manner in which the Jews
understood it, but as David had foretold it by the Holy Ghost; Christ being
at the same time the Son of God, equal to him in power, and heir of all
things. His kingdom will not have its full consummation till all his enemies
are destroyed, and especially sin and death. 46. And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. Truth at length triumphs through the
wisdom and word of Christ; but the defender of it will,
notwithstanding, be op pressed in the sight of men. An important instruction this, to teach us not to judge of truth by what those who
defend it suffer. The more triumphant it is by their ministry, the more they
must expect to suffer and be humbled, in order to counterbalance their
vanity, to render them conformable to Christ, to purify them from human
infirmities, to make them capable of a greater reward, and to show that it is
not by the endeavours of men that truth gains a triumph, but by the God of
truth itself. |
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