21 Scribes and Pharifees, ye fhall in no cafe enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard, that it was faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whofoever fhall kill, 22 fhall be in danger of the judgment. But I fay unto you, That whofoever is angry with his brother without a caufe, fhall be in danger of the judgment (1): and whofoever fhall fay to his brother, Raca (m), fhall be in danger of the council: but whofoever fhall fay, Thou fool, fhall be in danger of hell-fire. 23 Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberedft that thy brother hath ought 24 against thee (n); Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, firft be reconciled to thy bro25 ther, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adverfary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him left at any time the adverfary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the 26 officer, and thou be caft into prifon. Verily I fay unto thee, thou fhalt by no means come out thence, till thou haft paid the uttermoft farthing (0). 27 Ye have heard that it was faid by them of old time, 28 Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I fay unto cording to their refpective guilt, with the utmost rigour; and, how ever they may efcape all temporal punishment, are certainly in danger of the more dreadful judgment of God, who trieth the heart. (1) All groundless and immoderate anger and refentment, al fcornful and provoking language, proceed from ill-will and a ran cour of fpirit, and are therefore within the intent and meaning of the fixth commandinent. (m) Raca is a term of contempt, fignifying an empty fenfeless wretch. Fool in Scripture language, fignifies a wicked impious perfon. Let us learn from hence to beware of the fin of pride, and efpecially of that great corrupter of the human heart, fpiritual pride; and let us be careful to do our own duty with deep humility towards God, and Chriftian compaffion and charity to others. (2) It is in vain to expect that God will accept any of our fervices, or reftore us to his favour, unlefs we do all in our power to regain the good-will of those whom we have injured, or offended. (o) See Luke xii. 58. you, ་ you, That whofoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already 29 in his heart. And if thy right-eye offend thee (p), pluck it out, and caft it from thee (g): for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members fhould pe→ rish, and not that thy whole body fhould be caft into 30 hell. And if thy right-hand offend thee, cut it off, and caft it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members fhould perifh, and not that 31 thy whole body should be caft into hell. It hath been faid, Whofoever fhall put away his wife, let him 32 give her a writing of divorcement. But I fay unto you, That whofoever fhall put away his wife, faving for the cause of fornication, caufeth her to commit adultery: and whofoever fhall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery (r). 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not forfwear thyself, but shalt 34 perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I fay unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is 35 God's throne; Nor by the earth, for it is his foot ftool; neither by Jerufalem, for it is the city of the 36 great King: Neither fhalt thou fwear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay(s) for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. 37 (p) If it cause thee to offend, or be an hindrance to thee in thy duty. (9) By the right hand and right eye, are here meant men's favourite vices, which having been long indulged, become, as it were, part of their very frame; but as every wife man will confent to fuf-. fer the most painful operation, or even to lofe a limb, if neceffary, to fave his life; fo every good Chriflian will fubdue his lufts and paffions, and part with whatever is deareft to him, rather than forfeit his hope of everlasting happiness in the life to come. (r) See Mark x. 11. (s) Your common converfation and difcourfe must be fincere and fimple, without oaths of any kind; for oaths are only to be used when they are required by lawful authority. See Chap. xxvi. 63. 38 Ye have heard that it hath been faid, An eye for 39 an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I fay unto you, (t) that ye refift not evil: but whofoever shall fmite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will fue thee at the law, and take 41 away thy coat, let him have thy cloke alfo. And whofoever fhall compel thee to go a mile, go with 42 him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away (u). 43 Ye have heard that it hath been faid, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy (w): 44 But I fay unto you, Love your enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which defpitefully use 45 you, and perfecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth 46 rain on the juft and on the unjuft. For if ye love and pray them which love you, what reward have ye? do not 47 even the publicans (x) the fame? And if ye falute your brethren only, what do you more than others? 48 do not even the publicans fo? Be ye therefore perfect (y), even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (t) That ye render not evil for evil. (u) The foregoing precepts are not meant to be confined to thefe particular inftances, or to be understood in a literal, but in a general and moral, fenfe; as defigned to guard against paffion and refentment under any provocation, and to promote a meek and humble temper on all occafions in our whole behaviour. (w) No where in Scripture were the Jews permitted, much less commanded, to hate their enemies; that was the perverfe interpretation, or licence, of the old Jewish Rabbies only. (x) Publicans were officers who collected the public taxes for the Roman emperors, and were hated by the Jews on that account. (y) Remember that it is your highest perfection and glory to refemble your heavenly Father, as much as you poffibly can, in acts of goodness and mercy. С НА Р. I TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, (a) to be feen of them: otherwife ye have no re2 ward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doeft thine alms do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the fynagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. 3 Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward (b). But when thou doeft alms, let not thy left hand know 4 what thy right hand doeth (e): That thine alms may be in fecret: and thy Father which feeth in fecret (d), himself fhall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayeft, thou fhalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the fynagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be feen of men. Verily, I fay unto 6 you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and when thou (a) Take heed of hypocrify and vanity in performing any religious duty; for the very best actions cannot be pleafing to God, if the motives of them be corrupt and unworthy. (b) They may perhaps obtain their wifh; but they will have no other reward. (c) This is a proverbial expreffion, importing the greateft caution and fecrecy. The application of it in this place is, to check the principle, as well as the fufpicion, of vain-glory, or a defire of the praise of men. Alms may indeed fometimes require to be public; but the heart muft likewife in that cafe be free from oflentation and vanity. (d) Thy Father, though he cannot be feen by any mortal eye, Teeth and obferveth all things, and will reward the fincerity and goodness of thy heart, if not in this world, yet certainly in the most public and glorious manner in the world to come. ufe ufe nos vain repetitions (e), as the heathen do: for they think that they fhall be heard for their 8 much fpeaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things ye 9 have need of, before ye afk him. After this man ner therefore pray ye (f): OUR FATHER which art 10 in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 11 come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 12 Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive 13 us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 14 glory, for ever. Amen. For, if ye forgive men their trefpaffes, your heavenly Father will alfo forgive 15 you. But if ye forgive not men their trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your trefpaffes. 16 Moreover, when ye faft, be not as the hypocrites, of a fad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to faft. Verily, I 17 fay unto you, they have their reward. But thou, (e) It is not by the number of our prayers, but the devotion of our hearts, that we can recommend ourfelves to God. (f) O GRACIOUS FATHER, who dwelleft in the light which no man can approach unto, and yet condefcendeft to hearken to the prayers of all the children of men. Let the adorable perfections of thy nature be every where de voutly reverenced and glorified.. Let thy kingdom of truth and righteousness prevail to the full eftablishment of the gofpel of Chrift. Let thy holy will be obeyed with fincerity and conftancy by men on earth, as it is by the bleffed angels in heaven. Give us, we beseech thee, day by day thofe things that are needful for our daily fupport, in that flate of life to which it hath pleased thee to call us. And of thy mercy forgive us our manifold tranfgreffions and of fences, in like manner as we are ready from our hearts to forgive every one who hath offended us. Suffer us not to be overcome by temptations: But deliver us from the power of Satan, and the deceitfulnefs and corruption of fin. For thy kingdom ruleth over all things, vifible and invifible. Thou art the fovereign difpofer of all events. And to thee alone are due all glory, worship, and praife, throughout all ages for ever," So be it. when |