commandments, however comparatively small an one it may seem, either to break or teach others to break them, will prevent our advancement in the kingdom of heaven, nay, it will thrust us down to the very lowest place. For this would be a manifest violation of God's great design in both his revelations, the instruction namely of mankind in his will. Thus it is that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, by not consisting in the formal fulfilment of the commandments taken literally, but in readily applying to every event of life each separate precept of the gospel, and in moulding our very inward dispositions after the pattern therein laid down."

This general principle is next explained in the case of the sixth commandment of the law. The scribes and Pharisees held themselves to have fully obeyed it, provided only they committed not actual murder. Not so must the Christian deem of this precept, as renewed, and fulfilled, that is, fully and largely applied, by our Lord. Every word, look, or thought of evil, is to us sin, no less certainly than the act. Each provoking or contemptuous expression is shewn to deserve punishment, both in this world, and in the next. And the divine Teacher bids us leave even his own worship incomplete, his own gift unoffered on the altar, till we avoid this twofold curse by being first reconciled to our brother.

Who then, of us all, remembereth at this hour that his brother hath aught against him? Who is conscious of any grudge himself is cherishing, or of any that he has given cause, whether intentionally or not, for his brother to entertain? Who out of us that now are come together to offer on the domestic altar the gift of confession, prayer, and praise? First be reconciled. First, by all means, be thyself at peace, in thyself, at peace with all. Be reconciled, if it may be, as soon as possible, openly. Be reconciled, at all events, immediately, in thy own heart. So only can thy gift_be_acceptable. So only canst thou obey the command of God. For according to the gospel of Christ, "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," 1 John 3. 15.

In this way then Christians are here taught to apply every commandment in the law of Moses; to take it, that is, in a more full sense, and to extend it from the outward actions to the inmost thoughts. Thus is the axe most truly laid to the very root of the tree; and the character of each person is thus pronounced to consist in the purposes of the heart. In these are to be found, or in these are wanting, that love to God and to our neighbour, which is the fulfilling of all the commandments. Matt. 22. 37, 39. By these purposes of love let us then now examine ourselves, for by these we must be judged hereafter. Where these remain corrupt, vain is all outside show of holiness. And only where these are conformed to the gospel pattern of divine truth, can we be reckoned to have fulfilled the precepts of our law, or to have entered into the kingdom of heaven.

Christ further fulfilleth the law in the seventh commandment.

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye of fend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of di

vorcement:

32 But I

whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

LECTURE 13.

How we must restrain the lust of the eye and the license of the tongue.

We have seen already, in the case of the sixth commandment, how the gospel destroys not but fulfils the law. The same principle is here applied to the seventh, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Purity, like kindness, to be a Christian grace, must be felt in the heart. Thence it is that evil thoughts arise, and there that they must be from the first suppressed. And whether it be with eye, or hand, that we are chiefly tempted to offend, that member we must restrain which lends its aid to sin, that thought cut off which prompts to hatred or to lust; lest also the whole body be cast into hell, the whole soul perish everlastingly.

To these general directions, we find here added a particular rule about divorcement. For the Jews, and much more the heathen nations of that period, held it lawful to put away their wives on the most trifling grounds. Thus the wayward inclinations of one party prevailed over those bonds which were ordained

both as a remedy against sin, and for the mutual help and comfort that the one ought to have of the other. Thus strife and jealousy, confusion, and every evil work took the place of what God in marriage had designed, domestic purity, and domestic peace.

Scandalous it is to the faith we profess, that in a Christian country the like offences should ever occur. And much it is to be regretted, that when they happen, they occupy both the thoughts and conversation of a neighbourhood. Remember, if such works of darkness are ever mentioned in your hearing, remember, the less you think of them, the less you speak of them, the better. The less pleasure you take in talking over the sins of others, the more likely you are to feel the weight of your own. Let then any such extreme case of transgression make you consider how many risks you run yourselves, and how deeply you need the grace of God to preserve your feet from falling. Let it move you to give the more earnest heed to sober advice. Let it make you more distasteful of those vanities which prepare the way to ruin, and more distrustful of that ability of your own which is at the very best but weakness. Let it remind you to watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation; to watch and pray against whatever sin doth most easily beset you. And let it incline you to intercede for others also, even for these most flagrant offenders, in the charitable hope that it will please God, not only to strengthen such as do stand, and to comfort and help the weak-hearted, but to raise up also them that fall, and finally to beat down Satan under their feet. (See Liturgy.)

And now further observe how Christ fulfils the law, that is, fully interprets its meaning, in the important particular of swearing oaths. Because false swearing was prohibited, the Jews considered themselves allowed to swear in their ordinary discourse, provided only they took care to speak the truth. Our Lord shews that the forbidding of false oaths was but a step towards his more full prohibition, "Swear not at all." This is the rule of Christian perfection, this the state of things that would ensue, were but all men Christians indeed. No need to call God to witness, were we all honest and true, all sensible that whether we call on Him or no He is witness to every word we utter! Were we meek, humble, self-denying, and charitable, the plain utterance of yea or nay would answer every purpose of mutual information. "Whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." It cometh of the evil in our hearts, of our falsehood, our distrust of each other. It cometh of that evil spirit, who prompts the vain swearer wantonly to utter those profane words, of which he must give account hereafter.

Let us then not only never take God's name in vain, but promote also in all we say that practice of universal truth, which would make it plainly practicable to swear not at all.

Christ endeth the interpretation of the law. Christian perfection.

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love

your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the

same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

LECTURE 14.

That we must overcome evil with good.

The law had said in Leviticus 24. 20, " Eye for eye and tooth for tooth." It allowed not this retaliation by way of private revenge, but ordained it for legal punishment. Hence the scribes and Pharisees, admitting that they were bound to love their neighbours, inferred what is nowhere written in the law, that they were bound also to hate their enemies. But the severe retribution which the law enforced was calculated not to encourage, but to check, the evil propensities of the heart. The unjust and violent were the less likely to do wrong to the peaceable and meek, under a system which required of every aggressor "eye for eye and tooth for tooth." This was the first method of restraining wickedness, namely, severity of punishment immediately to be accomplished by lawful authority.

It is therefore in fulfilment of this very law, for it was for the more effectual attainment of the same object, that our Lord now teaches, "Resist not evil." For this end he bids us submit, with

and op

out retaliation, to blows on the person, loss of property, pressive exaction of labour. Nay, further, He urges us to meet them by a voluntary subjection to fresh indignities; "turn to him the other" cheek "also," "let him have thy cloke also," "go with him twain." This is the new and gospel method of baffling wrong and violence, if not banishing it from the world. This is a method which, though it may sometimes fail in softening and converting the oppressor, is sure to exercise and to improve our own humility, charity, and self-command.

Here is added in the same spirit an injunction that we should give and lend to all that ask of us. Not as though we have ability to give to all; but that we should desire to give to all if we could, and should give actually to all as far as we can. He that has wherewith to give should be as much concerned to find some one to give to, as they who are in want are anxious to find some one who will help them. He should be as much concerned, nay more; more in the same proportion, as " it is more blessed," it is the saying of the Lord Jesus, "more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20. 35.

Thus too, instead of hating our enemies, we are to "bless them that curse" us," do good to them that hate” us, and “ pray for them which despitefully use and persecute" us. Here we have the tongue, the hand, and the heart, all pressed into the service of our enemies; the tongue to bless, the hand to help for good, and the heart to pray for their eternal welfare. So might we overcome evil with good. So might enmity, hatred, and persecution, by the conduct of faithful Christians, and by the influence of faith upon their hearts, be gradually and utterly rooted out of the world. Difficult we find this method to fulfil for our own share; difficult to be, as we are here commanded, perfect, as is our Father which is in heaven. But remember, if we fulfil it not, we remain no better than publicans. If we love only our own families and friends, the natives of our own country, or members of our own church, what do we more than the dregs of the heathen? Whilst in proportion as we love all mankind, we become children of that heavenly Father, who "sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' We are created anew in the likeness of that Son, who prayed for them that nailed Him to the cross, who died for them that crucify Him afresh. And we approach to the pattern of that Holy Spirit, who still, even to them which grieve and resist Him, continues, until the very end of life, to offer grace unto salvation.