to him the other alfo. 40. And if any man will fue thee at the Law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke alfo. 41. And whofoever fhall a compel (7) thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would b borrow of thee, turn not thou away 43. heard that it hath been faid, Thou fhalt Neighbour, and d hate thine Enemy. Love your Enemies, blefs them unto you, e See Mat. 27. 32. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by Name: him they compelled to bear his Crofs. '. Mar. 15. 21. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who paffed by, coming out of the Country. 44. Ye have "love thy But I fay that curfe you, 13. 34. PL. 41. Io. * Deut. 15. 8, 10. Thou fhalt open thine hand wide unto him [the poor Man], and fhalt furely lena him fufficient for his need intothem. that which he wanteth. Thou e *Luk. 6. 27, 28. Love your fhalt furely give him, and thine Enemies, do good to them which heart fhalt not be grieved when hate you: Blefs them that curfe thou giveft unto him; because you, and pray for them which dethat for this thing the Lord thy15fpitefully ufe you. Rom. 12 14, God fhall bless thee in all thy 20. Blefs them which perfecute works, and in all that thou putteft you, blefs, and curfe not. If thine thine hand unto. t Luk. 6. 35. Enemy hunger, feed him; if he Love ye your enemies, and do thirst, give him drink: for in fo good, and lend, hoping for nothing20doing thou fhalt heap coals of again and your reward fhall be Fire on his head. : for Eye, &. had we any fuch Law amongst us. Turning the Cicek to the Smiter is no more than the patient bearing of Injuries. Thofe who defire farther Satisfaction in this Matter may confult Mr. Kettlewell's Difcourfe of Worthy Communicating, Part 3. Chap. 4. (7) The Word here rendred compel is derived from a Perfian Word, which fignifies fuch Perfons as we in our Language call Pofts. Thefe People being employed in carrying Letters and Difpatches from Court, had authority to prefs Men, Cattle, and Ships, to expedite their Journey. And it is not unlikely but that this Authority might be fometimes a bufed to the Oppreffion of their fellow Subjects. It does not follow from what our Lord here fays, that we are obliged to be at the Command of every one that would employ us; but our Lord's Meaning feems to be, that if any fmall Violence fhould be offered to us under the Pretext of Authority, we fhould be willing to do more than our Duty, rather than raise a Contention about it. 39. But I fay unto you, That yes refift (6) not evil imite thee on thy right cheek, tur but whofoever fhall mish in a Man, fo fhall it be done to him again. Deut. 19. 21. Thine eye fhall not pity, but life fhall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. S 5 a your felves, but rather give plac unto wrath: for it is written Vengeance is mine, I will repay faith the Lord. I Cor. 6.7. Ther is utterly a Fault among you, be caufe ye go to Law one with † Prov. 24. 29. Say not I nother. Why do ye not rathe will do to him as he hath done to take wrong? Why do ye not ra me: I will render to the Man ther fuffer your felves to be according to his work. Lev. 19.1odefrauded? tTheff. 5. 15 18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor See that none render evil for e bear any grudge against the chill unto any Man: but ever fol. dren of thy People. Prov. 20. low that which is good, both a 22. Say not thou, I will recom- mong your felves and to all Men pence evil: but wait on the Lord, 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when he was and he fhall fave thee. Ecclefi-15 reviled, reviled not again; when afticus 28. 1,c. He that revengeth he fuffered, he threatened not; fhall find vengeance of the Lord, but committed himself to him and he will furely keep his Sins that judgeth righteously. † 1 Pet. in remembranee, &c. Luk. 6. 29. 3.9. Not rendring evil for evil, or Unto him that finiteth thee on2orail ng for railing: but contra the one Cheek, offer alfo the o- riwife Bleffing; knowing that ye ther: and him that taketh away are thereunto called, that ye thy cloke, forbid not to take fhould inherit a Bleffing. thy coat alfo. Rom. 12. 17, 19. Lam. 3. 30. He giveth Recompence to no Man evil for e-25his Check to him that Smiteth him, vil. Dearly beloved, avenge not he is filled full with reproach. * (6) This Verfe and the following are not to be understood ac cording to the firict Letter, but as fpoken proverbially. For we are not required here to turn the other Cheek to the Smiter, nor to give up our Poffeffions to every unrighteous and illegal invader; nor are we forbidden to make ufe of the Law in our own De fence, when we are called before Magiftrates; for this our Lord did in the Cafe of him that fmote him in the Prefence of the High Prieft, Joh. 18. 22, 23. And St. Paul pleads his Privilege of being a Roman to fave himself from Scourging, A7s 22. 5. Nor are forbidden in all Cafes to bring others before Judges and Magiftrates in order to do our felves right. For St. Paul's Behaviour to wards thofe Magiftrates who had beaten him and Silas uncondemn ed, being Romans, A&t. 16. 37, &c. feems to imply that he intended fo to do, had not the Magiftrates by their compliance with the Terms propofed by him prevented it. we But we are here forbidden to go to Law for fmall and inconfiderable Loffes and Injuries. We are forbid private Revenge, and even pullick Appeals to Courts of Judicature, only to gratifie a malicious Temper of Mind; alfo feeking fuch reparation for Injuries as will make us no amends, which he would do who should require Eye for * otherwise ye have no reward of [or, with] your Father which is in Heaven. 2. Therefore when thou doft thine Alms, do not found a trumpet [or, cause not a trumpet to be founded] before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the fynagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have glory of Men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward. 3. But when thou doft Alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth: 4. That thine Alms may be in fecret: and thy Father which feet in fecret, himself fhall reward thee openly. 5. ¶ And when thou prayeft, thou fhalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray ftanding in the fynagogues, and in the corners of the ftreets, that they may be feen of Men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward. 6. But thou when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, and when thou haft shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret, fhall reward thee openly. 7. But when ye pray, ufe not vain repetitions, as the Heathen do: t2 Kings 4. 33. He [Elisha] went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. o Ecclefiaftic. 7. 14. Make not much babbling when thou prayeft. Ecclefiaftes 5. 2. Be not rafh with thy Mouth, and let not thine heart be hafty to utter any thing 10before God: for. God is in Hea ven, and thou upon Earth: There. fore let thy Words be few. other good Works before Men, but the doing them openly out of Oftentation, with a defign and a defire to be praised and commended by Men for them. The Reasons why we fhould do good Works are, that we may glorifie God, and benefit our Neighbour, and promote our own Salvation. But if we do them to gain Applaufe from Men, we cannot expect to receive any Reward from God. We may do them before Men, that they may be excited to glorifie God, and provoked to an Imitation; for then we obey the Command of our Lord, Mat. 5. 16. letting our Light fo foine before Men, &c. The Mifunderstanding of this Precept has prevailed with many good Chriftians to conceal their Charity and good Works, and thereby deprive the World of the Benefit of their Example. 23 you, do good to them that hate you, and f pray fo T CHAP. VI. AKE heed that ye do not your ** Alms [a right coufnefs before Men, (8) to be feen of them athe which hath called you is holy, be ye holy in all manner of conve fation; because it is written, ye holy, for I am holy. k f* Luk. 23. 34. Then faid Jefus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. A&t. 7. 60. And he [Steven] kneel ed down, and cried with a loud + Deut. 24. 13. In any cał voice, Lord, lay not this fin to their thou fhalt deliver him the Pledg Charge. Cor. 4. 12, 13. Being again when the Sun goeth down reviled, we blefs: being perfecu- that he may fleep in his own Ra ted, we fuffer it: being defamed, ment, and bless thee: and it fha we intreat. Pet. 2. 23.1obe righteousness unto thee befor Who when he was reviled, reviled the Lord thy God. † Pf. 112.§ not again; when he fuffered, he He hath difperfed, he hath giv threatned not. ti Pet. 3. 9. to the Poor; his righteoufnefs endu Not rendring evil for evil, or rail- reth for ever, his horn fhall b ing for railing: but contrariwife 15exalted with honour. † Dan. bleffing; knowing that ye are here- 27. Wherefore, O King, let m unto called, that ye fhould inherit counfel be acceptable unto the a Blefling. break off thy Sins by righteousne * See on Acts 14. 17. and thine Iniquities by fhewing h*Luk. 6. 32. For if ye love20 Mercy to the poor, if it be them which love you, what thank lengthning of thy tranquillity have you? for Sinners alfo love 2 Cor. 9. 9, 10. As it is written thofe which love them. he hath difperfed abroad; he hath i Eph. 5. 1. Be ye therefore given to the poor: his right coufne followers of God as dear Children.25remaineth for ever. Now he that Ye fhall be holy; for miniftreth Seed to the Sower, both 1 am holy. Lev. 20. 26. Ye fhall minifter bread for your food, and be holy unto me: for I the Lord multiply your Seed fown, and in amboly, and have fevered yo creafe the fruits of your righ Lev. 11.44. from other People, that ye fhould3oteousness. may (8) Our bleffed Saviour does not abfolutely forbid the doing Alms or other * herwife ye have no reward of [or, with] your Father. hich is in Heaven. Therefore when thou doft thine Alms, do not found a trumpet [or, cause not a umpet to be founded] before thee, as the hypocrites do, the fynagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have lory of Men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their eward. 3. But when thou doft Alms, let not thy left and know what thy right hand doth: 4. That thine Alms may be in fecret: and thy Father which fee in ecret, himself fhall reward thee openly. 5. And T when thou prayeft, thou fhalt not be as the hypocrites ve, for they love to pray ftanding in the fynagogues, nd in the corners of the streets, that they may be een of Men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their eward. 6. But thou when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, and when thou haft hut thy door, pray to hy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which beth in fecret, fhall reward thee openly. 7. But when e pray, ufe not vain repetitions, as the Heathen m other good Works before Men, but the doing them openly out of Oftentation, with a defign and a desire to be praifed and commended by Men for them. The Reasons why we fhould do good Works are, that we may glorifie God, and benefit our Neighbour, and promote our own Salvation. But if we do them to gain Applaufe from Men, we cannot expect to receive any Reward from God. We may do them before Men, that they may be excited to glorifie God, and provoked to an Imitation; for then we obey the Command of our Lord, Mat. 5. 16. letting our Light fo Joine before Men, &c. The Mifunderstanding of this Precept has prevailed with many good Chriftians to conceal their Charity and good Works, and thereby deprive the World of the Benefit of their Example. |