name of the LORD thy GOD in vain. This evidently forbids all vain and rafh fwearing, and the use of GOD's holy name (N) in pain, to no purpose, in men's communication with each other. Even fwearing by the creatures, is an interpretative breach of this commandment; for, as OUR LORD fhews, there is no creature but hath fome relation to GOD.

eye

Ye have heard that it hath been faid, An for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, that ye refift not evil, but whosoever shall Smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other alfo, &c. This refers to Exod. xxi. 24, where the law of retaliation was enacted, to be administered by the judges of Ifrael in a judicial way, on the lawful conviction of offenders but the Jews, who were taught to abuse every thing, made this a rule of proceeding in their own private acts of revenge upon one another. Such a temper and difpofition as this was very finful to indulge, much more fo to gratify; OUR LORD therefore checks this, by teaching patience and forbearance, and doing good to, rather than injuring, their enemies. But ftill here is no new law, the Old Testament taught the fame. Exod. xxiii. 4, 5. If thou meet thine enemy's afs or his ox going aftray, thou shalt furely bring it back to him again. If thou fee the afs of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt furely help with him.-Prov. xxiv. 17. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he ftumbleth, left the LORD fee it,

and

and it difpleafe Him.-Prov. xxv. 21. If thine enemy * hunger, give him bread to eat; if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.-Lev.xix. 17, 18. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart-thou shalt not † avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. I am the LORD. All this is but faying what CHRIST fays in other words.-This doctrine is inforced by example, as well as taught by precept, in the Old Testament. See I Sam. xxiv. 17, 18, 19, with Pf. vii. 4. But what a bright example have we, of rewarding evil with good, in the character of Joseph? Gen.

xlv. &c.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away. This is the very language of Deut. xv. 7, 8, 10.

Ye have heard that it hath been faid, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy: they certainly had heard fuch a doctrine from the Scribes and Pbarifees, but it was false; the law faid, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, but

*We find the prophet Elisha preaching this very doctrine to the king of Ifrael, with refpect to his enemies the Syrians, who were captivated at Samaria, during the war with the kings of Syria. See 2 Kings vi. 22.

† Mr. Bate, on this place, well observes,—" It is "wonderful, that they, who read these commandments, "can talk of the spirit of the law's differing from that of "the gofpel, as if the SPIRIT OF GOD could differ from "HIMSELF, and the fame love were not required of the "Few as is of the Chriftian; when, on the love of GoD "and our neighbour, hang all the law and the prophets, "according to both the Old and New Testament.”

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in no part of it, Thou shalt hate thine enemy directly the contrary, Lev. xix. 18. Yet what numbers of people are there, that believe it did allow hatred to enemies, and that the forgiveness of them, and doing them good, was never known till CHRIST preached it! The apoftle tells us-Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. xiii. 10. What law is meant, appears ver. 8, 9; not a new law of CHRIST, but the old law delivered from GOD by Mofes. As there is but one lawgiver (James iv. 12.) fo there is but one law *.

More inftances of the truth above contended for might be adduced, but I will refer the reader to but one more on this part of the fubject, wherein, if CHRIST could ever have had the least intention of abrogating the old rule of life, given from GoD by Mofes, and fetting up a new one of his own, he had a fair opportunity of declaring it.-Matt. xix. 16. One came unto him, and faid, Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? He faid unto him, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

faith unto Him, Which? JESUS faid, Thou fhalt do no murder-thou shalt not commit adultery-thou shalt not steal-thou shalt not bear

*Nothing can be clearer upon this point, than our SAVIOUR'S Jummary of all He had been faying on the fubject of relative duties, throughout the whole of His divine difcourfe. Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even fo to them, for THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.

falfe

falfe witnefs-honour thy father and thy mother -and-thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man faith unto Him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? JESUS faid unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, fell that thou haft, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me. The ufe which I would make of this fcripture, is to fhew that every neceffary requifite for entering into life, as far as the fecond table of the law is concerned, is here fet down-but we find not a fyllable of any new law, or one jot or tittle fubtracted from the old. Comp. Luke x. 25-28. The old law is repeated word for word, and fummed up in its fpiritual fenfe and import in the laft fentence, which occurs in the Old Teftament in just the fame words. See Lev. xix. 18. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. The proof which our LORD required of this man's fincerity, that of giving to the poor, was as much a duty under the Old Teftament as under the new. See Deut. xv. 7-11, and Pf. xli. 1. The following CHRIST was fo far from being a new law, that it was the only way to heaven. which God ever revealed fince the fall of man. Comp. Deut. xviii. 15, with Acts iii. 22, 23, 24, and Matt. xvii. 5.

But it hath been urged, that CHRIST declared Himself to introduce a new law, John xiii. 34. where He faith, A new commandment give I unto you. The context runs thus: A new commandment give I unto you, that ye

love one another; as I have loved you, that ye alfo love one another.-By this fhall all men know that ye are My difciples, if ye have love one to another. It furely cannot be meant, that, by the term "new commandment," we are to understand the introduction of fome law totally new in itself, as to the matter of it, without evident inconfiftency, and abfolute contradiction: for OUR LORD fays, Matt. xxii. 39, 40. To love our neighbour as ourselves, is one of the two great commandments, on which hang ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. And St. John speaks of our loving one another, as an old commandment which we had from the beginning. Comp. 1 John ii. 7, 8. with 2 John v. 6. St. Paul faith, Rom. xiii. 8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another-be that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For thisthou shalt not commit adultery-thou shalt not kill-thou shalt not bear falfe witness-thou fhalt not covet-and if there be any OTHER COMMANDMENT, it is briefly comprehended in this faying-Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. Comp. 2 John 5, 6. So James ii. 8. If ye fulfil the ROYAL LAW (voμov Baσinnov) ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (See Lev. xix. 18.) ye do well. But if ye have reSpect to perfons (See Lev. xix. 15. Prov. xxiv. 23. xxviii. 21.) ye commit fin, and are convinced (eneyxquevo, convicted) OF THE LAW as tranfgreffors. For whosoever shall keep the

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