Page images
PDF
EPUB

1718. poor Man is too apt to fly from it, and to fhrink from under its holy Stroke: The holy Baptift, John, understanding our Lord's Doctrine, and being fenfible of the powerful Working of Chrift's Word and Spirit, fays, Now is the Ax laid to the Root of the Trees, thereMar. 3. 10. fore every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit, is bewn down, and caft into the Fire'; which Fire is nothing lefs than Hell, which, without Repentance, and Amendment of Life, will be our Portion.

Verse 31. It hath been faid, whosoever shall put away bis Wife, let him give her a Writing of Divorcement. Verse 32. But I fay unto you, that whosoever shall put away bis Wife, faving for the Caufe of Fornication, caufeth her to commit Adultery; and whosoever shall marry ber that is divorced, committeth Adultery.

[ocr errors]

The great Hufband of Souls here plainly fheweth, that Hufbands fhould be tender to their Wives; and his Apoftle fays, Be not bitter against them: Men and Gal. 3. 19 their Wives ought to live together in Love, and be good Examples to their Children, and Servants; and not part from one another, except for the Cause of Fornication; and that fhould be proved; for fome Men are only jealous of their Wives, and fome without a Caufe, and where there is a Cause (as a Man may think) it ought to be clearly proved before they part from one another; a Man ought to be tender of his Wife, as of his own Body; For they two are one Flesh. Men and their Wives are often too apt to magnify one another's Faults, and put the worst Contructions upon each other's Words and Actions, when they differ, which widens Breaches, instead of healing them: Whereas Love, and true Charity, and putting the best, and not the worst Conftruction on Things, would chafe away Wrath, Strife, and Hatred; and though Mofes give the Jews that Permiffion of Divorcement, for the Hardness of their Hearts'; yet Chriftians ought to live fo, that there fhould be no Need of it amongst thent. And if Chriftians do part upon

the

the Account of Fornication (for they are not permitted 1718. to part on any other Account by Chrift, as above) they are to marry no more, while each other live;

for if they do, they are pronounced by Chrift, to be Lake 16. Adulterers, and Adultereffes.

Verfe 33. Again ye have beard, that it hath been faid by them of old Time, thou shalt not forfwear thyself, but fhalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths.

Verfe 34. But I fay unto you, fwear not at all, neither by Heaven, for it is God's Throne:

Verfe 35. Nor by the Earth, for it is his Footftool: Neither by Jerufalem, for it is the City of the Great King.

Verse 36. Neither fhalt thou fwear by thy Head, because thou canst not make one Hair white or black.

Verfe 37. But let your Communication he yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of

Evil.

18.

It was allowed to the Jews to vow to the Lord,, and swear by his Name, provided they perform'd their Vows, and Oaths. But here our Lord prohibits and difallows, or abolishes, all Swearing, with an Ifay unto you, fwear not at all. Tho' our fwearing Chriftians will have it, that he here prohibits only vain Swearing or common Swearing, which cannot be, because the Oaths he here fpeaks of were folemn, and to James s the Lord. And the Apoftle James tells us, We must not fwear by any Oath. Neither did the primitive Chriftians fwear at all; and Chriftians ought to be fo just in their Conversations, as that their folemn Words or Promises would give them Credit, without any Need of Oaths. If Occafion or Need be, thou haft Liberty to add Yea to thy Yea, and Nay to thy Nay, or folemn Words equivalent to it; and if more be Evil, it must also be Evil to require more, and that is Evil if it be more (as all Vows and Oaths are) we have Chrift for our Author, a good Foundation to build upon.

[ocr errors]

Verfe

1718.

Ija. 50.

Verse 38. Ye have bear that it hath been faid, an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for, a Tooth.

Verfe 39. But I fay unto you, that ye refift not Evil: But whofoever shall fmite thee on thy Right Cheek, turn to bim the other allo.

Verfe 40. And if any Man will fue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak alfo.

There was Room and Liberty, by the Law of Mofes for a Man to revenge himself, if he had an Injury done to him; but Chrift teaches patient Suffering; we are not to give any Offence, but we are to take them quietly for his Sake, in which Jefus was an excellent Example to us, whofe Sufferings was not for himfelf, but for us; he turned his Cheek to the Smiter, and his Face to thofe that plucked off the Hair: But to a Man of Courage and Choler, this indeed is no fmall Crofs; but he muft deny himself, and take Chap. 16. up Chrift's Crofs daily, and follow him, if he will be his Difciple. And as for the Law, it is better never to meddle with it, in a general Way; and if thy Coat by Law is taken away, thou had better give him thy Cloak, than ftand out another Trial with him: And it is much if thou art not a Gainer by fo doing. But the Gain is not urged as the beft Motive: But Obedience to Chrift, our great Lord, and good Mafter; who faid, If ye love me, keep my Command

Mat. 10. 38.

24.

ments.

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

It can hardly be fuppofed that any would take the Pains to force or violently compel a Man to go a Mile with him, unless on fome extraordinary Occafion: But many times through Over-perfwafion, or much Invitation, One may be in that Senfe compelled to do that which one is not inclined to, and in fuch Cafe, we are to be liberal in anfwering the Love and Goodwill of our Friend, fo compelling of us: For Love begets Love, and cannot eafily be withftood, as in the

Parable

Luke 14.

23.

Parable of the Wedding, or Marriage-Supper; they 1718. were to be compelled to come to it; we are not to understand by outward Conftraint, or Cruelty, but by the Force and Power of Love; Divine Love has a great Power, and is of a compelling Nature according to this Diftinction, and Confideration; and then we fhould be unkind, and ungrateful, if we did not anfwer with fuitable Returns.

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

We are here to fuppofe the Afker to be in real Want and Neceflity, and the Borrower alfo to ftand in need, and the Afked to be in a Capacity, and of Ability to fupply and afift the Afker, and Borrower; and then in fuch Cafe we are by no Means to refufe to give to him that afketh, nor to turn away from him that would borrow of us; and if we are not in a Capacity to fupply, then to ufe mild and friendly Expreffions; for Chriftians fhould be courteous and kind to

all, and particularly to the Diftreffed. And if we think that the Afkers or Borrowers are not worthy or deferving for their own Sakes, we fhould, if need be, give and lend for Chrift's Sake, and in Obedience to him, though it crofs our own Inclinations.

Verfe 43. Ye have heard that it hath been faid, thou fhalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy.

Verfe 44. But I fay unto you, love your Enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you, and perfecute you.

Verfe 45. That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven, for he maketh his Sun to rise upon the Evil, and on the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Just, and on the Unjuft.

The Hebrews had Liberty to hate their Enemies, but we have not understood that ever any People, by any Difpenfation, had any Liberty to hate their Neigh bours or Friends: So that thofe that are in that State, are far beyond the Line of Truth. But fays our holy Law-giver,

[ocr errors]

34.

1718, Law-giver, I fay unto you, love your Enemies.

1 John

3. 18.

If we

love our Enemies, we can in no wife destroy them, although it were in our Power. Again, Bless them that curfe you. But alas! how apt are Men (and even those who would think it hard to be told they are difobedient to Chrift) to render Railing for Railing, and Curfing for Curfing, inftead of Bleffing (Do Good to them that hate you) If we are fenfible of any Body that hates us, and have real Demonstration of it (for fometimes we imagine it, when it is not fo) yet are we to do them all the good Turns we can (And pray for them which defpitefully ufe you, and perfecute you) Thus we are not to render Evil for Evil, but to overcome the Evil with that which is good. Sweet was our Lord's Example to us in this, when he faid, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. If fpiteful Perfecutors did really know what they do, when they perfecute the Juft, their Damnation muft needs be very great; but if we do Good for Evil, as Chrift hath taught, then are we the Children of our heavenly Father, who maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil, and on the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Juft, and on the Unjust.

Verfe 46. For if ye love them which love you, what Reward bave ye? Do not even the Publicans the fame? Verse 47. And if ye falute your Brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the Publicans fo?

Our Virtue is much more fhining in loving those who do not love us, than in loving those that do; and it is natural for us to love them that love us, and we fhould be ungrateful if we did not: But the Reward is greater, if we love them that do not love us, which must be manifefted in Deeds, as well as Words: For faying and doing, fometimes are two Things, which made the Apostle fay, Our Love must not be with Word, and with Tongue only, but in Deed, and in Truth. Also Publicans (Men by the Jews ranked with Sinners,

when

« PreviousContinue »