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23 Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembreft

that thy brother hath ought againft thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, firft be reconciled to thy brother,

and then come and offer thy gift. " 25 Agree with

thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him: left at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be caft

into prifon. 26 Verily, I fay unto thee, thou fhalt by no means come haft paid the uttermoft farthing.

out thence, till thou

23 If therefore, when you are about to pay any act of worship to God, you remember that there is any Offence or Difference between you and and another; which which may thus provoke God's Anger against you :

24 Go immediately, and be firft reconciled to your Adversary, and then come and worship God.

25. Above all things, be fure to put a timely end to all Contentions that may arife, before things come to extremity, and it prove too late.

26. For as when one is going before the Magiftrate with his, Adversary, he may eafily agree with him in the Way, and put an end to the Difference; but when once Sentence is past, and he is put in Prifon, there is no more hope: So while God graciously affords you time and space, you may easily put an end to all unchriftian Contentions; but if you be flow and delay till Judg

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Judgment overtake you, the Time will be past, and there will remain nothing but endless Punishment. 27. ¶ Again, the Law faith, Thou shalt not commit Adultery.

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28. But I fay unto you, Whofoever looketh on a Wo man with unchafte Defires and Intentions, is guilty of Adul. tery in his own Mind and in the Judgment of God, though he has not opportu nity to commit the Fact, an 29, 30. Perhaps these & more ftrict and exalted Precepts may seem very difficult to be practised, like plucking out a right Eye, or cutting off a right Hand: But if any thing as dear to you as your right Hand or right Eye, be a cause of making you fin; it is much better to refolve to part with it, and to fuffer the prefent inconvenience, how great foever it be; than to let it be the cause of your eternal ruine.

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31 Again, The Law permitted a Man in feveral Cafes to give his Wife a Bill of Divorcement, and to put her away.

32. But I fay unto you, This was not according to the Original Design of God, but only permitted to the Jews because of the hardnefs of their Hearts, and to prevent greater Evils. From henceforth therefore whofoever shall put away his Wife, and marry another, excepting only for the cause of Adultery, fhall be accounted guilty of caufing both her that is put away, and him that shall afterwards marry her, to commit Adultery. 33. Again, The Law required that Men should not forfwear themselves, but religiously perform whatever they had obliged themselves to by Oath.

34. But I fay unto you, * Swear not at all in common.

* 'Tis evident our Saviour does not here forbid Swearing folemny to any Truth before a Magistrate, &c.

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Converfation. Invoke not the Name of God upon light Occafions; but let your Converfation be always fo fincere and true, that your Affirmation may be received as an Oath. And do not think that mincing an Oath, or fwearing by any other thing, will excufe you from the guilt of this Sin. For fwearing by any of the Creatures, is in effect fwearing by him that made them. Swear not therefore by Heaven; for this is fwearing by the Throne of God, and confequently by God himfelf.

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35. Neither may you fwear by the Earth; for this is fwearing by the Footftool of God, and confequently by God himself. Neither may you swear by Jerufalem; for this is fwearing by the City and Temple of God, and confequently by. God himself.

36. Neither may you swear by any other lefs Sacred Thing whatsoever; for every fuch Thing is the Crea

neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne;

35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footftool: neither by Jerufalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither fhalt thou fwear by thy. head, because thou canft not make one hair white or black,

37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more then these, cometh of evil.

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

39 But I fay unto you, that ye refift not evil: but whofoever

fhall fmite thee on thy right cheek,turn to him the other alfo.

40 And if any

man will fue thee at way thy coat,let him

the law, and take a

have thy cloke also.

ture of God, and you have not any power over it.

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37 But let your whole Conversation be only bare Affirmations or Denials. For whatever Expreffions are more than fuch, do proceed from fome evil Cause.

38 Again, The Law allowed retaliation of Evils and that Injury should be returned for Injury, and Lofs for Lofs.

39 But I fay unto you, Return not Evil for Evil: But if any Man injure you and you cannot be relieved by Juft and Christian Authority; let him rather injure you ftill, than that you fhould right your felves by Revenge.

*

40 And if any Man, even in going to Law before juft Authority, will be Contentious, and extort from you your due; fuffer him in fmall Matters to go away with it, and † rather yield

* Chrift does not here forbid to refift Robbers and Murderers, but is to be underflood of fmaller Oppreffions:

So fuftin Martyr reads the words fomewhat more em

phatically ; Αφες αυτῷ Η καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον.

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