And thus we shall appear to be the children of God. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one check, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of taketh away thy goods thee; and of him that ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 52 For if ye love them which love you, for sinners also love what thank have ye? those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even liii. 287 And, as ever you would attain to such exalted SECT. degrees of fortitude and goodness, accustom yourselves patiently to bear the common injuries Luke of life, which a false sense of honour and interest VI. 29. renders so much more intolerable than they really are. If, for instance, a man smite thee on the [one] cheek, rather than return the blow, offer also the other to him; and if he take away thy mantle, do not by violence attempt to hinder him [from taking] also thy vest. (See the notes on Mat. v. 39, p. 214.) I would also charge it upon you to labour 30 after a diffusive liberality, as well as exemplary meekness: be ready then to give to every one that asketh thee for an alms, where thou hast reason to believe it is charity to do it; and from him that taketh away thy possessions in an injurious manner, do not immediately demand them back in the forms of law, but rather endeavour by gentler methods to reduce the offender to reason. And do not by any means imagine, that the 31 injuries you receive from others will cancel the bonds of common humanity to them; but as you would reasonably desire that men should do to you, do you also in like manner to them, and by putting yourselves, as it were, in their places, endeavour to form your minds to an impartial judgment. (See note on Mat. vii. 12, p. 234.) And indeed if you only love them that love you 32 what great thanks are due to you upon that account? For there are some sentiments of gratitude common even to the worst of men, which incline the most scandalous sinners to love those that love them, and to profess an affectionate regard for those by whom they have been treated with respect and kindness. And if you do good 33 offices only to them that are your benefactors, what mighty thanks are due to you for that? For even the most infamous sinners, either from instinct, or from mere self-love, may often be observed to do the same. (Compare Mat. v. 46, 47, p. 216.) 34 And if ye lend And if you lend only to them from whom you 34 to them of whom ye hope to receive, and that, perhaps, with considerthank have ye for able advantage to yourselves, what favour do sinners also lend to sin- you shew in that, or what extraordinary thanks are due to you on that account? For even the greatest sinners lend to other sinners like themselves, that, when there is occasion, they may receive the like assistance in return from them. the same. hope to receive, what ners, to receive as much again. But 288 SECT. liii. Luke 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, the children of the and to the evil. Reflections on the maxims Christ has repeated. But I exhort you to love your enemies, and to do good, and lend in cases of great necessity, even and lend, hoping for when you can hope for nothing again: and so your nothing again and VI. 35. reward in heaven will be great, and you will your reward shall be appear to be the sons of the most High God; for great, and ye shall be in the course of his daily providence he is kind to Highest: for he is kind the ungrateful and evil, causing the undeserved unto the unthankful, benefits of the sun and rain to descend upon them, and filling their insensible hearts with food and gladness. (Compare Mat. v. 44, 45, 36 and Acts xiv. 17.) Be ye therefore merciful, as he also whom you call your heavenly Father is merciful, as your Famerciful; and unto whom indeed you cannot stand related as his children, if you have no concern to imitate and to obey him. (Compare Mat. v. 48, p. 216. 36 Be ye therefore ther also is merciful. Luke IMPROVEMENT. How necessary is it, that our forgetful hearts should have line vi. 20. upon line, and precept upon precept? If Christ did not think it improper to repeat this discourse, surely it will not be needless for us to renew our attention to it. Oh that every word of it were engraven on our hearts as with the point of a diamond, that we might learn, in spite of all the foolish wisdom of this world, to form ourselves on these maxims, as the surest guide to present and to eternal felicity! 21--26 Our Lord again pronounces the poor and the hungry, the mournful and the persecuted, happy; and represents those as miserable who are rich and full, joyous and applauded; not that this is universally the case; but because prosperous circumstances are so frequently a sweet poison, and affliction a healing though bitter medicine. Let the thought reconcile us to adversity, and awaken our caution when the world smiles upon us; when a plentiful table is spread before us, and our cup runneth over; when our spirits are gay and sprightly; or when we hear, what to corrupted nature is too harmonious music, that of our own praise from men. Oh that we may secure, what is of infinitely greater importance, the praise of our heavenly Master, by a constant obediential regard to these his precepts! 34 May we be happy proficients in the art of bearing and forgiving injuries! May we be ready to every good word and work! maintaining an eye quick to observe, a heart tender to feel, a hand • When you can hope for nothing again.] I cannot think (as De Dieu and some others have done agreeably to the Syriac and Arabic versions that μηδεν απελπίζονίες should he rendered causing none to despair; since open neither the phrase itself, nor the opposition in which it stands to ver. 54, will admit such an interpretation. See Dr. Whitby's note here. a If Cautions against severity and uncharitableness. 289 open to relieve the calamities and necessities of friends, of SECT. strangers and of enemies, giving to some; and where, perhaps, there may be little prospect of a return, lending to others; which, Luke if it engage them to greater industry, is as real a benefit as if the VI. 34. loan were a gift. On the whole, let us not presume to call God our Father, if 35, 36 we do not labour to resemble him; nor dare to challenge the peculiar honour and privileges of Christ's disciples, if we do not distinguish ourselves from others by the charity of our tempers and the usefulness of our lives, as well as by the articles of our faith and the forms of our worship. SECT. LIV. Our Lord goes on to repeat many remarkable passages of his sermon on the mount, with some proper additions relating to the same subjects. Luke VI. 37, to the end. LUKE VI.37. JUDGE not, and ye shall not be judged: JUDG LUKE VI. 37. liv. UDGE not others with rigour and severity, SECT. condemn not, and ye and you may hope that you shall not yourshall not be condemn- selves be judged with that severity which you ed: forgive, and ye must otherwise expect from God, and which the vI. 37. shall be forgiven. good measure, pressed most innocent and virtuous characters would 38 Give, and it shall Give liberally to those that need your assistance, 33 you again. by the same measure that ye measure with to a If you do it from a truly religious principle.] This must be supposed, to make it consistent with those passages in which love to God, and faith in Christ, as well as other branches of the Christian temper, are insisted upon as so absolutely necessary, that without them the greatest lenity and indulgence to our fellow-creatures cannot give us a claim to the promises of pardon and b Into your lap.] Here is an evident Luke 290 SECT. liv. Luke The danger of following blind and ignorant teachers. a parable unto them: 40 The disciple is not above his master; perfect, shall be as his but every one that is master. He spake also, at the same time, a parable to 39 And he spake them (which he afterwards repeated, Mat. XV. Can the blind lead the 14.) to caution them against submitting with blind? shall they not VI. 39. an implicit faith to the conduct of ignorant or both fall into the ditch? vicious men, who might set up for religious teachers; and said, Can the blind undertake to guide the blind? Will they not both, in such a case, be likely to fall into a pit, or ditch, which may happen to lie in their way? And, in like manner, you have nothing to expect from following such 40 men, but to perish with them. There is little reason to hope that, under their instruction, you should be wiser and better than they for it is, you know, a common proverb, That the scholar is not above his teacher; but all that can reasonably be expected is, that every one who is a finished [scholar] should come up to him that teaches him; and it is this that he will principally aim at, to be as his master: It is of great importance therefore that you should well consider whom you take to be your teachers; for it is necessary your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, if you expect a share in the kingdom of heaven. (See Mat. v. 20, and x. 24, 25.) to 41 And why be holdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in 41 Yet, on the other hand, I would not have you to be forward in blaming them, or any other, while you neglect a due regulation of your own temper and conduct for why dost thou look at the little mote which is in thy brother's eye, and observest not the much greater disorder which is 42 like a beam in thine own eye? Or how canst thou with any decency, or to any purpose, say thy brother, Brother, hold still, [and] I will take out the mote which is in thine eye, while thou art at the same time so blind and partial, that thou seest not the beam which is in thine own eye? Thou thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, who falsely pretendest that zeal for the hypocrite, cast out first honour of religion, which, while thou art thus the beam out of thine careless of thyself, thou canst not really have, thou see clearly to pull first cast out the beam from thine own eye, and out the mote that is in then thou wilt discern [how] to take out the mote thy brother's eye. that is in thy brother's eye; which is an office that requires greater wisdom and conduct than in thy present circumstances thou canst be supposed to have. (See the notes on Mat. vii. 3, 4, p. 232.) 43 own eye, and then shalt Till thou shalt thus reform thyself, there is 43 For a good tree not much to be expected from thine endeavours bringeth not forth corto reform others for as there is no good tree rupt fruit: neither doth Reformers should begin with reforming themselves. 44 For every tree is 291 liv. Luke a corrupt tree bring which produces bad fruit; so neither is there any SECT. forth good fruit. bad tree which produces good fruit: For all the known by his own world is agreed that every tree is to be known by its proper fruit: men, for instance, do not VI. 40. gather figs of thorns, nor do they gather a cluster 44 of grapes from a bramble. (Compare Mat. vii. 16, p. 235.) fruit: for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush ga. ther they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of And indeed, where men converse with any de- 45 his heart bringeth forth gree of intimacy, they may be known and judged that which is good: of by their words as well as by their actions. an evil man out of the A good man, maintaining an habitual sense of evil treasure of his the Divine Presence, and feeling in his own soul that which is evil: for a spring of habitual and diffusive benevolence of the abundance of to his fellow-creatures naturally produces that the heart his mouth which is good, out of the good treasure of grace heart, bringeth forth speaketh. 46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do I say. and love which is laid up in his heart: and on Yet remember, it is not merely by men's 46 not the things which words that their character will finally be judged, and their estate fixed; especially, that it will not be determined by a few pious and devotional forms of speech, which in themselves are of very little worth: for why do ye call me, Lord, Lord, or what imaginable purpose does that profession serve, if in your practice you are regardless of my will, and do not the things which I say and command to all that call themselves my disciples? (Compare Mat. vii. 21.) 47 Whosoever com eth to me, and heareth them, I will shew you my sayings, and doeth to whom he is like. 48 He is like a man, which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a This is a vanity of which I have formerly 47 warned you: and to repeat the warning, I will shew you, on the other hand, to whom that man is like, who comes to me, and hears my words, and practises agreeably to them: and, on the other hand, to whom it is that he may be resembled, As 48 who hears my words, and doeth them not. to the former, he is like a prudent man, that built an house on the river-side; and, considering e Men, for instance.] This is one of those many places where the word yag (for) has not its usual signification, of introducing the the reason of something before asserted, but |