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at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.1

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

42 Give to him that asketh

and it is desirable to have a correct view of the ancient mode of dress, in order to a correct understanding of the Bible. The Asiatic modes of dress are nearly the same from age to age, and hence it is not difficult to illustrate the passages where such a reference occurs. The ordinary dress consisted of the inner garment, the outer garment, the girdle, and the sandals. In regard to the sandals, see note on ch. iii. 11. In the girdle was the place of the purse, Matt. x. 9; and to it the sword and dirk were commonly attached. Compare 2 Sam. xx. 8. In modern times, the pistols are also fastened to the girdle. It is the common place for the handkerchief, smoking materials, inkhorn, and in general the implements of one's profession. The girdle served to confine the loose flowing robe, or outer garment, to the body. It held the garment when it was tucked

1 Rom. xii 17-21. 1 Cor. vi. 7. was far more worthy of statement than those which he did mention. A doctrine so unusual, so unlike all that the world had believed, and that the best men had acted on, deserved to be formally stated. Instead of doing this, however, he confines himself to smaller matters, to hings of comparatively trivial interest, and says, that in these we had better take wrong than to enter into strife and lawsuits. The first case is where we are smitten on the cheek. Rather than contend and fight, we should take it patiently and turn the other cheek. This does not, however, prevent our remonstrating firmly, yet mildly, on the injustice of the thing, and insisting that justice should be done us, as is evident from the example of the Saviour himself. See John xviii. 23. The second evil mentioned is where a man is igious, and determined to take all the advantage the law can give him; follow-up, as it was usually in walking, or in ing us with vexatious and expensive lawsuits Our Saviour directs us, rather than to imitate him-rather than to contend with a revengeful spirit in courts of justice, and to perpetual broils-to take a trifling injury, and yield to him. This is merely a question about property, and not about conscience and life.

labour. Thence to gird up the loins, became a significant figurative expression, denoting readiness for service, activity, labour, and watchfulness; and to loose the loins, denoted the giving way to repose and indolence. 2 Kin. iv. 29. Job xxxviii. 3. Isa. v. 27. Luke xii. 35.

John xxi. 7.

Coat. The Jews wore two principal 41. Whosoever shall compel thee to go garments, an interior and an exterior. a mile. The word translated shall compel The interior, here called the coat, or is of Persian origin. Post-offices were the tunic, was made commonly of linen, then unknown. In order that the royal and encircled the whole body, extending commands might be delivered with safety down to the knees. Sometimes beneath this and despatch in different parts of the emgarment, as in the case of the priests, there pire, Cyrus stationed horsemen at proper aas another garment corresponding to pan-intervals on all the great public highways. a.oons. The coat, or tunic, was extended to the neck, and had long or short sleeves. Over this was commonly worn an upper garment, here called cloak, or mantle. It was made commonly nearly square, of different sizes, five or six cubits long, and as many broad, and wrapped round the body, and thrown off when labour was performed. This was the garment which is said to have been without seam, woven throughout. John xix. 23. If, said Christ, an adversary wished to obtain, at law, one of these garments, rather than contend with him, let him have the other also. A reference to various articles of apparel occurs frequently in the New Testament,

One of those delivered the message to another, and intelligence was thus rapidly and safely communicated. These heralds were permitted to compel any person, or to press any horse, boat, ship, or other vehicle that they might need, for the quick transmission of the king's commandments. It was to this custom that our Saviour refers. Rather, says he, than resist a public authority, requiring your attendance and aid for a certain distance, go peaceably twice the distance. A mile. A Roman mile was a thousand paces. Twain. Two.

42. Give to him that asketh thee. This is the general rule. It is better to give

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sometimes to an undeserving person, than to turn away one really necessitous. It is good to be in the habit of giving. At the same time, the rule must be interpreted so as to be consistent with our duty to our families, 1 Tim. v. 8, and with other objects of justice and charity. It is seldom, perhaps never, good to give to a man that is able to work. 2 Thess. iii. 10. To give to such is to encourage laziness, and to support the idle at the expense of the industrious. If such a man is indeed hungry, feed him; if he wants anything farther, give him employment. If a widow, an orphan, a man of misfortune, or a man infirm, lame, or sick, is at your door, never send them away empty. See Matt. xxv. 35-45. Heb. xiii. 2. So of a poor and needy friend that wishes to borrow. We are not to turn away, or deny him. This deserves, however, some limitation. It must be done in consistency with other duties. To lend to every worthless man, would be to throw away our property, encourage laziness and crime, and ruin our families. It should be done consistently, and of this every man is to be the judge. Perhaps our Saviour meant to teach that where there was a deserving friend or brother in want, we should lend to him, without usury, and without standing much about the security.

43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. The command to love our neighbour was a law of God. Lev. xix. 18. That we must, therefore, hate our enemy, was an inference drawn from it, by the Jews. They supposed that if we loved the one, we must, of course, hate the other. They were total strangers to that great, peculiar law of religion which requires us to love both. A neighbour is literally one that lives near to us; then, one that is near to us by acts of kindness and friendship. This is its meaning here. See also Luke x. 36.

44. Love your enemies. There are two

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kinds of love, involving the same general feeling, or springing from the same fountain of good-will to all mankind, but differing still so far as to admit of separation in idea. The one is that feeling by which we approve of the conduct of another, commonly called the love of complacency; the other, by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love of benevolence; and this love we are to bear towards our enemies. It is impossible to love the conduct of a man that curses and reviles us, and injures our person or property, or that violates all the laws of God; but though we may hate his conduct, and feel deeply that we are affected by it, yet we may still wish well to the person; we may pity his madness and folly; we may speak kindly of him, and to him; we may not return evil for evil; we may aid him in the time of trial; and seek to do him good here, and to promote his eternal welfare hereafter. Rom. xii. 17-20. This seems to be what is meant by loving our enemies; and this is a peculiar law of Christianity; and the highest possible test of piety, and probably the most difficult of all duties to be performed. ¶ Bless them that curse you. The word bless here means to speak well of or to. Not to curse again, or to slander, but to speak of those things which we can commend in an enemy; or if there is nothing that we can commend, to say nothing about him. The word bless, spoken of God, means to regard with favour, or to confer benefits, as when God is said to bless his people. When we speak of our blessing God, it means to praise him, or give thanks to him. When we speak of blessing men, it unites the two meanings, and signifies to confer favour, to thank, or to speak well of. ¶ Despitefully use you. The word thus translated, means, first, to injure by prosecution in law; then, wantonly and unjustly to accuse, and to injure in any This seems to be its meaning here. Persecute. See ch. v. 10.

way.

45 That ye may be the 'children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?

1 John xiii. 35. 1 John iii. 9, 10. 2 Job xxv. 3. Psa. cxiv. 9. Acts xiv. 17.

45. That ye may be the children of your Father. In Greek, the sons of your Father. The word son has a variety of significations. See Note on Matt. i. 1. Christians were called the sons or children of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of him. In this passage, the word is used because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes his sun to rise on the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the just and unjust. So his people should show that they imitate or resemble him, or possess his spirit, by doing good in a

similar way.

46. What reward have ye? The word reward seems to be used in the sense of deserving of praise, or reward. If you only love those that love you, you are selfish, you are not disinterested; it is not genuine love for the character, but love for the benefit; and you deserve no commendation. The very Publicans would do the same. The Publicans. The publicans were tax-gatherers. Judea was a province of the Roman empire. The Jews bore this foreign yoke with great impatience, and paid their taxes with great reluctance. It happened, therefore, that those who were appointed to collect taxes were objects of great detestation. They were, besides, men who would be supposed to execute their office at all hazards; men who were willing to engage in an odious and hated employment; men often of abandoned characters, oppressive in their exactions, and dissolute in their Ives. By the Jews they were associated in character with thieves, and adulterers, with the profane, and dissolute. Christ! says that even these wretched men would Love their benefactors.

47. And if ye salute your brethren, &c. The word salute here means to show

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the customary tokens of civility, or to treat with the common marks of friendship. See Note, Luke x. 4. Christ says that the worst men, the very publicans, would do this. Christians should do more; they should show that they had a different spirit; they should treat their enemies as well as wicked men did their friends. This should be done: 1. Because it is right; it is the only really amiable spirit; and, 2. We should show that religion is not selfish, and is superior to all other principles of action.

Job

48. Be ye therefore perfect. Jesus concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be perfect. This word commonly means finished, complete, pure, holy. Originally it is applied to a piece of mechanism, as a machine that is complete in its parts. Applied to men, it refers to completeness of parts, or perfection, where no part is defective or wanting. Thus, Job, ch. i. 1, is said to be perfect; that is, not holy as God, or sinless-for fault is afterwards found with him. ix. 20; xlii. 6. But his piety was proportionate, had a completeness of parts, was consistent and regular. He exhibited his religion as a prince, a father, an individual, a benefactor of the poor. He was not merely a pious man is one place, but uniformly. He was consistent everywhere. This is the meaning in Matthew: Be not religious merely in loving your friends and neighbours, but let your piety be shown in loving your enemies; be perfect; imitate God; let the piety be complete, and proportionate, and regular. This every Christian may be; this every Christian must be.

REMARKS ON CHAPTER V.

I. The gospel pronounces blessings on things far different from what the world has thought to be sources of happiness.

CHAPTER VI.

Against ostentation in alms, 1-4. In devotion, 5-13, 16-18. Forgiveness of injuries, 14, 15. Treasure in heaven, 19-21. Singleness of aim, 22, 24. Against worldly anxiety, 25-34.

Men suppose that happiness is to be found in mirth, in wealth, in honour, in esteem, in freedom from persecution. Christ says that it is to be sought in the reverse. Often men are most happy in poverty, in sickness, in persecution, when supported by the presence and promises of a merciful God. And if God appoints our station there, we should submit to it, and learn therewith to be content.

II. We may see the evil of anger. It is a species of murder. If it be secretly cherished, or exhibited by contempt and injury, it must bring down the displeasure of God. It is a source of misery. True enjoyment is found in meekness, peace, calmness, and benevolence. In such a firmness, and steadiness, and dependence on God, as to keep the soul unruffled in the midst of provocation, is happiness. Such was Christ.

III. We see the evil of indelicacy of feeling and sentiment, and the extreme strictness and severity of the law respecting the intercourse of the sexes, ver. 28. And yet what law is more frequently violated? By obscene anecdotes and tales; by songs and jibes; by double meanings and innuendoes; by looks and gestures; by conversation, and obscene books and pictures, this law of our Saviour is perpetually violated. If there is any one sentiment of most value for the comfort, the character, the virtuous sociability, of the young-one that will shed the greatest charm over society, and make it the most pure-it is that which inculcates perfect delicacy and purity in the intercourse of the sexes. Virtue of any kind never blooms when this is not cherished. Modesty and purity once gone, every flower that would diffuse its fragrance over life, withers and dies with it. There is no one sin that so withers and blights every virtue; none that so enfeebles and prostrates every ennobling feeling of the soul, as to indulge in a life of impurity. How should purity dwell in the heart; breathe from the lips; kindle in the eye; live in the imagination; and

AKE heed that ye do not your

TAKE

1 alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward 2 of your Father which is in heaven.

Or, righteousness. Psa. cxii. 9. 2 Or, with. dwell in the intercourse of all the young! An eternal, avenging God is near to every wanton thought; marks every eye that kindles with impure desire; rolls the thunder of justice over every polluted soul; and is preparing woe for every violator of the laws of purity and chastity. Prov. ii. 18, 19; v. 3-14; vii. 22,23.

IV. Revenge is equally forbidden. Persecution, slander, wilful prosecution, anger, personal abuse, duelling, suicide, murder, are all violations of the law of God, and all must call down his vengeance.

V. We are bound to love our enemies. This is a law of christianity, original and peculiar. No system but this has required it, and no act of christian piety is more difficult. None shows more the power of the grace of God; none is more ornamental to the character; none more like God; and none furnishes better evidence of piety. He that can meet a man kindly who is seeking his hurt; who can speak well of one that is perpetually slandering and cursing him; that can pray for a man that abuses, injures, and wounds him; and that can seek heaven for him that wishes his damnation; is in the way to life. This is religion, beautiful as its native skies; pure like its Source; kind like its Author; fresh like the dews of the morning; clear and diffusive like the beams of the rising sun; and holy like the feelings and words that come from the bosom of the Son of God. He that can do this need not doubt that he is a Christian. He has caught the very spirit of the Saviour, and he must inherit eternal life.

CHAPTER VI.

1. Alms. Liberality to the poor and needy. Any thing given to them to supply their wants. Our Saviour, here, does not positively command his disciples to aid the poor, but supposes that they would do it of course, and gives them direction how to do it. It is the nature of religion to help those who are really poor and needy, and a real Christian does not wait to be commanded to do it, but only asks

2 Therefore when thou doest | not thy left hand know what thy thine alms, 1 do not sound a trum- right hand doeth : pet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let

1 Or, cause a trumpet to be sounded. 2 Ch. viii. 4; ix. 30. John vii. 4.

the opportunity. See Luke xix. 8; Gal. ii. 10; Jas. i. 27. Before men, &c. Our Lord does not forbid us to give alms before men always, but only forbids our doing it to be seen of them, for the purposes of ostentation, and to seek their praise. To a person who is disposed to do good from a right motive, it matters little whether it be in public or in private. The only thing that renders it even desirable that our deeds should be seen is, that God may be glorified. See ch. v. 16. Otherwise. If your only motive for doing it is to be seen of men, God will not reward you. Take heed not to do it to be seen, otherwise God will not reward

you.

2. Do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do. The word hypocrite is taken from stage-players who act the part of others, or speak not their own sentiments, but the sentiments of others. It means here, and in the New Testament generally, those who dissemble or hide their real sentiments, and assume or express other feelings than their own; those who, for purposes of ostentation, or gain, or applause, put on the appearance of religion. It is probable that such persons, when they were about to bestow alms, caused a trumpet to be sounded, professedly to call the poor together to receive it, but really to call the people to attend to it; or perhaps it may mean that they should not make a great noise about it, like sounding a trumpet. ¶ In the synagogues. The word synagogue commonly means the place of assembling for religious Worship known by that name. Note, Matt. iv. 23. It might mean, however, any collection of people for any purpose. And it is not improbable that it has that meaning here. It does not appear that they made a noise in bestowing charity in

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward 3thee openly.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in

3 Luke viii. 17; xiv. 14.

the synagogues, or that it was commonly bestowed there; but it was probably done on occasion of any great assemblage, in any place of concourse, and at the corners of the streets, where it could be seen by many. They have their reward. That is, they obtain the applause they seek, the reputation of being charitable; and as this applause was all they wished, there is of course no further reward to be looked for or obtained.

3, 4. Let not thy left hand know, &c. This is a proverbial expression, signifying that the action should be done as secretly as possible. The Hebrews often attribute actions to members which properly belong to persons. The encouragement for doing this is, that it will be pleasing to God; that he will see the act, however secret it may be, and will openly reward it. If the reward is not greater in this life, it will be in the life to come. In multitudes of cases, however, alms given to the poor are lent to the Lord, Prov. xix. 17, and will be repaid in this life. Rarely, perhaps never, has it been found that the man who is liberal to the poor, has ever suffered by it in his worldly circumstances.

5. And when thou prayest, &c. Hypocrites manifested the same spirit about prayer as alms-giving; it was done in public places.

The word synagogues, here, clearly means, not the place of worship of that name, but places where many were accustomed to assemble, near the markets, or courts, where they could be seen of many. Our Lord evidently could not mean to condemn prayers in the synagogues. It might be said that he condemned ostentatious prayer there, while they neglected secret prayer: but this does not appear to be his design. The Jews were much in the habit of

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