25 Agree with thine adversary and the judge deliver thee to the quickly, whiles thou art in the way officer, and thou be cast into prison. with him; lest at any time the ad- 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou versary deliver thee to the judge, shalt by no means come out thence, fess it, and seek pardon. If he is un- | der an erroneous impression; if your conduct has been such as to lead him to suspect that you have injured him, make an explanation. Do all in your power, and all you ought to do, to have the matter settled. From this we learn: 1st. That in order to worship God acceptably, we must do justice to our fellow-men. 2d. Our worship will not be acceptable, unless we do all we can to live peaceably with others. 3d. It is our duty to seek reconciliation with others when we have injured them. 4th. This should be done before we attempt to worship God. 5th. This is often the reason why God does not accept our offerings, and we go empty away from our devotions. We do not do what we ought to others; we cherish improper feelings, or refuse to make proper acknowledgments, and God will not accept such attempts to worship him. 25, 26. Agree with thine adversary quickly. This is still an illustration of the sixth commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious, is a violation always, on one side or the other, of the law requiring us to love our neighbor; and our Saviour regards it as a violation of the sixth commandment. While you are in the way with him, says he, that is, while you are going to the court, before the trial has taken place, it is your duty, if possible, to come to an agreement. It is wrong to carry the contention to a court of law. See 1 Cor. vi. 6, 7. The consequence of not being reconciled, he expresses in the language of courts. The adversary shall deliver to the judge, and he to the executioner, and he shall throw you into prison. He did not mean to say, that this would be literally the way with God; but that His dealings with those that harbored these feelings, and would not be reconciled with their brethren, were re presented by the punishment inflicted by human tribunals. That is, he would hold all such as violators of the sixth commandment, and would punish them accordingly. There is no propriety in the use sometimes made of this verse, in re garding God as the " adversary" of the sinner, and urging him to be reconciled to God while in the way to judgment. Nor does the phrase "thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou nast paid the uttermost farthing, refer to the eternity of future punishment. It is language taken from courts of justice, to illustrate the truth that God will punish men according to justice, for not being reconciled. It will be eternal indeed, but this passage does not prove it. Thine adversary. A till thou hast paid the uttermost to lust after her, hath committed farthing. adultery with her already in his heart. 27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman a Job 31.1. Pr.6.25. man that is opposed to us in law. It here means a creditor; a man who has just claim on us. In the way with him. While you are going before the court. Before the trial comes on. The officer. The executioner; or as we should say, the sheriff. ¶ The uttermost farthing. The last farthing. All that is due. The farthing was a small coin used in Judea, equal to two mites. It was equal to about seven mills of our money. 29 And if thy right eye' offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should 1 or, do cause thee to offend. times an evil passion, or sin in general. 27, 28. Ye have heard thou shalt not commit adultery. Our Saviour in these verses explains the seventh commandment. It is probable that the Phari-means a net, or a certain part of a ne sees had explained this commandment against which, if a bird strikes, it springs as they had the sixth, as extending only the net, and is taken. It comes to sigto the external act; and that they re- nify, therefore, any thing by which we garded evil thoughts and a wanton ima- fall, or are ensnared; and applied to gination as of little consequence, or as morals, means any thing by which we not forbidden by the law. Our Sa- fall into sin, or by which we are en. viour assures them that the command- snared. The English word offend means ment did not regard the external act now, commonly, to displease; to make merely, but the secrets of the heart, and angry; to affront. This is by no means the movements of the eye. That they the sense of the word in scripture. It who indulged a wanton desire; that they means to cause to fall, or to allure, into who looked on a woman to increase their sin. The eye does this, when it wanlust, have already, in the sight of God, tonly looks on a woman to lust after her. violated the commandment, and com- ¶ Pluck it out, &c. It cannot be supmitted a 'ultery in the heart. Such was posed that Christ intended this to be the guilt of David, whose deep and taken literally. His design was to teach. awful crime fully shows the danger of that the dearest objects, if they caused indulging in evil desires, and in the rov- us to sin, were to be abandoned; that ings of a wanton eye. See 2 Sam. xi. by all sacrifices and self-denials, we Ps. li. See also 2 Pet. ii. 14. So ex- must overcome the evil propensities of ceeding strict and broad is the law of our natures, and resist our wanton ima. God! And so heinous in his sight are ginations. Some of the Fathers, howthoughts and feelings, which may be ever, took this commandment literally for ever concealed from the world! Our Saviour several times repeated this sentiment. See Matt. xviii. 9. Mark ix. 43-47. See also Col. iii. 5. ¶ It is profitable for thee. It is better for thee. You will be a gainer by it. One of thy members perish. It is better to deny yourself the gratification of an evil passion here, however much it may cost you, than to go down to hell for ever. 29. Thy right eye. The Hebrews, like others, were accustomed to represent the affections of the mind by the members or parts of the body. Rom. vii. 23; vi. 13. Thus the bowels, denoted compassion; the heart, affection or feeling; the reins, understanding, secret purpose. An evil eye denotes Boinetimes envy (Matt. xx. 15.); some Thy whole body be cast into hell. Thy perish, and not that thy whole body should be east into hell." 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement;" a Ro.8.13. 1 Cor.9.27. b De.24.1. Je.3.1. Mar.10.2-9. body with all its unsubdued and vicious propensities. This will constitute no small part of the misery of hell. The sinner will be sent there as he is, with every evil desire; every unsubdued propensity; every wicked and troublesome passion; and yet with no possibility of gratification. It constitutes our highest notions of misery, when we think of a man filled with anger, pride, malice, avarice, envy, and lust, and no opportunity of gratifying them for ever. This is all that is necessary to make an eternal hell. 31, 32. It hath been said, &c. That is, by Moses. Deut. xxiv. 1, 2. The husband was directed, if he put his wife away, to give her a bill of divorce, that is, a certificate of the fact, that she had been his wife, and that he had dissolved the marriage. There was considerable difference of opinion among the Jews for what causes the husband was permitted to do this. One of their famous schools maintained that it might be done for any cause, however trivial. The other, that adultery only could justify it. The truth was, however, that the husband exercised this right at pleasure; that he was judge in the case, and dismissed his wife when, and for what cause, he chose. And this seems to be agreeable to the law in Deuteronomy. Our Saviour, in Mark x. 1-12, says that this was permitted on account of the hardness of their hearts; but in the beginning it was not so. God made a ingle pair, and ordained marriage for life. But Moses found the people so much hardened, so long accustomed to the practie, and so rebellious, that, as a matter of civil appointment, he thought it best not to attempt any change. Our Saviour brought marriage back to its 32 But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife," saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: c c.19.9. 1 Co.7.10,11. d Le.19.12. Nu.30 2. De.23.23. original institution, and declared that whosoever put away his wife henceforward should be guilty of adultery. But one offence, he declared, could justify divorce. This is now the law of God. This was the original institution. This is the only law that is productive of peace and good morals, and the due respect of a wife, and the good of children. Nor has any man, or se of men, a right to interfere, and declare that divorces may be granted for any other cause. Whosoever, therefore, are divorced for any cause except the single one of adultery, if they marry again, are, according to the scriptures, living in adultery. No earthly laws can trample down the laws of God, or make that right which he has solemnly pronounced wrong. 33. Thou shalt not forswear thyself. Christ here proceeds to correct anothe false interpretation of the law. The law respecting oaths is found in Lev. xix. 12, and Deut. xxiii. 23. By those laws, men were forbid to perjure themselves, or to forswear, that is, swear falsely. Perform unto the Lord. Perform literally, really, and religiously, what is promised in an oath. Thine oaths. An oath is a solemn affirmation, or declaration, made with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed, and imprecating his vengeance, and renouncing his favor, if what is affirmed is false. A false oath is called perjury; or, as in this place, forswearing. It appears, however, from this pas sage, as well as from the ancient writ ings of the Jewish Rabbins, that while they professedly adhered to the law, they had introduced a number of oatns in common conversation, and oaths which they by no means considered as binding. 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. a c.23.16-22. Ja.5.12. b Re.21.2,10. For example, they would swear by the temple, by the head, by heaven, by the earth. So long as they kept from swearing by the name Jehovah, and so long as they observed the oaths publicly taken, they seemed to consider all others as allowable, and allowedly broken. This is the abuse which Christ wished to correct. It was the practice of swearing in common conversation, and especially swearing by created things. To do this, he said that they were mistaken in their views of the sacredness of such oaths. They were very closely connected with God; and to trifle with them, was a species of trifling with God. Heaven is his throne; the earth his footstool; Jerusalem his peculiar abode; the head was made by him, and was so much under his control, that we could not make one hair white or black. To swear by these things, therefore, was to treat irreverently objects created by God; and could not be without guilt. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black: 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil.c c Ja.5.12. earth; it is his footstool. Swearing by that, therefore, is really swearing by God. Or, perhaps, it means: 1st. We have no right to pledge, or swear by, what belongs to God; and, 2d. That oaths by inanimate objects are unmeaning, and wicked. If they are real oaths, they are by a living Being, who has power to take vengeance. A footstool is that on which the feet rest when sitting. The term is applied to the earth, to denote how lowly and humble an object it is when compared with God. Jerusalem. Ch. ii. 1. City of the Great King. That is of God; called the Great King, because he was the King of the Israelites, and Jerusalem was the capital of the nation, and the place where he was peculiarly honored as King. 36. Thy head. This was a common oath. The Gentiles also many of them used this oath. To swear by the head was the same as to swear by the life; or to say, I will forfeit my life if what I say is not true. God is the author of the life, and to swear by that, therefore, is the same as to swear by him. One hair, &c. You have no control or right over your own life. You cannot even change one single hair. God has all that control; and it is therefore improper and profane to pledge what is God's gift and God's property; and it is the same as swearing by God himself. Our Saviour here evidently had no reference to judicial oaths, or oaths taken in a court of justice. It was merely the foolish and wicked habit of swearing in private conversation; of swearing on every occasion, and by every thing, that he condemned. This he does condemn in a most unqualified manner. He himself, however, did not refuse to take an oath in a court of law. Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. So Paul often called God to witness his sincerity, which is all that is 37. Your communication. Your word; meant by an oath. Sce Rom. i. 9; ix. 1. what you say. Be, yea. Yes. This Gal. i. 20. Heb. vi. 16. Oaths were, does not mean that we should always moreover, prescribed in the law of Mo-use the word yea, for it might as well ses, and Christ did not come to repeal have been translated yes. But it means those laws. See Exod. xxii. 11. Lev. that we should simply affirm, or declare v. 1. Num. v. 19. Deut. xxix. 12. 14. that a thing is so. More than these. 34, 35. Swear not at all. That is, More than these affirmations. Profane in the manner which he proceeds to oaths come of evil. Cometh of evil. specify. Swear not in any of the com- Is evil. Proceeds from some evil dismon and profane ways customary at position or purpose. And from this we that time By heaven; for it is God's may learn: 1st. That profane swearthrone. To swear by that was, if it ing is always the evidence of a depraved meant any thing, to swear by Him that heart. To trifle with the name of God, sitteth thereon. Matt. xxiii. 22. Theor with any of his works, is itself most a 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you,' that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn | to him the other also. ■ Ex.21.24. Pr.20.22; 24.29. Ro.12.17-19. decided proof of depravity. 2d. That no man is believed any sooner in common conversation because he swears to a thing. When we hear a man swear to a thing, it is pretty good evidence that he knows what he is saying to be false, and we should be on our guard. He that will break the third commandment, will not hesitate to break the ninth also. And this explains the fact that profane swearers are seldom believed. The man who is always believed, is he whose character is beyond suspicion in all things; who obeys all the laws of God; and whose simple declaration therefore is enough. A man that is truly a Christian, and leads a Christian life, does not need oaths and profaneness to make him believed. 3d. It is no mark of a gentleman to swear. The most worthless and vile; the refuse of mankind; the drunkard and the prostitute, swear as well as the best dressed and educated rentleman. No particular endowments are requisite to give a finish to the art of cursing. The basest and meanest of mankind swear with as much tact and skill as the most refined; and he that wishes to degrade himself to the very lowest level of pollution and shame, should learn to be a common swearer. Any man has talents enough to learn to curse God, and his fellow men, and to pray for every man who swears, prays that God would sink him and others into hell. No profane man knows but that God will hear his prayer, and send him to the regions of wo. 4th. Profaneness does no man any good. No man is the richer, or wiser, or happier for it. It helps no one's education, or manners. It commends no one to any society. The profane man must be, of course, shut out from female society; and no refined intercourse can consist with it. It is disgusting to the refined; abominable to the good; insulting to those with whom we associate; degrading to the mind; unprofitable, needless, and injurious. in society; and awful in 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compe! thee to go a mile, go with him twain. c Is.50.6. the sight of God. 5th. God will not hold the profane swearer guiltless.Wantonly to profane his name; to call his vengeance down; to curse him on his throne; to invoke damnation, is perhaps of all offences the most awful. And there is not in the universe more cause of amazement at his forbearance, than that God does not rise in venge ance, and smite the profane swearer at once to hell. Verily, in a world like this, where his name is profaned every day, and hour, and moment, by thousands, God shows that he is slow to anger; and that his mercy is without bounds! 38-41. An eye for an eye, &c. This command is found in Ex. xxi. 24. Lev. xxiv. 20, and Deut. xix. 21. In these places it was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges. They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning. As a judicial rule, is not unjust. Christ finds no fault with the rule as applied to magistrates, and does not take upon himself to repeal it. But, instead of confining it to magistrates, the Jews had extended it to private conduct, ard made it the rule by which to take revenge. They considered themselves justified by this rule to inflict the saine injury on others that they had received. Against this our Saviour remonstrates. He declares that the law had no reference to private revenge; that it was given only to regulate the magistrate; and that their private conduct was to be regulated by different principles. The general principle which he laid down was, that we are not to resist evil; that is, as it is in the Greek, not to sel ourselves against an evil person who is injuring us. But even this general direction is not to be pressed too strictly. Christ did not intend to teach that we are to see our families murdered, or be murdered ourselves, rather than to make resistance. The law of nature, and all laws, human and divine, have |