Jers, the rulers, the priests, or elders, the governors, the ecerseers, the fathers of the synagogue. Service was performed in them three times a day-morning, afternoon, and night. Synagogue, among the Jews, had often the same meaning as congregation among us, or place of judicature; see James ii. 2.

Preaching the Gospel of the kingdom.] Or, proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom. See the preceding notes. Be. hold here the perfect pattern of an evangelical preacher: I. He goes about seeking sinners on every side, that he may show them the way to heaven. 2. He proclaims the glad tidings of the kingdom, with a freedom worthy of the King whom he serves. 3. He makes his reputation and the confidence of the people, subservient not to his own interest, but to the salvation of souls. 4. To his preaching he joins, as far as he has ability, all works of mercy, and temporal assistance to the bodies of men. 5. He takes care to inform men that diseases, and all kinds of temporal evils, are the effects of sin, and that their hatred to iniquity should increase in proportion to the evils they endure through it. 6. And that nothing but the porer of God can save them from sin and its consequences. For glad tidings, or Gospel, see chap. i. title: Proclaiming, see chap. iii. 1. and end, and for the meaning of kingdom, see chap. ii. 2. All manner of sickness, and all manner of disease.] There is a difference between voros, translated here sickness, and paλakia, translated disease. The first is thus defined; voros, THY XOOVINY KÜKoñaðɛtav, a disease of some standing, a chronic disorder.

Infirmity, padaria, Tηy novokaipov avopadiav rev oparos, a temporary disorder of the body. Theophylact. This is a proper distinction, and is necessary to be observed. 24. Sick people.] Tovs kakws exovras, those who felt ill-were afflicted with any species of malady.

And torments.] Baravots, from Bacavigw, to examine by torture, such as colics, gouts, and rheumatisms, which racked every joint.

Possessed with devils.] Demoniacs. Persons possessed by evil spirits. This is certainly the plain obvious meaning of demoniac in the Gospels.

temptations of Christ. and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them.

25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

b Num. 32. 33. Luke 6. 17. Mark 5. 90

God; and thus they understood, Amos viii. 11. Behold the days come-that I will send a famine in the land, not a fa mine of bread-but of hearing the words of the Lord.

And as the Messiah was to dispense this word, the bread of life, hence they believed that vast multitudes from all parts should be gathered together to him. See Schoetgenius on this place.

Decapolis.] A small country situated between Syria and Galilee of the Nations. It was called Decapolis, Ankanodes, from deka, ten, and moλis, a city, because it contained only ten cities, the metropolis, and most ancient of which, was Damascus. From beyond Jordan.] Or, from the side of Jordan. Probably this was the country which was occupied anciently by the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; for the country of Decapolis lay on both sides of the river Jordan. See Numb. xxxii. 5, 33.

The account of our Lord's temptation, as given by the evan gelist, is acknowledged on all hands, to be extremely difficult. Two modes of interpretation have been generally resorted to, in order to make the whole plain and intelligible: viz. the literal and allegorical. In all cases where it can possibly apply, I prefer the first: the latter should never be used, unless obviously indicated in the text itself; or so imperiously necessary, that no other mode of interpretation can possibly ap ply. In the preceding observations, I have taken up the subject in a literal point of view; and it is hoped that most of the difficulties in the relation have been removed, or obviated by this plan. An ingenious correspondent has favoured me with some observations on the subject, which have much more than the merit of novelty to recommend them. I shall give an ab. stract of some of the most striking; and leave the whole to the reader's further consideration.

The thoughts in this communication proceed on this ground: "These temptations were addressed to Christ as a public per son, and respected his conduct in the execution of his ministry; and are reported to his church as a forcible and practical instruction, concerning the proper method of promoting the kingdom of God upon earth. They are warnings against those Satanic illusions, by which the servants of Christ are liable to be hindered in their great work, and even stopped in the prosecution of it.

"As our Lord had, at his baptism, been declared to be the Son of GOD, i. e. the promised Messiah, this was probably well known to Satan, who did not mean to insinuate any thing to the contrary, when he endeavoured to engage him to put forth an act of that power which he possessed as the Messiah. The mysterious union of the divine with the human nature, in our Lord's state of humiliation, Satan might think possible to be broken, and therefore endeavoured in the first temptation, Command these stones to be made bread, to induce our Lord to put forth a separate independent act of power; which our Lord repelled, by showing his intimate union with the Divine Will, which he was come to fulfil-Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Thus showing, as he did on another occasion, that it was his meat and drink to do the will of his Father.

Many eminent men think, that the sacred writers accommodated themselves to the unfounded prejudices of the common people, in attributing certain diseases to the influence of evil spirits, which were merely the effects of natural causes; but that this explanation can never comport with the accounts given of these persons, shall be proved as the places occur. Our common version, which renders the word, those possessed by devils, is not strictly correct; as the word devil, diaBodos, is not found in the plural in any part of the Sacred Writings, when speaking of evil spirits: for though there are multitudes of demons, Mark v. 9. yet it appears there is but one DEVIL, who seems to be supreme, or head, over all the rest. AaBolos, signifies an accuser or slanderer, 1 Tim. iii. 11. 2 Tim. iii. 3. Tit. ii. 3. Perhaps Satan was called so, Ist. because he accused or slandered God in Paradise, as averse, from the increase of man's knowledge and happiness, Gen. iii. 5. John viii. 44. and 2dly, because he is the accuser of men, Rev. xii. 9, 10. See also Job i. 2. The word comes from dia, through, and Baλλeiv, to cast, or shoot, because of the influence of his evil suggestions: compared, Eph. vi. 16. to fiery darts: and thus it is nearly of the same meaning with o pagov, he who pierces through. See on ver. 3. Lunatic.] Persons afflicted with epileptic or other disorders, which are always known to have a singular increase at the change and full of the moon. This undoubtedly proceeds from the superadded attractive influence of the sun and moon upon the earth's atmosphere; as in the periods men. tioned above, these two luminaries are both in conjunction; and their united attractive power being exerted on the earth at the same time, not only causes the flux and reflux of the ocean, but occasions a variety of important changes in the bodies of infirm persons, of animals in general, but more par. "3. The last temptation was the most subtle and the most ticularly of those who are more sensible of these variations. powerful-All these will I give unto thee, if thou will fall And is this any wonder, when it is well known, that a very down and worship me. To inherit all nations, had been reslight alteration in the atmosphere causes the most uncomfort-peatedly declared to be the birthright of the Messiah. His able sensations to a number of invalids? But sometimes even these diseases were caused by demons. See on chap. viii. 16, 34. and xvii. 15.

Paley.] Palsy is defined, a sudden loss of tone and vital power in a certain part of the human body. This may affect a limb, the whole side, the tongue, or the whole body. This disorder is in general incurable, except by the miraculous power of God, unless in its slighter stages.

He healed them.] Either with a word or a touch: and thus proved, that all nature was under his control.

25. This verse is immediately connected with the 5th chapter, and should not be separated from it.

Great multitudes.] This even according to the Jews, was one proof of the days of the Messiah: for they acknowledged that in his time there should be a great famine of the word of

"2. The ground of the temptation was then changed: and the fulfilment of the Divine Will, in the completion of a prophetic promise, was made the ostensible object of the next attack. Cast thyself down-for it is WRITTEN, He will give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, &c. This our Lord repelled with-Thou shult not tempt the Lord thy God-as Satan had designed to induce him to seek this public miraculous confirmation of God's peculiar care over him as the promised Messiah; of his being which, according to the hypothesis above, Satan had no doubt. Moses being appointed to a great and important work, needed miraculous signs to strengthen his faith; but the sacred humanity of our blessed Lord needed them not; nor did his wisdom judge that such a sign from heaven was essential to the instruction of the people.

right to universal empire could not be controverted; nor could Satan presume to make the investiture. What, then, was his purpose? Satan had hitherto opposed, and that with considerable success, the kingdom of God upon earth; and what he appears to propose here, were, terms of peace and an honourable retreat. The worship which he exacted was an act of homage, in return for his cession of that ascendency which, through the sin of man, he had obtained in the world. Having long established his rule among men, it was not at first to be expected, that he would resign it without a combat: but the purpose of this last temptation appears to be an offer to decline any further contest; and yet more, if his terms were accepted, apparently to engage his influence to promote the kingdom of the Messiah. And as the condition of this proposed alliance, he required not divine worship, but such

'Our Lord commences his

ST. MATTHEW.

sermon on the mount.

an act of homage as implied amity and obligation; and if | temptation was a subtle attempt to induce Christ to acknow this construction be allowed, he may be supposed to have en-ledge Satan as an ally in the establishment of his kingdom." forced the necessity of the measure, by every suggestion of the E. M. B. consequences of a refusal. The sufferings which would in- The above is the substance of the ingenious theory of my evitably result from a provoked opposition, which would ren- correspondent, which may be considered as a third mode of der the victory, though certain to Christ himself, dearly interpretation, partaking equally of the allegoric and literal. bought; added to which, the conflict he was prepared to carry Istill, however, think, that the nearer we keep to the letter in on through succeeding ages, in which all his subtlety and all such difficult cases, the more tenable is our ground, espe powers should be employed to hinder the progress of Christ's cially where the subject itself does not obviously require the cause in the earth, and that with a considerable degree of an allegorical mode of interpretation. Among many things wor ticipated success. Here the devil seems to propose to make thy of remark in the preceding theory, the following deserves over to Christ the power and influence he possessed in this most attention: That Satan is ever ready to tempt the govern world, on condition that he would enter into terms of peace ors and ministers of the Christian Church to suppose, that with him and the inducement offered was, that thereby our worldly means, human policy, secular interest and influence, Lord should escape those sufferings both in his own person, are all essentially necessary for the support and extension of and in that of his adherents, which a provoked contest would that kingdom which is not of this world! Such persons can insure. And we may suppose that a similar temptation lies never long preserve hallowed hands-they bring the world hid in the desires excited even in some of the servants of into the church; endeavour to sanctify the bad means they Christ, who may feel themselves often induced to employ use, by the good end they aim at; and often, in the prosecu worldly influence and power for the promotion of his king- tion of their object, by means which are not of God's devising, dom, even though, in so doing, an apparent communion of are driven into straits and difficulties, and to extricate themChrist and Belial is the result: for it will be found that nei-selves, tell lies for God's sake. This human policy is from ther worldly riches, nor power, can be employed in the ser beneath-God will neither sanction nor bless it. It has been vice of Christ, till, like the spoils taken in war, Dent. xxxi. the bane of true religion in all ages of the world; and in every 21-23. they have passed through the tire and water; as, with country where the cause of Christianity has been established, out a divine purification, they are not fit to be employed in the such scheiners and plotters in the church of God are as dan. service of God and his church. gerous to its interests, as a plague is to the health of society. "Hence we may conclude, that the first temptation had for The governors and ministers of the Christian church, should its professed object, 1st, our Lord's personal relief and com- keep themselves pure, and ever do God's work in his own fort, through the inducement of performing a separate and way. If the slothful servant should be cast out of the vineindependent act of power. The second temptation professed yard, he that corrupts the good seed of the divine field, or to have in view his public acknowledgment by the people as sows tares among the wheat, should be considered as an enethe MESSIAH: for should they see him work such a miracle my to righteousness, and be expelled from the sacred pale us as throwing himself down from the pinnacle of the temple oue who closes in with the temptation-" All these things, without receiving any hurt, they would be led instantly to ac-(the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,) will I give knowledge his divine mission: and the evil of this temptation may be explained, as secking to secure the success of his mis sion by other means than those which, as the Messiah, he had received from the Father. Compare John xiv. 31.-The third

unto THEE, if thou wilt fall down and worship ME." However necessary the church may be to the state; and the state to the church, yet the latter is never in so much danger, as when the foriner smiles upon it.

CHAPTER V.

Christ begins his sermon on the mount, 1, 2. The beatitudes, 3-12. The disciples the salt of the earth, and light of the world, 13-16. Christ is not come to destroy, but confirm and fulfil the Law and the Prophets, 17-19. Of the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, 20. Interpretation of the precepts relative to murder, anger, and injurious speaking, 21, 22. Of reconciliation, 23-26. Of impure acts and propensities, and the necessity of mortification, 27-30. Of di vorce, 31, 32. Of oaths and profane swearing, 33-37. Of bearing injuries and persecution, 38-41. Of borrowing and lending, 42. Of love and hatred, 43-46. Of civil respect, 47. Christ's disciples must resemble their heavenly Father, 48 [A. M. 4031. A. D. 27. An. Olymp. CCI. 3.]

AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain:

and when he was set, his disciples caine unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

a Mk. 3. 13, 20.-b Lk, 6. 20. See Ps. 51. 17. Pro. 16. 19. & 19. 23. Is 57. 12. & 85.2.

NOTES.-Verse 1. And seeing the multitudes.] Tovs oxλove, these multitudes, viz. those mentioned in the preceding verse, which should make the first verse of this chapter.

He went up into a mountain.] That he night have the greater advantage of speaking, so as to be heard by that great concourse of people which followed him.

3 b Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

elsa, 61.2, 3. Luke 6. 21. John 16, 20, 2 Cor. 1. 7. Rev. 21. 4.

Subjecit pedibus; strepitumque Acherontis avari! Virg. Geor. ii. v. 490. Which may be thus paraphrased. "Happy is he who gains the knowledge of the first cause of all things! who can tram. ple on every fear, and the doctrine of inexorable FATE; and who is not terrified by death, nor by the threatened torments of the invisible world."

And when he was set.] The usual posture of public teachers among the Jews, and anong many other people. Hence sit- Poor in spirit.] One who is deeply sensible of his spiritual ting was a synonymous term for teaching, among the rabbins. poverty and wretchedness. Пraxos, a poor man, comes from His disciples. The word uanīns, signifies literally a scho-Twow, to tremble, or shrink with fear. Being destitute of lar. Those who originally followed Christ, considered him the true riches, he is tremblingly alive to the necessities of in the light of a divine teacher, and conscious of their igno- his soul, shrinking with fear lest he should perish without rance, and the importance of his teaching, they put them the salvation of God. Such Christ pronounces happy, be selves under his tuition, that they might be instructed in cause there is but a step between them and that kingdom heavenly things. Having been taught the mysteries of the which is here promised. Some contend, that pakaotor should kingdom of God, they became closely attached to their divine be referred to vcupari, and the verse translated thus: Hap Master, imitating his life and manners; and recommending py, or blessed in spirit are the poor. But our Lord seems to his salvation to all the circle of their acquaintance. This is have the humiliation of the spirit particularly in view. still the characteristic of a genuine disciple of Christ. Kingdom of heaven.] Or, rov ovpavor, of the heavens. A participation of all the blessings of the New Covenant here, and the blessings of glory above. See this phrase explained, chap. iii. 2. Blessed are the poor! this is God's word: but who believes it? Do tre not say, Yea, rather, Blessed is the rich? The Jewish rabbins have many good sayings relative to that poverty and humility of spirit which Christ recommends in this verse. In the treatise called Bammidbar Rab. ba, s. 20. we have these words: There were three (evils) in Balaam, the evil eye, (envy) the towering spirit, (pride) and the extensive mind, (avarice.) Tanchum, fol. 84. The law does not abide with those who have the extensive mind, (avarice) but with him only who has a contrite heart. Rabbi Chanina said, "Why are the words of the law compared to ta ter? Because, as waters flow from heights, and settle in low places, so the words of the law rest only with him who is of an humble heart." See Schoettgen.

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, &c.] Or, happy, pakapint, from pa, or un, not, and np, fate, or death; intimating, that such persons were endued with immortality, and conse. quently were not liable to the caprices of fute. Homer, Iliad. i. 339. calls the supreme gods, Bewv pakaowv, the ever happy and IMMORTAL gods, and opposes them to vηw av Opwn wv, mortal men.

Τω δ' αυτώ μαρτυροι εστών

Προς τε θεών μακαρων, προς τε θνητων ανθρώπων.
"Be ye witnesses before the immortal gods, and before mor-
tal men." From this definition we may learn, that the person
whom Christ terms happy, is one who is not under the infin-
ence of fate or chance, but is governed by an all-wise Provi-
dence, having every step directed to the attainment of immor-
tal glory, being transformed by the power into the likeness of
the ever-blessed God. Though some of the persons, whose
states are mentioned in these verses, cannot be said to be as
yet blessed or happy, in being made partakers of the divine
nature; yet they are termed happy by our Lord, because they
are on the straight way to this blessedness. Taken in this
light, the meaning is similar to that expressed by the poet,
when describing a happy man.

FELIX, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas ·
Alqué metus omnes et inexorabile, FATUM

4. Blessed are they that mourn.] That is, those who, feeling their spiritual poverty, mourn after God, lamenting the ini quity that separated them from the fountain of blessedness. Every one flies from sorrow, and seeks after joy: and yet true joy must necessarily be the fruit of sorrow. The whole need not (do not feel the need of) the physician; but they that are sick do; i. e. they who are sensible of their disease. On ly such persons as are deeply convinced of the sinfulness of

and peace-makers, are blessed.

9 Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the

5 Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righte-children of God.
usness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: 4 for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
a Pa. 37. 11.-b See Rom. 4, 13-e tom. 55, 1. & 65, 1.3.- d Ps. 41. 1. Ch. 6.11. Mk.
11. 2. 271m. 1. 15. Heb 6, 10, James 2. 1-e Pa. 132. & 25 4. Heb. 19. 14.

sin, feel the plague of their own heart, and turn with disgust
from all worldly consolations, because of their insufficiency
to render them happy, have God's promise of solid comfort.
They SHALL BE comforted, says Christ, zapakλn@ntovrai, from
Tapa, near, and kalew, I call. He will call them to himself,
and speak the words of pardon, peace, and life eternal, to
their hearts. See this notion of the word expressed fully by
our Lord, chap. xi. 23. COME UNTO MB, all ye who are weary
and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

5. Blessed are the meek.) Happy, o pacts, from paos, easy, those who are of a quiet, gentle spirit, in opposition to the proud and supercilious scribes and Pharisees, and their disciples. We have a compound word in English, which once fully expressed the meaning of the original, viz. gentleman; but it has now almost wholly lost its original signification. Our word meek, comes from the old Anglo-Saxon meca, or meceea, a companion, or equal, because he who is of a meek or gentle spirit, is ever ready to associate with the meanest of those who fear God, feeling himself superior to none: and well knowing, that he has nothing of spiritual or temporal good, but what he has received from the mere bounty of God, having never deserved any favour from his hand.

For they shall inherit the earth.] Or, rny yny, the land. Under this expression, which was commonly used by the prophets to signify the land of Canaan, in which all temporal good abounded, Judg. xviii. 9, 10. Jesus Christ points out that abundance of spiritual good which was provided for men in the Gospel. Besides, Canaan was a type of the king. dom of God, and who is so likely to inherit glory, as the man in whom the meekness and gentleness of Jesus dwell? In some good MSS. and several ancient versions, the fourth and fifth verses are transposed: see the authorities in the various readings in Professor Griesbach's edition. The present ar rangement certainly is most natural: 1. Poverty, to which the promise of the kingdom is made. 2. Mourning, or distress on account of this impoverished state, to which consolation is promised. And, 3. Meekness, established in the heart by the consolations received.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 h Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and perse

f1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 John 3, 2, 3.-g 1 Cor. 4. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 14. Luke 6.22. Pet. 4. 14.

price of mercy itself; and even this price is a gift of the
mercy of God. What mercy can those vindictive persons
expect, who forgive nothing, and are always ready to im
prove every advantage they have of avenging themselves ?
Whatever mercy a man shows to another, God will take care
to show the sanie to him. The following elegant and nervous
saying of one of our best poets, is worthy of the reader's
most serious attention.

"The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed;
It blesseth him who gires, and him who takes:
"Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
It is an attribute of God himself;

And earthly pow'r doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice..

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

Why, all the souls that are, were forfeit once;
And he who might the 'vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be,
If He who is the top of judgment, should
But judge you as you are? Oh! think on that,
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.

How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none ?"
In the Tract Shabbath, fol. 151. there is a saying very like
this of our Lord. "He who shows mercy to men, God will
show mercy to him; but to him who shows no mercy to man.
God will show no mercy."

8. Pure in heart.] In opposition to the Pharisees, who af fected outward purity, while their hearts were full of corrup tion and defilement. A principal part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward washings and cleansings: on this ground they expected to see God, to enjoy eternal glory; but Christ here shows, that a purification of the heart from all vile affections and desires, is essentially requisite in order to enter into the kingdom of God. He whose soul is not deliver. no Scriptural hope of ever being with God. There is a remarkable illustration of this passage, quoted by Mr. Wakefield from Origen, Contra Cels. lib. vi. "God has no body, and therefore is invisible, but men of contemplation can dis cern him with the heart and understanding. But A DEFILED HEART CANNOT SEE GOD: but HE MUST BE PURE WHO WISHES TO ENJOY A PROPER VIEW OF A PURE BEING."

6. They which do hunger and thirst.] As the body has its natural appetites of hunger and thirst for the food and drink suited to its nourishment, so has the soul. No being is indestructible or unfailing in its nature but God; no being is independent but Him: as the body depends for its nourished from all sin, through the blood of the covenant, can have ment, health, and strength, upon the earth, so does the soul upon heaven. Heavenly things cannot support the body; they are not suited to its nature; earthly things cannot support the soul, for the same reason. When the uneasy sensation, termed hunger, takes place in the stomach, we know we must get food or perish. When the soul is awakened to a sense of its wants, and begins to hunger and thirst after righteousness or holiness, which is its proper food, we know that it must be purified by the Holy Spirit, and be made a partaker of that living bread, John viii. 48. or perish everlastingly. Now, as God never inspires a prayer but with the design to answer it, he who hungers and thirsts after the full salvation of God, may depend on being speedily and effectu ally blessed or satisfied, well-fed, as the word xopractncov. Tai, implies. Strong and intense desire after any object has been, both by poets and orators, represented metaphorically by hunger and thirst. See the well known words of Virgil. Eneid lii. 55.

- Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, Auri sacra FAMES!

Shall see God. This is a Hebraism, which signifies possess God, enjoy his felicity; as seeing a thing, was used among the Hebrews for possessing it. See Psal. xvi. 10. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to SEE corruption, i. e. he shall not be corrupted. So John iii. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot SBB the kingdom of God, i. e. he cannot enjoy it. So John iii. 16. He that believeth not the Son shall not SEE life, i. e. shall not be put in possession of eternal glory.

Probably our Lord alludes to the advantages those had, who were legally pure, of entering into the sanctuary, into the pre sence of God, while those wh. had contracted any legal defile. ment, were excluded from it. This also was obviously typical. 9. The peace-makers.] Eɩonvn, peace, is compounded of εipe (15) Ev, connecting into one; for as WAR distracts and divides

"O cursed hunger after gold! what canst thou not influence the hearts of men to perpetrate " How frequently donations, families, and individuals from each other, inducing we find, inerplebilis honorum FAMES-SITIENS virtutis-fa mac SITIS, the insatiable hunger after honour, a thirst for virtue, thirst after fame, and such like ? Righteousness here is taken for all the blessings of the New Covenant-all the graces of the Messiah's kingdom-a full restoration to the image of God!

7. The merciful. The word mercy, among the Jews, signified two things: the pardon of injuries, and almsgiving. Our Lord undoubtedly takes it in its fullest latitude here. To know the nature of mercy, we have only to consult the grammatical meaning of the Latin word misericordia, from which ours is derived. It is composed of two words; mise rans, pitying, and cor, the heart: or miseria cordis, pain of heart. Mercy supposes two things: 1. A distressed object: and, 2. A disposition of the heart, through which it is affected at the sight of such an object. This virtue, therefore, is no other than a lively emotion of the heart, which is excited by the discovery of any creature's misery; and such an emotion as manifests itself outwardly, by effects suited to its nature. The merciful inan is here termed by our Lord ŋλŋtuoy, from EXEOS, which is generally derived from the Hebrew chil, to be in pain as a woman in travail: or from ilel, to cry, or lament grievously; because a merciful man enters into the miseries of his neighbour, feels for, and mourns with him. is not purchased but at the

They shall obtain mercy.] Merezi

them to pursue different objects and different interests: 60 PEACE restores them to a state of unity, giving them one bject, and one interest. A peace-maker is a man who being endowed with a generous public spirit, labours for the public good; and feels his own interest promoted in promoting that of others; therefore, instead of fanning the fire of strife, he uses his influence and wisdom to reconcile the contending parties, adjust their differences, and restore them to a state of unity. As all inen are represented to be in a state of hostility to God and each other, the Gospel is called the Gospel or peace, because it tends to reconcile men to God and to each other. Hence our Lord bere terms peace-makers the children of God: for as he is the Father of peace, those who promote it are reputed his children. But whose children are they who foment divisions in the church, the state, or among families? Surely they are not of that Gop, who is the Father of peace and lover of concord; of that CHRIST, who is the sacrifice and mediator of it; of that SPIRIT, who is the nourisher and bond of peace; nor of that CHURCH of the Most High, which is the kingdom and family of peace.

St. Clement, Strom. lib. iv. 8. 6. in fin. says, that "Some who transpose the Gospels, add this verse: Hoopy they who are persecuted by justice, for they shall be perfect: happy they who are persecuted on my account, for they shall have a place where they shall not be persecuted." 25

14. Ye are the light of the world.] That is, the instruments It is worthy of observation, that the word gamar, among which God chooses to make use of to illuminate the minds of the rabbins, signifies not only to fulfil, but also to teach; and, men, as he uses the sun (to which probably, he pointed) to consequently, we may infer that our Lord intimated, that the enlighten the world. Light of the world, Dyner olum, law and the prophets were still to be taught or inculcated by was a title applied to the most eminent rabbins. Christ trans-him and his disciples: and this he and they have done in the fers the title from these, and gives it to his own disciples, who, by the doctrines that he taught them, were to be the means of diffusing the light of life throughout the universe.

Threatenings against those who

CHAPTER V.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least com. mandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

a James 2. 10-b Rom. 9, 31. & 10, 3-e Or, to them.-d Ex. 20. 13. Deu. 5. 17.

mencement of his ministry, Jesus Christ teaches the instability of all visible things. "The heaven which you see, and which is so glorious, and the earth which you inhabit and love, shall pass away; for the things which are seen are temporal, #pockаtoa, are for a time; but the things which are not seen, are eternal, atovia, ever-during," 2 Cor. iv. 18. And the WORD of the Lord endureth for ever.

One jot or one tittle.] One yod, (2) the sinallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. One tittle, or point, Kepala, either meaning those points which serve for vowels in this language, if they then existed; or the apices, or points of certain letters, such asresh, or daleth, he, or ri cheth, (as the change of any of these into the other, would make a most essential alteration in the sense, or, as the rabbins say, destroy the world.)

That this saying, one jot, or one tittle, is a proverbial mode of expression among the Jews, and that it expressed the meaning given to it above, is amply proved by the extracts in Lightfoot and Schoettgen. The reader will not be displeased to find a few of them here, if he can bear with the allegorical and strongly figurative language of the rabbins. "The book of Deuteronomy came and prostrated itself before the Lord, and said, 'O Lord of the world, thou hast written in me thy Law, but now a Testament defective in some parts is defective in all. Behold, Solomon endeavours to root the letter yod out of me:' in this text, Deut. xvii. 5. D lo yirbeh nashim, (he shall not multiply wives.) The holy blessed God answered, 'Solomon, and a thousand such as he, shall perish, but the least word shall not perish out of thee." In Shir Hashirim Rabba, are these words: "Should all the inhabitants of the earth gather together, in order to whiten one feather of a crow, they could not succeed: so, if all the inhabitants of the earth should unite to abolish one yod, which is the smallest letter in the whole Law, they should not be

able to effect it."

In Vayikra Rabba, s. 19. it is said: "Should any person in the words of Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is Nachad, ONE Lord, change the daleth into a resh, he would ruin the world." [Because, in that case, the words achar, would signify a strange, or false God.] "Should any one, in the words of Exod. xxxiv. 14, Thou shalt worship no OTHER achar, God, change resh into daleth, he would ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Thou shalt not worship the ONLY or true God.] "Should any one, in the words of Levit. xxii. 32. Neither shall ye PROFANE n techalelu, my holy name, change n cheth into he, he would ruin the world." [Because the sense of the commandment would then be, Neither shall ye PRAISE my holy name.] "Should any one, in the words of Psal. cl. 6. Let every thing that hath breath PRAISE, tehalel, the Lord, change he inton cheth, he world ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Let every thing that hath breath PROPANE the Lord.] "Should any one, in the words of Jerem. v. 10. They lied AGAINST the Lord, m beihovah, change a beth into 2 caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, they lied LIKE the Lord.] "Should any one, in the words of Hosea v. 7. They have dealt treacherously, beihovah, AGAINST the Lord, change beth into caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, They have dealt treacherously LIKE the Lord.] "Should any one, in the words of 1 Sam. fi. 2. There is none holy as the Lord, change caph into a beth, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would mean, There is no holiness In the Lord.]

These examples fully prove that the pia kepala, of our Lord refers to the apices, points, or corners, that distinguish beth from caph; cheth from he; and resh from daleth. For the reader will at once perceive, how easily a 2 caph may be turned into a 2 beth; an he into a cheth; and a resh into adaleth: and he will also see of what infinite consequence it is to write and print such letters correctly.

Till all be fulfilled.] Or, accomplished. Though all earth and hell should join together to hinder the accomplishment of the great designs of the Most High; yet it shall be all in vain -even the sense of a single letter shall not be lost. The words of God which point out his designs, are as unchangeable as his nature itself. Every sinner who perseveres in his iniquity, shall surely be punished with separation from God and the glory of his power; and every soul that turns to God, through Christ, shall as surely be saved, as that Jesus himself hath died. 19. Whosoever shall break one of these least command. ments The Pharisees were remarkable for making a distinction between weightier and lighter matters in the Law, and between what has been called, in a corrupt part of the Christian church, moral and venial sins. See on chap. xxii. 36. Whosoever shall break.] What an awful consideration is this! He who, by his mode of acting, speaking, or explain ing, the words of God, sets the holy precept aside, or explains

break Christ's commandment.

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in
danger of the judgment:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment:
and whosoever shall say to his brother. Raca. shall be in dan-
ger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall
be in danger of hell fire.

e1 John 3. 15.-f That is, vain fellow. 2 Sam. 6. 20.

away its force and meaning, shall be called least-shall have no place in the kingdom of Christ here, nor in the kingdom of glory above. That this is the meaning of these words, is evident enough from the following verse.

20. Except your righteousness shall exceed.] Epison. Unless your righteousness abound more-unless it takes in not only the letter, but the spirit and design of the moral and ritual precept: the one directing you how to walk so as to please God; the other pointing out Christ, the great Atonement, through and by which a sinner is enabled to do so-more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, who only attended to the letter of the Law, and had indeed made even that of no effect by their traditions-ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. This fully explains the meaning of the preceding verse. The old English word is niht pisnýr, right-wiseness. i. e. complete, thorough, excellent WISDOM. For a full expla nation of this verse, see Luke xviii. 10, &c.

21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time.] rois apxatois, to, or by the ancients. By the ancients, we may understand those who lived before the Law, and those who lived under it; for murder was, in the most solemn manner, forbidden before, as well as under the law, Gen. ix. 5, 6. But it is very likely that our Lord refers here merely to traditions and glosses relative to the ancient Mosaic ordinance: and such as, by their operation, rendered the primitive conmand of little or no effect. Murder, from the beginning, has been punished with death; and it is probably the only crime that should be punished with death. There is much reason to doubt, whether the punishment of death, inflicted for any other crime, is not in itself murder, whatever the authority may be that has instituted it. Gop, and the greatest legisla tors that have ever been in the universe, are of the same opinion. See Montesquieu, Blackstone, and the Marquis Beccaria, and the arguments and testimonies lately produced by Sir Samuel Romily, in his motion for the amendment of the criminal laws of this kingdom. It is very remarkable, that the criminal code published by Joseph II. late emperor of Germany, though it consists of seventy-one capital crimes, has not death attached to any of them. Even murder with an intention to rob, is punished only with "imprisonment for thirty years to lie on the floor, to have no nourishment but bread and water, to be closely chained, and to be publicly whipped once a year with less than one hundred lashes." See Colquhoun on the Police of the City of London, p. 272.

"This

22. Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause.] o opy Coμevos-eien, who is vainly incensed. translation is literal: and the very objectionable phrase, with out a cause, is left out, sun, being more properly translated by that above." What our Lord seems here to prohibit, is not merely that miserable facility which some have of being angry at every trifle, continually taking offence against their best friends: but that anger which leads a man to commit outrages against another, thereby subjecting himself to that punishment which was to be inflicted on those who break the peace. Eixn, vainly, or as in the common translation, with out a cause, is wanting in the famous Vatican MS. and two others, the Ethiopic, latter Arabic, Saxon, Vulgate, two copies of the old Itala, J. Martyr, Ptolomeus, Origen, Tertul lian, and by all the ancient copies quoted by St. Jerome. was probably a marginal gloss originally, which in process of time crept into the text.

Shall be in danger of the judgment.] Evoxos coral, shall be liable to the judgment. That is, to have the matter brought before a senate, composed of twenty-three magistrates, whose business it was to judge in cases of murder and other capital crimes. It punished criminals by strangling or beheading; but Dr. Lightfoot supposes the judgment of God to be intended. See at the end of this chapter.

Raca, np from the Hebrew pr rak, to be empty. It signi fies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains, a term of great contempt. Such expressions were punished among the Gentoos by a heavy fine. See all the cases, Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. xv. sect. 2.

The council.] Evvcdptov, the famous council known among the Jews by the name of sanhedrim. It was composed of seventy-two elders, six chosen out of each tribe. This grand sanhedrim not only received appeals from the inferior sanhedrims, or court of twenty-three, mentioned above; but could alone take cognizance, in the first instance, of the highest crimes, and alone inflict the punishment of stoning.

Thou fool.] Moreh, probably from marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated Among the Gentoos, such an expression was punished guilt. by cutting out the tongue, and thrusting a hot iron of ten fin gers breadth, into the mouth of the person who used it. Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. xv. sect. 2. p. 212.

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