and make a more deep Impreffion, than if he had contented himfelf merely with faying, as he had done just before, How hardby fhall thofe that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God?

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Of this Kind alfo are fome of his Sayings in his Sermon on the Mount: Ye have beard that it hath been faid, An Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth: But I fay unto you, That ye refift not Evil; but whofoever shall fmite thee on the right Cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any Man will fue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak also. And whofoever shall compel thee to go a Mile, with him twain. Matt. v. 38, 39, 40, 41. He here expreffeth himself in a powerful Way. And it is well known that, in proverbial Speeches, or short Aphorifins, the Words are not to be carried to the utmost Rigour, but the Design of the Whole is to be regarded. They are commonly expreffed in a general Way, but admit of feveral Exceptions and Limitations, which the Nature of the Thing, or common Sense, directeth to, though not particularly mentioned. Thus it is that all Men think it reasonable to understand the wife Sayings found in the Writings of the Ancients; and it is but common Equity to judge by the fame Rules of thefe Expreffions of our

Saviour;

Saviour; the general Defign of which is plain to an attentive unprejudiced Mind. The Jews were very prone to indulge a Spirit of Revenge, and pretended to justify it from that Conftitution of the Law of Moses, that there should be an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth. This Law was of a political and judicial Nature, and directed the Magiftrate what to do, if applied to in fuch Cafes. But the Defign of it was by no Means to encourage a Spirit of Revenge, or to oblige private Persons that had received Injuries to infift upon a strict Retaliation. And in many Cafes it is fcarce confiftent with the Equity and Patience of a good Man to do what the Law of the Commonwealth, taken in Strictnefs, alloweth him to do. Accord

ingly our Lord Jesus here teacheth us not to render Evil for Evil, and one injurious Word and Action for another. And whereas it might be objected that by bearing one Injury or Affront we fhould expofe ourselves to another, which hath been the conftant Pretence in all Ages for juftifying Revenge; our bleffed Lord inftructeth us, that it is better to bear new Injuries and Affronts, than to contend with Wrath, and indulge a Spirit of Rancour and Bitterness; and that it is more eligible in many Cafes to fuffer fome Wrong, and VOL. IV.

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lofe a Man's own in leffer Matters, than to profecute him that did the Wrong or Injury, to the utmoft Rigour of the Law. But there is nothing here to prohibit Self-Defence in important Cafes. The Injuries referred to are of the fmaller Kind, and yet fuch as are wont to be keenly refented.

Taken in this View, these are wife and benevolent Precepts, worthy of that most compaffionate Saviour and Lover of Mankind: And their being expreffed in fuch a ftrong proverbial Manner is apt to make them the more taken Notice of, and to ftrike with greater Force upon the Mind. The general Intention of them is plain and excellent, to engage Men to fupprefs, as far as poffible, the Motions of a vindictive Spirit, to check and reftrain that keen and bitter Refentment, and eager Defire of returning Injury for Injury, which hath done fo much Mischief in the World. And how eafy and happy would the World be, if the Defign of thefe Precepts were generally purfued! It might be thought, perhaps, that this is carrying Meeknefs and Patience to an Excefs, and that particular Exceptions and Limitations ought to have been mentioned. But our Saviour, who perfectly knew human Nature, faw that there was little Danger of Mens' exceeding in a forgiving Temper; that the Danger lay wholly

wholly the other Way, from a wrathful Spirit and Proneness to Revenge. And therefore he chufeth to exprefs himself in the strongest and most forcible Manner on the Side of Patience and Forbearance; and urgeth Men to it in general Terms without defcending to particular Exceptions and Limitations, which he knew every Man would be forward enough to make for himself. And, if they had been particularly mentioned, probably many would have been apt to take Advantage of them, and to plead Chrift's Authority for justifying their Refentments.

Other Maxims of our Saviour might be mentioned, which are alfo delivered in a general Way. A remarkable one of this Kind we have, Matt. v. 42. Give to him that afketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away; or, as it is expreffed, Luke vi. 30. Give to every Man that afketh of thee. It is evident that the Meaning cannot be, that we fhould, without Difcretion or Diftinction, give to every Man that hath the Confidence to afk us, whether we are able to give it or not, and whether he really wants it or not. But our Saviour, without expreffly mentioning fuch Limitations, as the Nature of the Thing, and every Man's own Senfe, will eafily fuggeft to him, N 2 chufeth

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chufeth rather to exprefs it in a very general unlimited Way, the better to guard against the narrow Notions of the Jews, who were very apt to confine their Benevolence within fcanty Bounds. An Instance of this Narrownefs we have in that Advice of the Author of the Book of Ecclefiafticus, a Book otherwise full of excellent Morality, Ecclefiafticus xii. 4, 5. Give to the good Man, and help not a Sinner. well unto him that is holy, but give not unto the Ungodly. Hold back thy Bread, and give it not unto him, left he overmafter thee thereby: For elfe thou shalt receive twice as much Evil for all the Good thou shalt have done unto him. And he repeateth it again, Ver. 7. Give unto the Good, and help not the Sinner. It is evident, that, under the Pretence of thefe Limitations, the kind Offices of Humanity and Charity might be refused to a great Part of Mankind: But our great heavenly Teacher urgeth our Beneficence in the most extenfive Terms, without fuch Limitations as he well knew would in a great Measure defeat his Defign. He plainly fignifieth, by his Manner of expreffing himself, that we must be ready to do Good to all Men, as far as we have an Opportunity for it, when we are fenfible they ftand in Need of our Affiftance, and it is in our Power to help

them.