38 Ye have heard that it hath heen said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth :
39 But I say unto yon. That ye re- sist not evil ; but wliosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
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 compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketli thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you. do good to them that hate you, ana pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you ;
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 anci on the nnjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the pviblicans the same ?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more ihan others ? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
You have here our Lord Jesus Christ's rules for our con- duct one towards another. He that would know bow He ought to feel and act towards his fellow men, should often study these verses. They deserve to be written in letters of gold. They have extorted praise even from the enemies of Christianity. Let us mark well what tbey contain.
The Lord Jesus foi^hids everytliing like an unforgiving and revengeful spirit. A readiness to resent injuries, — a quickness in taking offence, — a quarrelsome and con- tentious disposition, — a keenness in asserting our rights, — all, all are contrary to the mind of Christ. The world may see no harm in these habits of mind. But they do not become the character of the Christian. Our Master says, " Resist not evil."