Matt. V. 47. What do ye more than others ?
OUR Lord is here rescuing the law from the false glosses with which the Scribes and Pharisees had obscured it. It is quite a mistake to imagine that he extended the law beyond its original meaning. The law was perfect, being a perfect transcript of God's mind and will. Had it required less than it now does, it would have been unworthy of God : in fact, unless its demands are now extended beyond what they ought to be (which we know is not the case,) it must have given men a license to love God and our neigh- bour less than we really ought : or, in other words.
it would have given a license to sin. The particular command to which our Lord refers in the context was, " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." This the Scribes and Pharisees interpreted as giving a liberty, if not an absolute command, to hate our enemies. But our Lord shews, that every man, whe- ther friend or enemy, is comprehended in the term " neighbour," and that every man therefore has a claim upon us to be loved by us as ourselves. If we extend our regards to friends only, " What," says our Lord, " do ye more than others ?" This is a very pointed question, importing that the Lord's people ought to do more than others, and may reasonably be expected so to do. In confirmation of this truth, I will,
I. Shew why the Lord's people may reasonably be expected to do more than others —
The question is founded in reason and justice : for, if we be the Lord's people in truth,
1. We are more indebted to him than others —
[All are indebted to him for the gift of a Saviour, and for the offer of eternal life through him. . (Of temporal blessings such as the whole world partake of, I forbear to speak.) But true Christians are indebted not merely for a gift of the Saviour to them, but for having from eternity been given to the Saviour as his peculiar people, whom he should redeem from death, and enjoy for ever as " his purchased possession." It is sur- prising how often our blessed Lord speaks of them under this
character in his last intercessory prayer^ And it is
always mentioned as a distinguishing mercy, that raises them far above the rest of the world, and entails the greatest obli- gations upon them. Moreover, the faith by which they are brought into this union with Christ is also the gift of God. " To them it is given in the behalf of Christ to believe in him^." And this is no less a distinguishing mercy than the other: for the whole world, with the exception of this little remnant, are in unbelief. The peace too that flows from this union, O what an inestimable gift is that ! " To the wicked there is no peace :" but these have " a peace which passeth all under- standing," and " a joy that is unspeakable and glorified." Say, whether this be not a very abundant reason for our
» John xvii. 2, C, 9—12, 24. b phQ. j. 09.