possessions and resources. 2. The offerer mud be repentant. (1) Reconciled to hie injured brother. Injured through the murderous temper. Through the murderoua speech. Reconciled by confession of the fault. Dy seeking his forgiveness. (2) Reeon,. ciled to those who have injured him. God, in commanding us to love our enemies, forbids our hating even with cause for hatred. Resentful feeling must be banished. (3) 11 Leave there thy gift." Do not expect mercy from God until the reconciliation with men be sought. Leave it there as a pledge. The delay necessary to the recon- ciliation must not become the occasion for relinquishing the suit. Leave it there, sacred as it is, for the necessity of reconciliation is urgent. (4) 11 Then come," etc. Come with confidence. Christ will be accepted for your justification. You will ba accepted for Christ's sake, in adoption. Ill. HE WARNS THE BINNER AGAINST PROCRASTINATION. 1. By the u11aertai11ty of life. ".Agree with thine adversary quickly," for life is uncertain. 2. By the transiency of opportunity. (1) The great opportunity is passing away. 11 Whilst thou art in the way with hin::," viz. to the judginent or council, for the plaintiff appre- hended the defendant. (2) So are the minor opportunities of incident transient. 3. By the certainty of ;'udgment. (1) Every one we have injured is an adversary to us before God (cf. Deut. xx.iv. 14, 15; Jas. v. 4, 5). (2) The implacable heart is before God an adversary to him that nourishes it. (3) 'l'he adversary brings the sinner to the bar. Our Judge surveys motives. He weighs evidence truly. His justice cannot be evaded. 4. By the severity of retribution. (1) The judge delivers the culprit to the officer. .As holy angels are the convoy to the spirits of the just, so are fallen angels the officers of doom to the condemned. (2) The officer commits the criminal to the prison (see eh. xxv. 41; Jude 6; Hev. :u. 15). (3) The punishment is crushing. The endurance of Gehenna fire until the uttermost farthing is paid. When can a bankrupt pay all? " If we pay no share of our debt of obedience here, while in the way of pro- bation, bow can we do so when our evils are confirmed by continual impenitence, and the life of them is become tho very principle of our existence?" (Druce).-J. A, M.
Vers. 27-32.-Purity. In the preceding paragraph Jesus expounded the spirituality of the Law in ruling the passions; here he pursues the subject in respect to the appetites. The case of adultery is typical or representative of the series. Learn- I. 'l'Il.A.T THE LAW IS KEPT OR BROKEN IN THE HEART. 1. Act, are good or evil a expressiuns of the heart. (I) This was the reverse of the teaching of the elders. Especially so in the school of Hillel. Hence the Pharisees took the technical obser- vance of the letter to be the fulfilling of the Law (see Luke x:viil. 11). (2) But an act apart from the will would be automatic and mechanical. It would cease to he moral (see eh. xv. 19). (3) The spirit, therefore, is the essence of the Law. So David (see Ps. !xvi. 18). The ordinances respecting ceremonial uncleanness and their washings and bathings were designed to teach this. 2. The sense, are the instruments of tlut heart. (1) The eye is an inlet to its wickedness. The appetite of Potiphar's wife was stirred by the comeliness of Joseph (see Gen. x:xxix:. 6). Samson was overcome by the vision of Delilah (Judg. x:vi. 1; see also 2 Sam. x:i. 2). (2) 'l'he eye is an outlet to its wickedness. Ba.d men look that they may lust. They lust in the look where further satisfaction cannot be attained. 11 Eyes full of adultery," etc. (2 Pet. ii. 14). Were time, place, and opportunity in their favour, the look would ripen into the deed. (3) The true sentinel will keep the gate of the citadel. So Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job xxxi. 1). He will be vigilant in prayer (see Ps. cxix:. 37). (4) What applies to the: eyes applies also to the other senses. There is adultery in unclean discourse. In wanton dalliances. In immodest dressing. "Jezebel painted her face and tired her head," etc. (2 Kings iL 30). Sex is the spirit of the modem dance. "Men sin; but devils tempt to sin'' (Henry). 3. The Pharisee, ignoring the spirit, transgresses the letter of the Law. (I) The original law of marriage admitted of divorce for the one offence of infidelity to the specific marriage covenant (Gen. ii. 24; Matt. x:ix. 3-8). Other causes there might be to justify separation, but not divorce. (2) Moses permitted divorce under other conditions (Deut. x:x:iv. 1). But this permission was hateful to God (see MaL ii. lG). It was suffered by Moses because of the hardness of tb.o people's hearts (eh, xix. 7, 8). Between laws of command and laws of permission there is an important distinction. (3) Taking advantage of the concession, divorcee became commoia OH. T. 1--48.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. 'MATTIIEW. 217