The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 303

of what should be done to them. 4. Roosonableness. Nothing unfair is here laid upon 118, No one can possibly complain of this rule. It is a principle of perfect justice, and every man is to be his own juiiii;e in regard to it. II. WHAT IT OONTAINB. "The Law and the Prophets," i.e. the whole Scripture. Here is the whole duty of man. Of course, it is evident that Christ is referring to that side of man's duty which belongs to his fellow-men. Yet even the further duty of serving God is here best fulfilled. "He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small" In human intercourse this maxim may be taken as a uni versa.I guide. Were it always employed no more would be needed. It is set forth in Kant's categorical imperative "So act that thy conduct may be a universal law to mankind." ' III. How IT rs PRACTICABLE. The chief distinction between Christ and moralh1ts when he deals with moral questions is not so much the superior character of bis teach- ing-though that must be apparent to all-as the power that accompanies it. J_'he Utopian dream of the ethical thinker becomes a possibility, becomes a reality in the kingdom of heaven. The golden rule floats hopelessly above our reach until we come into persona.I contact with Christ. But it is the very law of the life of Christ, and when we are united to him the inspiration of his life makes it possible for us. Thus it is not just to say that this role is Christianity, and that all else in our religion is need- less. On the contrary, it is a living, spiritual Christianity-faith in Christ and devotion to him-that enables us to carry out Christ's great rule of conduct.-W. F. A. V ers. 13, 14.-The two ways. The idea of" the two ways" seems to have laid hold of the mind of the early Church very strongly ; a treatise known by that name was in use among the primitive Christians, and the first part of the recently discovered Church manual, entitled. 'The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,' embodies that treatise. It was not thought easy to be a Christian in the heroic days of persecution; it is not really any easier to-day, when the difficulty comes ratJlier from the all-pervading atmosphere of worldliness. L THE El>""rRANCE. The gate of the one way is narrow, the gate of the other wide. We ore directed to think of beginnings. This is a subject to be studied in early life. It comes up at the great moment of decision. We must just think of the gate, for until we have passed through we cannot be in the way at all. 1. The straitness of the firGt gate. No one can become a Christian without an effort. We do· not drift into the kingdom, nor do we grow up in it unconsciously. Even the children of Christian homes need to come to decision and make a deliberate choice. Moreover, there are sins to be repented of, evil habits to be renounced; pride must be humbled, and the simple trust of a little child attained. We become Christians by complete surrender to Christ. 2. The width of the second gate. We do not need to make any choice of evil. Evil is all around us. We have but to Jet ourselves go, and we shall be swept through the wide gate. This is so very wide that we cannot miss it if we merely permit our- selves to go with the crowd. IL THE WAY. Life is more than its beginnings. We have to consider its whole course. But that course is likely to resemble its commencement. The strait gate leads to the narrow way, the wide gate to the broad way. 'l'he whole life has a character of it.B own. 1. Why the right way is narrow. 'l'his is not because there iH a virtue in restraint on its own account. (I) There is but one right way, while there is an infinite diversity of wrong ways. .At every moment there is just one thing needful, one thing that it is our duty to do then and there, If we neglect that, we can make our choice out of any number of thiugH that ought not to be done. (2) Righteousness involves self-deniaL We have to take up the cross to follow Christ. 2. Why the wrong way is broad. 'l'be very variety of evil makes it so. Then there is no law in ain. bin iB lawlessness (1 J obn iii. 4). 'l'hus the way of evil is one of wild self-will; it is every one turning to hie own way (Isa. !xvi. 3). A track across open country, if much used, tends to become wider and wider as each fresh traveller chooses what seems to him the best bit of ground on which to walk. llL THE END. The two ways keep apart from beginning to end; neither is&uea ba Olt vu. 1-29.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 297