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CHAP. VII.

JUDGE not, that ye be not judged. For 2 with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall 3 be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam* that is in thine 4 own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye. 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you.

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Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened 8 unto you: For every one that asketh, receiv. eth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him 9 that knocketh it shall be opened.

For what man is there of you, whom if his son ask 10 bread, will give him a stone? Or if he 11 ask a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in heaven, give good 12 things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should

* Thorn or splinter would better comport with the original.

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do to you, do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets.

Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in 14 thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.*

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Beware of false prophets† who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly are ravening 16 wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of this17 tles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth

good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth 18 evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil

fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth 19 good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

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Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who 22 is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never

* Some men think just the contrary, that the way to life is broad, and that all will find it. Who shall determine? They or Christ ?

+ Or teachers.

This is very reasonable; and yet how often we deceive ourselves! For their professious merely, some men think they will be saved.

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knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house 27 upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the 28 fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were aston29 ished at his doctrine;† for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

* Or approved.

† No wonder; such doctrines were new to them-the world had never heard such a preacher before. He spake both to the heart and the understanding. His maxims are comprehensive, penetrating, and calculated to regulate all the affections and dispositions, whence proceed the good or evil actions of man. In this justly celebrated discourse of Christ, we find no stress laid upon ceremonies, rites, or speculative opinions. All is plain and rational. He would repress pride, revenge, impurity, and worldly mindedness, and make us humble, devout, benevolent, pure, and heavenly minded. This, then, is Christianity. And he is not a true disciple of Christ, whatever may be his belief or his pretensions, who possesses not in some good measure the moral qualities here required.

CHAP. VIII.

1 WHEN he was come down from the moun2 tain, a great multitude followed him. And behold, there came a leper, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me 3 clean.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.

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And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseech6 ing him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously afflicted. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and 8 heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word 9 only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me and I say to this, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to 10 my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel.†

* Christ discovers no wish to innovate, or to increase his own fame.

†The centurion was a Gentile, but had embraced the Jewish religion.

11 And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of 12 heaven. But the children of the kingdom*

shall be cast out into outer darkness: there 13 shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the very 14 same hour. And when Jesus was come into

Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, 15 and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her and she arose and ministered unto them.

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When it was evening, they brought unto him many who were possessed with devils : and he cast out the spirits with his word, and 17 healed all that were sick; and thus was fulfilled what was predicted by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

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Now, when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart 19 unto the other side of the lake. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will 20 follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.†

*The Israelites and professors of Christianity; many of whom are insincere and unfaithful.

†This Jesus said, not to discourage the man from becoming his disciple, but to inform him he must not expect worldly ease and honor in becoming a Christian.