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" which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:* " for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Bles"sed are ye, when men shall revile you, and " persecute you, and shall say all manner of " evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice "ye in that day; and leap for joy: for, behold, "your reward is great in heaven: for in the like " manner did their fathers unto the prophets. "But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have " received your consolation. Woe unto you " that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto "you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and "weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall " speak well of you! for so did their fathers to "the false prophets."

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"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt "have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be "salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, " but to be cast out, and to be trodden under "foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. "A city that is set on an hill, cannot be hid. “Neither do men light a candle, and put it " under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it "giveth light unto all that are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they " may see your good works, and glorify your "Father which is in heaven.

* For the sake of Christ and his religion.

Because of your base compliance with the world. • To preserve it from corrupt principles and practices.

d In that country rock salt lies level with the ground, and to such an extent that long roads are made over it; but it is remarkable, that when the surface is broken by digging, the parts exposed to the weather are found to lose their savour, and become unfit for use.

"Think not that I am come to destroy the " law, or the prophets: I am not come to de"stroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto

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you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or " one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, " till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall " break one of these least commandments, and "shall teach men so, he shall be called the " least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoso"ever shall do and teach them, the same shall " be called great in the kingdom of heaven. " For I say unto you, that except your righte" ousness shall exceed the righteousness of the "Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case.en" terinto the kingdom of heaven.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of " old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever " shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry " with his brother without a cause, shall be in "danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall

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say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of "the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou "fool, shall be in danger of hell fire, There"fore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and "there rememberest that thy brother hath " ought against thee; leave there thy gift be"fore the altar, and go thy way; first be re"conciled to thy brother, and then come and

* To fill up, to give a more complete system of morals. Exod. 20. 13.

Raca is a term of contempt, signifying an empty, senseless wretch. Fool, in scripture language, signifies a wicked, impious person.

The terms judgment, council, and hellfire, or valley of Hinnom, are images taken from Jewish courts of justice, to represent the different degrees of future punishment.

" offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary " quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; " lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to "the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the " officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I " say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come " out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost " farthing.

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"Ye have heard that it was said by them of " old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery : " but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh " on a woman to lust after her, hath committed " adultery with her already in his heart. And " if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and "cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee "that one of thy members should perish, and "not that thy whole body should be cast into "hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut "it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profit"able for thee that one of thy members should " perish, and not that thy whole body should " be cast into hell. It hath been said, "Whoso" ever shall put away his wife, let him give her "a writing of divorcement: but I say unto "you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, " saving for the cause of fornication, causeth " her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall " marry her that is divorced, committeth adul"tery.

" Again, ye have heard that it hath been " said by them of old time, Thou shalt not for" swear thyself, but shalt perform unto the

* Exod. 20. 14.

If it cause thee to sin.

• By the right hand, and right eye, are meant men's favourite sins. Deut. 24. 1. • Exod. 20. 7.- Levit. 19. 12.

"Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, Swear "not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's "throne: nor by the earth; for it is his foot"stool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city " of the great king. Neither shalt thou swear " by thy head, because thou canst not make "one hair white or black. But let your com"munication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for "whatsoever is more than these cometh of " evil.

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"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I

say unto you, That ye resist not evil : but who"soever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn " to him the other also. And if any man will "sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat " let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever "shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him "twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and " from him that would borrow of thee turn not "thou away.

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"Yehave heard that it hath been said, Thou "shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine ene

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my but I say unto you, Love your enemies, " bless them that curse you, do good to them "that hate you, and pray for them which de"spightfully use you, and persecute you; 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 and on the unjust. For if ye love "them which love you, what thank have ye ? " for sinners also love those that love them. "And if ye do good to them which do good to

a Without oaths and profane swearing.

Exod. 21. 24.-Levit. 24. 20.-Deut. 19. 21. • Shew an affable demeanor and humble temper on all occasions

Lev. 19. 18. - Psalm. 41. 10.

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you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do "even the same. And if ye lend to them of "whom ye hope to receive, what thank have "ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive " as much again. But love ye your enemies, "and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing " again; and your reward shall be great, and

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ye shall be the children of the Highest : for " he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also " is merciful."

Continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before " men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have

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no reward of your Father which is in heaven. "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not " sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypo " crites do in the synagogues and in the streets, "that they may have glory of men. Verily I

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say unto you, They have their reward. But "when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand "know what thy right hand doeth: that thine "alms may be in secret: and thy Father, which "seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee " openly.

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be " as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray " standing in the synagogues and in the corners " of the streets, that they may be seen of men.

* This is a proverbial expression, importing the greatest caution and secrecy

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