III. Several instances of this self-denial and daily cross, are to be seen in the following words.
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 you resist not evil; but whosoever will smite thee on the 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 cloak also: and whosoever shall compell thee to go with him a mile, go with him twain.
We are to deny ourselves then in not demanding an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth. We are to take up our daily cross, by turning our cheek to the smiter, and suffering such ill usage as we could prevent by resistance.
We are to take up the cross of one injury after another, rather than revenge ourselves.
The words that deliver this doctrine are so plain and express, that they need no illustration: And it is as plain, that they equally belong to all Christians of all ages. The manner of our Saviour’s delivering them, puts it out of all question, that these were to be the perpetual marks of his followers.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, &c. But I say unto you that ye resist not evil.
It was not possible for our Lord to express himself in a more authoritative manner, or to shew us more plainly, that he was here acting as the great lawgiver of Christians, and delivering perpetual laws to all his disciples. Nor is it possible for any one to evade the literal meaning of these doctrines, but by such a way as must destroy the sense of any other part of scripture.
IV. If it could be shewn that we are not obliged by the plain doctrine of these passages, it might as well be shewn that the next doctrine, But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, does not oblige us in the plain and literal sense of the words.
For both the passages are supported by the same authority expressed in the same manner, I say unto you. These virtues are likewise necessary to one another: we cannot thus love and do good to our enemy, unless we are thus patient under sufferings, and deny ourselves all instances of anger and resentment at them.
V. If these doctrines seem grievous, they can only seem so to such as have wrong notions of human life.