Ch. 5. The Law continued that thy whole body fhould be call intoHell. 29, 30. It may be fomewill fay, My Eye is fo inclined to enticing looks, and my Hand sofameforbidden touches or ads, that they of- fend rohen rknoll,they fhould not, and if it go no further, I hope it is fafe: But I tell you, this is fo poor an encule, that ifyou had not tüecommand of Eye and Hand, and had no otherway to avoidthe fin, it were lets hurt to you topluck out that Eye, and cut offthat äiand, than to fin and bedamned with it. Not that I bid you do fo, foryou havepo St.Matthew. to be expounded Ch.s, make one hair white or black. 37. But let your communication be Yea, yea, : Nay, nay : for what- foever is more than thefe cometh of evil. 33, &e. You have been told that Perjury is a heinous Sin, and our O the muff be kept : This is paff doubt ; but I tell you more ; that you muff not needlelly (wear at all, or make any Oaths a part of your di fcourfe : Think notthat its a gull matter to fwear by Creatures, while you profanenot the Name of God : For all that you can fwear by, is related to God, and his Law isbroken by it : Iilt be by Heaven, it is his Throne if by the Earth, it is his Footflool; ifby yea. film, it is his holy City ; if by the Head, it is his work, of which thou makeft not fo much as the Colour ofone Hair. Therefore content your gives in your difcour.fe with a lober Lea or Nay : For your Oaths, and needlels vehement Proteftations, are but theexpreflions ofPaillon,or tome other Vice, and are flirr'd up by Satan. Nate, That the common definition (char anOath is always an appeal to another as a knower and avenger of falfhood) is nor good : Ir is thepawning ofthe verity orho- nour ofone thing known, to verifie another unknown : As to fay, This is as true as that the Heaven is over me : Or if this be not true, the Earth is not under my Feet, it's as true as that i have a Head ; or as that there is a God, who knoweth all things, erc. Tho' its true that fwearing by God, inaludeth anappeal to him. 38. Ye have heard that it bath been laid, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39, ButI fay unto you, that ye refill not evil : but whofever ffhall (mite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other alto. 4o. And if any man will fue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak alto. 41. And whofoever ffhall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 38, 6-c. You have heard that Injuries muff be repaid but with equal hurt : an Eye foran Eye : Its true that Magiftrates having the charge of the Common-welfare, and the execution of God's Laws, they mutt punifh injuries, and not fuffer all men to do as much mifchief as they will: But you that are private perlons, muff prefer Love and Patience before reparation of your Lofes, prefer- w- er otherwife to avoid the fn; but ifyou had not, it were your wifeff way, much more todeny your Eye or Hand all forbidden pleafhre. 3 r. It hath been faid,Whofoever (hall put away his wife, let him give her a writingofDivorcement. 3 z. But I fay unto you, That who - foever fhall put away his wife, fa- tting for the caufe of fornication, caufeth her to commit adultery : and whofoever flail marry her that is divorced, commiteth adultery. 3e, 3z. MaJiabade you give your Wife a Bill of Divorcement, ifyou put her away: And fo you have been taught that this is lawful: But I fay toyou, that you mug not put away a Wife, lave for Fornication s and ifyou do, you are guilty of making her Commit Aduleery,and he will live in Adulte- ry that ¡hall marry her. Nate, That Christ here fuppofeth filch o. titer caufes as Nature it fclf alloweth : As if Nufband or Wife Ihould refolvedly f zk the others death, or be infe&ed with a mortal tontagiousDifeafe, felfpreferuation .11o,veth avoidance till the danger is over. And ifa- nyother caufe make their cohabi-ation utter. ly inconfftentwith fafuy or the ends of Marriage, theymay by content live slander while that caufe continueth, 33. Again, yehave heard that it bathbeen faid by them of old time, Thou ffhalt not forfwear thy felf, but (halt perform unto the Lord thineoaths. 34. But I fay unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by Ilea ven , for it is God's throne. 35. Nor by the Earth, for it is his foorflool : neither by Jerufalem, for it is the City of the great King : 36 . Neither fink thou fwear by thy head, becaufe thou caníl not
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