1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.
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VERS. 1.-- *And Jesus seeing.* With this Luke agrees, saying: *And it came to pass in those days, he went out into a mountain to pray*, etc. But Luke says, etc., *as far as* for not all men can do all things: which is thought the truer, although the same [sermon] of both may be seen to have been delivered at once. *He went up.* Teaching his own to go up and not to remain in the crowd: being about to teach a higher righteousness than that which is of the Scribes and the Pharisees. He himself, a mountain, went up into a mountain, that he might teach the higher summits of the virtues, and might show that the Church, above which he sits preaching, is to be raised more loftily by the Lord's precept, which the same teaching would more fully instruct unto the end of the world. He leads the apostles apart more eminently, that from the mountain the mountains may first receive peace for the people. *He was set down.* The sitting is of the humanity, by which he is known. Whence: *And the world knew him not,* before the incarnation. *They came.* That they may hear the nearer, who hasten in mind to fulfil.
2 And opening his mouth he taught them, saying:
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VERS. 2.-- *And opening.* The opening of the mouth signifies the depth of the sacrament. He opened as it were an abyss, as it were a treasure, as it were a river of paradise. On this mountain he writes the New Testament in the hearts of sons, beginning from beatitude, who on mount Sinai gave the Old Testament on stones to servants, beginning from terror. The sermon which our Lord spoke on the mountain, as in the Gospel, etc., *as far as, Everyone who hears these my words and shall do them, I will liken him to a wise man*.
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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VERS. 3.-- *Blessed.* Beatitude, as my opinion carries it, is the comprehension of all those things which, etc., *as far as* for misery is a wretchedness in bitter and sorrowful chances and calamities that do not fall out by our own will. *Blessed are the poor.* The number of the sentences is to be diligently attended to. For beatitude begins from humility. * Blessed are the poor in spirit.* Because it is not necessity but faith, and the devotion of poverty, that makes men blessed, etc., *as far as* as the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, so poverty is the beginning of beatitude. The poor in spirit are the humble and contrite of heart. And by spirit he here means the soul and the will. But because many are humble not of their own accord, but constrained by necessity, he calls the first sort blessed.
4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
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VERS. 4.-- *Blessed are the meek.* The meek are those who master evil habits: perfect virtue is the possession of one's habits. The meek are not those who are not angry at all, etc., *as far as* so the doctrine of a man is discerned through patience. *They shall possess the land.* That land I believe to be the one of which it is said in the Psalm: *Thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living*.
5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
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VERS. 5.-- *Blessed are they that mourn.* For their own sins or for others', which mourning is from the lower watering, but that which comes from the upper watering is out of desire for the heavenly country. The one washes present filth, the other kindles more sharply the lovers of eternal things. But he who has laid down his sins, has corrected his habits by meekness, and has wept besides, can now hunger and thirst after righteousness, which before he could not. This virtue is not fulfilled without the spirit of fortitude: because through him, by hungering, we shall one day come to fulness. *Blessed are they that mourn.* It remains, after the things aforesaid, to purge by mourning the foulness of our ruins. Mourning for sins or out of heavenly desire earns consolation, and no other does. These are enlightened by the spirit of knowledge, that they may know in what evils they are wrapped. For those that mourn, not for those grieving over bereavements, or insults, or losses, but for those weeping over their old sins, and made wretched by the consciousness of the crimes with which we are befouled, this assiduous consolation is prepared in heaven.
6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
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VERS. 6.-- *Blessed are they that hunger.* Lovers of the good word, to whom it is not enough that they are just, but they always thirst for the work of righteousness.Righteousness is to render to each his own, to oneself, and to one's neighbors, and to God. This righteousness will not be fully fulfilled until God be all in all: therefore here we can hunger, not be filled. The light of righteousness is mercy, the strength of mercy is righteousness; this mercy has need of the spirit of counsel, without which no one is merciful with circumspection. The beginning is to have mercy on oneself, the end is to die for another. For the order of showing mercy is that each man begin from himself. Christ hints at the end, having died out of mercy for sinners.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
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VERS. 7.-- *Blessed are the merciful.* Mercy is born of the things that go before, because if true humility has gone before, and the mind grows meek, and weeps for its own falls and others', and hungers after righteousness, afterwards true mercy is born. For then it will make others' miseries its own and will help according to its powers: and if the means of helping is wanting, compassion will not be wanting: *Be ye merciful as your Father also is merciful*, that is, let us have mercy unto that end unto which God also has mercy, that goodness may overflow upon all: mercy without righteousness is called remission and lukewarmness; righteousness without mercy is called severity and harshness.
8 Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
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VERS. 9.-- *Blessed are the peacemakers.* The peacemakers are those who compose all the motions of the mind and subject them to reason, because nothing resists those who are like the Father, etc., *as far as* but when God shall be all in all, then the beatitude of adoption will be given.
10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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VERS. 10.-- *Blessed are they that suffer persecution.* In the seven aforesaid there is the showing and the proving of perfection. Those who have the aforesaid things can suffer persecution: and he rightly holds the aforesaid things which he has received who is ready to die for them.
11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:
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VERS. 11.-- *Blessed are you when they shall revile you.* Thus far he set down his sentences generally, as though to those absent, although they belonged to those present also, now he turns his words to them (although this belongs to others also), foretelling how great things they should suffer for his name: because he wished to make known to them the dignity of their rank, saying: *You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world;* that from the sad things they might take humility, from the glad things consolation. *Shall revile.* The ancient translation has: *When men shall hate you, and shall say all that is evil, and shall cast you out.* Yet the sense is the same in ours, since revilings come from hatred of the heart. He who chooses the glory of heaven does not fear reproach on earth; as much as each man rejoices at the praise of men, so much does he grieve at reproach. Him whom praise lifts up, blame casts down: where a man seeks to be praised only before God, he does not fear to be confounded in the sight of men. *Lying.* He adds this, lest he glory of whom evil things are truly said. He adds also: *For my sake,* because sometimes false things are said, which comes about through the rashness of men, yet they do not suffer this for Christ's sake, whom they do not follow.
12 Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
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VERS. 12.-- *For your reward is very great in heaven.* Not in rolling things, since an eternal reward ought not to be in rolling things, but in spiritual firmaments, where everlasting righteousness dwells. Already therefore they feel this reward who rejoice in spiritual goods. But it will be made perfect when this mortal shall put on immortality. *For so they persecuted,* etc. He tempers the rigor of the passion by an example. Persecution is made in three ways: by hatred of the heart, by words, by deeds.
13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.
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VERS. 13.-- *You are the salt of the earth.* Here now is shown the office of the apostles, namely that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This belongs especially to the apostles, who ought to be adorned with the aforesaid virtues, namely poverty and the rest, that they may be the best salt, seasoning others by doctrine and by the example of their own life. Salt, health from corruption. Whence the prophet: *I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.* *But if the salt,* etc. That is, if you, by whom others are to be seasoned, give way before adverse or prosperous things: by whom shall error be taken away from you, when God has chosen to raise you up for others? It is good for nothing: because (as another evangelist says) it is useful neither to the earth, which by being cast upon it it hinders from sprouting, nor to the dunghill, which it does not suffer to grow fruitful. So he who goes backward neither bears fruit himself, nor is able to till others, but is cast out of the Church, and is laughed at in these words: *This man began to build, and was not able to finish. If the salt shall lose its savor*. That is, if through fear or through greed the teacher has let go the savor of wisdom, by whom shall his foolishness be amended? This befits the apostles alone: what follows befits all masters: *It is good for nothing any more,* etc. At the end he concludes thus concerning all: *Unless your righteousness abound,* etc. *And be trodden upon by men.* The holy and true minister of Christ, even if he is laughed at by the wicked, cannot be trodden upon, because fixed in mind he remains in heaven.
14 You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.
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VERS. 14.-- *You are the light of the world.* Salt before light, because life before doctrine: life leads to the knowledge of truth. He who fears God does not lack knowledge. *The light of the world.* There is another cause why they ought not to fail: because they are enlightened by Christ in word and in example: wherever they are carried among worldly men they ought to minister the light of faith and of knowledge. And as (because they are salt) they ought to drive away corruption: so also they ought to put darkness (because they are light) to flight. *A city cannot,* etc. Because the apostles are foundations, they are fitly called a city. *Upon a mountain.* The place hints at the mountain of righteousness, which is lofty, whereby you are made public so that you may not hide yourselves. For there is no power of slipping away or of doing anything in secret; therefore rule your subjects mercifully within by counsel, and without against adversaries defend them by fighting for righteousness: which belongs to the spirit of counsel and of fortitude.
15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.
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VERS. 15.-- *Neither do they light a lamp.* By household examples he teaches them not to hide the light of the word committed to them. They do not light, that is, the doctrine of preaching was not given for this, that they should hide it and subject it to the servitude of the body, while they fear certain things. But let them subject their body to the ministry of God, that through the voice and the other offices of the body the light may appear more excellent than the rest. Whence it is said: *I chastise my body,* etc. Or, Christ lit a lamp, when he filled the earthen shell of human nature with the flame of his divinity: which he neither hid from believers, nor shut up under a bushel, that is, the measure of the law, or within the bounds of a single nation. But upon the candlestick, that is, the Church, he fastened the faith of his incarnation, where all can behold it who are in the house, that is, in the Church, or in the world. Whence he adds: *So let your light shine,* etc. *A candlestick.* As Christ is the lamp, the candlestick is the cross, upon which he was to be lifted up. The candlestick is the Church, which bears the word of the present life.
16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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VERS. 16.-- *So let your light shine,* etc. And do all these things in such a way that you do not set the end of your good work in the praises of men. *That they may see,* etc. I require works, that they may be seen, and that so the doctrine may be confirmed: and this not to your own glory.
17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
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VERS. 17.-- *Do not think.* After he had exhorted them to suffer all things for the truth, and not to hide it, and to work the glory of God, he begins to teach what they are to teach. As if he were saying: What is this that thou forbiddest to be hidden, for which thou biddest all things to be suffered? is there anything against the law? *I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil,* either by doing what it says, or by supplying what was lacking and imperfect.
18 For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.
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VERS. 18.-- *One jot.* Here it is shown that the things which are thought least in the law are full of spiritual sacraments, and all things, etc., *as far as* because the jot signifies ten, that is, the decalogue, whose apex is the perfection of the Gospel. *All things be fulfilled.* Let them be spiritually fulfilled, or let the imperfect be perfected, and let the things that signify be consummated, that is, by the fulfilment.
19 He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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VERS. 19.-- *He therefore that shall break,* etc. The least things are the cross of Christ and his passion, and he who is ashamed of them is least; he who confesses them is great. Or he marks the Pharisees, who let go the commandments of God for their own traditions, which are worth nothing, while they pass over even the least thing that is in the law. But morally he breaks it who does not fulfil it, but holds it as these things were given to the weak. Or he who does not understand it spiritually. To break, is not to do what one rightly understands, or not to understand what one does not distort, or to lessen the wholeness of Christ's superadding. *He shall be called the least,* etc. In the kingdom of heaven he shall be called least who will be unworthy in it, in which there is none least but all are great. *But he that shall do.* He who shall not break it, and so teaches, is not least, yet not great: but he does what he teaches. *For only the doers of the law are just before God*.
20 For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
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VERS. 20.-- *But I say to you.* When he says, I say, he struck in a great force and a deep understanding for thinking: he shows how he superadds. And he does not undo the things he had commanded before. It is even more to love enemies than not to hate them: not to covet, than not to commit adultery: not to be angry, than not to kill. *Unless,* etc. That is, you shall fulfil not only the least precepts of the law, but also those which I add: because while the things added are done unto perfection, these too are more fully performed which were set down before unto a beginning: because he who does not look upon a woman to lust after her, neither does he commit fornication: nor does he kill who is not angry. *Your righteousness.* He calls the righteousness of the Pharisees all those things actually commanded for the worship of God: or the mystical things of the figures, established only according to the letter.
21 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment.
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VERS. 21.-- *You have heard,* etc. He sets forth what the righteousness of the Pharisees is, and he who fulfils it is not at once great, but has climbed some step.
22 But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
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VERS. 22.-- *But I,* etc. He begins to unfold the perfection which he came to fulfil, and how their righteousness ought to abound the more. *Everyone who is angry.* Because they did not know that anything was murder except a killing: he discloses that every motion of the mind toward doing harm is reckoned as murder. The commandment of Christ is not contrary to the law, but more broadly contains the law in itself. He who is not angry does not kill. But not conversely, the leave to be angry is the cause of murder. Take away anger, and murder is not committed.
23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee;
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VERS. 23.-- *If therefore thou offer thy gift.* He unfolds the fuller righteousness by showing that if it is not lawful to be angry with a brother, much less is it lawful to keep in the mind that which seeks to be turned into hatred. If we have anything of evil in the mind against a neighbor, we cannot offer to God in a way that pleases him. *If therefore thou offer.* According to the letter this is absurd. There is therefore in the inner temple an altar, that is, faith, upon which any gift whatsoever, that is, a psalm, a hymn, a prayer, and the like, unless it rest, will not be pleasing to God. *And there,* etc., that is, when in the heart (which is the inner temple) thou art about to offer such a gift, if it should come into thy mind that thy brother has something against thee, whom thou hast wronged. For if he has wronged thee, it is not he, but thou who hast something against him: nor is it needful for thee then to seek pardon, but to give it, as thou wishest to be forgiven thyself.
24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.
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VERS. 24.-- *Leave there,* etc. He does not say, Carry it back: because what is rightly offered may not be changed. But leave it, until thou mayest offer it more acceptably: for he does not drive back the gift, but seeks charity toward one's neighbor, without which no one comes to the charity of God. Whence: Let him first pay charity to his neighbor who desires his gift to please God. *Go.* Not with the feet, but in mind mayest thou humbly prostrate thyself before him in the sight of him to whom thou art about to offer. Or by seeking pardon if he is present. *Thou shalt offer.* This is from the spirit of piety, whereby a man becomes meek, and understands the divine word piously, and by understanding obeys, and lifts up his heart to fulfil it.
25 Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
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VERS. 25.-- *Be at agreement.* As he has already commanded a man to be reconciled to his brother, and afterwards bids that enemies be loved, so here, while we run in the way of this world, he exhorts to peace and concord, as it is said: *If it be possible, as much as is in you, having peace with all men*. And in place of "consenting" the Greek has "kindly" or "well-disposed." *Quickly,* lest thou put it off till the morrow: *While thou art in the way,* while it is still lawful to work. If thou hast wronged a brother, be reconciled to him. If an adversary has arisen, be well-disposed, that he may become a friend. *In the way with him.* The divine word is with us in the way of Christ. The adversary is with us in the way of the world. The divine word is to us the way in which we run. Whence: *I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart*. *Lest perhaps he deliver thee up.* He so tempered it, that it should not bring in a place of repentance: for it might be thought that if the adversary had died and one could not be well-disposed to him in the way, he would necessarily be delivered up to the judge. But he both left a place of repentance, and delivered the impenitent up to the judge, saying: Let the judge deliver thee to the officer. *Let him deliver thee up,* that is, let him be the cause why thou art delivered into the hands of Christ, to whom the Father has given all judgment. Christ to the officer, that is, to the angel, who shall gather the cockle.
26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.
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VERS. 26.-- *The last farthing.* That is, small sins, because nothing will be unpunished. Or by the last farthing are signified earthly sins, because the first part of the world is heaven; the second, air; the third water; the fourth, and last, earth. Therefore until thou repay the last farthing, that is, until thou pay for the sins which thou hast contracted from the earth.
27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
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VERS. 27.-- *You have heard.* Still he who said: *I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil*. He adds: how much it ought to abound, etc., *as far as* when the soul, having left the higher law, is corrupted, prostituted by a base will for lower things. *Shall look upon a woman.* A great superadding. Sight is put for every motion which is, etc., *as far as* because a man is accused or defended out of his conscience not according to what he was able to do and was not permitted, but according to what he willed and purposed. *To lust after her.* That it may pass over into the affection of the heart, so that he sets himself to do it, where the will is not wanting, but the occasion: which is called passion, which is death in the house. Pro-passion is a sudden affection of the mind, either of anger or of love. Passion is a form or deliberation of the mind out of consent. Whence a man is called wrathful or a lover. If contemplation turns into weariness or into arrogance, let it go, and pass over to the active life: because it is better to be saved through the active than to perish through the contemplative.
28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy whole body be cast into hell.
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VERS. 29.-- *Pluck it out.* According to the letter no member is commanded to be plucked out, but the inner sight, which is called the right, and the outer, which is called the left, if it hurts, is to be called back or removed by the zeal of dutiful labor: and even to be put far away, so that it may not so much as be held in memory. The eye is plucked out when an evil habit is broken. It is cast away when it is wholly brought to nothing, nor is it suffered to enter.
30 And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body go into hell.
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VERS. 30.-- *Thy right hand.* Prosperous working, or some vigorous helper within the business of life: and if he is a scandal in the law of God, it is better to be saved with him cut off than to be damned along with him. *Cut it off,* etc. If anyone preaches this of the bodily members, he ought not to be listened to out of any affection of dutifulness. But that from thence the wickedness of habits and the crookedness of actions may be cut away, so that whatever in the eye of the mind overturns us from the way of righteousness and from uprightness of habits, and whatever beats without against the working of the virtues, may be driven far off. *Into hell.* The name of gehenna is not found among the ancients: but is first set down by the Lord. The occasion of that name is this. The idol of Baal was beside Jerusalem at the foot of mount Moria, where Siloe was. This valley was well-watered and wooded and full of delights, and a place in it was consecrated to idols: but the people of Israel went so far in madness that, leaving the temple, they sacrificed there, and burned their own sons to demons. And that place was called Gehennon, that is, the valley of Ennon. And God threatens that he will fill that place with corpses, so that it may be called polyandrum, that is, a burial-mound of the dead: by the name of this place therefore the punishments to come are designated.
31 And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.
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VERS. 31.-- *Let him give her.* Moses wrote in Deuteronomy that if a wife does not please her husband on account of some foulness, he should put her away. Which Christ expounds, etc., *as far as* as he loves an enemy, not in this, that he is an enemy and evil, but that he is a man, so that he may be saved along with him. Moses permitted a bill of divorce to be given, lest for hatred's sake blood should be shed. He permitted evils to be done, etc., *as far as* because we cannot forbid to the full the evil wills of men.
32 But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
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VERS. 32.-- *By reason of fornication.* Because in this the faith of chastity and of wedlock is broken: and he does not make her commit adultery, but she herself is the cause of her own guilt. But if he puts her away for fornication, he ought to be free from fornication himself, nor is it lawful to marry another while she lives. *By reason of fornication.* Of the woman, who has committed fornication, or of the man, lest he commit fornication, namely if the wife compels him to idolatry, or to avarice, or to other unlawful lusts. For fornication is not only of defilement, but generally that which makes a man stray from the law of God. *And he that,* etc. Do not say that her husband has put her away, because even after she is put away, she remains the wife of him who put her away.
33 Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.
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VERS. 33.-- *But thou shalt render.* If it should happen that thou swear: thou shalt swear by the Creator: not by a creature. For each man venerates that by which he swears: this he loves, this he fears. Therefore the law commands that no oath be sworn save by God. *But I,* etc. He teaches that there is nothing so cheap among creatures that a man ought to forswear himself by it, since he forbids the oath from the highest to the lowest, that is, from heaven to a hair. He is convicted of forswearing himself against God, whose throne is heaven, and whose is whatever is. *By heaven.* They either supposed heaven to be something more, or, swearing by it, did not think themselves held by an oath: therefore he so tempers the sentence, that heaven may be believed to be a creature of God, and not something more: and that, because it is his throne, perjury may be feared. So also concerning the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet. He therefore who swears by a creature owes the oath to him who created and rules it, nor is it rightly thought to be paid to another. Let us not swear by creatures so as to venerate them beyond what we ought by them, so as to esteem them cheap, namely so that when we swear by them we should think we swear by nothing. *Nor by the earth.* Others swear by the safety of Pharao, who by the judgment of God is set among the lowest. *There is no power but from God*: and in this thou swearest by God. *Nor,* etc. Because it is not thy work, but God's: and so in the least things, by swearing by God, thou canst incur perjury. He who swears by his head owes it to him whose image and power abides in it.
34 But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God:
35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
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VERS. 36.-- *For thou canst not,* etc. Since these things aforesaid are hard and difficult, no one keeps them without the spirit of fortitude. He drives men to perfection, while he takes away the occasion of swearing.
37 But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.
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VERS. 37.-- *Yea, yea; no, no.* He says it twice for this reason, that what thou sayest with the mouth thou mayest prove by works. What thou deniest in words, thou mayest not approve or confirm by deeds.
38 You have heard that it hath been said: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
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VERS. 38.-- *You have heard.* The law appointed a measure of vengeance: an eye for an eye. But if it can be said, etc., *as far as* but out of love of justice, the just for the unjust, which is good for evil, which the judge also does.As to what he says, *an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth:* he does not wish to take away the one, but to preserve both, while he threatens retaliation. Which he also does with measure, that the vengeance may not exceed the injury: and this is the beginning of peace, and as it were the commencement of justice.
39 But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:
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VERS. 39.-- *Not to resist.* The justice of the law instructs the untaught in the beginning of justice, that is, to repay no more than was inflicted. The justice of the Gospel (which leads men to the kingdom) is not to resist evil: *Not to resist:* as he himself likewise: *Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart*. And David: *If I have repaid them that repaid me evils*. Jerem. *And I have given my cheek to him that struck me*. Behold, the same Lord of the law and of the Gospel. *Offer to him.* Not only shouldst thou not strike back, but if he wishes to strike the other cheek, bear it patiently: this concerning injury to the body. But as to necessary things, if thou hast lost one, allow the remainder also to be taken away. What then of things superfluous? *The other.* First, it is an unworthy thing that a faithful man should stand in judgment before the sight of an unbelieving judge. For even if he be an unbeliever, etc., *as far as* If once thou hast entered into judgment, thou dost no longer desire that the truth of the cause should appear, but that in whatever way thou mayest come off victor.
40 And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.
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VERS. 40.-- *And to him who,* etc. It is counsel, before thou contend. It is indeed lawful for the weak to demand back their own, but not to contend. Luke conversely: He that taketh away thy garment, forbid not thy coat also. Which is to be done not concerning these things alone, but concerning all temporal things. *Thy coat.* Or, the coat is the soul, which if a man be unwilling to lose, let him give up his cloak, that is, his body to martyrdom. Spiritually, the teacher takes away the coat when he makes a man confess his inward vices, such as envy, pride, and the like. He adds: *And the cloak;* he who does not blush to confess the outward ones also, such as theft and fornication.
41 And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.
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VERS. 41.-- *A thousand paces.* This is a sabbath day's journey, by which spiritual perfection is signified: because it is not lawful to do servile work on the sabbath. *Other two.* He goes other two also who, while he is reduced to servitude in body only, is ready to be reduced in spirit and soul, that is, in reason and in will.
42 Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.
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VERS. 42.-- *Give to him.* Such things as can be given honourably and justly. If the means be wanting, give the affection by a word or by a service. *Give to him.* So, namely, that it hurt neither thee nor another: for justice is to be weighed. For thus wilt thou give to everyone that asketh, and if not that which he asks, yet something better, when thou shalt have corrected him that asks unjustly. *And to him that would borrow.* He embraces two kinds of bestowing. For either we give of good will, or we lend to one who will repay. And sometimes he who gives is unwilling to lend, as though there were no reward in it when the debtor pays back the thing received. But truly he who commands even this, repays. He says therefore: *Turn not away,* that is, nor alienate thy will. *For God loveth a cheerful giver*, and so the spiritual teacher ought to put out to his hearers the interest of the divine word, that he may be able to receive from them the recompense of a good work, and to hope for a reward from God.
43 You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy.
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VERS. 43.-- *You have heard.* He who came to fulfil the law leads at the end to full charity, which is the fulfilling of the law. *Thou shalt hate.* Perhaps it is to be understood according to what is above: *An eye for an eye,* etc. Or by withdrawing the offices of humanity.
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:
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VERS. 44.-- *Love.* The Church is fought against in three ways: by hatred, by words, by the torment of the body. The Church on the contrary loves, does good, prays. This is the new commandment, this makes, out of sons of wrath, sons of God; whence there follows: *That you may be sons.* The adoption of sons is acquired by charity alone. *Do good.* By ministering food to the mind or to the body. Which he also does who says that such a one is not even to take food. For all these things look to this, that they may become brethren. Single things are set against single, that all the parts of malice may be overcome by goodness. The imprecations of the prophets seem to be against this, which are not uttered by the wish of those desiring, but by the spirit of those foreseeing. *Pray.* He does not say this for brethren, in whom there are sometimes sins graver than the persecution of enemies, etc., *as far as* although they confess that they have sinned, and vehemently repent of having done evil, yet they have such dispositions of mind that they do not humble themselves to ask pardon. But it may move one, that John in his Epistle seems to admonish, concerning the love of God and of the neighbour, only that we should love the brethren, whereas the Lord says that prayer is to be made even for enemies. But by brethren are understood not only those who already believe, but those who are to believe, for whom prayer must be made, that they may be joined to us by a brotherly covenant.
45 That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.
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VERS. 45.-- *Sons.* Not degenerate. As if he should say: Having received the power, act by works that you may be sons by being born again through charity. *Of the Father.* He is already called Father. See that you be sons born again of God, who is charity. *Who maketh his sun to rise.* This visible one. For they say in the book of Solomon, *The sun of justice hath not shined upon us*. And of the rain of doctrine the prophet says: *Upon one city it rained, and not upon another. His sun*, etc. As if he should say: Whom he made, whose properly are all the things which he created out of nothing. What then shall we do concerning those things which we have received of his gift?
46 For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?
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VERS. 46.-- *The publicans.* The exactors of the Romans, whom the Jews so call, because they bore the charge of the commonwealth. They are also said to have drawn their name from Publius, a Roman king, who first appointed them.
47 And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?
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VERS. 47.-- *And if you salute.* If you shall have prayed for those only who are joined to you by some kinship, what more has your benefit than that of unbelievers? Brethren must be loved, and humbly saluted: but it is little.
48 Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
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VERS. 48.-- *Perfect.* In the love of God and of the neighbour. The crown of perfection is to love even enemies, and to pray for them, as Christ also did.