LESSON XIII.—SABBATH, MARCH 31, 1894.
INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
27. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, 28. Bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. 29. To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. 30. Give to everyone that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32. And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them. 33. And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. 34. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. 35. But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36. Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37. And judge not, and ye shall not be judged; and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; release, and ye shall be released. 38. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. 39. And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit? 40. The disciple is not above his master; but everyone when he is perfected shall be as his master. 41. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42. Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. 43. For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. 44. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47. Everyone that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: 48. He is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it; because it had been well builded. 49. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great. As this is the last lesson in the quarter, it will be well to take a general view of the quarter's work, chapter by chapter, giving in order, as far as possible, the various topics covered. Do not be discouraged if you cannot do this perfectly at this time. You will find that you can do it very much better than you thought was possible when you began; and although you may not as yet get the exact order of all the topics that you do recall, you can get them pretty nearly in their proper place, and can readily find them. It will be worth while to read carefully the six chapters in connection, noting the various subjects treated of. The analysis of the lesson will aid you in this. Endeavor to recall from memory at least the principal topic of each chapter. Thus, of the first, promise of John and Jesus, and birth of John; of the second, birth and childhood of Jesus; of the third, Jesus baptized by John; fourth, temptation in the wilderness, and rejection at Nazareth, and miracles; fifth, miraculous draught of fishes, and healing of the palsied man; sixth, the Sabbath a merciful institution, and instruction. These are the principal topics; a little thought will enable you to recall others; and these will bring a host of details to your mind, in which you will find much comfort and instruction in righteousness. 1. How must we regard our enemies? 2. What must we do to those who hate us? 3. If people curse, and act spitefully, what must we do? 4. How should we act in case violence is done to us? 5. What general rule is given to guide our conduct to others? 6. What is said of those who love only the ones who love them? 7. In what way do we show that we are children of the highest? 8. If we are children of God, what will be our standard of mercy? 9. What did the Saviour say about judging and condemning? 10. What will determine the kind of treatment that we are to receive? 11. What parable did he speak to them? 12. Who is the standard of perfection? 13. By what illustration did Jesus show the folly of trying to correct the faults of others while we ourselves are doing the same things? 14. How is every tree known? 15. What must be the nature of a man's heart before he can do that which is good? 16. What only can come from an evil heart? 17. What determines the character of words and actions? 18. In what kind of profession does the Lord not delight? 19. To whom is the man likened who hears the sayings of Christ and does them? 20. What is said of the man who hears them and does them not? 1. BECAUSE the precepts of Christ are so little practiced, it is common to assume that they cannot be. The attempts to "explain" the words of Jesus, recorded in Luke 6:27-31, especially verse 29, so as to show that they mean something different from what they actually say, are simply attempts to accommodate them to common usage. It is very frequently said, "Nobody follows those instructions." It is not safe to make such general assertions, simply because we may not know of people who follow them. But even if there were none who followed Christ's teachings, that would not affect them any. He did it, "leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps; . . . who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously." 1 Peter 2:21-23. See also verses 19, 20. If Christ's example in committing himself to God were followed, it would not be so difficult to see how his example in leading a peaceful life can be followed. 2. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8. "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. 5:45. This is the character of the Father. Therefore all who are children of God have the same characteristics. They love not simply those who love them, but all men, even their enemies. Christ prayed for his murderers. Luke 23:34. That was a manifestation of divine love. Only those in whom the Spirit of God dwells, are capable of such unselfish love. It is not in human nature. 3. ANOTHER thing that will characterize the children of the Highest is that they will lend to those from whom they can hope to receive nothing in return. That is the way that God gives. The great gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17) is bestowed upon those who have nothing to give in return (Rom. 11:35, 36). Paganism teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." Christianity teaches that God helps those who cannot help themselves. "For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6. 4. "Judge not, that ye be not judged." The apostle Paul tells us that whosoever judges another, thereby shows himself to be guilty. Rom. 2:1. James says: "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?" James 4:11, 12. "For the Lord is our Judge; the Lord is our Lawgiver; the Lord is our King; he will save us." Isa. 33:22. "Who art thou that judgest,"