Matthew 5:47 And if you salute your brothers only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? While all men are under one sovereign law, some by voluntary profession bring themselves an additional accountableness. We must not compare ourselves with the worst of men. On looking on others and forming judgments, we may SPECIFY POINTS OF ADMONITORY COMPARISON. 1. They will observe and feel a very limited sense of responsibility. 2. They will observe the lamentably small effects of admitted truth. 3. A different sensibility to the evils which affect mankind. 4. What good things they do not that they might. We must beware of the sad tendency there is to the " less " in any good thing, instead Of the " more." Consider the extent of what there is to be clone; where we should have been if there had not been persons in every age to " do more "than others, such as Wicliff, Luther, etc.; consider how we talk of imitating excellent examples. Those who desire to do more than others must not be discouraged by the disposition that will show itself to depreciate and obstruct. This obligation is increased by the fact that others do less than they ought.In this comparison with others we must have regard to the MOTIVE WHICH leads us to exceed them, and also respecting THE EQUITY IN THE MODE OF MAKING THE COMPARISON. We must beware of seeming to be admired and set off in invidious comparison. There must be no motive of self-merit. A word on the equity of the comparison. 1. Let there be a jealous watchfulness on the propensity to magnify ours and to diminish theirs. 2. The others with whom the comparison is made may have more difficulties than we are aware of. 3. Those of larger means are not to consider themselves as doing more, unless according to that proportion. 4. A man must not compare his most against another's least. 5. Our Lord when on earth did more than all other men. (J. Foster.) Parallel Verses KJV: And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? |
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