ceiveth (Mark, not me, but) him that sent me, for he that is least among you all, in respect of humbling himself to do good offices, the same shall be great. In this manner did Jesus recommend to his followers, a perpetual spiritual infancy, consisting in an holy simplicity, meek docility, and unfeigned humility. On a former occasion, Simon Peter had gotten his particular dignity secured to him; Jesus having promised him the keys of the kingdom, by which, without doubt, they all understood the place of high steward. Probably, therefore, he was not engaged in this debate. But James and John, the sons of Zebedee, might be principally concerned in it, contending with our Lord's blood relations, James the Less, and Judas sirmamed Thaddeus, and Simon Zelotes, (see § 37.) who no doubt thought their consanguinity to Christ entitled them to the most honourable and profitable offices in his kingdom next to Peter. Whereas the sons of Zebedee claimed them, on account of their intimacy with Jesus, and the qualifications for which they were named Sons of thunder. Accordingly we find the two brothers afterwards asking the favour of the chief posts from Christ himself, § 106. This discourse therefore concerning humility, would be considered by Zebedee's sons as particularly designed for them; which I sup pose was the reason that John, desiring to divert it, told his Mase ter they had seen one casting out devils in his name, and had forbidden him, because he did not follow with them. Luke ix. 49. And John answered (Mark, him) and said, Master, one casting out devils in thy name, (Mark, and he followeth not us) and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. Mark ix. 39. But Jesus said, (Luke, unto him) Forbid him not, for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me: be the person who he will, he must have an high notion of my power, since he sees the devils go out at mentioning my name. Besides, (Mark 40. For) he that is not we saw against Ver. 49. We saw one casting out devils] The Doctors Whitby and Clarke are of opinion, that this was one of the Baptist's disciples, who, though he did not follow Christ with the rest, had been taught by his Mas ter to acknowledge him as the Messiah, and entertained so great a veneration for him, that he attempted to cast out devils in his name. Or if the character given of this person, He followeth not with us, and the apostle's prohibition, We forbade him, are thought inconsistent with the opinion of the doctors mentioned, we may suppose that he was an exorcist like the seven sons of Sceva, (Acts xix. 13.) who having seen the miracks which the apostles had performed in their Master's name, while out on their first mission, thought there might be some great occult virtue in it, and so made use of it in his exorcisms as Sceva's sens did in theirs, but with better success; God permitting him to cast out devils in Christ's name, to clothe his son with the greater honour. Or the devils may have obeyed the commands of persons, who without Christ's commission made use of his name, out of malice to him, and in hopes of bringing reproach on him through their misconduct. Nor is Christ's answer to John, ver. 39. inconsistent with. these suppositions. against us is on our part: (Luke, is for us) you should consider, that in the present circumstances, every one who does not oppose and persecute us is a friend; and that the ejection of demons in my name, will advance my reputation and promote my interest, although those who cast them out should have no intention to do either, nay, though the devils which are cast out should intend the contrary. Farther, to shew the apostles that they had been in the wrong to discourage this person, who must have enter tained a great veneration for their Master, and was in a fair way to become his follower, he told them, that the lowest degree of respect which any one shewed him, though it was but the giving a cup of cold water to his thirsty disciple, is acceptable to him, and shall not lose its reward. Mark ix. 41. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. See on Matt. x. 42. § 40. Whereas, on the other hand, the least discouragement of his servants in their duty, come from what quarter it will, shall be severely punished. 42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, nas ós ræv again, whosoever shall make one of these little ones to stumble, so the Greek word properly signifies, whosoever shall tempt them to sin, it is better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. ~(Luke, drowned in the depth of the sen.) See on Luke xvii. 2. § 97. Hence he inferred, that it is better to deny one's self the greatest earthly satisfactions, and to part with every thing most precious, represented by the figures of an hand, a foot, an eye, than by these things to cause the weakest of his friends to stumble, as some of the disciples had lately done. The amputation of our hands and feet, and the digging out of our eyes when they cause us to of fend, import also that we should deny ourselves such use of our senses and members as may lead us into sin. Thus the hand and the eye are to be turned away from those alluring objects which raise in us lust and ambition. The foot must be restrained from carrying us into evil company, unlawful diversions, and forbidden pleasures. Nor can we complain of these injunctions as severe, since by tempting others to sin, as well as by sinning ourselves, we are exposed to the eternal punishments of hell. Matt. xviii. 7. Wo unto the world because of offences, for it must needs be that offences come: (Ta exardana, temptations to sin, stumbling-blocks) But wo to that man by whom the offence cometh. Mark ix. 43. And (Matt. Wherefore) if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where *their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 44. 45. And * Ver. 44. Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.] These expressions 45. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: (see the explication of these metaphorical precepts, on Matt. v. 30. § 26.) it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. 46. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: (Matt. and cast it from thee) it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God (Matt. into life) with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire. 48. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The most superficial reader must be sensible, that our Lord's repeating so frequently his declaration concerning the duration of future pu nishments, has in it something very awful, and implies that mankind should attend to it as a matter of infinite importance to them. It likewise affords a lesson to all the ministers of the gospel, directing them to inforce the precepts of religion which they inculcate, by frequently and earnestly holding forth to the view of their hearers, the terrors of a future judgment. Mark ix. 49. For every one shall be * salted with fire, (was yag sugi ahıodnosti: every one shall be salt ed pressions seem to be borrowed from Isa. Ixvi. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me, for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh. In this passage, the prophet is describing the miserable end of hardened sinners, by a similitude taken from the behaviour of conquerors, who, after having gained the battle, and beaten the enemy out of the field, go forth to view the slain. Thus at the last day, the devil, with all his adherents, being finally and completely vanquished, the saints shall go forth to view them doomed by the just judgment of God to eternal death. And this their punishment is represented by two metaphors, drawn from the different ways of burying the dead, in use among the Jews. Bodies of men interred in the earth, are eaten up of worms which die when their food faileth; and those that are burned, are consumed in fire which extinguishes itself, when there is no more fuel added to feed it. But it shall not be so with the wicked: their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched. These metaphors therefore, as they are used by our Lord, and by the prophet Isaiah, paint the eternal punishments of the damned in strong and lively colours. * Ver. 49. Salted awith fire.] The proper translation of this passage, is, Every one shall be salted for the fire, namely, by you my apostles: for rugi here is the dative, not the ablative; as it is likewise 2 Pet. iii. 7. where the same construction is found: ug guevos, reserved for the fire. Every one shall be salted for the fire of God's altar, i. e. shall be prepared to be offer. ed a sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable. For though the proposition be universa!, it must be limited by the nature of the subject thus: Every one who is offered a sacrifice unto God, shall be salted for the fire as every sacrifice is salted with salt. Nor is it any objection against this interpreta tion, that the word aλioner will thus stand construed with different cases in the same sentence. For both sacred and profane writers make use of such constructions. Nay, they often affix different senses to the same word in one sentence. Thus, James iv. 8. “ Drusu nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." But the reader will have no doubt of the meaning of the passage, when he considers that our Lord is not giving a reason for ed for the fire of God's altar; salted by you with piety, in order to be offered to God), and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Mark ix. 50. Salt is good, but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves. The argument stands thus: That ye my apostles do mortify yourselves is absolutely necessary, not only on account of your own future well-being, but for the sake of mankind who are to be salted by you for the fire; that is, seasoned with piety and virtue by means of your doctrine and example, and so put in a fit condition for being offered unto God, in opposition to the condition of the wicked, who being an abhorring unto all flesh, must be consumed by the worm that never dies, and the fire that is not quenched. The necessity of mens being thus seasoned with grace, in order to their becoming acceptable sacrifices unto God, you may learn from its being typically represented under the law, by the priests salting the sacrifices for the fire of the altar with salt. Having therefore this high honour of salting mankind for the altar of heaven conferred on you, it is fit that ye contain in yourselves the spiritual salt of all the graces, and particularly the holy salt of love, and peace, in order that you may be as much as possible free from the rottenness of ambition, and pride, and contention, and every evil work. Mark ix. 50. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. But because pride, or an high opinion of one's self, with a contempt of others, is often the parent of offences, he solemnly cautioned his disciples against that evil, and shewed them the unreasonableness of it by this delightful argument, that the poorest person is an object of the care of providence. Matth. xviii. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; one who is converted and become as a little child, one of my real disciples of whom I have been speaking to you: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 11. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Our Lord did not mean that every particular saint has a guardian angel assigned him. But as all the angels are sent forth, ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, they may in general be called their angels. The expression behold the face of my Father, alludes to the custom of earthly courts, where the great men, those who are highest in office and favour, are most frequently in the prince's palace and presence. Wherefore, when for the unquenchableness of hell-fire as is commonly supposed, but a reason why his apostles should cut off their hands and dig out their eyes, if these members proved the occasions of sin, either to themselves or others. This I think is plain from the clause that follows: if the salt have lost his saltness, if you who are the salt of the earth, and whose office it is to salt others, have lost your saltness, i. e. your grace and goodness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one quith another. when we are told that the angels of the least of Christ's disciples behold the face of God, the meaning is, that the chief angels are employed in taking care of such; and our Lord's reasoning is both strong and beautiful, when on this account he cautions us against despising them. To conclude, by telling them that the Son of man was come to seek and save that which was lost, and by delivering the parable of the lost sheep which its owner found after much painful searching, he hath eminently displayed the immense care which the Father almighty takes of men, and hath given us a just notion of the value which he puts on the least of his reasonable creatures. He gives his highest angels charge concerning them, has sent his only begotten Son to save them, and condescends to share in the joy which the heavenly beings are filled with upon their recovery. Matt. xviii. 12. How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13. And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, He rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray." 14. Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. He greatly delights in the conversion and salvation of men, and is at as much pains to reclaim them, as a shepherd is to bring back a sheep that is strayed from his flock. Having thus spoken to the persons offending, he addressed his discourse to the persons offended, shewing them in what manner they ought to behave towards an offending brother. First of all, his fault is to be represented unto him privately, in order that he be brought to a due sense of it. Matt. xviii. 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother: hast recovered him to God, who rejoices at the repentance of a sinner, and to thyself, with whom he was at en mity; and so hast saved him from perishing. But if this gentle method has not the desired effect, two or more grave persons should concur in the rebuke, that he may be convinced he is in the wrong. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. If he still remains obstinate, his offence is to be told to the church, or the particular congregation of the faithful to which he belongs, whose sentence being declared, will shew him, that in the judgment of all good men the other has done his duty, and that he is to blame. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. Lastly, if this does not make an impression upon him, he is from that time forth to be treated as the Pharisees treated heathens and publicans; that is to say; he must be considered as an incorrigible sinner, |