against his will; and, therefore, we do not find that Christ called him back, but took this occasion to instruct his disciples.

He instructed them regarding the difficulty of the salvation of those who have an abundance of this world; because there are few who have a deal to leave, that can be persuaded to leave it for Christ, or to lay it out in doing good.

He

Christ asserts this here. He looked about upon his disciples, because he would have them all take notice of what he said, that by it they might have their judgments rightly informed, and their mistakes rectified, concerning worldly wealth, which they were apt to overrate,-How hardly shall they who have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Ver. 23. They have many temptations to grapple with, and many difficulties to get over, which lie not in the way of poor people. But he explains himself (ver. 24), where he calls the disciples children, because as such they should be taught by him, and portioned by him with better things than this young man left Christ to cleave; and whereas he had said, How hardly will those who have riches get to heaven. Here he tells them, that the danger arose not so much from their having riches, as from their trusting to them, and placing their confidence in them, expecting protection, provision, and a portion from themsaying that to their gold which they should say only to their God, "Thou art my hope." Job xxxi. 24. They that have such a value as this for the wealth of the world, will never be brought to put a right value upon Christ and his grace. They that have ever so much riches, but do not trust in them that see the vanity of them, and their utter insufficiency to make a soul happy-have got over the difficulty, and can easily part with them for Christ; but they that have ever so little, if they set their hearts upon that little, and place their happiness in it, it will keep them from Christ. enforces this assertion with (ver. 25), It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man, that trusts in riches, or inclines to do so, to enter into the kingdom of God. The disproportion here seems so great (though the more it is so the more it answers the intention), that some have laboured to bring the camel and the eye of the needle a little nearer together. 1. Some imagine there might be some wicket-gate or door to Jerusalem, commonly known by the name of the needle's eye, for its straightness, through which a camel could not be got, unless he were unloaded, and made to kneel, as those camels mentioned in Gen. xxiv. 11. So a rich man cannot get to heaven, unless he be willing to part with the burden of his worldly wealth, and stoop to the duties of an humble religion, and so enter in at the strait gate. 2. Others suggest that the word we translate a camel, sometimes signifies a cable-rope, which, though not to be got through a needle's eye, yet is of greater affinity to it. A rich man, compared with the poor, is as a cable to a single thread-stronger, but not so pliable-and it will not go through the needle's eye, unless it be untwisted. So the rich man must be loosed and disentangled from his riches, and then there is some hope of him, that thread by thread he may be got through the eye of the needle, otherwise he is good for nothing but to cast anchor in the earth.

This truth was very surprising to the disciples,―They were astonished at his words. Ver. 24. They were astonished out of measure, and said among themselves, Who then can be saved? They knew what were generally the sentiments of the Jewish teachers, who affirmed that the Spirit of God chooses to reside in rich men; nay, they knew what abundance of promises there were in the Old Testament of temporal good things. They knew likewise that all either are rich, or fain would be so, and that they who are rich have so much the larger opportunities of doing good, and therefore were amazed to hear that it should be so hard for rich people to go to heaven.

Christ reconciled them to it, by referring it to the almighty power of God, to help even rich people over the difficulties that lie in the way of their salvation (ver. 27),—He looked upon them, to engage their attention, and said, " With men it is impossible: rich people cannot by their own skill or resolution get over these difficulties, but the grace of God can do it; for with him all things are possible." If the righteous scarcely are saved, much more may we say so of the rich; and therefore when any get to heaven, they must give all the glory to God, who worketh in them both to will and to do.

He instructed them also regarding the greatness of the salvation of those that have but a little of this world, and leave it for Christ. This he speaks of, upon occasion of Peter's mentioning what he and the rest of the disciples had left to follow him,-Behold (saith he), we have left all to follow thee. Ver. 28. "You have done well," saith Christ, "and it will prove in the end that you have done well for yourselves. You shall be abundantly recompensed; and not only you shall be reimbursed, who have left but a little, but those who have ever so much, though it were so much as this young man had, that could not persuade himself to quit it for Christ; yet they shall have much more than an equivalent for it." 1. The loss is supposed to be very great. He specifies, (1.) Worldly wealth. Houses are here put first, and lands last: if a man quit his house, which should be for his habitation, and his land, which should be for his maintenance, and so make himself a beggar and

an outcast.

This has been the choice of suffering saints. Farewell houses and lands, though ever so convenient and desirable, though the inheritance of fathers, for the house which is from heaven, and the inheritance of the saints in light, where are many mansions. (2.) Dear relations,-Father and mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters. In these, as much as in any temporal blessing, the comfort of life is bound up; without these the world would be a wilderness; yet, when we must either forsake these or Christ, we must remember that we stand in nearer relation to Christ than we do to any creature; and therefore, to keep in with him, we must be content to break with all the world, and to say to father and mother, as Levi did, “ I have not known you." The greatest trial of a good man's constancy is, when his love to Christ comes to stand in competition with a love that is lawful, nay, that is his duty. It is easy for such a one to forsake a lust for Christ, for he hath that within him that rises against it; but to forsake a father, a brother, a wife, for Christthat is, to forsake those whom he knows he must love, is hard. And yet he must do so, rather than deny or disown Christ. Thus great is the loss supposed to be; but it is for Christ's sake, that he may be honoured, and the gospel's, that it may be promoted and propagated. It is not the suffering, but the cause, that makes the martyr. And therefore, 2. The advantage will be great. (1.) They shall receive a hundredfold in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters; not in specie, but that which is equivalent. He shall have abundance of comfort while he lives, sufficient to make up all his losses; his relation to Christ, his communion with the saints, and his title to eternal life, shall be to him brethren, and sisters, and houses, and all. God's providence gave Job double to what he had had, but suffering Christians shall have an hundredfold in the comforts of the Spirit sweetening their creature comforts. But observe, it is added here in Mark, with persecutions. Even when they are gainers by Christ, let them still expect to be sufferers for him, and not to be out of the reach of persecution till they come to heaven. Nay, the persecutions seem to come in here among the receivings in this present time; for unto you it is given, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his name. Yet this is not all, (2.) They shall have eternal life in the world to come. If they receive an hundred fold in this world, one would think they should not be encouraged to expect any more; yet, as if that were a small matter, they shall have life eternal into the bargain-which is more than ten thousandfold, ten thousand times told, for all their losses. But because they talked so much, and really more than became them, of leaving all for Christ, he tells them, though they were first called, that there should be disciples called after them that should be preferred before them; as St Paul, who was one born out of due time, and yet laboured more abundantly than all the rest of the apostles. 1 Cor. xv. 10. Then the first were last, and the last first.

t

32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them and they were amazed; and as they followed they were afraid. "And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldst do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. 38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: 40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. 41 'And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

Matt. xx. 17; Luke xviii. 31. u Chap. viii. 31, ix. 31: Luke ix. 22, xviii. 31. z Matt. xx. 20. y Matt. xx. 24.

42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, 'Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43 *But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. 45 For even "the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

z Luke xxii. 25. I Or, think good. a Matt. xx. 26, 28; Chap. ix. 35; Luke ix. 48. b John xii. 14; Phil. Z c Matt. xx. 28; 1 Tim. ii. 6; Tit. ii. 14.

Here is Christ's prediction of his own sufferings; this string he frequently touched upon, though in the ears of his disciples it sounded very harsh and unpleasing.

See here how bold he was; when they were going up to Jerusalem, Jesus went before them, as the captain of our salvation, that was now to be made perfect through sufferings. Ver. 32. Thus he showed himself forward to go on with his undertaking, even when he came to the hardest part of it. Now that the tiae was at hand, he said, "Lo, I come!" so far was he from drawing back, that now, more than ever, he pressed forward. Jesus went before them, and they were amazed. They began now to consider what imminent danger they ran themselves into, when they went to Jerusalem; how very malicious the Sanhedrim which sat there was against their Master and them, and they were ready to tremble at the thought of it. To hearten them, therefore, Christ went before them. 66 Come," saith he, "surely you will venture where your Master ventures."-When we see ourselves entering upon sufferings, it is encouraging to see our Master go before us. Or, Hi went before them, and therefore they were amazed; they admired to see with what cheerfulness and alacrity he went on, though he knew he was going to suffer and die.-Christ's courage and constancy in going on with his undertaking for our salvation are, and will be, the wonder of all his disciples.

See here how timorous and faint-hearted his disciples were,-As they followed, they were afraid-afraid for themselves, as being apprehensive of their own danger; and justly might they be ashamed of their being thus afraid. Their Master's courage should have put spirit into them.

See here what method he took to silence their fears. He did not go about to make the matter better than it was, nor to feed them with hopes that he might escape the storm, but told them again what he had often told them before, the things that should happen to him. He knew the worst of it, and therefore went on thus boldly, and he will let them know the worst of it. Come, be not afraid; for, (1.) There is no remedy-the matter is determined, and cannot be avoided. (2.) It is only the Son of man that shall suffer. Their time of suffering was not at hand; he will now provide for their security. (3.) He shall rise again; the issue of his sufferings will be glorious to himself, and advantageous to all that are his. Vers. 33, 34. The method and particulars of Christ's sufferings are more largely foretold here than in any other of the predictions, that he shall first be delivered up by Judas to the chief priests and the scribes; that they shall condemn him to death, but, not having power to put him to death, shall deliver him to the Gentiles-to the Roman powers and they shall mock him, and scourge him, and spit upon him, and kill him. Christ had a perfect foresight, not only of his own death, but of all the aggravating circumstances of it; and yet he thus went forth to meet it.

Christ reproves two of his disciples for their ambitious request. This story is much the same here as we had it Matt. xx. 20. Only there they are said to have made their request by their mother-here they are said to make it themselves. She introduced them, and presented their petition, and then they seconded it, and assented to it.

As, on the one hand, there are some that do not use, so, on the other hand, there are some that abuse, the great encouragements Christ has given us in prayer. He hath said, "Ask, and it shall be given you ;" and it is a commendable faith to ask for the great things he has promised; but it was a culpable presumption in these disciples to make such a boundless demand upon their Master,- We would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. We had much better leave it to him to do for us what he sees fit, and he will do more than we can desire. Eph. iii. 20.

We must be cautious how we make general promises. Christ would not engage to do for them whatever they desired, but would know from them what it was they did desire,What would ye that I should do for you? He would have them go on with their suit, that they might be made ashamed of it.

Many have been led into a snare by false notions of Christ's kingdom, as if it were of this

world, and like the kingdoms of the potentates of this world. James and John conclude, if Christ rise again, he must be a king; and if he be a king, his apostles must be peers: and one of these would willingly be the first peer of the realm, and the other next him, like Joseph in Pharaoh's court, or Daniel in Darius's.

Worldly honour is a glittering thing, with which the eyes of Christ's own disciples have many a time been dazzled. Whereas to be good should be more our care than to look great, or to have the pre-eminence.

Our weakness and short-sightedness appear as much in our prayers as in any thing. We cannot order our speech, when we speak to God, by reason of darkness, both concerning him and ourselves. It is folly to prescribe to God, and wisdom to subscribe

It is the will of Christ that we should prepare for sufferings, and leave it to him to recompense us for them. He needs not be put in mind, as Ahasuerus did, of the services of his people, nor can he forget their work of faith and labour of love. Our care must be, that we may have wisdom and grace to know how to suffer with him, and then we may trust him to provide in the best manner how we shall reign with him, and when, and where, and what the degrees of our glory shall be.

He also reproves the rest of the disciples for their uneasiness at it,-They began to be much displeased, to have indignation about James and John. Ver. 41. They were angry at them for affecting precedency, not because it did so ill become the disciples of Christ, but because each of them hoped to have it himself. When the Cynic trampled on Alexander's foot-cloth, with, "Now I tread on Alexander's pride," he was seasonably checked with, "But with greater pride of thine own." So these discovered their own ambition, in their displeasure at the ambition of James and John; and Christ took this occasion to warn them against it, and all their successors in the ministry of the gospel. Vers. 42-44. He called them to him in a familiar way, to give them an example of condescension, then when he was reproving their ambition, and to teach them never to bid their disciples keep their distance. He shows them,

That dominion was generally abused in the world (ver. 42),―They that seem to rule over the Gentiles, that have the name and title of rulers, they exercise lordship over them-that is all they study and aim at, not so much to protect them and provide for their welfare, as to exercise authority upon them; they will be obeyed, aim to be arbitrary, and to have their will in every thing. "Thus I will, thus I command; my good pleasure is my law." Their care is, what they shall get by their subjects to support their pomp and grandeur, not what they shall do for them.

That, therefore, it ought not to be admitted into the Church,-“ It shall not be so among you; those that shall be put under your charge must be as sheep under the charge of the shepherd, who is to tend them and feed them, and be a servant to them-not as horses under the command of the driver, that works them and beats them, and gets his pennyworths out of them. He that affects to be great and chief, that thrusts himself into a secular dignity and dominion, he shall be servant of all-he shall be mean and contemptible in the eyes of all that are wise and good. He that exalteth himself shall be abased." Or rather, "He that would be truly great and chief, he must lay out himself to do good to all, must stoop to the meanest services, and labour in the hardest services. Those not only shall be most honoured hereafter, but are most honourable now, who are most useful." To convince them of this, he sets before them his own example (ver. 45),—“ The Son of man submits first to the greatest hardships and hazards, and then enters into his glory; and can you expect to come to it any other way, or to have more ease and honour than he has?" (1.) He takes upon him the form of a servant, comes not to be ministered to and waited upon, but to minister and wait to be gracious. (2.) He becomes obedient to death, and to its dominion, for he gives his life a ransom for many. Did he die for the benefit of good people, and shall not we study to live for their benefit?

46 ག

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment,

& Matt. xx. 29; Luke xviii, 35.

rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

This passage of story agrees with that, Matt. xx. 29, &c.; only that there we were told of two blind men; here, and Luke xviii. 35, only of one: but if there were two, there was one. This one

is named here, being a blind beggar that was much talked of. He was called Bartimeus, that is the son of Timeus; which, some think, signifies the son of a blind man. He was the blind son of a blind father, which made the case the worse, and the cure the more wonderful, and the more proper to typify the spiritual cures wrought by the grace of Christ, on those that not only are born blind, but are born of those that are blind.

This blind man sat begging, as they do with us.—' -Those who by the providence of God are disabled to get a livelihood by their own labour, and have not any other way of subsisting, are the most proper objects of charity; and particular care ought to be taken of them.

He cried out to the Lord Jesus for mercy,-Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David. Misery is the object of mercy. His own miserable case he recommends to the compassion of the Son of David, of whom it was foretold that, when he should come to save us," the eyes of the blind should be opened." Isa. xxxv. 5.

Christ encouraged him to hope that he should find mercy; for he stood still, and commanded him to be called. We must never reckon it a hindrance to us in our way to stand still, when it is to do a good work. Those about him, who had discouraged him at first, perhaps were now the persons that signified to him the gracious call of Christ,--"Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee and if he calleth thee, he will cure thee."-The gracious invitations Christ gives us to come to him, are great encouragements to our hope that we shall speed well if we come to him, and shall have what we come for.

He cast away every

The poor man, hereupon, made the best of his way to Christ. Ver. 50. thing that might be in danger of throwing him down, or might any way hinder him in coming to Christ or retard his motion. Those who would come to Jesus must cast away the garment of their own sufficiency, must strip themselves of all conceit of that, and must free themselves from every weight, and the sin that doth most easily beset them. Heb. xii. 1.

The particular favour he begged was, that his eyes might be opened; that so he might be able to work for his living, and might be no longer burthensome to others. It is a very desirable thing to be in a capacity of earning our own bread; and where God has given men their limbs and senses it is a shame for men by their foolishness and slothfulness to make themselves, in effect, blind and lame.

This favour he received; his eyes were opened (ver. 52): and two things Mark here adds, which intimate, (1.) How Christ made it a double favour to him, by putting the honour of it upon his faith," Thy faith hath made thee whole; faith in Christ as the Son of David, and in his pity and power-not thy importunity, but thy faith, setting Christ on work, or rather Christ setting thy faith on work." (2.) How he made it a double favour to himself,-When he had received his sight, he followed Jesus by the way. By this he made it appear that he was thoroughly cured, and he no more needed one to lead him, but could go himself; and by this evidenced the grateful sense he had of Christ's kindness to him, that, when he had his sight, he made this use of it. Those that have spiritual eye-sight, see that beauty in Christ that will effectually draw them to run after him.

CHAPTER XI.

1 Christ rideth with triumph into Jerusalem: 12 curseth the fruitless leafy tree: 15 purgeth the temple: 20 exhorteth his disciples to stedfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies: 27 and defendeth the lawfulness of his actions, by the witness of John, who was a man sent of God.

AND *when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at

the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith

a Matt. xxi. 1; Luke xix. 29; John xil. 14.