drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, He shall not lose his reward. 42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

The evangelist here sets down a conference betwixt our Saviour Christ and St. John his disciple. Where observe, 1. St. John's relation of a matter of fact to Christ, namely his forbidding one to cast out devils in Christ's name, that did not follow Christ as they did, being his professed disciples. Though only the disciples that followed Christ had a commission to work miracles, yet there were others, no enemies to Christ, who, in imitation of the disciples, did attempt to do the like; and God was pleased, for the honour of his Son, in whose name they cast out devils, to give them sometimes success. Almighty God may, and sometimes doth, give success to such actions and enterprises as are good in themselves, though undertaken by persons that have no lawful call or warrant from God to do them. However, it was no small confirmation of the truth of christianity, that Christ's name was thus powerful, even among those that did not follow him, and therefore could do nothing by compact with him. Observe, 2. The action of the disciples toward this person: We forbad him. This showed, 1. Their ignorance, in supposing that none could be true disciples, nor work miracles, but such as followed them: We forbad him, because he followed not us. rashness, in forbidding him of their own heads, before they had consulted Christ about it. 2. Their envy and emulation, in that they were grieved and discontented at this person's casting out devils, because he was not a follower of them. O the imperfect composition of the best of saints! how much weakness, infirmity, and corruption, doth John the beloved disciple discover upon this occasion! The sin of envy and emulation against the gift of God in others, is very natural to man, and to good men; yea, to the best of men. It is as difficult to look upon other men's gifts without envy, as to look upon our own without pride. Observe, 3. Our Saviour's answer and reply: Forbid him not. Because our Saviour knew that his enterprise of casting out devils in his name, would in some

Their

manner and measure redound to the glory of his name, although he undertook the matter without sufficient warrant from Christ. demn those who do that which is good in We ought not to censure and conitself, though they fail in the manner of it, and in the means they use for effecting it. Observe, 4. What encouragement our Saviour gives the world to be kind to his friends and followers. He assures them that even a cup of cold water given for his sake, to such as profess his name, shall not miss of a reward. Learn thence, That the least office of love and respect, of kindness and charity, shown to any of the ministers or members of Jesus Christ, for his sake, is represented as done unto himself, and shall be rewarded by himself. Observe, 5. He shall gain that which he cannot lose, by parting with that which he could not keep. Observe, 6. What a heinous and grievous sin it is to scandalize or offend any of the disciples of Jesus Christ; he will most severely judge and punish such as give offence to them, by any wrong or injury done unto them, both in this life and the next: It were better a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

43 And 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 ; 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not qnched. 45 And if thy foot offend the cut it off: it is better for thee to en; 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: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God 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.

In the former verse our Saviour dissuaded from the sin of scandal, or giving offence to serious and sincere christians, threatening a very grievous judgment against such as should any ways offend them: now in these six verses he prescribes a remedy against that and all other sins, namely, by

avoiding all occasions that lead to sin. Here observe, 1. The admonition or warning given by Christ unto us, to remove far from us all occasion of sin, though never so dear unto us. We are not to understand the command literally, as if it were our duty to maim our bodily members; but metaphorically, to cut off all occasions that may betray us into sin. Hence note, That sin may be avoided, it is our duty to avoid whatever leads unto it, or may be the instrument and occasion of it. Observe, 2. A reason enforcing the admonition: this is drawn from the benefit and advantage that will come by cutting off such occasions of sin. It will further us in our attainment of eternal life, and prevent our being cast into hell-fire. Now our Saviour affirms that it is better for a man to enter into life with the loss of all those things that are dear and precious to him in this world, rather than go into hell with the fruition and enjoyment of them. Learn hence, That a diligent and daily care to avoid sin, and all occasions that lead unto it, will be a special means to escape the torments of hell, and further us in our attainments of heaven and eternal life. Observe, 3. The description which our Saviour gives of the torments of hell; first, by its extremity; it is like a gnawing worm, and a consuming fire. Secondly, and by its eternity; a worm that never dieth, and a fire that is never quenched. Where note, That the remembrance of things past, the experience of things present, and expectation of things to come, are the bitings of the worm of conscience, at every bite whereof damned souls give a dreadful shriek; such as will not hear the voice of conscience, shall feel, and that to purpose, the sting of conscience. Learn hence, That there is most certainly a place and state of punishment and torment in another world for wicked men to suffer in, upon the score of sin committed in this world. Secondly, That the punishment and torments of the wicked in hell are intolerable and interminable, of exquisite pain, and endless duration: Their worm never dieth, and their fire is not quenched.

49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Every one shall be salted with fire: that is, every one of them mentioned in the foregoing verses, who refuse to cut off a right hand, and pluck out a right

eye; that is, to mortify their bosom lusts, and beloved corruptions, which are as dear as a right hand or a right eye; every such wicked and unmortified person shall be salted with fire; that is, thrown into hellfire, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; as our Saviour speaks, ver. 44. And the being salted with fire, imports and implies, that as to their beings they shall be preserved, even as salt preserves things from corruption; that they may be the objects of the eternal wrath of God. So that for sinners to be salted with fire, is to be given up to everlasting destruction. Learn hence, That all such unsavoury sinners as indulge their corrupt lusts and affections, shall be salted with fire; that is, given up to everlasting destruction in hell-fire. But coery sacrifice shall be salted with salt; that is, every christian who has given himself a real sacrifice unto God, shall be salted, not with fire, but with salt; not with fire, to be consumed and destroyed, but with salt, to be preserved and kept savoury. The grace of mortification is that to the soul, which salt is to the body; it preserves it from putrefaction, and renders it savoury. Learn hence, 1. That every christian in this life ought to be a spiritual sacrifice or oblation unto God. 2. That there is a putrid and corrupt part in every sacrifice, in every christian, which must be purged out, and the sacrifice purified and cleansed from. 3. That the grace of mortification is the true salt which must clarify the soul, and with which every sacrifice must be salted, that will be a savoury offering unto God: Every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

First,

Our blessed Saviour here compares christians in general, his ministers in particular, unto salt, for a double reason. Because it is the nature of salt to preserve things from corruption and putrefaction, and to render them savoury and pleasant. Thus are the ministers of Christ to labour and endeavour, by the purity of their doctrine, to sweeten putrefying sinners, that they may become savoury unto God and man, and be kept from being fly-blown with errors and false doctrines. Secondly, Because salt has an acrimony, a piercing

power in it, which subdues the whole Jump, and turns it into its own nature. Such a piercing power is there in the ministry of the word, that it subdues the whole man to the obedience of itself. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another; that is, let all persons, especially ministers, retain a seasoning virtue in themselves, that they may sweeten and season others, even all they converse with; and as salt has an uniting power, and knits the parts of the body salted together, so upholding of union and peace one with another, will declare that you have salt in yourselves. Learn hence, That it is the duty of all christians, but especially the ministers of the gospel, to maintain brotherly concord and agreement among themselves, both as an argument of their sincerity, and an ornament to their profession.

CHAP. X.

AN ND he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. 2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept: 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh : so then they are no more twain but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined to gether, let no man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

11

12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

The first verse of this chapter acquaints us with the great labour and pains our Saviour took in the exercise of his ministry, travelling from place to place, in a hot country, and that on foot, to preach the gospel, when he was here upon earth: teaching all persons, but especially ministers, by his example, to be willing to undergo pains and labour, even unto much weariness, in the service of God, and in the duties of their calling. For this is God's ordinance, that every one should feel the burden of his calling, and the painfulness of it. But, Lord, how nice and delicate are some labourers in the vineyard, who are willing to do nothing but what they can do with ease they cannot endure to think of labouring unto weariness, but are sparing of their pains for fear of shortening their days, and hastening their end! Whereas the lamp of our lives can never be better spent, or burnt out, than in lightThe following ing others to heaven.

tion which the Pharisees put to our Savi our concerning the matter of divorce: con cluding that they should entrap him in his answer, whatever it was: if he denied the lawfulness of divorce, then they would charge him with contradicting Moses, who allowed it. If he affirmed it, then they would condemn him for contradicting his own doctrine, St. Matt. v. 32. for favouring men's lusts, and complying with the wicked custom of the Jews, who upon every slight and frivolous occasion put away their wives from them. But such was the to the ensnaring Pharisees, that neither wisdom of our Saviour in all his answers their wit nor malice could lay hold upon any thing to entangle him in his talk. Observe, therefore, The piety and prudence of our Saviour's answer to the Pharisees; he refers them to the first institution of marriage, when God made husband and wife one flesh, to the intent that matrimonial love might be both incommunicable and indissoluble; What did Moses command you? Thereand accordingly asks them, by teaching us, that the best means for deciding all doubts, and resolving all controversies about matters of religion, is to have recourse unto the scripture, or the written word of God. What did Moses command you? Observe farther, How our Savince them of the unlawfulness of divorce, viour, to confute the Pharisees, and conused by the Jews, lays down the first institution of marriage, and shows them first

verses acquaint us with an ensnaring ques

tion in his mouth. This person was a young man, a rich man, and a ruler; a young man in the prime of his age, a rich man in the fulness of his wealth, and a ruler in the prime of his authority and power. From whence learn, That for young men, rich men, especially noblemen, to enquire the way to salvation, is very commendable, but very rare. Observe, 2. As the person addressing, so the manner of the address: he came running, and kneeled to Christ. Where observe, his voluntariness: he came of himself, not drawn by others' importunity, but drawn by his own personal affections. And his readiness: he came running. This showed his zeal and forwardness to meet with Christ, and be resolved by him. And, lastly, his humility: he kneeled to him, as an eminent prophet and teacher, not knowing him to be the Son of God. Observe, 3. The address itself, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? Where note, 1. He believes the certainty of a future state. 2. He professes his desire of an eternal happiness in that state. 3. He declares his readiness to do some good thing, in order to the obtaining of that happiness. Hence learn, That the light of nature, or natural religion, teaches men that good works are necessary to salvation : or that some good thing must be done by them, who at death expect eternal life. It is not talking well, and professing well, but doing well, that entitles us to heaven and eternal life.

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

As if Christ had said, Why callest thou me good, when thou dost not believe or own me to be God? for there is none good, that is, essentially and originally good, absolutely and immutably good, but God only; nor any derivatively good, but he that receiveth his goodness from God also: there is no mere man that is absolutely and perfectly good of himself, but by participation and derivation from God only. See the note on St. Matt. xix. 17.

19 Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Observe here, That the duties which our Saviour instances in, are the duties of the se

cond table, which hypocrites are most failing in. But nothing is a better evidence of our unfeigned love to God, than the sincere performance of our duty to our neighbours. Love to man is a fruit and testimony of our love to God; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John iv. 20. Learn hence, That such as are defective in the duties of the second table, charity and justice, do make but a counterfeit show of religion, though they pretend to the highest measures and degrees of love to God. Here note, That there are two ways of injuring our neighbour, which ought to be avoided, namely, 1. By theft: and this either privately and clandestinely, without the knowledge of the owner; or openly and by force, against the consent of the owner: both these are forbidden in the eighth commandment. 2. By secret and cunning devices, where the law and a picture of right is made use of to cover the injury. This is forbidden in the tenth commandment, and here expressed by, Thou shalt not defraud. And surely all such endeavours to defraud, must show a very covetous mind, inclining a person, against the dictates of his own conscience, to defraud another of his right.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

This assertion of the young man might be very true, according to the Pharisees' sense and interpretation of the law, which condemned only the gross outward act, not the inward lust and motion of the heart. An outside obedience to the law this young man had performed; this made him think well of himself, and conclude the goodness of his own condition. Learn hence, How prone men are to think the best of themselves, and to have too high an opinion of their own goodness and righteousness before God: All these things have I kept from my youth. It is a natural corruption in men to think too well of themselves, and of their own goodness and righteousness before God; but it is very dangerous and fatal so to do.

21 Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up thy cross,