16 running to him, faluted him. And he asked the 17 fcribes, What queftion ye with them? And one of the multitude anfwered and faid, Mafter, I have brought unto thee my fon, which hath a dumb 18 spirit: And wherefoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy difciples, that 19 they should caft him out, and they could not. He anfwered him, and faith, O faithlefs generation (f), how long fhall I be with you? how long fhall I fuf20 fer you? bring him unto me, And they brought him unto him: and when he faw him, ftraightway the spirit tare him, and he fell on 21 ground, and wallowed, foaming. And he asked the his father, How long is it ago fince this came 22 unto him? And he faid, Of a child. And oft times it hath caft him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canft do any 23 thing, have compaffion on us, and help us. Jefus faid unto him, If thou can't believe, all things are 24 poffible to him that believeth. And ftraightway the father of the child cried out, and faid with tears, 25 Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief (g). When Jefus faw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul fpirit, faying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf fpirit, I charge thee, come out of 26 him, and enter no more into him. And the fpirit 'cried, and rent him fore, and came out of him; and he was as one dead, infomuch that many faid, He 27 is dead. But Jefus took him by the hand, and 28 lifted him up, and he arofe. And when he was the like happened to Mofes, when he came down from Mount Sinai. Exod. xxxiv. 29. (f) This is faid to the difciples, not to the multitude... (g) I know thy power, and firmly truft in it; if more be neceffary, I beseech thee let thy goodnefs and compaffion further inftruct and ftrengthen me; for it is my earnest wish," that my faith in thee may be perfect in all refpe&ts. come come into the house, his difciples asked him pri29 vately, Why could not we caft him out? And he faid unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by (b) prayer and fafting. 30 And they departed thence, and paffed through Galilee; and he would not that any man fhould 31 know it. For he taught his difciples, and faid unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they fhall kill him, and after that he 32 is killed, he fhall rife the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. : 33 And he came to Capernaum, and being in the houfe, he asked them, What was it that ye difputed 34 among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had difputed among 35 themselves, who should be the greateft. And he fat down and called the twelve, and faith unto them, If any man defire to be firft, the fame shall be laft 36 of all, and fervant of all (i). And he took a child and fet him in the midft of them: and when he had taken: 37 him in his arms, he faid unto them, Whofoeyer fhall receive one of fuch children in my name, receiveth me; and whofoever fhall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. 38 And John answered him faying, Mafter, we faw one cafting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us; and we forbad him, because he followeth 39 not us. But Jefus faid, Forbid him not: for there is no man which fhall do a miracle in my name, 40 that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is 41 not against us, is on our part (k). For whofoever shall give you a cup of water to drink, in my name, (h) See Mat. xvii. 20. (i) By this it is plain, that our bleffed Lord knew what they had been difputing about, though they were afhamed to tell him. differ (k) Let us learn from hence a fpirit of charity and brotherly affection to all denominations of Chriftians, however they may from us in fome refpects. See Mat, xii. 30. because because ye belong to Chrift, verily I fay unto you, 42 he fhall not lofe his reward. And whofoever thall offend (1) one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him, that a milftone were hanged, 43 about his neck, and he were caft into the fea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off (m): it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never fhall be 44 quenched: Where the worm dieth not, and the 45 fire is not quenched (2). And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet, to be caft into hell, into the 46 fire that never fhall be quenched: Where their 47 worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (). 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 caft into hell-fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 49 quenched. For every one fhall be falted with (p). fire, and every facrifice fhall be falted with falt. 50 Salt is good but if the falt has loft his faltness, (q) wherewith will you feafon it? Have falt in yourfelves, and have peace one with another. (1) See Mat. xviii. 6. (m) See Mat. v. 29. (n) Quoted from Ifaiah Ixvi. 24 (0) See Ifaiah Ixvi. 24. Who can dwell in everlafling burning? Ifaiah xxxii. 14. (p) For in the prefent flate of things, he that will offer himself to the fervice of God must expect to fall a facrifice in the fire of perfecution. As therefore every facrifice is first prepared with falt before it is confumed by fire, fo you must hold yourfelves prepared by the falt of a fpiritual life to facrifice all the honours and advantages of the world, rather than have any contention with your brethren about them. (9) See Mat. v. 13. CHAP. I : 21 AND ND he arofe from thence, and cometh into the coafts of Judea, by the farther fide of Jordan: and the people refort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And the Pharifees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempt3 ing him. And he anfwered and faid unto them, 4 What did Mofes command you? And they faid, Mofes fuffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to 5 put her away. And Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you 6 this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them (a) male and female. For this caufe fhall a man leave his father and mother, 8 and cleave to his wife; And they twain fhall be one flefh: fo then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, 10 let not man put afunder. And in the house his dif-II ciples afked him again of the fame matter. And he 9. faith unto them, Whofoever fhall put away his wife, and marry (b) another, committeth adultery against 12 her. And if a woman fhall put away her husband, and be married to another, fhe committeth adultery. . 13 And they brought young children to him, that he fhould touch them; and his difciples rebuked thofe 14 that brought them. But when Jefus faw it, he was much displeased, and faid unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : 15 for (c) of fuch is the kingdom of God. Verily I fay unto you, Whofoever thall not receive the king (a) Seé Mat: xix. 46 (b) See Mat. xix. 9. (c) Whofoever will be my difciple, muft embrace my doctrine with the purity and fimplicity of a child... dom dom of God as a little child, he fhall not enter 16 therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and bleffed them. 17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good mafter, what fhall I do that I may 18 inherit eternal life? And Jefus faid unto him, Why calleft thou me good? there is none good, but one, 19 that is God (d). Thou knoweft the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear falfe witnefs, Defraud not (e), Honour 20 thy father and mother. And he answered and faid unto him, Mafter, all these have I obferved from my youth. 21 Then Jefus beholding him, loved him (f), and faid unto him, One thing thou lackeft: go thy way, fell whatfoever thou haft, and give to the poor, and :thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take 22 up the crofs (g) and follow me. And he was fad at ! that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great poffeffions. 23 And Jefus looked round about, and faith unto his difciples, How hardly fhall they that have riches 24 (b) enter into the kingdom of God! And the difciples were aftonifhed at his words. But Jefus anfwereth again, and faith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that truft in riches, to enter into the 25 kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man (d) See Mat. xix. 17. (e) Covet not what belongs to another, fo as to use any indirect means to over-reach him and deprive him of it. This is the import of the tenth commandment. (f) Our Lord loved him for having done his duty according to the inftructions he had received. See Note on Mat. xix. but he was wordly-minded, and that was the vice that Jefus wished to cure him of. |