10. Hereupon the Disciples, not yet 10 His difciwholly free from Jewish Prejudices, ples fay unto him,

If

If the cafe of the man be fo with his wife, it is not good

to marry.

11 But he faid unto them, All men cannot receive this faying, fave they to whom it is given. 12 For there are

made eunuchs of

fome eunuchs, which were fo born from their mothers womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens fake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

.

13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he fhould put his hands on them, and pray: difciples rebuked

and the

them.

*

*

and thinking this an hard faying, anfwered: If this be the Case, that a Man may not put away his Wife for any less reason than Adultery, the hazards and inconveniencies of Marriage will be fo great, that it fhould feem better for a Man not to marry at all.

11. Jefus faid, 'Tis true; But all Men have not Continence to abstain wholly, and to live chaftly without marrying; but only fome few.

12. And those few come to have this Power by one of these three ways; either by the Happiness of their natural Temper and Conftitution; or by Violence and an unnatural maiming of the Body; or by a voluntary Refolution of fubduing their natural Inclinations, that they may attend the Bufinefs of Religion with fewer Incumbrances and greater Freedom from Secular Affairs. The firft of these ways, is not at all in a Man's own Power, but merely the Gift of God: The fecond is unwarrantable and unlawful: The third is rare, and of great difficulty; and they, who know their own ftrength, may, if they please, endeavour to attain to this Excellency.

X. 10.

13. After this, fome of the believing Jews brought young Children to Jefus, that he might lay his Hands on them, and bless them, and recommend them to God by his Prayers. But his Difciples, thinking those that brought them too bufie and troublefom, began to chide them and keep them back.

Afterward to Jefus privately in the House; as appears Mark

I

14. Which

It does not appear, but the young Man might have done well if he had gone away fatisfied with Chrift's first Answer. So that our Saviour does not feem to have bidden him fell his Estate, as a thing abfolutely neceffary to his being a good Man, but only as a thing. neceffary at that time to his being a Preacher of the Gospel; and that he might reprove his Confidence; and that he might have an occafion to represent to his Difciples, the great danger and mifchief of the love of Riches.

hardly

26. But Jefus looking upon them with a compaffionate Countenance, as pitying their present anxiety of Mind, anfwered: 'Tis true, That difpofition of Mind which the Gospel requires, is fo Holy and Spiritual; and the Temptations which much Riches occafion, are fo many and great; that, morally speaking, 'tis hardly poffible in the ordinary courfe of things, for a very rich Man to look beyond the Advantages of this prefent World, and be a good Chriftian: But by the Grace and Affiftance of God, 'tis poffible for such Men to overcome all thofe Temptations, to make a good ufe of their Wealth, and to become worthy Difciples of Chrift.

27. Then faid Peter to Jefus ; Well, We have actually done all, that you required of this young Man: And though we had not indeed great Poffeffions, we have forfaken all that we had, we have left our dearest Relations, we have quitted the Employment we lived by, and we have followed you in Poverty and Want: What Reward then shall we have?

28. Jefus anfwered: Verily ye my Apoftles, who have now chearfully followed me in this prefent ftate of Humiliation and Sufferings, fhall at the final Judgment, at the great and gene

to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the

kingdom of God.

25 When his difciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, faying, Who then can be faved? 26 But Jefus beheld them, and faid unto them, With men this is impofible, but with God all things are poffible.