11 And the Pha

parts of Dalmanutha. risees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remem ber? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the

CHAP. VIII.

[man cured. seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

22 ¶ And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. (D)

(D) Ver. 22-26. Christ cures a blind man. We saw, in the last chapter, our Lord's application of spittle to the cure of dumbness; the same means are here applied in the cure of blindness; and we then remarked, that there is in the East a strong persuasion of the efficacy of human spittle in such cases. Capt. Light (above quoted), when at Erment (the ancient Hermanthis), mentions that an aged woman applied to him for a medicine for a disease in her eyes; and on my giving her some directions, which she did not seem to approve, she requested me to spit on them: I did so, and she went away blessing me, and perfectly satisfied of the certainty of a cure." (Walpole's Turkey, p. 416, 4to.)

Dr. Lightfoot (on John ix.) gives the following specimen of Jewish notions on this subject:-"Is there ever a woman among you," said Rabbi Meir, "skilled in muttering charms over eyes?" The woman said, " Rabbi, 1 am not skilled." "However," saith he, "do thou spit seven times on my eyes, and I shall be healed." We are far from thinking, however, that our Lord would countenance such superstitious notions by his example: we think it far more probable, that Jews or Asiatics might copy such means, in hopes of find

as

ing the efficacy in the means themselves. In general, the miracles of Christ were wrought momentarily; but in this instance the cure was gradual. On first opening his eyes, the man saw confusedly, trees walking;" but on a second view, he saw distinctly. This is in perfect analogy with fact. On conversing with a gentleman who had been couched (after having lost his sight from infancy), he described his first attempt at seeing as very imperfect. The sight of objects with which be had been most familiar by the sense of feeling, did not at all bring them to recollection, till he had handled them afresh; and he could only judge of other objects by viewing them repeatedly, and by parts. Practice is as requisite to judge of the ob jects of sight, as of feeling.

This narrative admits also of a beautiful moral improvement, in reference to religious knowledge. Our first views of truth are commonly defective and incorrect; it is only by a careful perusal of the Scrip tures, and a growing experience of their efficacy, that we can any way hope to obtain a correct and practical knowledge of divine truth. We should pray with the Psalmist," Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wonderful things out of thy law!" (Ps. cxix. 18.)

Ver. 26. Any in the town-that is, if he should meet any of them in his way.

Ver. 27-38. And Jesus went out, &e.-See the parallel passage, Matt. xvi. 13-27.

The transfiguration]

[Omit, and pass to Chap. ix. 38.]

27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29 And

he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the Chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan : for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. 34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.

:

:

[of Christ. James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead, 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. 11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come? 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he

asked the Scribes, What question ye with them? 17 Aud one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away:

CHAP. IX. Ver. 1. And he said, &c.-See Matt. xvi. 28.

Ver.2-14. And after six days, &c.-The parallel history of the transfiguration, and the subsequent conversation respecting Elias, have been considered on Matt. xvii. 1-13.

Ver. 3. No fuller on earth-or" with earth." Dr. John Edwards.

Ver. 12. And how it is written of the Son of man, &c.-Doddr. remarks, the construction of this verse in the original, is as perplexed as almost any in the New Testament. Camp." satisfied that no proper meaning can be drawn from the words as they lie," follows a various reading (differing only in two letters), which is supported by 14 MSS. (three ancient), and is adopted by Bps. Pearce, Marsh, &c. and produces the following translation: "And (as is written of the Son of man) must likewise suffer

many things, and be contemned." So Boothroyd; who also transposes the last clause of ver. 13 thus: "Elias is indeed come, as it is written of him, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed" (or chose).

Ver. 15. Were greatly amazed-Camp. "Struck with awe." Whitby, Doddr. and others suppose, that as the face of Moses shone when he came down from the mount, so did the countenance of Jesus. See 2 Cor. iii. 7.

Ver. 15-32. And straightway, &c.-See parallel, Matt. xvii. 14-23.

Ver. 16. What question ye with them?-Marg. "Among yourselves?" So some copies read; but Doddr. and Camp. retain the textual reading.

Ver. 18. Teareth-Marg. " Dasheth him." See Note following.

Lessons of]

and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, ne rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, aud lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. 30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of inen, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye

[humility.

disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

38 ¶ And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

for there is no man which shall do a 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, be cause 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.

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:

Ver. 20. The Spirit tare him-Doddr. "Threw him down and convulsed him;" Camp. (better) "threw him into convulsions."

Ver. 24. Mine unbelief-literally, "want of faith," of which the most eminent believers find reason to complain.

Ver. 25. The foul (Luke, "the unclean") spirit.The same word in the original.

Ver. 26. Rent him sore-Camp. "Severely convulsed him."

Ver. 29. Can come forth-Doddridge," Go forth." Camp. "Be dislodged."

Ver. 33. And he came to Capernaum, &c.-The contemporary history to this, is found in Matt. xviii. 1-9. See also Matt. x. 40-42.

Ver. 37. Receiveth not me-that is, " not me only." Compare Note on Hosea vi. 6.

Ver. 38. Casting out devils-Gr. demons. It is difficult to account for the circumstance here related. Our Lord will at last refuse to acknowledge some who plead that they have cast out devils in his

name; Matt. vii. 22. Yet the man that wrought, or pretended to work miracles in his name, could scarcely at the time speak lightly of him, however he might afterwards desert him.

Ver. 41. A cup of water.-See Matt. x. 42. This is an instance of true Asiatic charity. Dr. D. E. Clarke says, the Turks often open fountains, both in cities and fields, with iron cups chained to them (as sometimes by our pumps) either by charitable donations, or by bequests. So Niebuhr mentions, that among the public buildings of Kahira are places for supplying water gratis to passengers, a cup being always placed ready in the window next the street.

Ver. 42. Whosoever shall offend.-The Gr. means, literally, to put a stumbling block in their way. Comp. Matt. xviii. 6.

Ver. 43. If thy hand offend thee-Marg. "Canse thee to offend." So ver. 45, 47; supposing the words to correspond to Hebrew words in Hiphel. Doddr. gives this sense, though he adheres to the rendering of the text.

CHAP. IX.

[future punishment.

one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

49 For 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. (E)

(E) Ver. 38-50. The nature and duration of future punishment.—Before we enter upon this awful subject, we must notice the incident by which it is introduced. The disciples of Jesus, in the course of their itineracy, met with a person casting out demons, or at least attempting so to do, in their Master's name, who yet did not associate with them. Dr. S. Clarke supposes he might be a disciple of John the Baptist; but Dr. Doddridge inclines to think he might be some vagabond Jew, who, like the sons of Sceva (Acts xix. 13), attempted the practice of exorcism, with some sinister design. Our Lord's reply, however, imposes no censure; but seems to intimate, that he could hardly be an enemy, who should pay such honour to his name. He had, on a former occasion, laid down this maxim, "He that is not with me, is against me" (Matt. xii. 30); and here he takes up the converse of the proposition, "He that is not against us, is on our part;" both maintaining the important principle, that there is no neutrality in religion, so far as respects the profession of Christianity. This, indeed, is one of its distinctive characters, as it was one of Judaism. The heathen considered it as a proof of their benevolence, and a mark of good breeding (if we may so speak), to show respect to the gods of other nations. Had Jehovah allowed of visible representations of his glory, they would doubtless have placed his statue in their temples, beside those of Jupiter and Mars; and it is even said they did offer, upon the spread of Christianity, to give Jesus a niche in their Pantheon. The priests of Baal were always willing to associate Jehovah with him; but to the latter, even the denial of his being, was not a greater insult than such an association.

We have seen something very similar to this in modern times. Our polite philosophers have laid it down as a principle of good breeding, that "those who go to Rome, must do as they do at Rome:" that is, worship the Virgin Mary and all the Saints of the Roman Calendar; and so, by analogy of reasoning, acknowledge the gods of the country wherever they may travel-whether it be to Rome, Hindostan, or Chiua. They worship" Jehovah, Jove, or Lord," with equal zeal. We have known a great man (so far as talents and power could make him great) who could be Protestant or Papist, Mahometan or Jew with equal readiness, when his interest required; yet when this great man was requested to allow the neutrality of certain Germau states, he replied in the words of our Lord, above quoted, "He that is not for me, is against me.'

If an earthly potentate could assume this style, and act upon it, much more may the King of kings. God is not a being to be trifled with. Justly to offend one of the least and meanest of his sincere disciples, is an offence that, without special mercy, will involve judgments the most terrible. If, therefore, a hand or a foot, or even an eye, (and what member can be dearer?) cause us to commit such offence, it were better that it were separated from us, bitter as must be the parting, than that we should be plunged into the guilt of such offence, or the misery to which it inevitably leads.

The language here used is metaphorical. Dr. Rymer (on Revealed Religion) says, that the punishments both of the worn and the fire, refer to the different funeral rites practised by the ancients; namely, interment and the funeral pyre. But as these (especially the latter) are meant, rather as doing honour than inflicting punish

Ver. 49. For every one shall be salted with fireor" for the fire." Macknight, Parkhurst, &c. Ver. 50. Salt is good-Compare Note on Matt. v. 13.--Have peace, &c.-" A covenant of salt," was

a covenant of peace and amity, but salt itself w not the direct emblem of peace, but of inter the true foundation of peace. Compare Not Levit. ii. 13, Num. ii. 19.

The abuse]

CHAP. X.

[Omit, and pass to Chap. xii. ver. 41.] AND 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

[of divorces,

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 together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter, 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And

ment, it is difficult to discern the propriety of such allusions. It is more certain that our Lord alludes to the valley of Hinnom, "a place near Jerusalem, where they cast things impure, and carcasses of dead animals; and where there was a fire continually kept to burn them." (Rabbi Kimchi on Psalm xxvii.) Nor is this all; here the idolaters caused their children to pass through the fire, and sometimes actually burnt them to their god, Moloch; so that it was at once the centre of crime and wretchedness.

The other image, of the worm, seems borrowed from the same scene. A place of filth and corruption, must be a place of worms and vermin. Now suppose these vermin to be immortal, and this fire unquenchable, and we have an image of everlasting misery the most dreadful that we can conceive. The fire is interpreted to refer to the just wrath of Almighty God, who, when provoked, is a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29; and the worm, to the tormenting reflections of a guilty con

science.

It is true some ingenious critics have tortured the terms "everlasting and "eternal," to reduce them to some terminable period: some benevolent divines have also endeavoured to persuade themselves that God will find some way to save his honour in the termination of these everlasting punishments; but who would risk his property or his life on such a precarious speculation? The terms used are as decisive and express as language can afford; and it is a reflection on his veracity to suppose, for a moment, that the Almighty means not as he has said.

As to the doctrine of Universal Restoration, we shall have a more suitable opportunity to inquire into the precarious grounds on which it rests; but let us not for a moment neglect to secure our eternal interests, on the rash presumption that they

may possibly not be in so great danger as is represented. "Now is the accepted time," and "how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

The last two verses of this chapter have been variously explained, and are confess edly difficult of interpretation. Whitby thus explains them: "Every wicked man will be so seasoned by the fire itself as to become unconsumable, and shall endure for ever, to be tormented." But most assuredly a just God will not hold any of his creatures in existence for the mere purpose of tormenting them. Man was made immortal, and the perpetuity of his punish ment must arise from the perpetuity of his existence; nor can he be relieved, but either by annihilation or forgiveness. Other explanations we shall pass over, as we should rather carry the counexion of these words farther back into the context. Our Lord had been recommending his dis ciples to sacrifice a hand, a foot, or an eye, rather than wholly to expose themselves to the danger of eternal fire. But as all sacrifices under the law were to be salted for the fire of the altar; so these sacrifices of a right hand, &c., must be salted (as it were) by integrity (of which salt is the emblem, as being the great natural preserver from corruption), to render them acceptable to God. So St. Paul teaches us that it may be possible for a man to give his whole body to be burned, and yet if he do it not from a principle of integrity, or pure love to God, it will avail nothing, as not being seasoned for his altar. This integrity (of which divine grace is the radical principle) must be preserved through life, and it will prevent our apostacy from God, and preserve us from quarrelling with one another. This exposition is offered with diffidence, as we believe it is new; but not therefore to be rejected, till one be found less objectionable.

CHAP. X. Ver. 1-12. And he arose, &c.- For the parallel text, see Matt. xix. 1–9.

Ver. 1. Into the coast of Judea-Boothroyd, "Into he borders of Judea, by the side of the Jordan."