future Punishment. Easy indeed it is to throw ridicule on the imagery employed by the SPIRIT to denote endless suffering,-the gnawing Worm, the Flame and Brimstone of the Fiery Lake. It is easy to speak words of unbelief on this subject: but it is quite impossible to prove, even that the language of Scripture is figurative; much less to prove that the Doctrine contained in that language is not to be literally understood. The utmost that can be pretended, is, that the Eternity of Punishment is contrary to Reason: but that this is not the case, may be easily shewn. We need only look at God's moral Government of the World, by which is meant, His Government of us, in our present state, by Rewards and Punishments,-to be convinced that His Retribution is not, like our perpetration of Offence, a momentary thing. In respect of its duration, it often corresponds rather with the consequences of Crime,-which we see are permanent. Of this character are even Human Punishments Transportation, for example; and still more, the punishment of Death. Moreover, although acts are momentary; and habits of Sin are limited by the duration of Life: yet, the same thing cannot be said of the spirit in which the first are invariably committed, and the second, persevered in. This is much to be noticed. The Human Will knows of no limit in respect of Time. It stretches out, and reaches on, to Eternity. Now, it cannot be unfair to measure the greatness of the Offence by the character of the Intention. Further, it is obvious to remark, that whatever we may think concerning the Eternal duration of Punishment, the same we are bound to think concerning the Eternal duration of Reward. What is probable of Eternal Misery, must be probable of Eternal Happiness also. Lastly, it is quite idle to pretend to reason on this matter from the supposed Nature and Attributes of GOD for we know nothing concerning either, except when God Himself has been pleased to teach us; and that He will punish eternally, is plainly written in the Book of His Law. For every one shall be salted with fire, 49 and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. "Every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt"." So ran the Law; which He who gave it, here quotes. As therefore every sacrifice must be salted with salt, (says our LORD,) so must every one be salted with fire. In illustration of which words, it will be sufficient to advert to the ancient practice of the Jewish nation to sprinkle new-born infants with salt": and to point out that Fire is a frequent image in Scripture for the gift of the HOLY GHOST. The allusion will therefore be to the preserving grace of the SPIRIT, conveyed in Holy Baptism; whereP Alluded to by Ezekiel, when speaking of Jerusalem,-xvi. 4. • Levit. ii. 13. St. Matth. iii, 11. Acts ii. 3. 1 Thess. v. 19. Rev. iv. 5. 50 by Christian men "present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.” 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. "The meaning of the passage may perhaps be thus expressed: Every one who is called by GOD, and received into the fellowship of CHRIST's Body, shall receive, as a gift from GOD, an anointing of the HOLY SPIRIT which shall purify and preserve him in Faith and Hope till the coming of the LORD; as was typified by the salting of everything which was offered to GOD under the old Law. This is indeed a good gift; wherewith shall it be renewed? to keep this good gift of Faith and Hope and Love towards GOD; and, as a consequence thereof, be at peace and charity with mens." but if it be lost, Take heed then, And thus, besides reminding us of our renewed Spiritual life, and the danger which always exists of losing it, the present text declares that when lost, it is hard, if not impossible, to recover it: "for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the HOLY GHOST, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the World to come,-if they shall fall away, to renew them again to Repentance." A PLAIN COMMENTARY ON THE TENTH CHAPTER OF St. Mark's Gospel. 2 CHRIST disputeth with the Pharisees touching divorcement: 13 blesseth the Children that are brought unto Him: 17 resolveth a rich man how he may inherit Life everlasting: 23 telleth His Disciples of the danger of riches: 28 promiseth rewards to them that forsake any thing for the Gospel: 32 foretelleth His Death and Resurrection: 35 biddeth the two ambitious suitors to think rather of suffering with Him. 46 and restoreth to Bartimeus his sight. X. AND He arose from thence, and com- 1 eth into the coasts of Judæa by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto Him again; and, as He was wont, He taught them again. Leaving Galilee, which was the scene of the transactions recorded in the preceding Chapter, our SAVIOUR traversed the region which lies on the Eastern side of the Jordan; proceeding in a Southerly direction, until He reached the district over against Judæa. The precise locality is not marked; but the place thus generally indicated was the scene of the incident which follows. And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked 2 Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting Him. And He answered and 3 said unto them, What did Moses command 4 you? 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 6 precept: but from the beginning of the Creation God made them male and female. "It is worth our marking that God did not make the Woman of the same earth whereof He made the Man: but He made Eve of the rib of Adam, -to give us to understand that there is but one body in them both; and that one body, the only fountain of mankinda." 7 For this cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife; 8 'A man shall leave his Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife.' Why does it run thus? is it not rather the woman who is to 'forget her own people and her Father's house,' and cleave to her Husband? Doubtless it is so. But these words, as St. Paul himself declares, contain a prophetic reference to the second Adam, and relate to the union which was hereafter to subsist between CHRIST and His Church; wherewith to unite Himself, He came forth from the FATHER, and came into the World' and they twain shall be one flesh: so then a Bp. Lake. с Ephes. v. 22 to 32. b Ps. xlv. 10. |