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friend one engaged in the same cause as the Lord himself, and casting out devils in his name. Instead of being against the purpose which Jesus was promoting, he was on his part, doing his work. Therefore he defends him, saying, There is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

The circumstance here brought forward, and made matter of complaint by the disciples, leads our Lord to allude to a time, not now distant, when a much severer trial of opposition awaited them, than that of a man's not following their company: when many, instead of merely not being against them, should revile and persecute his meek and humble followers, only because they were his followers and many, because they professed his name, should suffer hunger and thirst and cold and nakedness. So that the remark, He that is not against us is on our part, seems to introduce a thought of this kind. Indeed, it is no small thing, if any are not against us. And blessed are they, who are so far well disposed towards me and my religion.

41. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to 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.

Precious in the sight of the Lord are the souls of his saints. And in the trying times which were near at hand, there would be much opportunity of showing who were against them, and who were on

8

"He that is not against us, is for us." Luke ix. 50.

their part. The man who was casting out devils could not be an enemy of the Lord, because he was doing miracles in his name. And the man who even by a cup of water should relieve one of his afflicted people, in his name, because they belonged to Christ, he likewise would be on the part of Christ, and should not lose his reward. "Affliction and persecution would arise for the word's sake." This would bring the souls of many into peril, lest under such trials they should "be offended, and fall away." And blessings should await the man who made those trials less, by assisting the little ones who believed in Christ, his weak and lowly followers, who had no rank, or power, or interest to defend their own cause. The benefit done to those who belonged to Christ, was done to him, and should be recompensed by him.

But proportionately great was the condemnation of those through whom the temptation came, and who caused these little ones to offend. A death which might appear dreadful at the time, would be a far lighter evil than the future retribution reserved for the enemy of one of these little ones. Had Saul continued in the course which he began, when he "made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison," it would be better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

9 Acts viii. 3.

LECTURE LVII.

CAUSES OF DEPARTING FROM THE FAITH.

MARK ix. 43-48.

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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 quenched.

45. 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 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. 2

To understand these warnings, we must go back to the last words which Jesus had uttered: when he pronounced a blessing on all who should favour the least of his disciples, should relieve their difficulties or mitigate their afflictions. Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not 1 Cause them to stumble, or fall from their faith.

2 See Isa. lxvi. 24.

lose his reward. He had also declared the sad consequence which should follow the oppressing them, and causing them to fall from the faith. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

This leads him to speak further, and more generally, of the danger of inducements to sin; of causes of offence; of whatever occasions a departure from God. Rather than yield to these, or be subject to them, it was expedient to submit to the greatest self-denial and the dearest sacrifice. If thy hand, thy foot offend thee, endanger thy faith, cut it off, and cast it from thee; lest thy loss be not temporal, but eternal. The hand, the foot, the eye represent the occasion of offence: i. e. the occasion of departing from the faith, or of acting inconsistently with it. In a similar passage elsewhere, the occasion of offence intended seems to be a passion, a sinful habit. These the Lord warns us to eradicate, as decidedly as we would cut off a limb rather than lose our life. In this passage, the danger is to be avoided from without, rather than from within. For St. Matthew, in his account of the discourse, introduces it by these additional words:" "Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" The warning, therefore, refers to those who, whether as open enemies, or under the name of friends, pervert the disciple of Christ from his faith, or withdraw him from his duty. Whether, like the unconverted Saul, they

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3 Matt. v. 29.

4 Matt. xviii. 7.

persecute those who profess the faith: or whether, like the friends of Paul converted, they would hinder him from making full proof of his ministry, and deter him from dangers which he were bound to encounter-in either case they offend: they are cause of falling as the Lord declared to Peter when desiring him to spare himself; "Thou art an offence unto me."6 Therefore, if he be an enemy, woe be unto him; if he be a friend, if one of thine household become in this way thy foe, beware of him: though he be dear to you as one of the most valuable members of the body, cast off the connexion. It is better for thee, with the loss of that which is most precious in this world, with a loss which leaves you as it were halt, and maimed, and blind, to enter into the kingdom of God, than after the enjoyment of every earthly comfort to be cast into hell fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. "For we look not at the things which are seen, and are temporal, but at the things which are not seen and are eternal."

We shall perceive the justice of these strong expressions, if we consider the case of those who attached themselves to the cause of Christ: the opposition they had to encounter, the strong resistance they must needs make, if they did not stumble and fall under temptation.

When Nicodemus, for example, being himself one of the Pharisees, took the part of Jesus when they were assembled in consultation against him, and proposed that he should be treated with justice, asking, Doth our law judge any man, before it hear 6 Matt. xvi. 23.

5 See Acts xxi. 14.