Mark hath it thus, Chap. g. 37. Whrfaever ſhall receive one of ſuch Children in my Name, recerveth me ; and whoſocver receiveth me, recetveth not me, but him that fent me. Then, wer. 42. he ad- deth, And whoſoever ſhall offend one of theſe little ones ihat believe in me, it is better for him that a Milſtone were hunsg'd about hi Neck, and he were ca$t into the Sea, Our Lord having declared that che lictle ones betore mentioned, ſhall be greateſt in the Kinz- dom of God, here comerh to ſhew rhe Care, which he in is Providence will rake tor them. That their Friends ſhall be his Friends, and their Enemies his Enemies, Whoto receiveth ſich .2 little Child, that is, an humble Chriftian. In the next v. 1 +5 opened by one that believeth in me. By receiving, I conceive 1s here to be underitood the ſhewing of any Favour, or Kindnet; ro them, Chriſt declares that he would take ir as done to himſelt. Ic is much the ſame with Chap. 10. 40,41, 42. Mark addeth, He that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me. The Reaſon iz, becauſe he and his Father are one, and the F:ther takes any Kindneſs done to Chriſt, as if ir were done to himſelf, and the Son takes any Kindnefs, or Unkindneſs done to any humble, be- lieving Soul, as if it were done to himſelf. See Chap. 25. trom v. 34. to the end, [ And whoſo ſhall offend any of theſe littl- ones, &c.] As »ffending ſ1gnifierh the laying of a Stumbling Block before any, ſo ir ſ1gnifierh any Motion, cr Tempration co them to Sin
againſt God, whether ic be by Flartering or Frowning Arguments,
tho” the latrer ſeemerh rather ro be underſtood here; fo by of-
fending it ſignifies the doing of them any Harm upon Chriit's Ac-
count, beeauſe they own him, and make a Profetſion of his Gof-
pel, which befides that, it is a Stumbling Block upon which they
fall and ſuffer as to their Bodies and ourward Concerns, 1s allo a
Scumbling Block to their Souls; fuch Dangers being ſtrongTempra-
tions ro Chriſtians to turn chem aſide trom che right Paths of Truck
and Holineſs. [It were better far him that a Miljtne, &c. ] pwr G
3»1x 6, 4 Stone in ſuch a Mill as Affes were wont to draw, becauſe of the Heavinelſs of it. Some think our Saviour in thus Phrafe 2l-
mit of them, and when he had taken him in his |
Iadech ro ſome Puniſhmenc of ,notoriovs Malefatturs in uſe, not F ft a amongltt
Cha D. RVT
ef = How eatie
5 * - 4 < - ado cnt Coe F - — 2 ene oor no - - —-
Chap. XVIII. St. M AT
amoneſt the Jews, but ſome other Nations, by tying a. Stone 152ur tacir Necks, and throwing them into the Sea; bur whe- ther it be ſuch an Alluſion or no, is of no great Moment 3 the Phraſe ignifierh a cerrainDeſtruftion, borh in regard of the weight of the Srone, and the depth of the Sea. He faith, It better that 2 Milſtone; &c. becauſe of che Puniſhment chat ſhall be 1n- flicked on ſuch Perſons, beyond this Life.
7 Woe unto the world, becauſe of oftences: * For
% 1 Cor: 21.19 it muſt needs be that offences come : but | woe to + Chip. that man by whom the oftence cometh.
a4 IJ
$622 a Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot oftend thee, cut them of, and caft them from thee : 1t 15 better for thee to enter into life, halr, or maimed, rather than having two hands, or two feet, to be caſt into everlaſting fre. ;
5 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck ir out, and calt it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into lifz with one eye, rather than having. two Eyes, T0 be caſt into hell-are.
ByOfſences are here meant Stumbling-Blocks to Souls,fuch Perſons or ARions as are to others Temptations to Sin. The World, ſaith our Saviour, is full of Temptations. Temptations to Sin are on all Hands; fome enticing and perſuading Men ro thar which 15 Evil, others ſerting chem an Example to ir, orhers alluring chem by Promiſes, ochers by Threatnings and Puniſhments driving Men to it as much as in them ſyerh ; the World will one Day find the Evil, and Miſchief of it. [t mu# be that offences come.) God 12th ſo ordered ic in the Wiſdom of his Providence, that he will not reſtrain the Luſts of all Men's Hearts, bur ſuffer ſome to walk in their own Ways. Men in Power will command thoſe under them, to do whar is Sinful, fright chem by Threatnings, force them (if poſſible) by Punifhments. Equals and Inferiours will fer Examples of Sin, Allure, Intice and Perſwade. | But woe be to thoſe by whom ſuch Offences come.) Men, faith our Saviour, ſhou!d be ſo atraid to fin, as they ſhould rather part with the deareſt things they have in the World, if chey be as dear as Eyes, AHmnds, Feet, rather than Sin, or indure them to be Occaſions of Sin ro them. See v. 8, 9. opened in our Notes on Chap. 5. 29.
Mb hath che ſame things. Chap. 9. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 only with the Addition of this Saying thrice. Where the Worm dieth mt, and the Fire is not quenched, Which Phraſe doth but de- note the Ecernity of Sinners Miſery, taken from Iſaiah 66. v. 24
10 Take heed that ye deſpiſe not one of theſe *Zec.13-2. little ones ; for I ſay unto you, that in heaven * their Angels do always behold the face of my Father
which is in heaven.