But ye

" it out, and cast it from thee: it | ing the understanding darkened, “ is better for thee to enter into being alienated from the life of “ life with one eye, rather than God through the ignorance that

having two eyes to be cast into is in them, because of the blind6 hell-fire. Take heed that ye ness of their heart; who being “ despise not one of these little past feeling(), have given them “ ones; for I say unto you, That selves over unto lasciviousness, to " in heaven their angels (n) do work all uncleanness with greedi“ always behold the face of my ness (p).

have not so « Father which is in heaven." learned Christ; if (9) so be that

ye have heard him, and have been

taught by him, as the truth is in Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Jesus: that ye put off (r), con

cerning the former conversation, The Colle&t. O God, forasmuch as without

the old man(s), which is corrupt thee we are not able to please and be renewed (t) in the Spirit

according to the deceitful lusts; thee; Mercifully grant, that thy

of Holy Spirit may in all things di

your mind; and that ye put rect and rule our hearts, through

on the new man, which after

God (u) is created in righteous. Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ness and true holiness. Where. The Epistle. Ephes. iv. 17. fore putting away lying, speak This I say therefore, and testify every man truth with his neighin the Lord, that ye henceforth bour: for we are members one

walk not as other Gentiles walk, of another. Be ye angry and sin 18. in the vanity of their mind, hav- not(x); let not the sun (y) go

(n) Their angels, &c." i. e. perhaps, very nearly with Col. üži, 9. 10. " lie they have always advocates to plead not to one another, seeing that ye have their cause with God; or, they have “ put off the old man with his deeds : angels attending to them, and watching and have put on the new man, which their concerns, who have constant ac- “ is renewed in knowledge after the cess unto God, to complain of those “ image of him that created him. who injure them, discourage them, &c. (s) “ The old man," i.e. the sinful They have advocates, and guardians, of habits to which you were accustomed high importance and esteem in God's before your conversion. sight; high in rank, as those on earth (!) “ Renewed," i.e. “ made anew,”! who are always in their prince's presence. regenerated,” the same as

r bort In speaking of the peculiar protection, “again," in John iii. 3. (ante 161.) &c. the Israelites received from God, it (u) “ After God," i.e. like God, reis said, Is. Ixiii. 9. ante 98. “ in all their sembling him in purity: as in Col. iï. 10, er affliction he was aflicted, and the angel “ After the image of him that created “ of his presence saved them,” &c. “ him." And Gen. i. 26. God is re.

6) “ Past feeling," i. e. having lost presented to have said, “ Let us make all sense of the difference between good

man in
our image, after our like

. and evil.

ness, i. e. in perfect innocence and
(p)“ With greediness," i. e. greedily. || purity.
(2) “ If,”' &c. i. e. if indeed

ye
have

(*) “ Angry and sin not," i.e. never
rightly heard, and have been rightly taught, let your anger hurry you into sin; re.
for the true doctrine is, that ye put off, press it, before it reaches that height.
&c. as in verse 22.

(y) “ The sun," &c.

This was a () “ Put off," &c. This corresponds principle even with the Pythagoreans to

v. 19.

v. 20. V. 21.

27. down upon your wrath : neither | be put away from you, with all
28. give place to the devil. Let him malice: and be ye kind one to 32.

that stole steal no more: but ra another, tender-hearted, forgiving
ther let him labour, working with one another, even as God (e) for
his hands the thing which is good,

Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
that he may have to give to him
29. that needeth. Let no corrupt The Gospel. Matt. ix. 1.

communication (z) proceed out Jesus entered into a ship, and
of your mouth, but that which is passed over, and came into his
good to the use of edifying, that own city (f). And, behold, 2.

it may minister grace unto the they brought (g) to him a man 30. hearers. And grieve not (a) the sick of the palsy, lying on a bed:

Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye and Jesus seeing their faith (b),
are sealed (b) unto the day of said unto the sick of the palsy,
redemption (c). Let all bitter “ Son, be of good cheer; thy
ness (d), and wrath, and anger, “ sins(i) be forgiven thee.” And, 3.
and clamour, and evil-speaking, behold, certain of the scribes said

31.

9.30.

reconcile all their differences before sun. tion: they lay a restraint on words, and
set : and how much would it add to the even thoughts, as well as upon afts; and
happiness of mankind, if Christians would they recommend a system, not of what

but practise what is here prescribed ? the world calls spirit, but of what is adv.29. (z) “ Corrupt communication.” See mirably calculated to advance the comante 85. note on Ephes. v. 4.

fort of individuals, and the happiness of (a) “ Grieve not,” &c. It was mankind, of forbearance and forgiveness. speaking emphatically to say, that the Let a man contrast his own feelings after practice of the sins he here proscribes he has forgiven an injury, with what they' would “ grieve the Holy Spirit of would have been had he revenged it, and « God.” In Heb. vi. 6. apostacy is he will not repent that he has acted like a considered as “ crucifying the Son of Christian. See ante 197. note on Gal. v. “ God afresh, and putting him to an 22. “ open shame.” These are strong ex. (e) “ As God,” &c. Is not this an v. 32. pressions, but they imply the high im irresistible argument against bitterness, portance of abstaining from sin, and ad malice, &c.? How can a man join in the hering striAly to the precepts of the petition, “ forgive us our trespasses, as gospel.

“ we forgive them that trespass against us," v. 30. () “ Sealed.” It was the practice if he is at the same time pursuing against

to mark a man's slaves or servants with any man the di&tates of malevolence ?
his seal : being sealed therefore by God's | ()" His own city," i.e. Capernaum, v. l.
Spirit, means being marked as his ser Mark'ï. 1. a city of Galilee, where he
vants ; and whoever were so marked, then dwelt. See ante 175. note on
were to be protected in the times of

Luke v, 1.
God's vengeance. In Rev. vii. 3. post (8) “ Brought.” According to Mark v. 2,
219. the angels were commanded, “ Hurt ii. 4. and Luke v, 19. the press, in the
“ not the earth, neither the sea, nor the house where our Saviour was, was so
“ trees, till we have sealed the servants of great, that they could not bring the man
“ our God in their foreheads." See also in, and they unroofed the house, and let
Ephes. i. 13.—2 Cor, i. 22.

him down. 0.30. (c) “ The day of redemption," i. è. (6) “ Their faith," j.e, their confi- v.2.

the time so uften alluded to as “ the day dence in his powers.
“ of the Lord," &c. ante 25.

(i) · Thy sins," i. e. those which w.2. v.31. (d) “ All bitterness," &c. The cha || were the cause of this infirmity. Sick

racter of the Christian virtues cannot be ness and disease being, in some instances
too often pressed upon our considera- at least, a visitation from God, and pua

evil in your

within themselves, “ This man

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. 4. “ blasphemeth (k).” And Jesus

The Collect. knowing their thoughts, said, | O ALMIGHTY and most merciful

56 Wherefore think ye evil in God, of thy bountiful goodness, 5. " hearts ? For whether is easier, keep us, we beseech thee, from

to say, Thy sins be forgiven all things that may hurt us; that “ thee; or to say, Arise, and we being ready both in body and 6. “ walk? But that ye may know soul, may cheerfully accomplish 66 that the Son of man hath

those things that thou wouldest “ power on earth to forgive have done, through Jesus Christ “ sins,” (then saith he to the sick our Lord. Amen. of the palsy,) “ Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine

The Epistle. Ephes. v. 15. 7. house.” And he arose, and

See then that ye walk circum 8. departed to his house. But when spectly, not as fools, but as wise,

the multitudes (1) saw it, they | redeeming (m) the time, be marvelled, and glorified God, cause (n) the days are evil. which had given such power un

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will

66

to men.

When God

nishment for sin ; forgiving the sin im-
plies that the disease shall be removed.
Throughout this passage our Saviour
considers the forgiving this man's sin
and healing him as the same thing. The
same idea occurs Ps. ciii. 3: “ who for-

giveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine
“ infirmities." And Isaiah xxxiii. 24.
« The inhabitant shall not say, I am
"s sick : the people that dwell therein
“ shall be forgiven their iniquity.”

(1) · Blasphemeth," i.e. by assuming to himself what belongs peculiarly to God, the power of forgiving sins. In the parallel passages, Mark ii. 7. and Luke v. 21. the scribes are stated to have added, as the reason why they treated it as blasphemy,," Who can forgive sins “ but God." When our Saviour told the higi pricai, Matt. xxvi. 64. that they should thereafter “ see the Son of man « sitting on the right hand of power," &c. plainly intimating that he should be associated with God, the high priest immediately treated it as blasphemy: " He “ hath spoken blasphemy, what further “ need have we of witnesses: behold, “ now ye have heard bis blasphemy."

(1) " The multitudes," &c. This miracle therefore was done publicly, corresponding in this and other particulars with most of our Saviour's other miracles: it was an act of mercy, and typi

cal, implying his power to take away sin, and overcome Satan's kingdom.

(m) “ Redeeming," i.e. making the best use of, employing to the best advantage, improving it, instead of wasting it.

(n) “ Because,” &c. Times of peril are calculated to bring the mind to serie ous reflection; and where men are iduced thereby to turn to God without delaying it too long, they may thereby avert national as well as individual calamities. According to Isaiah xxvi

. 9. “ When God's judgments are in the “ earth, the inhabitants of the world will “ learn righteousness." thought of destroying Sodom, he promised that if ten righteous should be found there, he would not destroy it for the sake of those ten. See Gen. xvili

. 23 to 33. In Jer. xviii. 7. God is repre sented as saying, “ At what instant I « shall speak concerning a nation, and “ concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, “ and to pull down, and to destroy it; “ If that nation, against whom I have

pronounced, turn from their evil, I will

repent of the evil that I thought to “ do unto them.” The warnings, how ever, God youchsafes must not be too long neglected, lest, according to Prov.i.26,27 " When fear cometh as desolation, and 6 destruction as a whirlwind, he should

1. of the Lord is. And be not one to his farm, and another drunk with wine, wherein ) is " to his merchandize : and the 6. excess; but be filled with the remnant took his servants, and Spirit ; speaking to yourselves in “ entreated them spitefully, and psalms and hymns, and spiritual

< slew them. But when the 7. songs, singing and making me- king heard thereof, he was lody in your heart to the Lord'; 66 wroth: and he sent forth his giving thanks always for all things “ armies, and destroyed (u) those unto God and the Father, in the “ murderers, and burned up name of our Lord Jesus Christ; “their city. Then saith he to 8. submitting yourselves one to an- “ his servants, “ The wedding is other in the fear of God.

“ ready, but they which were

bidden were not worthy. Go g. The Gospel. Matt. xxii. 1. (p) ye, therefore, into the highJesus said, “ The kingdom of “ ways; and as many as ye shall “ heaven (9) is like unto (r) a o find, bid to the marriage." So 10. * certain king, which made a " those servants went out into “ marriage (s) for his son, and “ the highways, and gathered to“ sent forth his servants to call gether all, as many as they " them that were bidden (t) to “ found, both bad and good : " the wedding: and they would “ and the wedding was furnished not come.

Again, he sent “ with guests. And when the 11. « forth other servants, saying, “ king came in to see the guests, * Tell them which are bidden, " he saw there a man which had " Behold, I have prepared my not on a wedding garment : " dinner; my oxen and my

fat. " and he saith unto him, “Friend, 12. "lings are killed, and all things “ how camest thou in hither,

are ready : come unto the “ not having a wedding-gar** marriage. But they made light ment(x)? And he was speech

of it, and went their ways, “ less (y). Then said the king 13.

laugh at our calamity, and mock when

our fear cometh, because we set at sought all his counsel, and would none

of his reproof.” When the safety of a nation may depend upon the goodness, &c of individuals, religion is the truest patriotism. 16) “ Wherein is excess,” i.e. which leads to other excesses.

6) The meaning of this parable is this: the advantages of Christ's coming shall first be offered to the Jews, who will reject them, and then to the Gentiles, who will receive them : but even of the Gentiles, they who do not act up to the duties of Christianity, but treat them with insult and contempt, shall be severely punished.

2 Kingdom of heaven.” The state

(r) “ Is like unto,” i.e.

may

be de- v. 2. scribed by the account of.

(s) “ X marriage," i.e. a marriage v. 2. feast. (t) “ That were bidden," i.e. the v.

0.3 Jews. They are called, Matt. viii. 12. “ the children of the kingdom.” See ante 84. note on Matt. xv. 24.

(u) “ Destroyed,” &c. probably re- 0.7. ferring to the signal vengeance to be taken at the destruction of Jerusalem. See ante 25. note on Rom. xiii, 11. ante 29. note on Luke xxi. 25.

(x) “ A wedding garment," which v.11. he might have had, and which not to have was a contempt and insult to the king:

(y) “Speechless,” because he had no v.12.

excuse.

of Christianity.

are chosen."

“ to the servants, “ Bind him against principalities, against “ hand and foot, and take him powers, against the rulers of the

away, and cast him into outer darkness (a) of this world, against “ darkness; there shall be weep-spiritual wickedness in high

ing and gnashing of teeth. places (b). Wherefore take unto 14 “ For many are called, but few you the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore,

having your loins girt about with Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.

truth, and having on the breastThe Colleet.

plate of righteousness; and your GRANT, we beseech thee, mer

feet shod with the preparation of ciful Lord, to thy faithful people,

the Gospel of peace; above all, pardon and peace; that they taking the shield of faith, where. may be cleansed from all their with

ye

shall be able to quench sins, and serve thee with a quiet

all the fiery darts of the wicked(c). mind, through Jesus Christ our

And take the helmet of salvation, Lord. Amen.

and the sword (d) of the Spirit,

which is the word of God: prayThe Epistle. Ephes. vi. 10. ing always with all prayer and My brethren, be strong in the supplication in the Spirit

, and Lord, and in the power of his watching thereunto with all per11. might. Put on the whole ar- severance and supplication for all

mour of God, that ye may be saints; and for me, that utter

able to stand against the wiles of ance may be given unto me, that 12. the devil. For we wrestle not I

may open my mouth boldly, to against flesh and blood (z), but maké known the mystery of the

(z) “ Flesh and blood," i. e. ordinary human powers, but against powers that Kave the supernatural assistance of the devil; or, not against human powers only, but against enemies of a higher stamp.

(a) · The rulers of the darkness of " this world," i.e. the chief, the highest, the most powerful of the devil's ministers, those who most effectually promote the sinfulness and disobedience of man. In John xii. 31.xiv. 30.—and xvi. 11. our Saviour speaks of " the prince of this world,” in allusion, probably, to our great enemy the devil; and Tim. iv. I. St. Paul says of those who it was foretold should de. part from the faith, that they would give heed to seducing spirits : and Col. i. 13. St. Paul speaks of God's having delivercd them “ from the power of darkness, W. and having translated them into the

“ kingdom of his dear Son," meaning, perhaps, by " the power of darknes," the devil and his ministers.

(6) For “ spiritual wickedness in high places," read “The spirits of wicked

ness that are above the earth." In Ephes. ii, 2. the great promoter of iniquity is called, the prince of the

power of the air, the spirit that “ worketh in the children of disobe“ dience.”

(c) For “ the wicked," read the 6 wicked one."

(d) “ The sword,” &c. The word of God is here called “ the sword of the “ Spirit," the great weapon upon which Christians are to rest.

It is observable, that when our Saviour was tempted of the devil, it Scripture that he answered his attacks. See ante 82. note on Matt. iv. 7.