8. That we may the more diligently labour to season all we can, with every holy and heavenly temper, our Lord proceeds to shew the desperate state of those, who do not impart the religion they have received: which indeed they cannot possibly fail to do, so long as it remains in their own hearts. _If the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shalt it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men._ If ye who were holy and heavenly-minded, and consequently zealous of good works, have no longer that savour in yourselves, and do therefore no longer season others; if you are grown flat, insipid, dead, both careless of your own soul, and useless to the souls of other men, _wherewith shall ye be salted_? How shall ye be recovered? What help? What hope? Can tasteless salt be restored to its savour! No; _it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out_, even as the mire in the streets, _and to be trodden under foot of men_, to be overwhelmed with everlasting contempt. If ye had never known the Lord, there might have been hope, if ye had never been _found in him_. But what can you now say to that his solemn declaration, just parallel to what he hath here spoken? [86]_Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he_ (the Father) _taketh away. He that abideth in me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruit.――If a man abide not in me_, (or, do not bring forth fruit) _he is cast out as a branch and withered; and men gather them_ (not to plant them again, but) _to cast them into the fire_. 9. Toward those who have never tasted of the good word, God is indeed pitiful and of tender mercy. But justice takes place with regard to those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and have afterwards _turned back from the holy commandment_ then _delivered to them. [87]For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened_, in whose hearts God had once shined, to enlighten them with the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of _Jesus Christ; who have tasted of the heavenly gift_, of redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of sins; _and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost_, of lowliness, of meekness, and of the love of God and man shed abroad in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost which was given unto them: _and have fallen away_, καὶ παραπεσόντας· (Here is not a supposition, but a flat declaration of matter of fact) _to renew them again unto repentance: seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of_ God _afresh, and put him to an open shame_.