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:
Ver. 45. It is better for thee] καλον εστι. It is a goodly thing to go, though maimed, to heaven.
To be cast into hell, where the fire] About the year 1152, King Louis of France cast the pope's bulls (whereby he required all fruits of vacancies of all cathedral churches in France) into the fire; saying, he had rather the pope's bulls should rest in the fire, than his own soul should fry in hell. (Speed's Hist.)