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known before he healed them, asked one of the devils his name, who answered, who answered, Legion; for we are many." Mark v. 9. Begging at the same time, that he would not command them to repair into the deep or bottomless pit, but suffer them to enter a herd of swine, feeding at a distance.

How subtle are the wiles of the devil! The power of the Son of God he knew was not to be resisted; but he could not help envying the benevolent miracles he had wrought for the sons of men; and was therefore willing to prevent, as much as possible, their good effects on the miserable people of this country. This was the true reason why he begged leave to enter the herd of swine: he knew if he could obtain that permission, he could destroy them; and this he hoped would render our blessed Saviour odious to the wicked inhabitants of Gadara.

Though Jesus well knew his crafty design, yet he permitted the devils to enter the swine, that his disciples and others, who were with him, might be fully convinced these unhappy persons were really possessed by apostate spirits; and at the same time gave them a terrible instance of their power when free from all restraint.

no sooner

The divine permission was granted, than the spectators beheld at a distance, the torments these poor creatures suffered, with what amazing rapidity they ran to the confines of the lake, leaped from the precipices into the sea, and perished in the waters; while the persons, who a moment before, were raving and cutting themselves in the most shocking manner, became at "once meek and composed, having recovered entirely the exercise of their reason.

The keepers of the herd, terrified at this astonishing miracle, ran into the eity, publishing in every part, the cure of the inen possessed with the devils, and the destruc tion of the swine. This surprising report

threw the inhabitants into the greatest consternation; they left the city to be spectators of so wonderful an event; but when they saw the men who had been possessed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, decently clothed, and in their right minds, their fear was increased. For knowing they had trespassed

in keeping the swine, which was contrary to the law of Moses, they dreaded a more severe punishment; and being ignorant of, the goodness of Jesus, though he had given them so remarkable a proof of it, in the cure of these wretched mortals, besought him that he would leave their country.

There prevailed a custom among the heathens, when any illustrious hero had delivered his country from wild beasts, monsters, tigers, or any other evil, to erect proud columns to his memory; his statue was seen in every place; altars blazed to his glory; they honoured him with the high appellation of Saviour; and thought nothing, not even divine honours, too great to confer upon him. But when Christ had removed a monster from the Gadarenes, more formidable and fearful than anyin heathen history, even a "legion of devils," and rendered the way by which no man could pass before secure from danger; instead of being received by them as a Saviour, and as the Son of God with the acclamations and hozannas of the people, he was besought to depart out of their coasts. Stupid people! They had indeed lost their herd of swine; but surely the valuable gift they had received, in two of their countrymen and fellow creatures,being delivered from the tyranny of Satan, was better than the cattle on a thousand hills, and merited at least their thanks and acknowledgment !

th

The stupid request of the Gadarenes, was, however, complied with by the blessed Jesus, who entering the ship, returned to the country from whence he came, leaving to them a valuable pledge of his love; and to us a noble pattern of perseverance in well-doing, even when our kindnesses are

condemned, or requited with injuries. He would not suffer the persons dispossessed to accompany him, though they earnestly requested it; but ordered them to stay in their own country, as a standing monument of his power and goodness. Go home to thy friends (said the compassionate Jesus to one of them) and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." Mark v. 19.

We cannot but remark, in this place, that we have here a fuller display of the tyranny and power of the devil, than in any other part of scripture; and, therefore, we may oppose it to the loose scoffs, and recommend it to the serious attention of those infidels and thoughtless sinners, who, like the pharisees and sadducees of old, when exhorted to abandon their evil courses, from a consideration of the power of Satan, and the dread of eternal torments, make a mock at both, esteeming them nothing more than religious fables calculated to keep the igno

rant world in awe.

But with regard to themselves, their minds are too well furnished with wisdom, and their geniuses too penetrating, to believe any thing of the flames of the bottomless pit, and the malice of the prince who sways the sceptre of that horrid place; esteeming him a more mild and generous governor, than he is represented in this miracle. But could they be persuaded to attend seriously to the miserable spectacle drawn by the Evangelist, of a wretched mortal, naked, dwelling in tombs, crying out day and night, cutting himself with stones, furious, fierce, destructive; surely their scoffs and idle mockeries would be changed into compassion, and a watchful care of themselves. This surely common prudence would dictate. But if they will deride, and still disbelieve; a short space of time, perhaps a single moment, will convince them of their fatal error; and dreadful experience force them to acknowledge the greatness of the tyranny, the bitterness and malice of this

No. 4.

prince of darkness, against the soul sof the sons of men! May that blindness of mind and obduracy of heart be removed, that so they may know and acknowledge the salva-' tion of God, through Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

CHAP. IX.

Our Lord proceeds in Acts of Mercy and Benevolence. Adds Matthew to the Number of his Disciples. Casts out an evil Spirit. Passes again through Galilee. Selects twelve from among his Disciples, as his constant Followers and Companions, and harangues the Multitude in an excellent Discourse.

THE arrival of our blessed Saviour and his disciples at Capernaum, a city of Galilee, was no sooner published, than throngs of people were gathered together, that the house could not contain them, nor even the court before the door. He, how

ever, preached the words of eternal life to the listening audience, among whom many were pharisees, and doctors of the law, who from the fame of his miracles, were come from all quarters to hear him.

He not only addressed them in the most nervous and pathetic manner, in order to inculcate the doctrines be delivered; but also performed such astonishing miracles, as ought to have removed all their scruples, with regard to the truth of his mission.

Among other instances he gave of his divine power, was that of restoring a man to perfect health, who had long been afflicted with the palsy, and was reduced by that terrible disease to the most melancholy condition, being unable to move any member of his body, but seeuied rather an emaciated carcase, than a man. This miserable object was supported in his bed by four persons, who being unable to enter by the door, on

account of the multitude, carried him to the top of the house, which, like the other roofs in that country, was flat, and had a battlement round, according to the direction given by Moses. Deut. xxii. 8.

On these roofs there was a kind of trapdoor, by which they came out of the houses upon the roofs, where they spent a considerable part of the day. It was also common to have a flight of stairs from the garden to the roof; and by these the persons seemed to have carried the sick of the palsy ; but finding the door fastened, forced it open, or uncovered the roof, and through the opening let down by ropes the sick of the palsy, lying on his bed, into the midst of the company before Jesus; who seeing the faith of the friends of this afflicted person, he had compassion on him, and spake aloud, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee."

The pride of the scribes taking offence at this saying, cried out, this man speaketh blasphemy; for he appropriates that to himself, which is solely the property of Omnipotence. "Who can forgive sins, but God only?" They were ignorant that the person who uttered such gracious words, was the Son of God; and consequently had the power of forgiving the sins of the human

race.

But our Lord, who had recourse to the most secret recesses of the heart, and was willing to shew them that he was really endued with the spirit of God, said to them, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, arise, and take up thy bed and walk?" These were questions that could only be resolved of the latter, it being doubtless easier to forgive sins, than to remit that which is inflicted as its punishment. But these incorrigible mortals held their peace; and the blessed Jesus only added, that the miracles he was going to perform, would

But with regard to the scribes and pharisees, though they must have been confounded at this miracle, yet they still continued in their unbelief; an instance which should awaken in us the most serious thoughts, as it abundantly demonstrates that the palsy of the soul is a much more deplorable disease than the palsy of the body.

The blessed Jesus having wrought this miracle, repaired to the sea side, and taught a multitude of people. What the subject of his sermon was, the Evangelists have not told us; but it was doubtless, like the rest, calculated to promote the eternal welfare of mankind.

His discourse being ended, he returned to the city; and in his way saw Matthew, or Levi, the son of Alpheus, a rich publican, sitting in his office, where the customs are levied at the port of Capernaum, whom he ordered to follow him. Matthew immediately obeyed the summons, and followed. the Saviour of the world, to pursue a far more honourable and important employment, being afterwards both an Apostle and Evangelist.

A few days after his conversion, he made a splendid entertainment for his Master, inviting all the publicans he knew; hoping that by hearing the heavenly conversation of Christ, they might also repent, and embrace the doctrines of the gospel.

The self-righteous scribes and pharisees, who considered all men as sinners, except themselves, especially the publicans, were highly offended that one who called himself a prophet, so far demeaned himself as to be seen in the company of such men ; and asked his disciples, with an air of insolence, in the hearing of all the guests, how their Master could sit down at the same table with publicans and sinners?

Our Lord replied to this artful query, that the sick only had need of a physician, and desired them to reflect seriously on the prophet Hosea's declaration: "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." The turning sinners into the paths of righteousness, which is the highest act of benevolence, is far more acceptable to the Almighty, than all the ceremony of the law of Moses, 80 highly magnified by your fraternity; who, on many occasions observe them, at the expence of charity; adding, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." The repentance of the righteous is not so much the object of my attention, as the conversion of sinners.

This answer, however satisfactory to an unprejudiced person, was far from being so to the scribes and pharisees, who, joining with some of John's disciples, then present returned to Matthew's house, and demanded of him, why his disciples wholly neglected to fast, a duty often performed both by the rulers of Israel, and the disciples of John? To this the blessed Jesus replied, It is not a proper season for the friends of the bridegroom to fast, and afflict themselves while they enjoy his company: "But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall

fast." The various calamities and afflictions that shall attend them after the departure of their Master, shall cause them to fast, which they shall repeat as often as the circumstances of distress and danger, with which they are surrounded, shall require it. And added, that to have obliged his disciples to have observed the precepts of frequent abstinence, at a time when he was employing them to preach the Gospel, by which all the legal ceremonies of the law were to be abolished, would have been as absurd, as to sew a piece of new cloth upon a rotten garment, which would only make the rent worse; or to put new wine into old leathern bottles, which on the first fermentation of the liquor, would burst: indicating, that the old corrupt nature of man, will not admit of thorough reformation being made at once; that infant virtue must not immediately be put to the greatest trials, lest it be destroyed by the severity of the

exercise.

During this controversy between our Lord and the haughty Scribes and Pharisees, in Matthew's house, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came running to him, in all the agonies of grief; and in the presence of the whole company, fell on the ground before him, beseeching him that he would come and heal his daughter, who lay at the point of death.

When did the beneficent Jesus deny his gracious assistance to those who implore it of him? He immediately arose, and followed the ruler towards his house surrounded by a multitude of people, who were desirous of seeing so great a miracle performed.

But as he passed through the streets, a woman who had for twelve years been afflicted with an issue, or flux of the blood, and had spent her whole substance on physicians to no purpose, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, "If I may but touch

his clothes, I shall be whole." Nor was she deceived; for no sooner had she touched the border of the garment of the Son of God, than her issue of blood dried up; and she felt by the return of her health and strength, and other agreeable sensations, that accompany such sudden changes, from painful diseases to perfect health, that the cure was absolutely compleat.

But this transaction could not be concealsed: the blessed Jesus knew the whole, and her secret thoughts, before she put them in practice, and pleased with the opinion this woman had entertained both of his power and goodness, would not by any means suffer it to pass unapplauded. Accordingly, he turned himself about in the "Who touched me ?" He press, and said, well knew the person: but asked this question for the fuller manifestation of the woman's faith, and that he might have an opportunity of instructing and comforting

her.

His disciples being ignorant of what had passed, were surprised at the question, "Thou seest (said they to their Master) the multitude thronging and pressing thee, and sayest thou, who touched me?" They did not distinguish between the spiritual and corporeal touch, nor knew that such efficacious virtue had gone out of their Master. Jesus, however, persisted in knowing who it was that had done. the thing; and the woman finding it in vain to conceal her action any longer, came to him, trembling, and told him all. Perhaps the uncleanness of her distemper was the reason of her fear, thinking he would be offended, even at her touching the hem of his garment. But the divine Physician far from being angry, spake to her in the kindest manner, and commended her faith, on which account he had consented to heal her plague. "Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole." Matt. ix. 22.

Such a miraculous incident, must doubt

was

This message was a terrible blow to the affectionate parent. His only daughter, who, a few days before, was in the bloom of youth, was now a pale and lifeless corpse: and with her all his joys and comforts were fled. But Jesus, commiserating his grief, desired him to be comforted, promising bis daughter should be made whole.

On his coming to the ruler's house, he found it full of mourners, who made terrible lamentations; as sufficient demonstrations · that the damsel was really dead. And, accordingly, when our blessed Saviour desired the mourners to cease their funeral ceremonies, as the maid was not dead but sleeping, they laughed him to scorn.

It is necessary to remark, in this place, that the Jews, when they speak of a person's death, stile it sleep, to intimate their belief that his spirit existeth in the happy scenes of Paradise, and their hopes of a But the future resurrection to life eternal. blessed Jesus used the word with remarkable propriety, to signify, that though she was now locked in the cold embraces of death, yet he was going to release her from the power of the king of terrors, with the same ease as a person is awaked from sleep. Thus our blessed Saviour, in the very manner of performing the miracle, modestly declined the honour that would undoubtedly