And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal himn. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: a Luke 1. e.--b Lake 15, 19, 21.- Ps 107. 20.-1 Gen 12. 3. Isa. 1. 1). Mal. 1. 11. Luke 13. 20. Acts 10. 45. & 11. 18. & 14. 27. Rom. 15.33 with the most loathsome disease, cleansed from it in a moment of time! Was it possible for any soul to resist the evidence of this fact? This action of Christ is a representation of that in visible hand, which makes itself felt by the most insensible heart; of that internal word which makes itself heard by the most deaf: and of that supreme will which works every thing according to its own counsel.

4. Jesus saith-see thou tell no man] Had our Lord at this early period, fully manifested himself as the Messiah, the people, in all likelihood, would have proclaimed him king; this, however, refused by him, must have excited the hatred of the Jewish rulers, and the jealousy of the Roman govern inent; and, speaking after the manner of men, his further preachings and miracles must have been impeded. This alone seems to be the reason why he said to the leper, see thou tell no man.

Show thyself to the priest] This was, to conform to the law instituted in this case, Lev. xiv. 1, &c. Offer the gift] This gift was to living clean birds, some cedar wood, with scarlet, and hyssop, Lev. xiv. 4. which were to be brought for his cleansing; and then clean, two he-lambs, one ewe lamb, three tenth-deals of flour, and one log of oil, ver. 10; but if the person was poor, then he was to bring one lamb, one tenth-deal of flour, one log of oil, and two turtle doves, or young pigeons, ver. 21, 22. See the notes on Lev. xiv.

Now all this was to be done for a testimony to them ; to prove that this leper, who was doubtless well known in the land, had been thoroughly cleansed; and thus, in this private way, to give full proof to the priesthood, that Jesus was the true Messiah. The Jewish rabbins allowed, that curing the lepers should be a characteristic of the Messiah; (see Bishop Chandler's Vindication) therefore the obstinacy of the priests, &c. in rejecting Christ, was utterly inexcusable. 5. Capernaum] See chap. iv. 13.

A centurion] Εκατονταρχος. Α Ronan military officer who had the command of one hundred men.

6. Lord Rather Sir, for so the word kupte should always be translated when a Roman is the speaker.

Lieth at home] Beẞλnrai, lieth all'along; intimating that the disease had reduced him to a state of the utmost impotence, through the grievous torments with which it was accompanied.

Sick of the palsy] Or paralytic. See chap. iv. 24. This centurion did not act as many masters do when their servants are afflicted, have them immediately removed to an infirmary, often to a work-house; or sent home to friends or relatives, who probably either care nothing for them, or are unable to afford them any of the comforts of life. In case of a contagious disorder, it may be necessary to remove an infected person to such places as are best calculated to cure the distemper, and prevent the spread of the contagion. But in all common cases, the servant should be considered as a child, and receive the same friendly attention. If by a hasty, unkind, and unnecessary removal, the servant die, are not the master and mistress murderers before God 1

7. I will come and heal him.] Εγω ελθών θεραπεύσω αυτόν, I am coming, and will heal him. This saying is worthy of observation. Jesus did not positively say, I will come and hea! him; this could not have been strictly true, because our Lord healed without going to the house, and the issue shows that the words ought to be taken in the most literal sense: thus understood, they contained a promise which it seems none of them distinctly comprehended. Foreseeing the exercise of the centurion's faith, he promises that while he is coming, ere he arrives at the house, he will heal him, and this was literally done, verse 13. There is much beauty in this passage. 8. But speak the word only] Or instead of time Aoyov, read are Aoyo, Speak by word or command. This reading is supported by the most extensive evidence from MSS., versions, and fathers. See here the pattern of that living faith and genuine humility which ought always to accompany the prayer of a sinner: Jesus can will away the palsy, and speak away the most grievous torments. The first degree of humility is to acknowledge the necessity of God's mercy, and our own inability to help ourselves: the second, to confess the freeness of his grace, and our own utter unworthiness. Ignorance, unbelief, and presumption, will ever retard our spiritual cure.

9. For I am a man under authority] That is, under the authority of others. This verse has given considerable emDarrassment to commentators and critics. I believe the paraphrase given above to be the true meaning of the evange ist. To make this matter more plain, let it be observed, that the Roman foot was divided into three grand parts, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Each of these grand divisions was composed of thirty manipuli or companies; and every ma

|

the centurion's faith.

and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it he marvelled, and said unto them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, that d many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom fshall be cast out into 2 Jule 13-g Ps 42. 19. Rev. 16. 9, 11. Eph. 3. 6-0 Ch 21, 43-f Ch. 13. 42, 50, & 22. 13. & 24, 51. & 5. 30. Luke 13, 25. nipulus made two centuries or companies of one hundred men. Every manipulus had two centurions, but these were very far from being equal in rank and honour, though pos sessing the very same office. The Triarii and Principes were esteemned the most honourable, and had their centurions elected first: and these first elected centurions, took precedency of the centurions of the Hastati, who were elected last. The centurion in the text was probably one of this last order, he was under the authority of either the Principes er Triarii, and had none under him but the hundred men whom he coinmanded, and who appear to have been in a state of the most loving subjection to him. The argument of the centurion seems to run thus. If I who am a person subject to the control of others, yet have some so completely subject to myself, that I can say to one, Come, and he cometh, to another, Go, and he goeth, and to my slave (roj dovdes pon) Do this, and he doeth it, how much more then canst thou accomplish whatsoever thou willest, being under no control, and having all things under thy command. He makes a proper use of his authority, who by it raises his mind to the contemplation of the sovereign power of God, taking occasion from it to humble himself before him who has all power in heaven and earth; and to expect all good from him.

There are two beautiful passages in Arrian that tend much to illustrate this speech of the centurion. Καταταγείς Αγαμεμ νων, λέγει μοι, πορεύου προς τον Αχιλλέα, και αποσπασαν την Βρισηίδα, πορευομαι. Ερχου, ερχομαι. “He who personales Agamemnon, says to me, Go to Achilles, and bring hither Briseis: 1 go. He says, Come hither; I come." Dissert. I. i. c. 25. p. 97.

Όταν ο Θεός είπη τοις φυτοις ανθειν, ανθει. Όταν ειπη βλαςαν ειν, βλασάνει. Όταν εκφέρειν τον καρπον, εκφέρει. Όταν περ παινεῖν, πεπαινεί. Όταν πάλιν αποβάλλειν, και φυλλοόρσειν, και αυτά εις αυτα συνειλουμενα εφ' ησυχίας μένειν, και ανα παύεσθαι, μένει και αναπαύεται. "When God commands the plants to blossom, they bear blossoms. When he cominands them to bear seed, they bear seed. When he commands them to bring forth fruit, they put forth their fruits. When he com munds them to ripen, they grow ripe. When he commands them to fade, and shed their leaves, and to remain inactive, involved in themselves, they thus remain, and are inactive." Cap. 24, p. 62. See Raphelius.

This mode of speech fully marks supreme and uncontrolled power, and that power put forth by a sovereign will to effect any purpose of justice or mercy. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light, is a similar expression.

10. I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel] That is, I have not found so great an instance of confidence and faith in my power, even among the Jews, as this Roman, a Gentile, has shown himself to possess.

From Luke vii. 5. where it is said of this centurion, “he loved our nation, and has built us a synagogue;" we may infer, that this man was like the centurion inentioned Acts x. 1. A devout Gentile, a proselyte of the gate, one who believed in the God of Israel, without conforming to the Jewish ritual, or receiving circumcision. Though the military life is one of the most improper nurses for the Christian religion, yet in all nations there have been found several instances of genuine humility, and faith in God, even in soldiers; and perhaps never more in the British military, than at the present. A. D. 1812. 11. Many shall come from the east and west] Men of every description, of all countries, and of all professions; and shall sit down, that is, to meat, for this is the proper meaning οι ανακλιθήσονται, intimating the recumbent posture used by the easterns at their meals. The rabbins represent the bless. edness of the kingdom of God under the notion of a banque.. See several proofs of this in Schoetgenius. This was spoken to soften the unreasonable prejudices of the Jews, which they entertained against the Gentiles, and to prepare them to receive their brethren of mankind into religious fellowship with themselves, under the Christian dispensation.

With Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob] In the closest communion with the most eminent followers of God. But if we desire to inherit the promises, we must be followers of them who through faith and patience enjoy them. Let us therefore imitate Abraham, in his faith, Isaac, in his obedi ence unto death, and Jacob, in his hope, and expectation of good things to come, amidst all the evils of this life, if we desire to reign with them.

12. Shall be cast out into outer darkness] As the enjoy ment of that salvation which Jesus Christ calls the kingdoin of heaven, is here represented under the notion of a nuptial festival, at which the guests sat down in a reclining posturé, with the master of the feast; so the state of those who were excluded from the banquet is represented as deep darkness: because the nuptial solemnities took place at night. Hence

The centurion's servant and

outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

14b And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw "his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

a Mark 5. 34. Luke 7. 10, 50.-b Mark 1. 29, 30, 31. Luke 4. 39, 39.

at those suppers, the house of reception was filled with lights called dudes, Aaprades, Avrveta, pavot, Torches, lamps, candles, and lanthorns, by Athenæus and Plutarch: so they who were admitted to the banquet, had the benefit of the light; but they who were shut out, were in darkness, called here outer darkness, i. e. the darkness on the outside of the house, in which the guests were; which must appear more abun dantly gloomy, when compared with the profusion of light within the guest-chamber. And because they who were shut out, were not only exposed to shame, but also to hunger and cold; therefore it is added, there shall be weeping and gnash. ing of teeth. As these feasts are often alluded to by the evangelists, I would observe once for all: that they who were in vited to them, entered by a gate designed to receive them; whence Christ, by whom we enter into the marriage feast, compares himself to a gate, John x. 1, 2, 7, 9. This gate at the time the guests were to come, was made narrow, the wicket only being left open, and the porter standing there, that they who were not bidden to the marriage might not rush into it. Hence Christ exhorts the Jews to enter in at the strait gate, ch. vii. 13, &c. When all that were invited were once come, the door was presently shut, and was not to be opened to any who came too late, and stood knocking without: so after the wise virgins had entered with the bridegroom, the gate was shut, and was not opened to the foolish virgins, who stood knocking without, chap. xxv. 11. And in this sense we are to understand the words of Christ, Luke xiii. 24, 25. Many shall seek to enter in, but shall not | be able. Why? because the master of the house hath risen up and shut to the door, they would not come unto him when they might, and now the day of probation is ended, and they must be judged according to the deeds done in the body. See Whitby on the place. How many of those who are called Christians, suffer the kingdom, the graces, and the salvation which they had in their hands, to be lost; while West-India Negroes, American Indians, Hindoo polytheists, and atheistic Hottentots obtain salvation! An eternity of darkness, fears and pains, for comparatively a moment of sensual gratification, how terrible the thought! What outer darkness, or ro KOTOS TO EXWTEрov, that darkness, that which is the outermost, may refer to, in eternal damnation, is hard to say: what it alludes to I have already mentioned: but as the words Bovy Hos TV odovтwv, gnashing or CHATTERING of teeth, convey the idea, not only of extreme anguish, but of extreme cold; some have imagined that the punishment of the damnet consisted in sudden transitions from extreme heat, to extreme cold; the extremes of both, I have found to produce exactly the same sensation.

MILTON happily describes this in the following inimitable verses, which a man can scarcely read, even at midsummer, without shivering.

Beyond this flood a frozen continent

Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms
Of whirlwind and dire hail-

-the parching air

Burns frore, and cold performs the effect of fire.
Thither by harpy-footed furies hal'd
At certain revolutions all the damn'd
Are brought; and feel by turns the bitter change
Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce
From beds of raging fire, to starve in ice,
-and there to pine
Immoveable, infix'd, and frozen round
Periods of time; thence hurried back to fire.
Parad. Lost, book ii. line 586.

There is a passage in the Vulgate, Job xxiv. 19, that might nave helped Milton to this idea. Ad nimium calorem transeat ab aquis nivium. "Let him pass to excessive heat, from waters of snow." This reading, which is found only in this form, in the Vulgate, is vastly expressive. Every body knows that snow-water is colder than snow itself. Another of our poets has given us a most terrible description of perdition, on the same ground.

The once pamper'd spirit

To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling regions of the thick ribbed ice;
To be imprison'd in the viewless winds,
And blown with restless violence round about
This pendant world; or to be worse than worst
Of those, that lawless and incertain thoughts
Imagine-

Similar to this is that dreadful description of the torments of the wicked given in the Institutes of Menu; "The wicked shall have a sensation of agony in Tamisra, or utter dark ness, and in other seats of horror; in Asipatravana, or the sword-leaved forest, and in different places, of binding.fast, and of rending: multifarious tortures await them: they shall be mangled by ravens and owls, and shall swallow cakes boil ing hot; and shall walk over inflamed sands, and shall feel

Peter's mother-in law healed.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her and she arose and ministered unto them.

16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick! 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the

e1 Cor. 9. 5d Mark I. 32, &c. Luke 4. 40, 41.

the pangs of being baked like the vessels of a potter: they shall assume the forms of beasts continually miserable, and suffer alternate afflictions from extremities of cold and heat; sur rounded with terrors of various kinds. They shall have old age without resource; diseases attended with anguish ; pangs of innumerable sorts, and lastly, unconquerable death." In stitutes of MENU, ch. xii. Inst. 75-80. In the Zend Avesta, the place of wicked spirits is termed "The places of darkness, the gerins of the thickest darkness." An uncommonly significant expression: darkness has its birth there: there are its seeds and buds, there it vegetates everlastingly, and its eternal fruit is darkness! See Zend Avesta, vol. i. Ven. didad sadi Fargard. xviii. p. 412. And is this, or any thing as bad as this, HELL? Yes, and worse than the worst of all that has already been mentioned. Hear Christ himself. There their worm dieth not, and the fire is NOT QUENCHED! Great God! save the reader from this damnation! Let the mercy

13. As thou hast believed, so be it done] thou requestest, be equal to the faith thou hast brought to re ceive it by. AcCORDING to thy faith be it done unto thee, is a general measure of God's dealings with mankind. To get an increase of faith, is to get an increase of every grace which constitutes the mind that was in Jesus: and prepares fully, for the enjoyment of the kingdom of God. God is the same in the present time which he was in ancient days; and mira. cles of healing may be wrought on our own bodies and souls, and on those of others by the instrumentality of our faith. But, alas! where is faith to be found!

And his servant was healed in the self same hour.] Er τn wpa exein, in that very hour. Faith is never exercised in the power and goodness of God till it is needed; and when it is exercised, God works the miracle of healing. Christ never says, believe now for a salvation which thou now needest, and I will give it to thee at some future time. Tha salvation which is expected through works or sufferings, must of necessity be future, as there must be time to work or suf fer in: but the salvation which is by faith, must be for the present moment, for this simple reason, IT IS BY FAITH, that God may be manifested and honoured; and not by works or by sufferings, lest any man should boast. To say, that though it is of faith, yet it may, and must in many cases, be delayed, (though the person is coming in the most genuine humility, deepest contrition, and with the liveliest faith in the blood of the Lamb,) is to say that there is still something necessary to be done, either on the part of the person, or on the part of God, in order to procure it; neither of which po sitions has any truth in it.

14. Peter's house] That Peter lived at Capernaum, and that Christ lodged with him, is fully evident from this verse compared with chap. xvii. 24.

Peter's-wife's mother.] Learn hence, says Theophylact, that marriage is no hinderance to virtue, since the chief of the apostles had his wife. Marriage is one of the first of Divine institutions, and is a positive command of God. He says, the state of celibacy is not GooD, Gen. ii. 18. Those who pretend to say that the single state is more holy than the other, slander their Make, and say in effect, "we are too holy to keep the commandinents of God."

15. He touched her hand] Can any thing on this side the unlimited power of God, effect such a cure with only a touch 1 If the Scriptures had not spoken of the divinity of Christ, these proofs of his power must have demonstrated it to the common sense of every man, whose creed had not previously blinded him.

Ministered unto them] Avrois, them, is the reading of most of the printed editions, but anre, to him, has the utmost evidence in its support from MSS., Versions, and Fathers. Serv ing Christ in his ordinances and in his members is the best proof we can give to others of our being soundly restored to spiritual health.

16. When the even was come] The Jews kept their sabbath from evening to evening, according to the law, Lev. xxiii. 32. From evening to evening shall ye celebrate your sabbath. And the rabbins say, The sabbath doth not enter but when the sun is set. Hence it was that the sick were not brought out to our Lord till after sunset, because then the sabbath was ended. Many that were possessed with devils] Dr. Lightfoot gives two sound reasons why Judea, in our Lord's time, abounded with demoniacs. First, Because they were then advanced to the very height of impiety; see what Josephus, their own historian, says of them: There was not (says he) a nation under heaven more wicked than they were. See on Rom. i. 1. Secondly, Because they were then strongly addicted to magic, and so, as it were, invised evil spirits to be familiar with them. It seems strange to find men at this distance of time. questioning the truth of that which neither scribes nor Phari secs then doubted; nor did they ever object against the pre tensions of Christ and his apostles to cast them out. And, it the whole business of demonism had been only a vulgar

One requests to bury his father

prophet. saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19 b And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, 4 suf. fer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

■ Isa. 53. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 24.-b Luke 9, 57, 58.-e Luke 9. 59, 60.-d See 1 Kings 19:20. error, (as wise men now tell us,) what a fine opportunity had the wise men then to unmask the whole matter, and thus pour contempt on the pretensions of our blessed Lord and his followers, who held it to be one proof of their divine mission, That demons were subject to them?

And healed all that were sick) Not a soul did our Lord Jesus ever reject, who came to him soliciting his aid. Need any sinner despair who comes to him, conscious of his spiritual malady, to be healed by his merciful hand?

17. Himself took our infirmities] The quotation is taken from Isa. liii. 4. where the verb Na nasa signifies to bear sin, so as to make atonement for it. And the rabbins understand this place to speak of the sufferings of the Messiah for the sins of Israel; and say that all the diseases, all the griefs, and all the punishments due to Israel, shall be borne by him. See Synopsis Sohar. Christ fulfils the prophecies in all respects, and is himself the completion and truth of them, as being the lamb and victim of God, which bears and takes away the sin of the world. The text in Isaiah refers properly to the taking away of sin; and this in the Evangelist, to the removal of corporeal afflictions: but as the diseases of the body are the emblems of the sin of the soul, Matthew refer ring to the prediction of the prophet, considered the miracu lous healing of the body, as an emblem of the soul's salvation by Christ Jesús.

A great tempest at sea

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples fo.. lowed him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of lit tle faith? Then the arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea: and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

23 And when he was come to the other side, into the coun• Mk. 4 37, &c. Lk. 8.23, &c.—f Ps. 65.7.& 89.9.& 107.29.—g Mk.5.1, &c. Lk. 8. 25,&c. person to preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God is granted but to a few, and to these only by an especial call; these should immediately abandon worldly concerns and em ployinents, and give themselves wholly up to the work of the ministry.

24. Arose a great tempest in the sea] Probably excited by Satan, the prince of the power of the air, who having got the Author and all the preachers of the Gospel together in a small vessel, thought by drowning it, to defeat the purposes of God, and thus to prevent the salvation of a ruined world. What a noble opportunity must this have appeared to the enemy of the human race!

25. And his disciples] THE disciples. In the common printed editions, as well as in our translation, it is His disciples, but avrov, his, is omitted by the very best MSS. and by Bengel, Wetstein, and Griesbach. This is a matter of very small importance, and need not be noticed, only every translator and commentator should aim, to the uttermost of his knowledge and power, to give every particle of the language of the inspired penman that can be expressed, and to insert no one word which he has reason to believe did not come by the inspiration of God.

I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.] A man who is not illuminated by the Spirit of God, thinks himself capable of any thing; he alone who is divinely taugh knows he can do nothing but through Christ's strengthening him. Every teacher among the Jews had disciples, and some especially that followed or accompanied them wherever they went, that they might have some person at hand with whom they might converse concerning the divine law.

20. The foxes have holes, &c.] Reader! art thou a poor man? and dost thou fear God? Then, what a comfort must thou derive from the thought that thou so nearly resemblest the Lord Jesus! But how unlike is the rich man, who is the votary of pleasure and slave of sin, to this heavenly pattern. Son of man] A Hebrew phrase, expressive of humiliation, and debasement; and on that account, applied emphatically to himself, by the meek and lowly Jesus. Besides, it seems here to be used to point out the incarnation of the Son of God, according to the predictions of the prophets, Psa. viii. 5. Dan. vii. 13. And as our Lord was now showing forth his eternal divinity in the miracles he wrought, he seems studious to prove to them the certainty of his incernation, because on this depended the atonement for sin. Indeed our Lord seems more intent on giving the proofs of his humanity, than of his divinity, the latter being necessarily manifested by the miracles which he was continually working.

21. Another of his disciples) This does not mean any of the twelve, but one of those who were constant hearers of our Lord's preaching; the name of disciple being common to all those who professed to believe in him, John vi. 66. Bury my father; probably his father was old, and apparently near death, but it was a maxim among the Jews, that if a man had any duty to perform to the dead, he was, for that time, free from the observance of any other precept or duty. The chil dren of Adam are always in extremes; some will rush into the ministry of the Gospel without a call, others will delay ong after they are called; the middle way is the only safe one: not to move a finger in the work till the call be given, and not to delay a moment after.

22. Let the dead bury their dead.] It was usual for the Jews to consider a man as dead who had departed from the precepts of the law and on this ground, every transgressor was reputed a dead man. Our Lord's saying being in common se, had nothing difficult in It to a Jew. Natural death is the separation of the body and soul: spiritual death, the separation of God and the soul: men who live in sin are dead to God. Leave the spiritually dead to bury their natural dead. All the common offices of life may be performed by any

Lord, save us: we perish.] One advantage of trials is to make us know our weakness, so as to oblige us to have recourse to God by faith in Christ. It is by faith alone that we may be said to approach him; by love we are united to him, and by prayer we awake him. All good perishes in us with out Christ: without his grace there is not so much as one moper then is this short prayer for us, and how familiar should it be to us! Taken in the extensive Christian sense it is exceedingly expressive; it comprehends all the power of our Lord's might, all the merit of his atonement, and all the depth of our misery and danger. See Quesnel. 26. Why are ye fearful, Oye of little faith? Faith is ever bold-incredulity always timid. When faith fails in temptation, there is the utmost danger of shipwreck. Lord, increase our faith! is a necessary prayer for all who desire to be saved.

Then he arose and rebuked the winds, &c.] As the agitation of the sea was only the effect of the wind, it was neces sary to remove the cause of the disturbance, that the effect might cease. Joshua did not say to the earth, Earth, stand thou still, because the earth is not the cause of its own mo tion; but, sun, stand thou still, wo shemesh dom, Sun, be silent, or restrain thy influence, which is a proper cause of the revolutions of all the planets. When the solar influence was by the miraculous power of God suspended, the standing still of the earth was a necessary consequence. Both Christ and Joshua spoke with the strictest philosophical precision. See the notes on Josh. x. 12-14.

There was a great calm.] One word of Christ can change the face of nature, one word of his can restore calm and peace to the most troubled and disconsolate soul. Prayer and faith, if sincere, shall be heard, though they may be weak. 1. That our imperfections may not hinder us from praying to God. 2. That we may be persuaded it is not our merits which make our prayers effectual. 3. That we may offer them up with great humility and 4. That we may be fully united to Christ without which union there is no salvation.

There was at first a great agitation, then a great calm. Thus God ever proportions the comfort to the affliction.

27. The men marvelled.] Every part of the creation, (man excepted,) hears and obeys the Creator's voice. Sinners have an ear for the world, the devil, and the flesh: till this ear is shut, God's voice is not discerned: for when it is shut to its enemies, it is open to its friends.

What manner of man is this] Ποταπός εσιν όντος. Ποιο great is this person! Here was God fully manifest, but it was in the flesh,-there were the hidings of his power.

28. The country of the Gergesenes.] This word is variously written in the MSS. and Versions; Gergasenes, Gerasenes, Gadarenes, Gergesions, and Gersedonians. The three first are supported by the greater authorities. They might have all been names of the same place or district; but if we depend on what Origen says, the people mentioned here could not have been the inhabitants of Gerasa, which, says he, is a city of Arabia, ovre Oaλagoay, ouтe dipuny anacor exorta, which has neither sea nor lake nigh to it. "Gadara was, according to Josephus, the metropolis of Perea, or the region beyond Jordan: both the city and villages belonging to it, lay in the country of the Gergasenes; whence Christ going

try of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with de. vils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

a Mark 5. 7, 12. Luke 8. 30-33. Rev. 12. 12.

into the country of the Gadarenes, Mark v. 1. is said to go into the region of the Gergasenes, Matt. viii. 28. WHITBY. Two possessed with devils.] Persons possessed by evil demons. Mark and Luke mention only one demoniac, probably the fiercer of the two.

Coming out of the tombs.] It is pretty evident that cupolas were generally built over the graves among the Jews, and that these demoniacs had their dwellings under such: the evil spirits which were in them delighting more in these abodes of desolation and ruin, as being more congenial to their fierce and diabolic nature, and therefore would drive the possessed into them.

29. What have we to do with thee.] The literal translation of riiv at out; is, What is it to us and to thee? which perhaps might be understood to imply their disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ, and that he should not therefore meddle with them; for it appears they exceed ingly dreaded his power.

What have we to do with thee, is a Jewish phrase, which often occurs in the Old Testament, signifying an abrupt refusal of some request, or a wish not to be troubled with the company or importunity of others. Jehu said to the messenger who was sent by Joram to meet him; What hast thou to do with peace? David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Compare Judg. xi. 12. 2 Sam. xvi. 10. 2 Kings ix. 18. Ezra iv. 3. John ii. 4. See the note on Mark i 24. Jesus, thou Son of God] Griesbach omits the word Jesus, on the authority of several MSS. of the greatest antiquity and respectability; besides some Versions, and several of the Fathers. I heartily concur with these MSS., &c. for this simple reason, among others, that the word Jesus, i. e. Saviour, was of too ominous an import to the Satanic interest, to be used freely in such a case, by any of his disciples or su

balterns.

Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?] From this it appears that a greater degree of punishment awaited these demons than they at that time endured; and that they knew there was a time determined by the divine Judge, when they should be sent into greater torments.

30. A herd of many swine] These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the justice of God.

31. Suffer us to go away] Emirpeyov Åμiv arcvdbεiv; this is the common reading, but arooTEXOV huas, send us away, appears more genuine. This latter reading Griesbach has adopted on the authority of three ancient MSS. the Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Syriac, all the Arabic, Saxon, most of the Itala, and the Vulgate. Send us away seems to express more fully the absolute power Jesus Christ had over them,permission alone was not sufficient; the very power by

Demons enter the swine.

32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

b See Deu. 5. 25. 1 Kings 17. 18. Luke 5. 8. Acts 16, 39. which they were to go away, must come from Christ him. self! How vain was the boast of Satan, ch. iv. 9. when we find he could not possess the body of one of the vilest animals that God has made, without immediate authority from the Most High! Since a demon cannot enter even into a swine without being sent by God himself: how little is the power or malice of any of them to be dreaded by those who have God for their portion and protector!

32. They went into the herd of swine] Instead of rmv aysAny Tov Xopov, the herd of swine, Griesbach reads Tous xopovs, the swine, on the authority of many MSS. and

Versions.

The whole herd of swine] Twv xoipov, of swine, is omitted by many MSS. and Versions. See Griesbach, and see on Luke viii. 26, &c.

Ran violently down a steep place, &c.] The prayer of these demons is heard and answered! Strange! but let it be noted, that God only hears demons and certain sinners when their prayer is the echo of his own justice. Here is an emblem of the final impenitence and ruin into which the swinish sinners, the habitually impure, more commonly fall than other sinners. Christ permits the demons to do that in the swine which he did not permit them to do in the pos sessed, on purpose to show us what rage they would exercise on us if left to their liberty and malice. Many are the divine favours which we do not consider, or know only in general. "But the owners of the swine lost their property." Yes, and learn from this, of how small value temporal riches are in the estimation of God. He suffers them to be lost, sometimes to disengage us from them through mercy; sometimes out of justice, to punish us for having acquired or preserved them either by covetousness or injustice.

33. And they that kept them fled] Terrified at what had happened to the swine.

34. The whole city came out] Probably with the intention to destroy Jesus for having destroyed their swine; but hav ing seen him, they were awed by his presence, and only be sought him to depart from their borders. Many rather choose to lose Jesus Christ than those temporal goods by which they gratify their passions, at the expense of their souls. They love even the swine better than their salvation. Certain doctors in both sciences, divinity and physic, gravely tell us, that these demoniacs were only common madmen, and that the disease was supposed, by the superstitious Jews, to be occasioned by demons. But with due deference to great characters, may not a plain man be permitted to ask by what figure of speech can it be said that "two diseases besoughtwent out-filled a herd of swine-rushed down a precipice,” &c. What silly trifling is this! Some people's creeds will neither permit God nor the devil to work; and in several respects, hardly to exist. For he who denies divine inspiration, will scarcely acknowledge diabolic influence. See the note un ver. 16, and on Luke vii. 21.

into his own city.

Seeing their faith] The faith of the paralytic person, and the faith of those who brought him; see on Mark ii. 4.

Be of good cheer] OapσεL TEKνov, Son, take courage! Probably he began to despond, and Christ spoke thus to support his faith.

Thy sins be forgiven thee.] Moral evil has been the cause of all the natural evil in the world. Christ goes to the source of the malady, which is sin; and to that as the procuring cause we should refer in all our afflictions. 'Tis probable

thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

e Chap. S. 10.

that this paralytic person had, in the earnest desires of his heart entreated the cure of his soul, leaving his body to the care of others, as the first miracle of healing is wrought on his soul. In a state of helplessness, when we seek above all things to please God, by giving him our hearts, he often inspires others with the care of our temporal necessities. It may be necessary to be observed, that it was a maxim among the Jews, that no diseased person could be healed, till all his sins were blotted out. See Nedarim, fol. 41. Hence our Lord first forgives the sins, and then heals the body of the paralytic person. This appears to have been founded on Psal. ciil. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases. Here pardon precedes health. See also Psal. xli. 3, 4. It may be observed also, that most people are more in earnest about their souls when in sickness than in health; and therefore are most earnest in prayer for salvation.

6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glor!fiel God, which had given such power unto men.

9d And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, nained Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with aim and his disciples:

Psa 139.2 Ch. 12. Mark 12 15. Luke 5. 22. & 6. 8 & 9. 47. & 11. 17.bla. 36. John 5. 8-c loa 43. 25. Mic. 7. 19-d Mark 2. 14. Luke 5. 27.• Mark 2. 15, &c. Luke 5. 29, &c.-f Ch. 11. 19. Luke 5. 30. & 15, 2

3. This man blasphemeth] Baronut comes either from Barrel Tηy nuny, to hurt or blast the reputation or credit of another: or from Baddei rais nuais, to smite with reports. Whenever it is used in reference to GoD, it simply signifies, to speak impiously of his nature, or attributes, or works. Injurious speaking is its proper translation when referred to man.

The scribes were the literati of that time; and their learn ing, because not used in dependance on God, rendered them proud, envious, and obstinate. Unsanctified knowledge has still the same effect: that light serves only to blind and lead men out of the way, which is not joined with uprightness of heart. The most sacred truths often become an occasion of delusion, where men are under the government of their evil passions.

4. Jesus knowing (idwv, seeing) their thoughts] In telling them what the thoughts of their hearts were, (for they had expressed nothing publicly) he gave them the fullest proof of his power to forgive sins; because God only can forgive sins; and God only can search and know the heart. Jesus pronounced the man's sins forgiven-and gave the scribes the fullest proof of his power to do so, by telling them what in the secret of their souls, they thought on the subject.

God sounds the secrets of all hearts-no sin escapes his notice; how senseless then is a sinner to think he sins se curely when unseen by men. Let us take heed to our hearts, as well as to our conduct, for God searches out and condemns all that does not spring from, and leads not to himself.

5. For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk ?] Both are equally easy and equally difficult: for both require unlimited power to produce them. And every thing is equally easy to that power which is unlimited. A universe can be as easily produced by a single act of the Divine will, as the smallest elementary part of matter. The common punctuation of the above passage almost destroys the sense: the comma should be placed after easier, and to say, made the first part of the question.

6. But that ye may know, &c.] External miracles are the proofs of internal ones. Three miracles are wrought in this case-I mean, by miracle, something produced or known that no power is capable of but that which is omnipotent; and no knowledge adequate to, but that which is omniscient.) The miracles are these: 1st. The remission of the poor man's sins. 2d. The discernment of the secret thoughts of the scribes. 3d. The restoring of the paralytic, in an instant, to perfect soundness. Thus, one miracle becomes the proof and establishment of another. Never was a clearer proof of omnipotent energy, and mercy, brought under the senses of man. Here is an absolutely perfect miracle wrought; and here are absolute incontestible proofs that the miracle was wrought: and the conclusion is the fullest demonstration of the divinity of the ever-blessed Jesus.

who murmured.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disci. ples, Why eateth your Master with fpublicans and sinners 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and fearn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride. chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

g Gal. 2. 15-h Hos. 6. 6. Mic. 6. 6, 7, 8. Ch. 12. 7.-i 1 Tim. 1. 15-k Mark 2. 18, &c. Luke 5. 33, &c. & 19. 12.-1 John 3. 29.-m Acts 13. 2, 3. & 14. 23. 1 Cor. 7.5.-n Or, raw or unwrought cloth.

impression on the hearts of the simple multitude than on those of the doctors, which, puffed up with a sense of their own wisdom, refuse to receive the truth, as it is in Jesus. The conversion of one rebellious soul is a greater miracle, and more to be admired, than all that can be wrought on inanimate creatures. He who sees a sinner converted from the error of his way, sees a miracle wrought by eternal power and goodness. May such miracles be multiplied! 9. Named Matthew] Generally supposed to be the same who wrote this history of our blessed Lord.

The receipt of custom] The custom-house, TEλVIOV-the place where the taxes levied by the Romans, of the Jews, were collected.

Follow me] That is, become my disciple.

And he arose, and followed him.] How blessed it is to be obedient to the first call of Christ-how much happiness and glory are lost by delays, though conversion at last may have taken place. 10. Sat at meat in the house] Viz. of Matthew, who it ap pears from Luke v. 29, made a great feast on the occasion, thus testifying his gratitude for the honour done him; and that his friends and acquaintances might profit by the teaching of his new master, he invites them to the entertainment that was honoured by the presence of Christ. His companions, it appears, were not of the most creditable kind. They were tax-gatherers (see chap. v. 46.) and sinners, apaprwλot, a word which I believe in general signifies heathens, throughout the gospels, and in several other parts of the New Testament. See, among others, chap. xi. 19. xxvi. 45. Mark. ii. 15-17 xiv. 41. Luke v. 30–32. vi. 32-34. vii. 34, 37, 39. xv. 1, 2, 7, 10. xix. 7. xxiv. 7. John ix. 16, 24, 25, 31. Rom. v. 8. Gal. ii. 15. Heb. vii. 26. 1 Pet. iv. 18. in most, if not all of which places, it evidently refers to the character or state of a Gentile or Heathen. See also the notes on these passages.

11. When the Pharisees saw it.] He who, like a Pharisee, never felt himself indebted to infinite mercy for his own salvation, is rarely solicitous about the salvation of others. The grace of Christ alone inspires the soul with true benevolence. The self-righteous Pharisees considered it equal to legal defilement, to sit in company with tax-gatherers and heathens. It is certain that those who fear God should not associate, through choice, with the workers of iniquity; and should only be found with them when transacting their secular business requires it, or when they have the prospect of doing good to their souls.

12. They that be whole, need not a physician] A common proverb, which none could either misunderstand or misapply. Of it, the reader may make the following use:

1. Jesus Christ represents himself here as the Sovereign Physician of souls. 2. That all stand in need of his healing power. 3. That men must acknowledge their spiritual maladies, and the need they have of his mercy, in order to be healed by him. 4. That it is the most inveterate and dangerous disease the soul can be inflicted with, to imagine itself whole, when the sting of death, which is sin, has pierced it through in every part.

13. I will have mercy and not sacrifice] Quoted from 1 Sam. xv. 22. These are remarkable words. We may understand them as implying, 1st. That God prefers an act of mercy shown to the necessitous, to any act of religious worship to which the person might be called at that time.--Both are good; but the former is the greater good, and should be done in preference to the other. 2dly. That the whole sacrificial God to fallen man, in his redemption by the blood of the new covenant. And, 3dly. That we should not rest in the sacrifices, but look for the mercy and salvation prefigured by them. This saying was nervously translated by our ancestors, le pylle mildheontnerre nær opnæzdnerre, I will mildheart