to the wretched state of their minds. Josephus, also, states that these sepulchres were the haunts and lurking-places of those desperate bands of robbers that infested Judea. The annexed cut will furnish an illustration of the nature of the sepulchres occurring in the east.

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?

29. What have we to do with thee? This might have been translated with great propriety, What hast thou to do with us? The meaning is, "Why dost thou trouble, or disturb us?" See 2 Sam. xvi. 10; 2 Kings ix. 18; Ezra iv. 3. Son of God. The title, Son of God, is often given to Christ. Men are sometimes called sons, or children of God, to denote their piety and adoption into his family. 1 John iii. 1. But the title given to Christ denotes his superiority to the prophets (Heb. i. 1); to Moses the founder of the Jewish economy (Heb. iii. 6); it denotes his peculiar and near relation to the Father, as evinced by his resurrection (Ps. ii. 7; Acts xiii. 33; Luke i. 35); and is equivalent to a declaration that he is divine, or equal to the Father. John x. 36. Art thou come hither to torment us, &c. By the time here mentioned is meant the day of judgment. The Bible reveals the doctrine that evil spirits are not now bound as they will be after that day; that they are permitted to tempt and afflict men, but that in the day of judgment they also will be condemned to everlasting punishment with all the wicked. 2 Pet. ii. 4; Jude 6. These spirits seemed to be apprized of that, and alarmed lest the day that they feared had come. They besought him, therefore, not to send them out of that country; not to consign them to hell, but to put off the day of their final punishment.

30 And there was a good way off from them an 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. 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.

30-32. "Swine were unclean animals by the Mosaic law, and the very touch of them, when dead, defiled a man; yet the Gadarenes fed them in great numbers, to sell to their Gentile neighbours. The evil spirits, therefore, being reluctant to quit a region, where their influence had been so entire, formed a subtle plan of prejudicing the inhabitants against Jesus, that they might be induced to reject his instructions. Aware of the value which was put upon the swine because of the gain arising from them, they requested permission to possess those animals; and he, probably, to punish the avarice of the Gadarenes, to give a decisive proof of the reality of possessions, and to show the destructive rage and power of evil spirits, as well as the limits assigned to their influence, permitted them. Immediately, therefore, they impelled the swine to such fury, that the whole herd rushed from a precipice into the sea, and was drowned. It is surprising, that any should have thought this permission, either a ground of objection, against our Lord's conduct, or requiring a laboured vindication. Had not his almighty power restrained the evil spirits, they would have destroyed not only the demoniacs, but also the guilty owners and feeders of the swine: so that his mercy was truly wonderful and adorable, in protecting the persons of the Gadarenes, and permitting only the destruction of that property which they kept from avarice, and by living under constant

temptation to violate the law, and almost under a necessity of continually contracting ceremonial uncleanness. But the objection reminds us of one most important fact, viz., that the enemies of Christianity always throw the blame on our holy and beneficent religion, of all the mischief which the devil and wicked men have taken occasion from it to perpetrate; forgetting, that they would have done vastly more mischief, had its restraints been removed. Indeed, if permitting be not clearly distinguished from commanding or causing, it will be impossible to avoid imputing to the just and holy God, the sins of all his rebellious creatures, which is the most detestable blasphemy that can be conceived."-Scott.

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.

u See Deut. v. 25; 1 Kings xvii. 18; Luke v. 8; Acts xvi. 39.`

33, 34. "It must be supposed, that the keepers were exceedingly affrighted, as well as astonished, at this strange event; and having reported it in the city of Gadara, the inhabitants in general came to Jesus; not however to receive instruction, implore protection, or crave miraculous assistance. Probably, their guilty consciences made them dread his power, and the loss of the swine, no doubt, highly displeased them; yet, not venturing to attempt violence against so extraordinary a person, they presented one single request to him, namely, that he would depart out of their coasts; which was in fact to say, 'What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?' This proved them to be under the power of Satan, fully as much as the demonaics had been, but in another and more criminal sense. Where men live like swine, there doth not Christ tarry, but devils.”SCOTT.

ADDITIONAL REMARKS.

1. The leprosy was a very grievous disease, and in it we have a very fit representation of sin. It was not merely a surface disease, but rankled and festered in the very vitals, and from day to day consumed the body inwardly. Nor when allowed to go on, did it ever abate in its progress or malignancy, but, from head to foot, rendered the body loathsome and corrupt. Sin has its seat and head-quarters in the soul. There it lives and reigns, rankles, consumes, and destroys, and breaking forth, exhibits the malignity of its nature in the depraved actions of a wicked ungodly life. It renders the soul, polluted with it, an object infinitely more loathsome in the sight of God, than the body of the leper was to his fellow-creatures. The leprosy was often incurable. No skill could arrest its progress, no medicines reach it, no treatment of the physician counteract it, and root it out. This which was sometimes true of the leprosy, is always true of sin. It is a disease utterly beyond the power and skill of man to abate or cure. The sprinkling of Christ's blood is the only remedy, but it is an infallible one. No case is so obstinate but it must yield to this. It is an efficacious remedy for every form and stage of this otherwise incurable malady. It can cleanse, not only from this and tae other, but from all sin. God has taken great pains to teach men the efficacy of Christ's blood. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Every sinner who is grieved on account of his sins, and anxious to get rid of them, may go to the throne of grace and plead his cause with God. Ile has the divine promises to take with him, and if he will have it so, they shall, every one of them, be realized to him. The people of God who have had some experience already of the efficacy of the blood of sprinkling, and are thus experimentally acquainted with its infinite value, are very urgent for its daily application to their souls. Let David, mourning over his sins, and longing after closer communion with God, speak for them! his language is theirs, "Purge me with hyssop (and what may that hyssop be but Christ's blood), and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Sprinkled with that precious blood, we shall be thoroughly washed from our iniquities, but without that sprinkling, our condition is as wretched as it can possibly be, incomparably worse than that of one leprous only in his flesh; for that leprosy can do no more than dissolve the body, and make it a morsel for the grave, whereas sin sinks soul and body lower than the grave. It is a caterer for hell, and torments the sinner there, and shall do so, not for a few years only, but, for ever. And what can a sinner do better than imitate the leper in the text. He heard of the miracles which Jesus had already wrought, and took courage. We know Christ's power to forgive our sins, why, therefore, if we wish them destroyed that they may no longer have dominion over us, should we not take courage also? We have stronger grounds of

encouragement to come to Jesus than the leper had. He had no special invitation to come that his leprosy might be cured. We have a special invitation to come that we may have all the benefits of redemption bestowed upon us. He knew and believed that Christ could heal him, but was uncertain whether he would do so. We know both that he can, and that he will heal us, if we will only put ourselves under his treatment, and cast ourselves upon his mercy. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." This invitation and assurance are addressed to every hearer of the Gospel.

2. The words of the Saviour in the 11th verse, may well arrest the attention of the hearers of the Gospel, and draw them to serious reflection. Those who enjoy the means of grace, amongst whom the ordinances of the Gospel are regularly administered (and who were ever more highly privileged in this way than ourselves), may in one sense be called "the children of the kingdom." Day by day "the joyful sound" is lifted up amongst them, they cannot choose but hear its gracious invitations. It is through the instrumentality of the Word, read and preached, that the spirit ordinarily commences and carries on his work of conversion and sanctification. Those who enjoy the means of grace, do, therefore, live within the sphere of the Spirit's operation. If they come short of salvation, one might ask, who shall be saved? who, humanly speaking, so likely as they who live in the very scene of the Spirit's action? And yet (the fact may well fill us with admiration of the sovereignty of Divine grace, and make us look aside too, at the depravity and willing obstinacy of man) many there be, who, with all these advantages, live wholly unconcerned, whilst others, possessed of comparatively slender opportunities, are hastening on to appear before the Lord in glory. Many are asleep in Zion. The soul, opportunities and means being neglected, becomes more and more hardened in sin. The Jews of old, were the peculiar people of God. The seven churches were greatly favoured. Where are they now? Why has their candlestick been removed? Simply because they neglected and slighted their opportunities, waxed weary, and fell asleep. They thought, it is enough for us, that we have the means of grace, God is with us, and we may take our ease. But waking from their sleep, they were in the dark. Their candlestick was removed, and it has been set down amongst us. It is of God's sovereign and adorable mercy that it has been continued amongst us so long, notwithstanding our grievous abuse of the light, and singular boldness in sin, in the face of such extraordinary privileges. Are we resting satisfied with the means of grace, that the light still shines in our land, though not into our own souls? We are, in such a case, grieving the Holy Spirit, and doing what lies in us to make him take a sudden departure from the midst of us. Let us diligently use the means, whilst God is yet graciously pleased to continue them, but rest not contented with this, let us take ourselves to a strict account of the improvement we make of every chapter we read, and every sermon we hear, let us seriously question our souls, "has Christ been formed in us the hope of glory?" Or has all our reading and hearing hitherto been in vain ?—ED.

CHAPTER IX.

2 Christ curing one sick of the palsy, 9 calleth Matthew from the receipt of custom, 10 eateth with publicans and sinners, 14 defendeth his disciples for not fasting, 20 cureth the bloody issue, 23 raiseth from death Jairus' daughter, 27 giveth sight to two blind men, 32 healeth a dumb man possessed of a devil, 36 and hath compassion on the multitude.

AND he entered into a ship, and passed over, "and came into his own

city.

a Chap. iv. 13.

Ver. 1. And he entered into a ship, &c. Jesus acceded to the request of the people of Gadara, recrossed the lake of Gennesareth, and returned to his own city. By his own city, is meant Capernaum (Mark ii. 1), the city which was at that time his home, or where he had his dwelling. See chap. iv. 13. This same account, with some additional circumstances is contained in Mark ii, 3-12, and Luke v. 18-26.

2 ‘And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

b Mark ii. 3; Luke v. 18. c Chap. viii. 10.

2. A man sick of the palsy. See Note, Matt. iv. 24. ¶ Lying on a bed. This was probably a mattress, or perhaps a mere blanket spread to lie on, so as to be easily borne.

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

3. This man blasphemeth. The word blaspheme originally means to speak evil of any one, to injure by words, to blame unjustly. To blaspheme God, is to speak impiously or profanely of His name, attributes, words, and works, to say or to do any thing by which his name and honour are set at nought and insulted; or by which a false impression in regard to his nature and character, may be conveyed to the minds of those with whom we discourse. Presumptuously to arrogate to ourselves what belongs to God alone, is also to blaspheme, as, for example, to pretend in our own name, by our own power, to forgive sin. The word is here used in the last mentioned sense. When the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth; they charged our Saviour with that which, in a mere man, would have been presumptuous blasphemy, the encroachment, viz., on the prerogative of God. Our Saviour said to the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee;" whereupon, the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemeth." Had they been careful in observing the words which Christ had already spoken, and the works which he already, in his own name, and by his own power, had performed, and candid in their judgment, instead of entertaining such a charge against him, they would have acknowledged him as the Messiah promised to the fathers, and worshipped him as their Divine Saviour. Our Lord, by assuming the power to forgive sins asserted his Divinity, and by working a miracle in confirmation of his assertion proved it.

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

d Ps. cxxxix. 2; Chap. xii. 25; Mark xii. 15; Luxe v. 22, vi. 8, ix. 47, xi. 17.

4. Jesus knowing their thoughts. Or in the words of Mark, "Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned." The power of searching the hearts and knowing the thoughts of men, belong only to God. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9; Rom. viii. 27; Rev. ii. 23; Jer. xvii. 10. In manifesting this power as Jesus did here, and often elsewhere, he gave clear proofs of his omniscience. John ii. 24, 25. 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 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.

Not only had he
Christ sent him

6. Arise, take up thy bed, &c. "Christ turned from disputing with them, and spake healing to the sick man. He bade him take up his bed to show that he was perfectly cured. no more occasion to be carried upon his bed, but he had now strength to carry it. to his house, to be a blessing where he had so long been a burden."

7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto

men.

8. To glorify God. See Note, Matt. v. 16. To glorify God, here, means to praise him, or to acknowledge his power. The expression which had given such power to men, was a part of their praise. It expresses no sentiment of the evangelist, about the nature of Christ, but only the feeling and the praise of the people.

9 ¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

e Mark ii. 14; Luke v. 27.

9. Sitting at the receipt of custom. That is, at the place where custom or tribute was received; or, in other words, he was a publican, or tax-gatherer. See Matt. v. 47. This man was Matthew, the writer of this gospel. The same account is found in Mark ii. 14, and Luke v, 27, 28. Both those

evangelists call him Levi. That it was the same man is known by the circumstances in which he was called, being the same in all the evangelists, and by all concurring in the statement that our Saviour was present at a feast soon after he called him, and by the fact that Levi is not mentioned in the catalogue of the apostles. The Jews were in the habit of giving several names to the same person. Thus Peter was also called Simon and Cephas. It is worthy of remark, that Luke has mentioned a circumstance favourable to Matthew, which Matthew himself has omitted. Luke says, "he left all," rose up and followed him (Christ). No men were ever farther from praising themselves than the evangelists.

10 ¶ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

66

f Mark ii. 15; Luke v. 29.

10. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house. This feast, as we learn from Luke, v. 29, was given by Levi or Matthew in honour of Jesus, "probably," as has been remarked, upon closing his secular affairs. He invited to it a number of his old acquaintances, the publicans, that he might bring them into contact with our Saviour. He knew by experience the temptations to which they were exposed, he knew also by experience what the grace of Christ could do, and would not despair concerning them. Those who have been effectually brought to Christ themselves, : cannot but desire that others may be brought to him."

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with "publicans and "sinners?

g Chap. xi. 19; Luke v. 30, xv. 2. h Gal. ii. 15.

11. Why eateth your Master, &c. To eat and drink with others, denotes friendship, intimacy, and familiarity. The Pharisees, by putting this question to the disciples, sought to accuse our Lord of seeking the society of publicans and sinners. They wished to insinuate that he was not what he professed to be, since he kept company with men of abandoned and disreputable character.

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

12. They that be whole, &c. The words of the Pharisees soon came to the ears of our Saviour, and, in his reply, he both declared the gracious object he had in view, and rebuked the hypocrisy and spiritual pride of the rulers of Israel. What sort of teachers of religion were they who drew themselves up within the complacent selfishness of their own pride, and stood aloof from all intercourse with those who most of all needed to be instructed in the ways of God? Before a man be in proper frame for receiving the salvation of the Gospel, which is the free and unmerited gift of God, he must be wholly divested of all spiritual pride, and thoroughly convinced of his own utter unworthiness, and entire destitution of every thing meritorious. This was not the case with the Pharisees. On the other hand, they were full of self-sufficiency; their arrogance knew no bounds; they were wholly ignorant of the plagues of their own hearts, and thought that they could easily establish a righteousness of their own, whereby to purchase peace with God, and an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. They stood as much in need of inward enlightenment, and the mercy of God, as the most profligate of those publicans, whom, in their hearts, they despised. But so long as they were puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and were confident of their own ability to earn eternal life, they were not proper subjects to receive the offers of the Gospel, and to submit themselves to its power. They thought themselves whole, and so in no heed of a physician. So long as they remained in this mind (though they were in the last stage of the leprosy of sin), the presence and services of the physician would be in vain. Our Lord also declared the merciful character of his work. Not only is he the physician of souls, he is a great physician, and displays the efficacy of his skill by performing complete cures upon those whose cases are the most desperate and inveterate. This is comfortable news to those labouring under conviction of guilt, and driven almost to despair under a sense of their innumerable, deep-seated, and aggravated sins; and if only they will put the skill of Christ to the test, they will find it as certain in its effects, as it is comfortable in its promise.-ED.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, 'I will have mercy, and not

Hos. vi. 6; Mic. vi. 6-8; Chap. xii. 7. :

L