MARK V. 14, 15. LUKE VIII. 36, 37.

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and one which might well teach the Jews the sin of following the customs of the Gentiles, who dwelt among them.* But, whoever were their owners, the loss of the swine immediately showed what manner of people they were. It is written

MARK V. 14, 15. They that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, (at the feet of Jesus, Luke viii. 35.) clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."

LUKE viii. 36, 37. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and He went up into the ship, and returned back again."

It was nothing to these worldly-minded people that a man, most likely one of their fellow-citizens, was set free from Satan's cruel bondage, and that they saw him, no longer naked, bleeding, and howling aloud in the anguish of his mind, but clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus, in his right mind. They cared not for this, they only cared for the loss of the swine. They were afraid, for they did not know what might next be done. If their thoughts had not been so full of the love of gain, they would have seen the blessings the Saviour brought; but they cared not for the kingdom of heaven; their care was all for the things of this world. They had no desire to be delivered from their sins, so "they besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear." And their prayer was heard: Jesus did depart; He let them alone. "They loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” †

* So many Greeks lived in Gadara, that Josephus calls it a Greek city, and he says that multitudes of the Jews followed many of their customs.

The same temper of mind is often shewn among ourselves. Where people

LUKE viii. 38.

"Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him (Jesus), that He might be with him."

From the words of St. Matthew, it seems that He even followed him into the ship, with the prayer that he might go with him, for it is written :

MARK V. 18-20, "And when He was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." "And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis (throughout the whole region, Luke v. 39.) how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did marvel."

The people of the country were anxious to hurry our Lord from their shores, but the poor man whom He had just saved from the power of the devil, could not bear to be parted from him. He entreated to be allowed to go with him, that he might be with him. Was it that he feared the evil spirits might again enter into him? or was it that his grateful love

have for a long time lived in careless sin, they do not like to be roused up from it. It is often seen that a whole neighbourhood is disturbed by a faithful minister of Christ coming among them, and that they would be very glad to be rid of him again; like the Gadarenes, who were so grieved for the loss of the herd of swine, and so afraid for what also they might have to lose, that they paid no attention to the wonderful cure which Jesus had wrought by driving out the evil spirits, and were glad to be rid of him out of their country. Many people, like them, are so angry and alarmed at being told they must give up their sinful habits of life, that they take no heed to the blessing the gospel gives, in setting them free from the power of the Evil One. The greatest misfortune that can befal a people is, that when they turn themselves away from the light of religion, God should, as it were, take them at their word; and, turning from them, as Christ did from the Gadarenes, should “let them alone."

his cries had been He was so exceed

for his Saviour made him wish to follow him for evermore? It was true that he was only safe in Christ from Satan's power, but he would find, even when at a distance, that He was still mighty to save, and his love and gratitude were to be shown, not in following him, but in doing his work. "Go home," said the Lord Jesus, "go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." This man had been known through all that country for the fearful state of raging madness into which Satan had thrown him. Night and day heard in the mountains and in the tombs. ing fierce that no man might pass by that way. His friends had often tried in vain to bind him with fetters and with chains; his furious strength had been so great that he had plucked the chains asunder, and broken the fetters in pieces, "neither could any man tame him.” What a witness then would he be of the power and mercy of the Lord Jesus! In his own home all might see him, all might hear from him the great things Jesus had done for him. While he lived he would be a constant sign to them of the great truth, that Christ was come "to destroy the works of the devil." Therefore in his lovingkindness, the Saviour desired him to return to his own friends. They were not yet ready to welcome him as the Messiah, and He left them at their own desire; but not without a witness that He was able and willing to heal them of all the diseases of their souls. The man obeyed," and he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things the Lord had done for him; and all men did marvel."

There is a lesson we may learn from the last part of the history of this man. It is this. When by the power of Christ and his Gospel, men have been delivered from the bondage of sin and Satan, it is at home they should strive to show their love and gratitude to Him who has saved them. It is among their own friends they should show the reality of the change

that has been wrought in them. Only a few are called upon to preach the Gospel by entering the ministry, but all, whether they be men or women, are called upon to show their friends how great things the Lord hath done for them, and is willing to do for all. In this way, and by the great power of example, they who see how peaceful and happy is the service of God, which has taken the place of the wild and miserable yoke of the devil, will be brought themselves to wish to hear the words of Christ the Lord, and to be saved by him.

Prayer.

O holy Jesus-mighty to save-still we need thy power to defend us from the Evil One.

Legions of devils still seem to enter into unhappy men, and drive them to break all the ties of decency and of affection. O come, in thine Almighty power and love, and bind the strong man of sin, that he may no more rage so furiously, and grant to each unhappy sinner, that, brought by thee to a right mind, clothed in thy righteousness, he may sit at thy feet to hear thy word, and arise from thenc e to show his friends at home what great things the Lord hath done for him. Amen.

XLV.

MATTHEW IX. MARK V. LUKE VIII.

The Lord Jesus had no sooner reached the other side of the lake than crowds came to meet him. It is written :

MARK v. 21, 22.

"And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and He was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name." A father in deep distress.

LUKE Viii. 42.

"For he had one only daughter, about

twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.”

MARK V. 22, 23. "And when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her that she may be healed; and she shall live.”

Yes, he had left her at the point of death, and he believed that before he could have reached Jesus, the last struggle must be over, for St. Matthew tells us, that in the agony of his mind, he said, "my daughter is even now dead."

At once the kind and pitying Saviour "arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples."

Let us try to think we see him as He went from the seashore, the people thronging round him.

In that crowd there was one-a secret sufferer-who was ashamed to come openly for help, for she was weakened by long disease, and cast down by constant disappointment :—

MARK V. 25, 26, "A certain woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse."

Alas, how many who read these lines, know by their own case, how to pity her!

Verses 27-29. "When she had heard of Jesus, she came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

She touched his garment,-only one touch, and she was *This means that many doctors had tried to cure her in many ways, but had not been able.