tic into our Saviour's presence, by uncovering the roof of the house where he was. But true faith, although it exists in various degrees, and shows itself under various aspects, is always accepted and approved. I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.-How cheering to reflect, that the mightiest agents in nature, and the most important events that can happen to us, obey the word of God our Saviour as promptly, and as certainly, as soldiers in a well-disciplined army obey the commands of their general. Nay, more so; for this is, after all, to compare great things with small. God is indeed the Lord of Hosts, and all things serve him. Go-Come-Do this; he goeth, he cometh, he doeth it. Thus may we have grace to serve the Lord Christ, hearkening to his word, and obeying his commands. He marvelled.—He expressed great admiration and approbation of this man's faith. Let men of humility and faith be honourable in our eyes also. I have not found so great faith.Christ seeks faith, and the fruits of faith. No, not in Israel.-Men who possess few privileges and slender advantages, sometimes stand higher in God's favour than those who have more abundant means of knowing and obeying his will. This consideration should tend to keep Christians humble, should excite them to diligence and holy emulation. -- Many shall come from the east and west. How delightful the thought and prospect of this great multitude! Heb. ii. 10; Jude xiv; Rev. xxi. 24; Mal. i. 11; Matt. xxiv. 31. Shall sit down-at the banquet of divine love and heavenly happinesswith Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; the society of glorified saints will form one part of eternal felicity. Children of the kingdom-cast out. - Awful result of a neglect and abuse of religious privileges! As professing Christians, we are now children of the kingdom; but, if we would not be cast out of heaven, our principles and practice must, through divine grace, agree with our profession. As thou hast believed.-The measure of many blessings will be according to the measure of our faith. Lord, increase it! As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.-Here we see the power of faith, and the power of Christ. We are saved by faith, but it is Christ that saves. His servant was healed the selfsame hour.-Faith obtains present mercy. Do we believe aright in the Son of God? Then even now we are saved by him. Does our faith increase? Then its attendant blessings are augmented at the same time. HYMN. Look back, my soul, with grateful love, m 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 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. 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, 'suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. k Mark i. 29, 30, 31. Luke iv. 38, 39. 11 Cor. ix. 5. -m Mark i. 32, &c. Luke iv. 40, 41.-n Is. liii. 4. 1 Pet. ii. 24.-o Luke ix. 57, 58.-p Luke ix. 59, 60. g See 1 Kin. xix. 20. READER. Peter's wife's mother. -St. Peter, therefore, had entered into the holy and honourable estate of matrimony. It is not Christ, but vain tradition, or usurped ecclesiastical authority, which represents the single state of life as one of peculiar virtue, and enjoins it on the ministers of the Gospel. The fever left her. Thus may the word of Christ put to flight every inordinate desire, every unhealthy affection, of our hearts and minds! She arose, and ministered unto them.-A plain proof of her recovery. When we have received the gifts of God, and especially the blessings of salvation, we must diligently serve our brethren. He healed all that were sick.-Let none despair of a remedy for their spiritual diseases when they apply to the true Physician of the soul. He heals all that faithfully seek his grace. Himself took our sicknesses, and bare our infirmities. -Our blessed Lord not only takes away the sins of those who believe on him, having himself endured the punishment which they deserved, but he also removes, in his own way, and at the proper time, those bodily infirmities which form part of the consequence and punishment of sin. He will swallow up even death in victory. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." Master, I will follow thee.-The Scribe's profession was voluntary and zealous; and his promise of devotion to the person of Christ was free and unreserved. But it is to be feared that his motives were low, selfish, and worldly; and that he was not prepared to follow Jesus in the way of humility and self-denial. Our Lord knew his heart, and framed his answer accordingly. It is vain to profess to follow Christ if our hearts are set upon the world, and we seek to make religion subservient to carnal ends. Let me first go and bury my father. -Here is the case of a lukewarm disciple lingering in the path of holy obedience. Let the dead, i.e., the spiritually dead, those who are not alive to God, and therefore unfit for his service, bury their dead. The common offices of humanity, and many social acts, may be decently performed by those who act upon merely human motives, and care for no more than the approbation of their fellow-men. Our sense of duty to God must be paramount. Worldly engagements must not be urged as an excuse for the neglect of religious services. Such excuses are among the marks of a backward and unwilling mind. HYMN. O Lord, whate'er is felt or fear'd, This thought is our repose, That He by whom this frame was rear'd, Its various weakness knows. Thou view'st us with a pitying eye, While struggling with our load; In pains and dangers thou art nigh, Our Father and our God! Supported by our Saviour's love, We tend to realms of peace, Where every pain shall far remove And every frailty cease. § XXX. CHAP. VIII. 23-34. Christ stilleth the tempest on the sea; driveth the devils out of two men possessed, and suffereth them to go into the swine. 23 ¶ And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, inso much 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 little faith? Then 'he 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! 28 ¶'And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. | 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 everything, 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. r Mark iv. 37, &c. Luke viii. 23, &c. Ps. lxv. 7; & Luke viii 26, Luke v. 8. Reader.-The country of the Gergesenes, mentioned in verse 28, is the same as the country of the Gadarenes in Mark v. 1.-St. Mark (v. 2) and St. Luke (viii. 27), in relating this history, speak of only one man as suffering under the affliction described; whence we may infer that, of the two who were healed, And one attracted especial notice. we may observe, that the circumstantial variety which exists in the narratives of the Evangelists concern 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 waying the same facts and events, is one 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 indication, among many, of their honesty as historians, and the credibility of their record. The tombs in Judea were usually caves in rocks, or in the sides of hills. a protection against trouble and danger from without. He was asleep; his human nature, entirely like our own, being subject to fatigue, and needing repose and refreshment. By sleeping at this time, he intended, perhaps, to try the faith and patience of his disciples. "He that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep." Lord, save us; we perish.-Well may a sense of danger convince us of our weakness, direct us to the Saviour, and excite earnestness in prayer, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? There may be true faith where there is not great faith. But unbelief, or defect of faith, exposes men to fear, anxiety, and sorrow— reflects dishonour upon Christ-and meets with his rebuke. Our Lord did not refuse to answer the prayer of his disciples, even while he blamed their infirmities and fears. There was a great calm.—A strik-❘ ing proof and display of divine power! See Ps. xlvi. 1-3; lxv. 1; cvii. 23-31. How complete is the work of Christ! When he speaks peace to the soul, how great is that peace; and "When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?" Job xxxiv. 29. What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him. How powerful a friend, how terrible a foe! "The Lord sitteth above the waterfloods; he remaineth a King for ever." What manner of men must we be, if we refuse to obey him; if our rebellious wills re fuse that submission which was yielded by the furious tempest, and the raging sea! Two possessed of devils-exceeding fierce.-It is one sad effect of Satan's influence on the minds of men, that it makes them hostile and cruel towards each other. Jesus, thou Son of God." The devils believe and tremble." In this case they recognised the person, and acknowledged the power, of the eternal Son of God; but yet they retained their enmity. It has been well said, that it is not knowledge, but love, that distinguishes men from devils. What have we to do with thee?— How sad to know Jesus to be the Son of God, but that we have nothing to do with him in the way of comfort and salvation!-Evil spirits and wicked men would gladly have nothing to do with Christ. But this cannot be. They must hereafter submit to his power, although they will not have him to reign over them by their own choice. To torment us before the time.-See 2 Pet. ii. 4. Is it one part of the torment of an evil spirit to be restrained from doing mischief to mankind? Let it be our delight to do good. Suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.-Evil spirits cannot enter even into a brute creature without the permission of God. How little harm, then, can they do to us if we are, by faith, the children of our heavenly Father!-Let us thankfully reflect upon God's restraining power, as preserving us from outward evils; |