The same power will he still exercise over Satan on our behalf [He is that stronger person who alone can overcome the strong mank However enslaved we have been, he is able to deliver usHe that once triumphed over principalities on the cross, will now vanquish them in us'— His word has been effectual for the deliverance of thousands If he suffer "Satan to buffet" us, ficient for us", "his grace shall be suf If to "sift us as wheat," he will keep us that "our faith fail not" He has given us armour by which the weakest may withstand him. And has promised in due time to bruise him under our feet!-] This benevolent act could not fail, one would suppose, of conciliating the esteem of all III. Though all are greatly indebted to Jesus for restraining Satan, there is a wide difference in the dispositions of different men towards him The ungrateful Gadarenes solicited his departure from them [The Jews who owned the swine were justly punished for keeping them Yet were well recompensed for the loss of them by the dismission of the evil spirits And should have rejoiced, that so mighty a deliverer was come among them— Yea, they should have availed themselves of his presence to gain instruction But they preferred their temporal to their spiritual interestsAnd with one voice intreated him to depart from them-] Thus do many act at this time when Jesus comes to them in his gospel [While they acknowledge him to be "the Son of God," they exclaim, "What have we to do with thee?"— They cannot endure to have their lusts mortified and slain— They dread his presence as an occasion of "torment” to them Luke xi. 21, 22. 1 Col. ii. 15. m Acts xxvi. 18. • Luke xxii. 31, 32. P Eph. vi. 11-15. They are averse to hear his word lest it [should make them melancholy. Were it not for the restraints imposed by Jesus, Satan would destroy them utterly as he did the swine Yet they love their chains, and hate their deliverer They deprecate freedom from sin, as though it were the sorest bondage Their language resembles that of the Gadarenes in the texts Not that they speak thus from ignorance or humility, like Petert The motives, which actuate them, are declared by our Lord himself—] But the dæmoniac had far different thoughts of his be nefactor [He begged to become a stated attendant and follower of Jesus When, for wise reasons, his petition was refused, he acquiesced cheerfully in his Lord's will He willingly denied himself, that he might benefit his friends, and glorify his Lord He gladly proclaimed to all around him what great things Jesus had done for him- In discharging his duty he feared neither men nor devilsBut lived a conspicuous monument of the power and grace of Christ-] Every one that has experienced a like deliverance, will resemble him [A sense of benefits received will animate their soulsThey will devote themselves as living sacrifices" to their God and Saviour To enjoy and glorify him will be their highest ambition— Yet will they deny themselves many spiritual privileges to promote the welfare of others, or to fulfil their relative duties Sure of divine protection, they will shrink at no danger— They will study only to walk worthy of their RedeemerThey will rejoice, like David, to commend him to othersAnd to extend the knowledge of him to all around them—] APPLICATION [Let us inquire whether we have been indeed rescued froin this "roaring lion?"— We must not judge by extorted confessions, or occasional prayers Satan acknowledged Christ, and deprecated his wrathBut though" he believed and trembled," he was a devil still • Compare Job xxi. 14. with the text. "John iii. 19, 20. t Luke v. 8. Ps. Ixvi. 16. Thus many pray, "Torment me not," who have no real love to Christ, or desire after spiritual blessings Let us seek a better and more certain evidence of our conversion Let us obey his commands however dangerous or self-denying Let us devote ourselves to his service, and live to his glory-] CCXCIV. THE WOMAN WITH A BLOODY FLUX HEALED. Mark v. 25-29. A certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physi cians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, if I may touch but 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. THE miracles of our Lord afford much useful instruction They were not perhaps always intended as typesBut they afford a just occasion for spiritual observa tions To improve the miracle now before us, we observe I. Sin has introduced many lamentable evils into the world [Sickness and pain and death are the effects of sin If our first parents had not sinned, these things had never existed The infirmities of the weaker sex are especially noticed in this viewa Deplorable was the condition of the woman mentioned in the text But incomparably worse effects have proceeded from sin- The prophet's description of the Jews is applicable to us a Gen. iii. 16. "There is no health in us." b Isai. i. 5, 6. d 1 Cor. vi. 9. II. We are prone to rest in carnal methods of removing them [The woman had employed many physicians And had spent her substance on them without any benefit- ment If guilt lie heavy on our souls, we flee to duties- sakes Unless we do this, our labour will end in disappointment-] III. However desperate our disorders be, the Lord Jesus is able to heal them [The woman's disease had baffled all the art of medicineBut she hoped to find relief from the Lord JesusNor was she disappointed in her application to himThere went virtue out of him and healed her instantlyThe same power will he exercise over the diseases of the soul The most heinous sins may be purged away by his bloodThe most inveterate lusts may be subdued by his spirit— A whole cloud of witnesses have testified of this truthiNor are there wanting many living monuments of his power and grace.] IV. The more we honour Jesus by faith, the more will he bless and honour us faith [Greatly did this diseased person honour Jesus by her She had heard of his unbounded power and benevolence towards others She trusted that he would exercise them towards herselfNor did she at all stagger through unbelief Jesus therefore determined to bless and honour her His inquiries were made, not for his own information, but to bring her into notice e 2 Chron. xvi. 12. Rom. ix. 31, 32. f Mic. vi. 6, 7. b 1 Cor. vi. 11. i Manasseh, David, Solomon, Paul, &c. See 1 Tim. i. 16. And to propose her as a pattern for the encouragement of others He not only conveyed, but expressly confirmed, her cureAnd dismissed her with the endearing appellation of "daughter" Thus will he testify his love to all who rely upon him— How gloriously did he reward the confidence of the Hebrew youths!k Nor shall any put their trust in him in vain Their sins, however numerous, shall surely be forgivenTheir difficulties, however great, shall surely be overcome-] ADDRESS 1. To those who are unconcerned about their spiritual maladies [We all are sensible that we are sinful creatures— And profess an intention to seek forgiveness Yet for the most part we defer this necessary workIf our bodies were disordered we should apply to the physician We should even spend our substance in procuring his aidAnd this, with only an uncertain hope of obtaining reliefBut we account the smallest labour too much for our soulsWe will not apply in earnest to our almighty Physician Notwithstanding we could not fail of success in our appli cation And should be sure to obtain healing "without money and without price" What strange infatuation possesses impenitent sinners!What extreme folly is it to prefer the transient welfare of a perishable body, before the eternal welfare of an immortal soul! Let the conduct of this woman put such persons to shameAnd let them instantly avail themselves of the Saviour's presence-] 2. To those who desire to have their disorders healed [Man is ever prone to seek help in the creature firstThe Jews of old did this to their own confusion"_ And God has declared, that all who do so shall fail of Let us then be convinced that the sinner's help is in God alone And that all others are "physicians of nó value” |