VERSES 13-20.

13 Enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat :

14 Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their

fruits. Do men gather grapes or thorns, or figs of thistles ?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye

shall know them.

Did we realise the future, so many would not be found on the broad road to destruction. Unbelief in the promises as well as the threatenings of God's word, makes us rush on to eternal ruin; otherwise the straight gate that leads to eternal life would be sought and preferred. What a warning does our Lord here give us against false teachers. Spiritual nourishment can be had alone from sound instructors: if the blind lead the blind, they must both fall into the ditch. By their fruit ye shall know them,

VERSES 21-29.

21 Not every man that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock :

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds

blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

To those to whom our Lord says, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, how mercifully does he at the same time show them, as it were, the very means by which they may enter: laying aside their hypocrisy, doing the will of his Father, ceasing to work iniquity. Our Lord also prepares those who obey him for trials, for the being built on the rock is not to exempt them. But how different to the foolish is the result of their trials, great is the fall. So intimate an acquaintance with the human heart and its deceitfulness as our Lord displayed, seems to have made an impression on his hearers on the Mount; may this sermon come with power to our hearts!

CHAPTER 8. VERSES 1-13.

WHEN he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man, but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

5 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 him.

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 and I say unto 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 to 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 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 shall be cast out into 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 that selfsame hour.

For what purpose the multitude followed Christ we are not told. The worship of one only is related, and he was a

leper; Did our Lord choose the mountain that he might hear his words and be healed? and to shew us, that in the most desolate position the lost may be found? We may all say as this poor leper, "if thou wilt, " and the answer of peace shall follow. Probably the multitudes spread the fame of Jesus, acknowledging that his word was with power, and the centurion profiting by this, applied to him for the cure of his servant. What deep humility accompanied his faith, which our Lord says was without a parallel in Israel. “I am not worthy," will be the language of the true believer; "God be merciful to me a sinner," is never pleaded in vain.

VERSES 14-17.

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

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

Happy the abode where Jesus enters and is welcome. The disease of sin cured, we shall, like the mother of Peter's wife, arise and minister unto Him: this is the genuine fruit of a renewed nature.

VERSES 18-34.

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

19 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 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.

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed 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.

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.

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 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.

23 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.

Before we can follow Christ, we must become sensible of our lost condition; the two individuals here mentioned were attracted only by his power to heal our sicknesses: we must realize his power to save our souls, and be convinced there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved; then, and not till then, shall we forsake all and follow Christ. We may meet with storms that may well nigh make shipwreck of our faith, but fleeing to him, we shall find he is God, and not man, he is able to save to the uttermost. An awful conclusion is presented in the last verse; how many now, as then, say in their hearts, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy name: though their sin may be punished, their love of sin is retained.

CHAPTER 9. VERSES 1-8.

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

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.

3 And, behold, certain of the

scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

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

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.

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.

There is not perhaps a more striking exhibition of the hardness and unbelief of the human heart, than is seen in the effect produced on those who witnessed the miracle performed by Jesus on the man sick of the palsy. That his divine power should not have been acknowledged, is marvellous, as well as that all present did not at once seek the forgiveness of their sins: but if those who read it now are unmoved, we need not wonder it was powerless then. The Holy Spirit can alone open our eyes, and carry conviction to our hearts.

VERSE 9.

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.

Worldliness, the great obstacle to obeying the call of Christ; how few, like Matthew, readily forsake the receipt of custom, for the better riches of the world to come.

VERSES 10-13.

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.

11 Add when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans 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 learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.