Christ condescends to visit. Observe, 2. || foxes have holes, and the birds of That the first thing which Christ takes no- the air have nests; but the Son of tice of in the house which he condescends man hath not where to lay his head. Observe here, a person resolving to follow to visit, is what aileth any in it; what need they stand in of his help and healing; and accordingly, together with his pre-Christ: a good resolution, if made delibesence, he affords them relief. Learn, 3. rately, and not rashly; nor for sinister That when Christ has graciously visited ends and secular advantages; which, it is and healed any of his servants, it ought to to be feared, was the case here, by the anbe their first work and next care to admi-swer which our Saviour gives; for says nister unto Christ; that is, to employ their recovered health, and improve their renewed strength, in his service: She arose and ministered. 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, say ing, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. It was very common about the time of our Saviour's coming in the flesh, for the devil bodily to possess persons, and very grievously to torment them. This is one of the sad and dismal evils which sin has made us liable and obnoxious to, to be bodily possessed by Satan: when we give Satan the power of our hearts, it is a just and righteous thing with God to give him the possession of our bodies. But who is the person that dispossesses Satan? Christ Jesus: 'tis a stronger than the strong man that must east out Satan: our Jesus, in whom we trust, by his powerful word alone can deliver from Satan's power, and all the sad effects and consequences thereof. But observe, with what condolency and sympathyzing pity he exercises these acts of mercy and compassion towards poor creatures: he is said to take our infirmities upon himself, and to bear our sicknesses; he bare the guilt which was the cause of these griefs and sorrows; and he bare the sorrows themselves by a tender sympathy with us under the burden of them. Christ considers our sufferings as our own: he is afflicted in all our afflictions, and pained with all our pains; in this sense, he took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. he, Foxes have holes, &c. that is, my condition in this world is very poor, worse than the birds of the air, for they have their fixed nests; or the beasts of the earth, for they fixed habitation. Note, 1. That many perhave their dens and holes, but I have no sons take up rash and sudden resolutions to follow Christ, before they have well considered what it will cost them: what they are like to lose by being his disciples. 2. That such men may find themselves any thing by following Christ, but their miserably mistaken, who expect to gain soul's salvation. Note, 3. The title given to Christ; he is styled here, and frequently elsewhere, The Son of Man: 1. To shew the truth of his humanity; The Son of man must be Man. 2. To show the depth of his abasement; Christ humbled, yea, emptied himself, when, being the Son of God, he submitted to be made Man: 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. We must not suppose by this prohibition, that Christ disallows or disapproves of any civil office from one person to another, much less of a child to a parent, either living or dying: but he lets us know, 1. That no office of love and service to man must be preferred before our duty to God, unto whom we owe our first obedience. 2. That lawful and decent offices become sinful when they hinder greater duties. 3. That such as are called to the work and employment of the ministry, must mind that alone, and leave inferior duties to inferior persons: as if our Saviour had said, Others will serve well enough to bury the dead; but thou, that art a consecrated person, must do that unto which thou art consecrated and set apart. Under the law, the priests might not come near a dead corpse, nor meddle with the interment of their own parents; unto which our Saviour probably alludes. 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. 23 And when he was entered into 20 And Jesus said unto him, The | a ship, his disciples followed hım 24 And, behold, there arose a great || tempest in the sea, insomuch 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! Observe here, 1. Christ and his disciples no sooner put forth to sea, but dangers attend, and difficulties do accompany them; a tempest arose, and the ship was covered with waves. Learn thence, That the presence of Christ itself doth not exempt his disciples and followers from trouble and danger: here is a great tempest about the disciples' ears, though Christ was in their company. Observe, 2. The posture our Saviour was in when this tempest arose; he being weary on the land, was fallen asleep in the ship: our blessed Redeemer hereby showed himself to be truly and really Man; as he took upon him our human nature, so he subjected himself to our human infirmities. Observe, 3. The disciples' application made to him: they awoke him with a sad outery, Lord, save us, we perish. Here was faith mixed with human frailty: they had faith in his power, that he could save them; but being asleep, they concluded he must awake before he could save them: whereas, though his human nature was asleep, yet his divine nature neither slumbered nor slept. Learn hence, That the prevalency of fear in a time of great and imminent danger, though it may argue weakness of faith, yet it is no evidence of want of faith in the midst of the disciples' fears, they believed Christ's power. Observe, 4. A double rebuke given by our Saviour: 1. To the winds and seas; next, to the fears of his disciples. He rebukes the winds and the seas, and instantly they are calm; when the sea was as furious as a madman, Christ by his divine power calms it. Learn hence, That the most raging winds, and outrageous seas, cannot stand before the rebukes of Christ; if once he rebukes them, their rage is down: God lays a law upon the most lawless creatures, even when they seem to act most lawlessly. 2. Christ rebukes his disciples' fears. Why are ye fearful? No sooner was the storm up, but their fears were up; and they were as much overset with their boisterous passions, as the vessel was with the tempestuous winds; and within, and then the tempest without; first accordingly Christ rebukes the tempest he calms their hearts, and then the seas. From this instance we see, that great faith in the habit may appear little in act and exercise: the disciples' faith in forsaking all and following Christ, was great faith; weak through the prevalency of their fear. but in this present act, their faith was Note, lastly, That the disciples' faith was lessened by their fear; fear is generated by unbelief, and unbelief strengthened by fear: as in things natural there is a circular generation, vapours beget showers, and showers vapours; so it is in things moral, nothing can cure us of fear, till God cures us of unbelief; Christ therefore takes an effectual method to rid the disciples of their fears, by rebuking their unbelief. 28 And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the We read of few, if any, in the Old Testament, that were possessed with evil spirits; but of many in the New Testament. Our Saviour came into the world to destroy the works of the devil; therefore he suffershow his divine power in casting them out. ed Satan to enter some human bodies, to Note here, 1. That the evil angels by their fall lost their purity, but not their power. 2. That they do no oftener exert their power in doing mischief to the bodies and lives of men, is from the restraining power of God. The devils cannot do all the mischief they would, and they shall not do all they can. 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 be fore the time? Observe, The devils knew Christ to be the Son of God, and that he came into the world to be a Saviour, but not their Saviour; and therefore they cry out, What have we to do with thee? or thou with us? O what an uncomfortable faith is this, to believe that Christ is a Saviour, and at the same time to know that he is none of our Saviour! But what is their outcry against Christ? This, Art thou come to forment us before the time? Learn, 1. That there are tortures appointed to the spiritual natures of evil angels. The fire of hell is conceived to be partly material, and partly spiritual; partly material, to work upon the bodies of evil men, and partly spiritual, to work upon the souls of men, and the spirits of evil angels. Learn, 2. That though the devils be now as full of discontent as they can be, yet they are not so full of torment as they shall be; their speech here intimates, that there will be a time when their torments shall be increased, when they shall have their fill of torment; therefore they pray, Increase not our torments before the appointed time of their increase. 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. Observe here, 1. A notable evidence of Satan's limited power, that a whole legion|| of devils had not power to destroy one man, nor were able to hurt the meanest creature without permission. Observe, 2. The devils' acknowledgment of their own impotency, and Christ's power; their asking leave of Christ to go into the swine, shows that they could not go of themselves. Learn hence, 1. The restlessness of Satan's malice; he will hurt the swine rather than not hurt at all. 2. That though || Satan's malice be infinite, yet his power is limited and bounded; as he cannot do all the mischief he would, so he shall not do all he can. 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: Although Christ seldom wrought any destructive miracle, and although he certainly foresaw that the swine would perish in the waters; yet that the people might see how great the power and malice of the devil would be, if not restrained by Christ, he permitted them to enter into the swine; Christ said unto them, Go; and how glad was Satan of this permission to enter into the swine, in order to their destruction. Let it teach us our duty, by prayer, to commit ourselves, and all that we have, morning and evening, into the hands of God's care; all that we have in the house, and all that we have in the field, that it may be preserved from the power and malice of evil spirits. 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. Observe, 1. What a contrary effect this miracle which Christ wrought had upon these people: instead of believing on him the loss of their swine enrages them, and for his miraculous cure of the possessed, makes them desire Christ to depart from them. Temporal losses are so great in worldly men's estimation, that spiritual advantages are nothing esteemed; carnal hearts prefer their swine before their Saviour, and had rather lose Christ's presence than their worldly profits. Observe, 2. How unanimous and importunate these Gadarenes were to get rid of Christ; the whole city came out, and are not only willing to his departure, but they beseech him to depart out of their coasts. Learn hence, That deplorably sad is the condition of such from whom Christ departs; more deplorably sad their state who say unto Christ, Depart; but most deplorably sad is the case of them that entreat and beseech Christ to depart from them: thus did these Gadarenes, and accordingly Christ took ship and departed from them, and we never read of his return unto them. AN CHAP. IX. ND he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. In the last verse of the foregoing chapter, the Gadarenes with one consent desire Christ to depart out of their coasts; here we find our Saviour, according to their desire, departing from them into his own city, which was Capernaum; for Bethlehem brought him forth, Nazareth brought him up, and Capernaum was his dwellingplace. From their desire of Christ's departure, and from Christ's departing according to their desire, we learn, That the blessed Jesus will not long trouble that people with his presence, who are weary of his company, and desirous of his departure. 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,6 But that ye may know that the Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. Observe, 1. The patient, One sick of the palsy, which being a resolution of the nerves, weakens the joints, and confines' the person to his bed or couch. As a demonstration of Christ's divine power, he was pleased to single out some incurable diseases (as the world accounts them) to work a cure upon, as the leprosy and palsy. 2. The Physician, Jesus Christ; he alone is that wise, faithful, and compassionate Physician, that can and doth cure both soul and body. Observe, 3. The moving and impulsive cause of his cure, Jesus seeing their faith; that is, their firm persuasion that he was clothed with a divine power, and able to help; together with their confidence in his goodness, that he was as willing as he was able; and no sooner did they exercise their faith in believing, but Christ did exert his divine power in healing. It was not the sick man's faith but the faith of his friends: the faith of others may prevail for obtaining corporal benefits and temporal blessings for us: thus the centurion's faith healed his servant, and Jairus's faith raised his daughter. Observe, 4. The marvellous efficacy and power of faith it obtained not only what was desired, but more than was expected: they desired only the healing of the body; but Jesus seeing their faith, heals body and soul too, saying, Be of good cheer: thy sins are forgiven thee; intimating, that diseases proceed from sin, because Christ first speaks of forgiving them; yet it is conceived that Christ rather speaketh here of the temporal remission of the punishment, than of the eternal; because that depends on our own faith, and not others'. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. See here how the best of men are sometimes charged with saying and doing the worst of things; to do well and bear ill, was the portion of Christ himself, and may be the portion of the holiest of those that belong to Christ: the innocent Jesus was accused of blasphemy, of sorcery, and of the blackest crimes. Innocency itself can protect no man from slander and false ac cusations. 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. Our Saviour here gives the Pharisees a two-fold demonstration of his godhead: First, by letting them understand that he knew their thoughts; for to search the hearts, and to know the thoughts, of the children of men, is not in the power either of angels or men, but the prerogative of God only. Secondly, by assuming to himself a power to forgive sins;-the Son of man hath power to forgive sins. Our Saviour here, by forgiving sins in his own name, and by his own authority, doth give the world an undeniable proof and convincing evidence of his godhead: for, Who can forgive sins, but God only? 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. Note here, The multitude marvelled, but not believed; they admire our Saviour for an extraordinary man, but did not believe in him as the Son of God: they praise God for giving such power to heal the bodies of men: but not for sending his Son into the world, to save the souls of men. Learn hence, That the sight of Christ's miracles is not sufficient to work faith in the soul, but requires the concurring operation of the Holy Spirit; the one may make us marvel, the other must make us believe. 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. Observe here, the number of our Lord's apostles not being filled up, what a strange election and choice he makes; Matthew, a grinding publican, is the man. Learn, Such is the freeness of God's grace, that it chooses, and such is the efficacy of it, that it overpowers and brings in, the worst of sinners unto God: Matthew a publican, Zaccheus an extortioner, Manasseh a murderer, Paul a persecutor; all these are brought home to God by the power of converting grace. Observe, 2. Matthew's ready compliance with God's call, He arose of the Spirit accompanies the outward call and followed Christ. When the inward calf of the word, the soul readily complies, and presently yields obedience to the voice of || cy, and not sacrifice: for I am not God. Christ oft-times speaks by his word come to call the righteous, but sinto our ears, and we hear not, we stir not; ners to repentance. but when he speaks by his Spirit to our hearts, Satan shall not hold us down, the world shall not keep us back, but we shall arise, and follow our Lord and Master. Bp. Hall. 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. Observe here, Christ invited Matthew to a discipleship, Matthew invites Christ to a feast; the servant invites his Master, a sinner invites his Saviour. We do not find, wherever Christ was invited to any table, that he refused to go; if a Pharisee, if a publican invited, he constantly went: not for the pleasure of eating, but for the opportunity of conversing and doing good: Christ feasts us, when we feast him. From Matthew's example, learn, That new converts are full of affection towards Christ, and very expressive of their love unto him. Such as before conversion disesteemed him, do afterwards kindly and respectfully entertain him: Matthew, touched with a sense of Christ's rich love, makes him a royal feast. Observe farther, How at this feast many, publicans and sinners were present, of Matthew's acquaintance no doubt, and probably invited by him, that they might also see Christ, and be partakers of the same grace with him. Whence we learn, That grace teaches a man to desire and seek the conversion of others; and such as are truly brought home to Christ themselves, will study and endeavour to bring in all their accquaintance to Christ also. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? See here, what a grief it is to wicked men to find others brought in to Christ; the wicked Pharisees murmur, repine, and envy, instead of admiring Christ's condescension, and adoring his divine goodness: they censure him for conversing with sinners; but Christ tells them in the following verses, that he conversed with them as their Physician, not as their Companion. 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 mer As if our Lord had said, "With whom should the physician converse, but with his sick patients? Now I am come into the world to do the office of a kind physician unto men; surely then I am to take all op. portunities to help and heal them: they that are sick need the physician; but for you Pharisees, who are whole and well in your own opinion, and swelled with a conceit of your own righteousness, I have no hopes of doing any good upon you; for such as think themselves whole desire no physician's help." Learn hence, 1. That sin is the soul's malady, its spiritual disease and sickness. 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God, for the cure and healing of this disease and malady. 3. That there are multitudes spiritually sick, who yet think themselves sound and whole. 3. That only such as are sensible of their spiritual sickness are subjects capable of cure, and the persons whom Christ is a healing Physician to: They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. The Pharisees themselves had a contention with our Saviour in the foregoing verses; here they set on the disciples of John, to contend with him about fasting, alleging that the disciples of John fasted often, Christ's disciples not at all. Our Saviour owns it, that his disciples did not fast at present, for two reasons. 1. Because it intolerable for them. It was unsuitable to them, because of Christ's bodily presence to them; this made it a time of joy and was unsuitable to them. 2. Because it was |