looked for a sceptre, not an axe, in the pel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to hand of him that was born King of the publish deliverance to the captives, and reJews. Our Saviour's short and secret covering of sight to the blind. What eneabode at Bethlehem, and his long and mies then are they to the souls of men public living at Nazareth, occasioned who have low and mean thoughts of this him to be called Jesus of Nazareth; yet high and honourable ordinance of God, the some conceived it was a nick-name, fas- preaching of the everlasting gospel, which tened by the devil upon our Saviour, that is the power of God unto salvation? Ob he might disguise the place of Christ's serve, 3. The behaviour of our Saviour's nativity, and leave the Jews at a greater auditors, the men of Nazareth, under his loss concerning their Messiah. Sure it preaching: their eyes were fixed, and is, that this name, Jesus of Nazareth, stuck their minds intent, upon him, and upon upon our Saviour all his life; and at his what was spoken by him: The eyes of all death was fixed by Pilate on his cross. that were in the synagogue were fastened Yea, after his ascension, such as believed upon him: not closed with sleep, nor on him were called, The sect of the Naza- gazing about upon others; but fixed upon renes, or the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Christ the preacher. Fixing of the eye Observe, 2. The text which our Saviour is a great help to the attention of the ear, preached upon at Nazareth: he takes it and the intention of the mind; a fastened out of the prophet Esaias, chap. lxi. i. eye is a mean to help us to a fixed heart; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he as a wandering eye is both a sign and a hath anointed me to preach the gospel to cause of a wandering heart. O that our the poor; that is, God the Father hath hearers would imitate our Saviour's hearpoured forth his Holy Spirit without mea- ers under the word! They fastened their sure upon me, in all the gifts and graces eyes upon him, as if they meant to hear of it, to fit and furnish me for the work with their eyes as well as with their ears: of a mediator; and particularly, to preach and yet we have cause to expect that the gospel to the poor in spirit, and to such curiosity rather than piety caused this as are poor in outward condition also, if their attention; seeing, as you will find, meekened and humbled with the sight ver. 29, that these very persons, who out and sense of their sins. To bind up the of novelty were ready to eat his words, broken-hearted; that is, to comfort them soon after out of cruelty were ready to with the glad tidings of the gospel. To devour the speaker: for they thrust him preach deliverance to the captives: to let out of the city, led him to the brow of such sinners know, who were slaves to sin the hill, and would have cast him down and Satan, that a Deliverer is come, if headlong. O blessed Saviour, what wonthey be willing to be delivered by him. der is it that the persons of thy ministers To preach the acceptable year of the Lord: are despised, and their doctrine neglected, or to proclaim a spiritual jubilee in which when thou thyself, the first preacher of God proffers pardon of sin and reconcilia- the gospel, and for thy first sermon at tion with himself upon the terms of the Nazareth, wert thus ignominiously treatgospel. Learn hence, 1. That God stirreth ed! Observe, lastly, How Christ conforms up none to take upon them the office of to the ceremonies of the Jewish doctrine, the ministry, whom he hath not fitted and who, in honour of the law and the profurnished with gifts for the regular dis- phets, stood up when they read them, and charge of it. 2. That Christ himself did according to custom, sat down when they not undertake the office of a mediator, but explained them. And although the synaby the ordination of God the Holy Spirit: gogual worship was then loaden with The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he rules and ceremonies of human invention, hath sent me to preach the gospel. 3. That and also the lives and manners both of no creature, angel or man, could perform priests and people were much corrupted, the office of a mediator, but only Christ, yet both our Saviour and his disciples who was consecrated to that office by an went to the synagogue, as members of the anointing from the Holy Spirit without church of Nazareth, every sabbath-day, measure: The Spirit of the Lord hath joining with them in the public worship. anointed me. 4. That the preaching of the From whence we may reasonably infer, gospel is the great ordinance which Christ that such Christians as do quietly and himself made use of, and recommended peaceably comply with the practice of to his apostles and ministers, for enlight- the church in whose communion they ening blind sinners, for comforting broken || live, in the observation of such indifferent hearts, and for delivering captive souls rites as are used by her, act most agreeafrom the slavery and dominion of sin and ble to our Saviour's practice and examSatan: He hath sent me to preach the gos-ple.

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people; always tempering our gravity with courtesy and a condescending affability. That minister which prostitutes ministry, and is the occasion of his own his authority, frustrates the end of his

contempt.

25 But I tell you of a truth, Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them were cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. Observe here, 1. The effect of our Saviour's ministry at Nazareth: it created wonder, but did not produce faith; they marvelled, but not believed; they admired the wisdom of his discourse, but will not own him to be the promised Messiah, because of the poverty and meanness of Christ's condition: Is not this Joseph's son? They expected the son of a prince, not the son of a carpenter to be their Messiah. Thence note, That the poverty and meanness of Christ's condition was that which multitudes stumbled at, and which kept many, yea, most, from believing on him. None but a spiritual eye can discern beauty in an humbled and abased Saviour. Observe, 2. Our Saviour wonders not that so few of his countrymen, among whom he had been bred and brought up, and with whom he had lived most part of his time, did despise his person, and reject his doctrine; he tells them, No prophet has honour in his own country: that is, very seldom has. Teaching us, That usually the ministers of God are most despised where they are most familiarly known; sometimes the remembrance of their mean original and extraction, sometimes the poverty of their parents, sometimes the indecencies of their childhood, sometimes the follies of their youth, sometimes the faults of their families and relations, are ript up, and made occasion of contempt; and therefore that 28 And all they in the synagogue, prophet that comes from afar, and has not when they heard these things, were been much known, gains the greatest re-filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, putation amongst a people, who, being ig- and thrust him out of the city, and led norant of his extraction, look upon his breeding, as well as his calling, to be di- him unto the brow of the hill whereon vine. This good use ought to be made of their city was built, that they might our Saviour's observation, that his minis-cast him down headlong. 30 Buthe, ters be very wise and discreet in conver- passing through the midst of them, sation with their people, not making went his way. themselves cheap and common in every company, nor light and vain in any company; for such familiarity will breed contempt, both of their persons and their doctrine. But our duty is by strictness and gravity of deportment to keep up an awe and esteem in the consciences of our

Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what he had last told his countrymen at Nazareth, namely, that prophets are most despised by their own countrymen and acquaintance, and that strangers oft-times have more advantage by a prophet than his own people. The first instance of this which our Saviour gives them, is in the days of Elias, though there were many widows then in his own nation, yet none of them were qualified to receive his miracles, but a stranger, a widow of Sarepta. The second instance was in the days of Elisha; when though there were many lepers in and about the neighbourhood, yet they being his countrymen, despised him, and none were qualified for a cure but Naaman the Syrian, a man of another country. Thus the prophets of God, like some fishermen, catch least in their own pond, and do more good by their ministry among strangers, than among their own countrymen, kinsfolk, and near relations: No prophet is accepted in his own country.

Observe here, 1. The horrid impiety of the people of Nazareth, in thrusting their Saviour out of their city, and their barbarous and bloody cruelty in bringing him to the brow of the hill, with full intent to cast him down headlong. But Christ was

to die a clean contrary way, not by throw- || and come out of him. And when the ing down, but by lifting up. O ungrate- devil had thrown him in the midst, ful and unhappy Nazareth! is this the he came out of him, and hurt him not. return you make that divine Guest, which 36 And they were all amazed, and for thirty years had sojourned in your coasts? No wonder that the ablest preach- spake among themselves, saying, ing, and most exemplary living, of the What a word is this! for with authoriholiest and best of Christ's ministers ob- ty and power he commandeth the untain no greater success at this day amongst clean spirits, and they come out. 37 a people, when the presence of Christ at And the fame of him went out into Nazareth, for thirty years together, had no better influence upon the minds and man- every place of the country round about. ners of that people; but instead of receiving his message, they rage at the messenger: neither let any of the ministers of Christ think it strange, that they are ignominiously despised, when our Master before us was in danger of being barbarously murdered, and that for his plain preaching to his own people, the men of Nazareth. But observe, 2. The miraculous escape of our blessed Lord from the murdering hands of the wicked Nazarites: He, passing through the midst of them, went his way. How and after what manner he escaped is not declared, and therefore cannot without presumption be determined. Although the Romanists, to make way for their doctrine of transubstantiation, positively affirm, that, contrary to the nature of a body, he penetrated through the breasts of the people. But whether he struck them with blindness that they did not see, or smote them with fear that they durst not hold him, or whether by a greater strength than theirs, (which his Godhead could easily supply his human nature with,) he escaped from them, it is neither prudent to enquire nor possible to determine: we know it was an easy thing for him, who was God as well as man, to quit himself of any mortal enemies; and at the same time, when he rescued himself, could have ruined them, by frowning them into hell, or looking them into nothing.

31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath-days. 32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy

us?

I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace,

Our blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his countrymen, departs to Capernaum, where he entered Who can their synagogues, and taught. declare the pains that our Saviour took, and the hazards which he ran, in preaching the everlasting gospel to lost sinners? But observe the smallness of his success; the people were astonished, but not be lieved; his doctrine produced admiration, but not faith; his auditors were admirers, but not believers. They were astonished at his doctrine: the reason of which astonishment is added, For his word was with power; that is, there were majesty in his person, spirituality in his preaching, and powerful miracles accompanying both, and confirming both, of which the evangelist here gives us an account, namely, the casting out of a devil in one possess ed, ver. 33. There was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean devil, and he cried out; that is, the devil, that unclean spirit, did enter into him, and bodily possess him. Amongst other many calamities, which sin has brought upon our bodies, this is one, to be bodily possessed by Satan. The devil has inveterate malice against mankind, seeking to ruin our souls by his suggestions and temptations, and to destroy our bodies by some means or other. O how much is it to our interest, as well as our duty, by prayer to put ourselves morning and evening under the divine care and protection, that we may be preserved from the power and malice of evil spirits! Observe, 2. The title here given to the devil: he is called the unclean spirit. The devils, those wicked spirits of hell, are most impure and filthy creatures; impure by reason of their original apos tasy, impure by means of their actual and daily sins, such as murder and malice, lying and the like, by which they continually pollute themselves; and impure, by means of their continual desire and endeavours to pollute mankind with the contagion of their own sins. Lord! how foul is the nature of sin, which makes the devil such a foul and filthy, such an impure and unclean creature! Observe, 3.

fan, than to cast him out. Satan may possess the body by God's permission, but he cannot possess our hearts without our own consent and approbation. It will be our wisdom to deny him entrance into our souls at first, by rejecting his wicked motions and suggestions; for when once entered, he will, like the strong man armed, keep the house, till a stronger than he cast him out.

The substance of the devil's outery: Let us alone, what have we to do with thee? Art thou come to destroy us? that is, to restrain us from the exercise of our power. The devil thinks himself destroyed, when he is restrained from doing mischief. Observe, 4. The title given by the devil to our Saviour; he styles him, The Holy One of God. How comes this acknowledgment out of the devil's mouth? Could an apostle make a profession be- 38 And he arose out of the synayond this? But how comes Satan to make it? For no good end, and with no gogue, and entered into Simon's house. good intention, we may be sure; for the And Simon's wife's mother was taken devil never speaks truth for truth's sake, with a great fever; and they besought but for advantage sake. Probably, 1. He him for her. 39 And he stood over might make this profession, that so he her, and rebuked the fever; and it left might bring the truth profest into ques-her: and immediately she arose and tion; hoping that the truth, which received testimony from the father of lies, would ministered unto them. be suspected. Or, 2. It might perhaps be done to make the people believe that our Saviour had some familiarity with Satan, and did work miracles by his help, because he did confess him, and seem to put honour upon him. Hence we may learn, That it is possible for a person to own and acknowledge Christ to be the true and only Saviour, and yet to miss of salvation by him. If a speculative knowledge, and a verbal profession, of Christ were sufficient for salvation, the devil himself would not miss of happiness. Observe, 5. How our Saviour rebukes the devil for his confession, and commands him silence. Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace; but why was this rebuke given the devil, and his mouth stopt when he spake the truth? Answer, 1. Because Christ knew that the devil confest this on purpose to disgrace the truth. 2. Because the devil was no fit person to make this profession: a testimony of truth from the father of lies, is enough to render truth itself suspected. Yet the devil's evidence, that Christ was the Holy One of God, will rise up in judgment against the wicked Pharisees, who shut their eyes against the miracles and stopt their ears against the doctrine, of the Holy One of God. Observe, lastly, How the unclean spirit obeys the voice of Christ, but with great reluctancy and regret: when the unclean spirit had thrown him in the midst, he came out. Where observe, the devil's spite at parting: he tears the man, throws him violently from place to place, showing how loth he was to be dispossess ed. Where Satan has once gotten an hold, and settled himself for a time, how unwill

ing is he to be cast out of possession! Yea, it is a torment and vexation to him to be cast out. It is much easier to keep out Sa

Here observe, 1. That St. Peter, a disciple, yea, an apostle, was a married person. Neither the prophets of the Old Testament, not the apostles of the New. did abhor the marriage-bed, nor judge themselves too pure for an institution of their maker. The church of Rome, by denying the lawfulness of priests' marriage, makes herself wiser than God, who says, Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honourable amongst all men. Observe, 2. Peter, though a good man, and his wife's mother probably a gracious woman, yet is his family visited with sickness: strength of grace, and dearness of respect even from Christ himself, cannot prevail against diseases. God's own children are visited with bodily sickness as well as others. Observe, 3. The divine power of Christ manifested in this miraculous cure: He stood over her, says St. Luke; He took her by the hand, and lifted her up, says St. Mark. Here was an ordinary distemper cured after an extraordi nary manner, by a touch of Christ's hand in an instant: Immediately the fever left her, and she arose and ministered unto them. That she could arise argued her cure miraculous; that she could and did arise, and administer to Christ and his disciples, argued her thankfulness. After Christ hath healed any of us, it ought to be our first care to administer unto him: that is, to employ our recovered strength in the service of Christ, and to improve our restored health to the honour and glory of Christ.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out

and saying, Thou art Christ the Son || of God. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak: for they

knew that he was Christ.

The evangelist here declares sundry other cures wrought by our Saviour he healed the sick, and dispossessed the devils. In our Saviour's time we read of many possessed with devils, and of but few either before or afterwards. Probably, 1. Because Satan, perceiving the Messiah to be come in the flesh to destroy his

kingdom, did rage the more, and discover

leaving his ministers herein an instructive example, to be as willing to preach the gospel in the smallest villages, as in the largest and most populous cities, if God calls us thereunto. Let the place be never so obscure and mean, and the congrega tion never so small and little, if God sends us thither, the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of people.

CHAP. V.

AND it came to pass, that, as the

Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

greater malice and enmity against man- people pressed upon him to hear kind. 2. Perhaps Almighty God suffered the word of God, he stood by the lake Satan at that time to possess so many, of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships that Christ might have occasion to mani- standing by the lake: but the fisherfest his divine power by casting Satan men were gone out of them, and were out. And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possessed by washing their nets. 3 And he enter Satan. It is added, That he suffered noted into one of the ships, which was the devils to speak, because they knew him; that is, Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the preaching of the devil, lest the world should from thence take occasion to think that our Saviour held a correspondence with those wicked spirits, and that the miracles which he wrought were performed by the devil's assistance, as being one in combination with him. Possibly from the devils owning Christ to be the Holy One of God, the Pharisees concluded that there was a compact and agreement betwixt them; and thereupon their affirmation was grounded, He casteth out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils.

42 And when it was day, he departed, and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also; for therefore am I sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. Observe here, 1. The great work and business of our Saviour's life: to preach the gospel. I must preach the kingdom of God, for therefore came I forth. Preaching was Christ's great work, it is undoubtedly his ministers'. Christ omitted some opportunities of working miracles, that he might preach to other cities: this was his great work. Observe, 2. It being Christ's great design to plant and propagate the gospel, he would not confine his ministry to one particular place, not to the great city of Capernaum, but resolves to preach the word in smaller towns and villages;

Here observe, 1. That our Saviour used the sea as well as the land in his passage from place to place to preach the gospel; and the reasons why he did so might probably be these: 1. To show Nature's intent in making of the sea: namely, to be sailed upon, as the land to be walked upon. 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity, in working miracles upon the sea: namely, by calming of the waves and stilling of the winds. 3. It might be to comfort sea-faring men in their distresses, and to encourage them to mental knowledge of the dangers of the pray to such a Saviour as had an experi sea: it were well if sailors would consider this, and instead of inuring themselves to the language of hell when they go down into the deep, would direct their prayer unto Christ, and lock up to him; who now in heaven has the remembrance of what he himself endured and underwent here on earth, and on the sea. Observe, 2. The circumstance of time, when Christ used to put forth to sea: it was usually after he had wrought some extraordinary miracle, which set them on admiring and commending of him; as after he had fed so many thousands, with a few barley loaves and fishes, presently he put forth to sea, shunning thereby all popularity and vain-glorious applause from the mul titude which he was never ambitious of, but industriously avoided. Observe, That after our Saviour's resurrection, we never find him sailing any more upon the