had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a || Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

Or, Gentile.

Never man was so cried up as Christ was in Galilee, and therefore, to teach us, though not to decline any opportunity of doing good, yet not to be fond of popular applause, he arose from thence, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, where he was little known; and there he entered, not into a synagogue, or place of concourse, but into a private house, and he would have no man know it; because it was foretold concerning him, "He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall his voice be heard in the streets." Not but that he was willing to preach and heal here as well as in other places, but for this he would be sought unto.

He was graciously pleased to manifest himself, notwithstanding. Though he would not carry a harvest of miraculous cures into those parts, yet, it should seem, he came on purpose to drop a handful to let fall this one which we have here an account of. He could not be hid; for, though a candle may be put under a bushel, the sun cannot. Christ was too well known to be long hid any where; the oil of gladness which he was anointed with, like ointment of the right hand, would betray itself, and fill the house with its odours. Those that had only heard his fame, could not converse with him but they would soon say, This must be Jesus.

Application was made to him by a poor woman in distress and trouble. She was a Gentile (a Greek), a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, an alien to the covenant of promise; she was by extraction a Syrophenician, and not in any degree a proselyte to the Jewish religion; she had a young daughter, that was possessed with the devil. How many and grievous are the calamities that young children are subject to! Her address was very humble, pressing, and importunate. She heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. Those that obtain mercy from Christ, must throw themselves at his feet; must refer themselves to him, humble themselves before him, and give up themselves to be ruled by him. Christ never put any from him that fell at his feet-which a poor trembling soul may do, that has not boldness and confidence to throw itself into his arms. Her address was also very particular; she tells him what she wanted. Christ gave poor supplicants leave to be thus free with him. She besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter, ver. 26. The greatest blessing we can ask of Christ for our children is, that he would break the power of Satan; that is, the power of sin in their souls; and particularly, that he would cast forth the unclean spirit, that they may be temples of the Holy Ghost, and he may dwell in them.

"Let the children first be filled (ver. 27); let the Jews have all the miracles wrought for them that they have occasion for, who are in a particular manner God's chosen people; and let not that which was intended for them be thrown to those who are not of God's family, and who have not that knowledge of him, and interest in him, which they have, and who are as dogs in comparison of them-vile and profane; and who are as dogs to them-snarling at them, spiteful toward them, and ready to worry them.-Where Christ knows the faith of poor supplicants to be strong, he sometimes delights to try it, and put it to the stretch. But his saying, Let the children first be filled, intimates that there was mercy in reserve for the Gentiles, and not far off; for the Jews began already to be surfeited with the gospel of Christ, and some of them had desired him to depart out of their coasts. The children begin to play with their meat, and their leavings would be a feast for the Gentiles. The apostles went by this rule, Let the children first be filled, let the Jews have the first offer; and if their full souls loathe this honeycomb, Lo, we turn to the Gentiles!

66

The woman answered, Yes, Lord, I own it is true that the children's bread ought not to be cast to the dogs; but they were never denied the crumbs of that bread, nay, it belongs to them, and they are allowed a place under the table, that they may be ready to receive them. I ask not for a loaf, no, nor for a morsel, only for a crumb; do not refuse me that." This she speaks, not as undervaluing the mercy, or making light of it in itself, but magnifying the abundance of miraculous cures with which she heard the Jews were feasted, in comparison with which a single cure was but

as a crumb.

m

"Gentiles do not come in crowds, as the Jews do; I come alone." Perhaps she had heard of Christ's feeding five thousand lately at once, after which, even when they had gathered up the fragments, there could not but be some crumbs left for the dogs. Christ granted her request. Is she thus humble, thus earnest. For this saying, go thy way, thou shalt have what thou camest for-the devil is gone out of thy daughter, ver. 29. This encourages us to pray and not to faint; to continue instant in prayer, not doubting but to prevail at last; the vision at the end shall speak, and not lie. Christ's saying that it was done, did it effectually, as at other times his saying, Let it be done; for (ver. 30) she came to her house, depending upon the word of Christ that her daughter was healed, and so she found it, the devil was gone outChrist can conquer Satan at a distance; and it was not only when the demoniacs saw him that they yielded to his power (as chap. iii. 11), but when they saw him not; for the Spirit of the Lord is not bound, nor bounded. She found her daughter not in any toss or agitation, but very quietly laid on the bed, and reposing herself; waiting for her mother's return, to rejoice with her that she was so well. 31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came ན། unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And "they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And Plooking up to heaven, The sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And "he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

m Matt. xv. 29. n Matt. ix. 32: Luke xi. 14. o Chap. viii. 23; John ix. 6. p Chap. vi. 41; John xi. 41, xvii. 1. Isa. XXXV. 5, 6; Matt, xi. 5. s Chap. v. 43.

q John xi. 33, 38.

Our Lord Jesus seldom staid long in a place, for he knew where his work lay, and attended the changes of it. When he had cured the woman of Canaan's daughter, he had done what he had to do in that place, and therefore presently left those parts, and returned to the sea of Galilee, where about his usual residence was; yet he did not come directly thither, but fetched a compass through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, which lay mostly on the other side of Jordan. Such long walks did our Lord Jesus take, when he went about doing good.

Now, here we have the story of a cure that Christ wrought, which is not recorded by any other of the evangelists; it is of one that was deaf and dumb.

His case was sad, ver. 32. There were those that brought to him one that was deaf; some think, born deaf, and then he must be dumb, of course; others think that by some distemper or disaster he was become deaf, or, at least, thick of hearing; and he had an impediment in his speech. He was, however, perfectly unfit for conversation, and deprived both of the pleasure and of the profit of it; he had not the satisfaction either of hearing other people talk, or of telling his own mind. Let us take occasion from hence to give thanks to God for preserving to us the sense of hearing, especi ally that we may be capable of hearing the Word of God; and the faculty of speech, especially that we may be capable of speaking God's praises; and let us look with compassion upon those that are deaf or dumb, and treat them with great tenderness. They that brought this poor man to Christ. besought him that he would put his hand on him, as the prophets did upon those whom they blessed in the name of the Lord. It is not said, They besought him to cure him, but to put his hand upo him—to take cognizance of his case, and put forth his power to do to him as he pleased.

His cure was solemn, and some of the circumstances of it were singular. Christ took him aside from the multitude, ver. 33. Ordinarily, he wrought his miracles publicly before all the people, to show that they would bear the strictest scrutiny and inspection; but this he did privately, to show that he did not seek his own glory, and to teach us to avoid every thing that savours of ostentation. Let us learn of Christ to be humble, and to do good where no eye sees but His that is all eye. He used more significant actions in the doing of this cure than usual. He put his fingers his ears, as if he would syringe them, and fetch out that which stopped them up. He spit upon own finger, and then touched his tongue, as if he would moisten his mouth, and so loosen that with which his tongue was tied: these were no causes that could in the least contribute to his cure, but

into

his

only signs of the exerting of that power which Christ had in himself to cure him, for the encouraging of his faith, and theirs that brought him. The application was all from himself; it was his own fingers that he put into his ears, and his own spittle that he put upon his tongue; for he alone heals. He looked up to heaven, to give his Father the praise of what he did; for he sought his praise, and did his will, and, as Mediator, acted in dependence on him, and with an eye to him. Thus he signified that it was by a divine power, a power he had as the Lord from heaven, and brought with him thence, that he did this; for the hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord has made, and can remake, even both of them. He also hereby directed his patient, who could see, though he could not hear, to look up to heaven for relief.-Moses with his stammering tongue is directed to look that way (Exod. iv. 11), “Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh tlre dumb or deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?"

He sighed; not as if he found any difficulty in working this miracle, or obtaining power to do it from his Father; but thus he expressed his pity for the miseries of human life, and his sympathy with the afflicted in their afflictions, as one that was himself touched with a feeling of their infirmities. And as to this man, he sighed, not because he was loath to do him this kindness, or did it with reluctancy; but because of the many temptations which he would be exposed to, and the sins he would be in danger of (the tongue-sins), after the restoring of his speech to him, which before he was free from. He had better be tongue-tied still, unless he have grace to keep his mouth as

with a bridle. Psal. xxxix. 1.

He said, Ephphatha; that is, Be opened. This was nothing that looked like spell or charm, such as they used who had familiar spirits, who peeped and muttered. Isa. viii. 19. Christ speaks as one having authority, and power went along with the word. Be opened, served both parts of the cure. "Let the ears be opened, let the lips be opened, let him hear and speak freely, and let the restraint be taken off;" and the effect was answerable (ver. 35),—Straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue loosed, and all was well: and happy he who, as soon as he had his hearing and speech, had the blessed Jesus so near him, to converse with.

Now, this cure was a proof of Christ's being the Messiah; for it was foretold that by his power the ears of the deaf should be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb should be made to sing. Isa. Xxxv. 5, 6. It was a specimen of the operations of his gospel upon the minds of men. The great command of the gospel, and grace of Christ to poor sinners, is, Ephphatha-Be opened. Grotius applies it thus,―That the internal impediments of the mind are removed by the Spirit of Christ, as those bodily impediments were by the word of his power. He opens the heart, as he did Lydia's, and thereby opens the ear to receive the Word of God, and opens the heart in prayer and praises. He ordered it to be kept very private; but it was made very public. It was his humility, that he charged them they should tell no man, ver. 36. Most men will proclaim their own goodness, or, at least, desire that others should proclaim it; but Christ, though he was himself in no danger of being puffed up with it, knowing that we are, would thus set us an example of self-denial, as in other things, so especially in praise and applause. We should take pleasure in doing good, but not in its being known. It was their zeal, that though he charged them to say nothing of it, yet they published it, before Christ would have had it published. But they meant honestly, and therefore it is to be reckoned rather an act of indiscretion than an act of disobedience, ver. 36. But they that told it, and they that heard it, were beyond measure astonished-they were exceedingly affected with it; and this was said by every body, it was the common verdict, He hath done all things well (ver. 37); whereas there were those that hated and persecuted him as an evil-doer, they are ready to witness for him, not only that he has done no evil, but that he has done a great deal of good; and has done it well, modestly and humbly, and very devoutly-and all gratis, without money and without price; which added much to the lustre of his good works. He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak—and that is well; it is well for them, it is well for their relations, to whom they had been a burden; and therefore they are inexcusable who speak ill of him.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 Christ feedeth the people miraculously: 10 refuseth to give a sign to the Pharisees: 14 admonisheth his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 22 giveth a blind man his sight: 27 acknowledgeth that he is the Christ, who should suffer and rise again: 34 and exhorteth to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel. N those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have com

IN

a Matt. xv. 32.

passion on the multitude, because they have now been with me thre days, and have nothing to eat : 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked

them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and the blessed, and commanded to set ther also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled; and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

b Matt. xv. 34; see chap. vi. 38. c Matt. xiv. 19; chap. vi. 41.

We had the story of a miracle very like this before, in this gospel (chap. vi. 35), and of this same miracle (Matt. xv. 32), and here is little or no addition or alteration as to the circumstances. Yet observe,

That our Lord Jesus was greatly followed,-The multitude was very great, ver. 1. Notwith standing the wicked arts of the scribes and Pharisees to blemish him, and to blast his interest, the common people, who had more honesty, and therefore more true wisdom, than their leaders, kept up their high thoughts of him. We may suppose that this multitude were generally of the mearer sort of people-with such Christ conversed, and was familiar; for thus he humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation, and thus encouraged the meanest to come to him for life and grace. Those that followed him underwent a great deal of difficulty in following him,―They were with him three days, and had nothing to eat; that was hard service. Never let the Pharisee say, that Christ's disciples fast not. There were those, probably, that brought some food with them from home; but by this time it was all spent, and they were a great way from home; and yet they continued with Christ, and did not speak of leaving him till he spoke of dismissing them. True zeal makes nothing of hardships in the way of duty. They that have a full feast for their souls may be content with slender provision for their bodies.

As Christ has a compassion for all that are in wants and straits, so he has a special concern for those that are reduced to straits by their zeal and diligence in attending on him. Christ said, I have compassion on the multitude. Whom the proud Pharisees looked upon with disdain, the humble Jesus looked upon with pity and tenderness; and thus must we honour all men. But that which he chiefly considers is, They have been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. Whatever losses we sustain, or hardships we go through, for Christ's sake, and in love to him, he wil take care that they shall be made up to us one way or other. They that seek the Lord, shall not long want any good thing. Psal. xxxiv. 10. Observe with what sympathy Christ saith (ver. 3), If I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way, for hunger. Christ knows and considers our frame, and he is for the body; if with it we glorify him, verily we shall be fed. He considered that many of them came from far, and had come a great way home. When we see multitudes attending upon the Word preached, it is comfortable to think that Christ knows whence they all come, though we do not. "I know thy works, and where thou dwellest." Rev. ii. 13. Christ would by no means have them go home fasting, for it is not his manner to send those empty away from him that in a right manner attend on him.

The doubts of Christians are sometimes made to work for the magnifying of the power of Christ. The disciples could not imagine whence so many men should be satisfied with bread here in thư wilderness, ver. 4. That, therefore, must needs be wonderful, and appear so much the more so, which the disciples looked upon as impossible.

Christ's time to act for the relief of his people is, when things are brought to the last extremity; when they were ready to faint, Christ provided for them. That he might not invite them to follow him for the loaves, he did not supply them but when they were utterly reduced, and then he sent them away.

The bounty of Christ is inexhaustible; and, to evidence that, Christ repeated this miracle-to show that he is still the same for the succour and supply of his people that attend upon him. His favours are renewed, as our wants and necessities are. In the former miracle, Christ used all the

bread he had, which was five loaves; and fed all the guests he had, which were five thousand; and so he did now, though he might have said, "If five loaves would feed five thousand, four may feed four thousand." He took all the seven loaves, and fed with them the four thousand; for he would teach us to take things as they are, and accommodate ourselves to them; to use what we have, and make the best of that which is. Here it was, as in the dispensing of the manna, "He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack."

In our Father's house, in our Master's house, there is bread enough, and to spare; there is a fulness in Christ which he communicates to all that passes through his hands; so that from it we receive, and grace for grace, John i. 16. Those need not fear wanting that have Christ to live upon. It is good for those that follow Christ to keep together; these followers of Christ continued in a body, four thousand of them together, and Christ fed them all. Christ's sheep must abide by the flock, and go forth by their footsteps, and verily they shall be fed.

10 ¶ And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha, 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 'Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 "And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is "because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? 'perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do you not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that "ye do not understand?

d Matt. xv. 39. e Matt. xii. 38, xvi. 1; John vi. 30. f Matt. xvi. 5. i Chap. vi. 52. k Matt. xiv. 20; chap. vi. 43; Luke ix. 17; John vi. 13.

k

g Matt. xvi. 6; Luke xii. 1. h Matt. xvi. 7. Matt. xv. 37; ver. 8. m Chap. vi. 52; ver. 17.

Still Christ is upon motion; now he visits the parts of Dalmanutha, that no corner of the land of Israel might say that they had not had his presence with them. He came thither by ship (ver. 10), but meeting with occasions of dispute there, and not with opportunities of doing good, he entered into the ship again (ver. 13), and came back. In these verses we are told,

How he refused to gratify the Pharisees, who challenged him to give them a sign from heaven. They came forth on purpose to question with him; not to propose questions to him, that they might learn of him, but to cross-question with him, that they might ensnare him.

They demanded of him a sign from heaven, as if the signs he gave them on earth, which were more familiar to them, and were more capable of being examined and inquired into, were not sufficient. There was a sign from heaven at his baptism, in the descent of the dove, and the voice (Matt. iii. 16, 17)-it was public enough; and if they had attended John's baptism, as they ought to have done, they might themselves have seen it. Afterward, when he was nailed to the cross, they prescribed a new sign,-"Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him;" thus obstinate infidelity will still have something to say, though ever so unreasonable. They demanded this sign, tempting him; not in hopes that he would give it them, that they might be satisfied, but in hopes that he would not, that they might imagine themselves to have a pretence for their infidelity. He denied them their demand. He sighed deeply in his spirit (ver. 12); being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, and the little influence that his preaching and miracles had had upon them.The infidelity of those that have long enjoyed the means of conviction, is a great grief to the Lord