people might have said, as, indeed, the Pharisees did say, he is in league with the 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.

He was a common good, and must be everywhere: he is not less so now, but even more. He has a work to do in us, and he is ready to enter upon it. He is alike present everywhere; and, to our comfort, will never depart from us, if we are but willing to keep him.

The kingdom of God, is his kingdom of grace here, and of glory hereafter. One is the entrance into, and beginning of the other. The state is the same; only it is perfected in heaven; and if we are not in this kingdom before we die, we are lost to it for ever. Lord, open our eyes, and take us into thyself, that thou mayest receive us into thine everlasting kingdom in heaven.

SECTION XVI.

Chap. v. ver. 1-11.

THE MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES.

1. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2. And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

When the people pressed upon Christ to hear the word of God, he was not offended at their rudeness: indeed they could not please him more. O that we were as desirous and eager to hear it! Remember it is the word of God, which they would hear. It comes from God, and leads to

God. What else can so much concern us? And what are we, if we do not read, and apply it? We are most certainly unconverted and unbelieving persons. Every soul is in a starving condition, which does not hunger after this food: I do not mean that the word of God of itself is the life of our souls, but as it sends us to Christ.

3. And he entered into one of the ships, which was 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.

Christ taught them according to their desire, and he is never wanting to ours. We must, however, keep in mind, that he can do us no good, without our desires are to him. He not only taught them, but did more than they expected. He provided for their future instruction, by sending out his disciples. And he still provides for the instruction of all, by calling others to help with him, in the work of man's salvation.

4. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

By the ready obedience of Peter we may know, that Christ had already taken some hold of him. So every believer says, Master, at thy word, I will hope against hope, do anything, and everything.

6. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net brake.

The inclosure of so many fishes gives encouragement to us to proceed at the bidding of Christ. Our work under him will as certainly prosper as that of the disciples.

7. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they

came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Peter felt himself unworthy of so great a favour, unworthy to stand before Jesus, and dreading his presence. He was, what he said, a sinful man. This circumstance did not hinder him from being called. Christ had no choice but such: and some say, the apostles were not less sinners than others, but greater. However that is, fear not,

whosoever thou art. Christ has mercy for thee; and can

change thee into another man, as he did them.

9. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken :

10. And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Peter is informed that he should catch more men by the preaching of the gospel, than he had caught fishes in the net. How many thousands, or millions Peter has, by his preaching and writings caught, God only knows. Has the gospel-net caught us? Men may be in it by baptism, and attention to the ordinances of divine worship. But of what kind are we? for we are told that the net has in it bad, as well as good.

11. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Every one must forsake all, who will follow Christ. He need not forsake his calling in life; but he must forsake everything, in will and affection, so as clearly to give Christ the preference. Lord, increase our faith.

SECTION XVII.

Chap. v. ver. 12—27.

THE LEPER, AND THE SICK MAN HEALED.

12. And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold

a man full of leprosy; who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

The leprosy was a loathsome distemper in Judæa, and incurable by human means. It is a lively picture of our defilement by means of sin, and our loathsomeness in the sight of God. And the cure is recorded that we might know where to go for ours. The leper fell on his face before Jesus: fall on thy knees, O sinner, and beseech him, as for thy life, to take away thy sin. He can do it, and none else is able. And he will do it, whenever he sees thee humbled at his feet, but not before.

13. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

When Christ says, I will, be thou clean, to us, it is our cleansing. Not our own repentance, or works. The leper came to him, and fell down before him, as we must; but that did not make him clean. The mercy of God, spoken by Christ, does that for all.

14. And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Here Christ showed a becoming regard to a legal appointment; and that the priests, seeing the miracle, might, if they pleased, believe in him. God does not, in any case, leave himself without witness in the hearts of men.

15. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

In consequence of the fame of the miracles of Christ at this time, great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. It must be repeated, again and again, that this was the end of Christ's miracles to us, as well as to them: and that hearing of his miracles, or even believing them, can signify nothing to us, if it does not bring every one of us to him for healing. And we

VOL. II.

must be brought with a true knowledge of ourselves, and our distempers; for otherwise, we only come to him in hypocrisy.

16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

He prayed for himself and us, that we might learn by his example to pray for ourselves: let us find time, and retire for that purpose. This we should do, if we knew our work, and our need of support, as Christ did.

17. And it came to pass, on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

This full manifestation of the miraculous power of Christ to heal diseases, was made under the immediate eye of the most learned assembly which could be convened. The means of conviction that Jesus was the Christ were abundant, but alas! when men are in love with the world, no evidence will make a lasting impression on their hearts.— Edit.

18. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

19. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

20. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

This additional mercy was probably more than the paralytic, or his friends, expected. They seem to have thought of nothing but a bodily cure. But Jesus knew the man's faith, and sent him away whole, in soul and body. And herein he teaches us, 1st, That sin is at the root of our bodily disorders, and that they should put us upon considering how the case stands with our souls: 2ndly, We are taught what is the greatest benefit in Christ's account,