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result from a work so greatly superior to all the power of the sons of men.

Having thus briefly addressed the mourners, he entered the chamber where the damsel was lying, but suffered none to follow him, except Peter, James, and John together with the father and mother of the damsel; probably his reason for suffering these only to be spectators of so stupendous a miracle, was that they might have an opportunity of examining the whole transac tion in the most careful manner, and be theuce enabled, afterwards, to report it upon the fullest conviction, and with every circumstance of credibility.

The blessed Jesus now approached the body, took her by the hand, and with a gentle voice, said, "Maid, arise." The heavenly command was instantly obeyed; the damsel arose, as from a sleep, and with all the appearance of health and vigour ; for Jesus commanded to give her something to eat a plain proof that she did not appear in the weak and languishing condition of a person worn out with disease, or even like one who had fainted away; a circumstance that abundantly proves the greatness and perfection of the miracle. It is therefore no wonder that her parents should be astonished at so stupendous a work, the fame of which was presently spread through all the neighbouring country; though Jesus who was in every sense above praise, and therefore never courted it, had strictly charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

These instances of power did the blessed Jesus display to convince the world that those who die in him are not dead; and that he hath the keys of life and death. Those also of the present age, who believe that the soul sleeps with the body, till the resurrection, would do well to consider the expression of the Evangelist, "her spirit came again." Luke viii. 55, which sufficiently shews that the No. 4.

soul exists separately, when the body is laid in the chambers of the grave.

Having performed this benevolent miracle, our blessed Saviour left the ruler's house, and was followed through the streets by two blind men, imploring assistance; nor did they implore in vain. The Redeemthe petitions of those who made application er of mankind was always ready to grant to him for relief. Accordingly, he was no sooner entered into the house, to avoid the thronging of the multitude, than he touched their eyes, and said, "According to your immediately the valuable gift of sight was faith, be it unto you." Matt. ix. 29. And bestowed upon them.

The blind men were so overjoyed at beholding the light, that though he charged published his fame in every part of the them to keep the miracle a secret, they country, being unwilling to conceal what, thought themselves obliged to divulge. in gratitude for so great a mercy, they

The men who had thus miraculously received their sight, being departed, the multitude brought unto him a "dumb man possessed with a devil." So moving a sight could not fail of attracting a compassionate regard from the Saviour of the world, who being never weary of well-doing, immediately cast out the apostate spirit; on which the dumb man recovered the use of his speech, and spake in a very rational manner to the multitude, who, with one voice declared, that such wondrous works were never wrought by any of the old prophets. "It was never so seen in Israel." Matt. ix. 33.

These works did not remove the prejudice' of the Pharisees, who being unable to deny, the miracle, insinuated that he did it by a power received from Beelzebub," the prince of the devils." A poor pretence indeed and did not escape the animadversion it deserved from the Saviour of the

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world, as we shall see in a succeeding chapter. Well might the prophet Isaiah cry out in a prophetic extacy, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?"

But all their calumnics could not provoke the neck and merciful Jesus, to cease from performing these compassionate offices for the children of men. On the contrary, he exerted himself still more and more, to promote the prosperity and salvation of the whole human race. And accordingly he left Capernaum, and travelled through the country in search of miserable objects, on whom he might confer happiness and peace; visiting "all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness, and every disease among the people." Matt. ix. 55.

In his return from this tour to Capernaum, he was attended by a great number of people, who expressed a more than common desire to hear the doctrines of the gospel. An incident abundantly sufficient to engage the attention of this divine teacher, who was always careful to cultivate the latent seeds of virtue, and cherish the least appearance of piety and religion.

It was not this desire of the people alone that excited his compassion towards them: he well knew they were wholly destitute of spiritual teachers; for the Scribes and Pharisees, who ought to have instructed them, were blind, perverse, and lazy guides, who, instead of seeking the glory of the Almighty, made it their whole business to support and augment their own. They magnified the ritual ceremonies and traditions; but took no care to inspire the people with a love of virtue. "To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God," were no parts of their doctrine. The small appearance of religion they entertained, was wholly hypocritical: and the disputes carried on with so much bitterness between the fac

tions of the Pharisees and Sadducees, distracted the minds of the people.

The inhabitants of Judea were truly in a deplorable situation, which called loudly for the compassion of the Son of God, who always regarded the descendants of Jacob, with the most tender affection. He saw the sheep of Israel scattered on the barren wastes of error and superstition, without a shepherd to lead them to the heavenly pastures of the law and the prophets. He saw, he commiserated their distress; and be resolved to provide some remedy for it. Accordingly, he directed his apostles to intercede with the Almighty, who by his servants the prophets had sown the seeds of piety and virtue in the minds of the Jews, that he would not suffer the rich harvest to be lost, for want of labourers; "the harvest (said the blessed Jesus to his disciples) truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Matt. ix. 37, 38.

To these gracious acts, he added the most powerful of all intercessions to the throne of grace, his own prevailing prayer. And accordingly ascended to the top of the mountain, and there spent the night in making the most powerful petitions in behalf of the lost sheep of Israel, to his heavenly Father."

Having spent the night in this pious exercise, he lost no time in putting his beneficent intentions in execution; for no sooner had darkness withdrawn her sable veil, and the blushing rays of the morning adorned the chambers of the east, than this benevolent Redeemer of mankind called his disciples unto him, and chose twelve, whom be named apostles, to be always with him; and that he might send them forth to preach. He ordered them to be constantly with bim, that they might learn from his own mouth the doctrines they were to preach to the whole world; that they might see his glory,

the transcendent glory of the virtues which adorned his human life; and that they might be witnesses of all the wondrous works he should perform, during his residence on the earth, and by which his mission from the courts of heaven was to be fully demonstrated.

These twelve persons thus qualified, were to supply the people with that spiritual food they so greatly wanted, both while their Master continued here below, and after his ascension to the right hand of

power.

Having ordained them to their respective offices, he sent them out by two and two, into the most distant parts of Judea, to preach there the glad tidings of the gospel, and prepare the way for their Master, the great Shepherd of Israel.

And that nothing might be wanting to render their preaching acceptable to the people, and confirm the important doctrines they delivered, he invested them with full power to cure all diseases, cast out devils, and even to raise the dead.

Perhaps the number of the twelve apostles was fixed upon, rather than any other, to shew that God intended, by their ministry, to gather together the scattered remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel. But be that as it may, these twelve apostles constantly continued with Jesus, from the time of their election, till he offered himself a sacrifice on the cross for the sins of mankind, never departing from him, unless by his own appointment.

All these persons being illiterate Galileans, and at first destitute of all the qualifications necessary in the discharge of their duty, integrity alone excepted, were the most unlikely persons in the world to confound the wisdom of the wise, baffle the power of the mighty, overturn the many false religions which then flourished every

where under the protection of the civil government; and, in short, to reform the manners of mankind, then universally corrupted.

Had the choice of instruments for so grand au undertaking, been committed to human prudence, such doubtless would have been chosen as were remarkable for learning, strong reasoning, and prevailing eloquence. But behold the wisdom of God, infinitely superior to that of man, acted very differently; for the treasure of the gospel was committed to earthen vessels, that the excellency of its power might in all countries appear to be of God.

Accordingly, the religion which these illiterate Galileans taught through the world, exhibited a far juster notion of things, than the Grecian and Roman philosophers were able to attain, though their lives were spent in study and contemplation. Hence, by its own intrinsic splendor, as well as by the external glory of the miracles that accompanied it, this religion sufficiently appeared to be wholly original and divine.

Besides, its truth and diguity was sufficiently attested, by the remarkable success that attended it. It was received every where, by the bulk of the people, with the highest applause, as something they had been hitherto seeking in vain; while the maxims and precepts of the philosophers never spread farther than their respective schools.

It was therefore with the highest wisdopr that the foundations of the church were laid in the labours of a few illiterate fishermen ; for it demonstrated, with irresistible evidence, that the immense fabric was at first raised, and is still sustained, not by the arm of man, but by the hand of the Governor of the universe.

After appointing twelve apostles, he came down from the mountain, and was

joyfully received by multitudes of people, who were waiting for him in the plain, and pressed to touch him; well knowing, that if they could only touch the border of his garment, they should be healed of whatever distemper they were afflicted with. A sufficient reason why they were continually waiting for him, and were willing to accom pany him, even into the remotest corners of the wilderness.

The preaching and miracles of our Lord were not attended to by the low and vulgar only; persons of the first rank and character came from distant parts of the country, to converse with him, hear his doctrine, and be spectators of his wonderful works. It therefore evidently appears, that persons of all ranks were desirous of following him: and their desire could be founded on nothing but the truth of his miracles.

After healing all the sick among the mul titude, he turned towards his disciples, and delivered a divine discourse something like that he had before preached to them on the mountain; but in the former, he only pronounced blessings, whereas in the latter he added curses also; and in this principally it differs from that recorded by St. Matthew I shall therefore only select a few passages from the sermon now delivered, as I have given a large paraphrase on the former.

"Woe unto you that are rich, for you have received your consolation." Luke vi. 24. Riches, considered in themselves, have no tendency to render us the objects of the Almighty's hatred, unless accompanied with those vices, which too often flow from an opulent fortune; as luxury, covetousness, and the like. The woe, therefore, is here denounced against such only, as are contaminated with these vices; for those who make a proper use of their wealth, and possess the virtues which would accompany affluence, have no share in the maledic

tion.

"Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger." The pain ye shall suffer, in a future life, shall be sharp and excruciating. The opportunities you neglected of doing good to your afflicted brethren, in this life, shall then be remembered with the most poignant grief, and bewailed with the most bitter lamentations.

"Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep." This malediction of our blessed Saviour is most inconsistent with the apostle's precepts, which command people always to rejoice. Neither is the mirth against which the woe is here denounced, to be understood of that constant cheerfulness of temper, which arises in the breast of true Christians, from the comfortable and cheerful doctrine with which they are enlightened by the gospel, the assu rance they have of reconciliation with God, the hope they have of everlasting life, and the pleasure they enjoy in the practice of virtue, and the other duties of religion : but it relates to that turbulent, carnal mirth ; that excessive levity and vanity of spirit, which arises not from any solid foundation, but from immoderate sensual pleasures, or those vain amusements of life, in which the giddy and the gay contrive to spend their time; that sort of mirth which dissipates thought, leaves no time for consideration, and gives them an utter aversion to all serious reflection. Persons who constantly indulge themselves in this kind of mirth, shall weep and mourn, eternally, when they are excluded from the joys of heaven, and banished for ever from the presence of God, by the light of whose countenance all the righteous are enlivened, and made transcendently happy.

"Woe unto you when all men shall speak. well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets." false prophets." Woe unto you, if by propagating such doctrines as encourage men in sin, you shall gain to yourselves the ap-. plause and flattery of the generality of men ; for thus in old times did the false prophets

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and deceivers, who accommodating their doctrines to the lusts and passions of men, gained their applause, but incurred the wrath of an all-seeing just God.

- CHAP. X.

Continuation of our Lord's glorious Doctrines, beneficent Acts, and astonishing Miracles, wrought in Confirmation of his Divine Mission, and the extending of his heavenly Kingdom.

THE Divine Preacher, having closed this excellent sermon, he repaired to Capernaum, and was met by certain messengers from a Centurion, desiring him to come and heal a servant, who was dear to him, and ready to die.

This Centurion, from the account given of him by the evangelist, seems to have been a proselyte to the Jewish religion, as he was a lover of the sons of Jacob, and had erected for them a place of worship; and accordingly the inhabitants of Capernaum, strongly espoused his cause, on this occasion, saying, " that he was worthy for whom he should do this. For he loveth our na

tion, and he hath built us a synagogue."

Luke vii. 4, 5.

There was not the least danger that this petition would be rejected by the blessed Jesus, who sought all occasions of doing good to the children of men. Accordingly, he very readily accompanied the messengers; but before he came to the house, he was met by some of the Centurion's friends, who expressed the high idea that officer entertained of his power, and desired that he would not take the trouble of coming to his house, as his word was abundantly sufficient to perform the cure. At this message, Jesus turned hin self about, and said to the multitude, "I say unto you, I have not

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found so great faith, no not in Israel." Luke vii. 9.

The persons having delivered their message, returned to the house, and found the servant who had been sick, perfectly recovered.

Many persons have thought that this miracle, and that mentioned in Matt. vii. are the same; but this is a mistake. The Cen turion, in the former, came in person, but. in the latter, the petition was sent by the elders of Capernaum. There is not the least hint, in the first miracle, that the Centurion was a proselyte; but he, in the second, is said to have been a lover of the Jewish nation, and to have built them a synagogue. Several other particulars, which prove these miracles to have been really different, will easily occur to the reader, and therefore we shall not here enumerate

them; what has been said will, we presume, be sufficient to remove any objection that may be offered against our considering them as different transactions.

Centurion's servant, he repaired to Peter's Having thus miraculously healed the house to eat bread: but the multitude came again together and surrounded the manding, in all probability, that he would house in a very tumultuous manner, de

heal their sick and it was not without

difficulty they were dispersed by his friends.

called unto him the twelve apostles he had The multitude being dispersed, Jesus before chosen, and conferred on them the of the doctrines they were appointed to power of working miracles, in confirmation preach, and delivered them such instructhem to discharge the duties of this importions as he thought necessary to enable tant commission.

"Go (said their heavenly Master) and preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Publish in every corner of Judea,

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