After John was imprisoned, and || course astonished the audience; but the Pharisees had taken the alarm at his mean birth, and want of liberal the multitude of the followers of Je- education, prepossessed them against sus, he left Judea, and retired north- him. He told them, it was common ward to Galilee. Ardent concern for || for prophets to be contemned in their the salvation of lost sinners, determi- own country: he shewed them, from ned him to take Samaria in his way. the case of Elijah and Elisha, that Fatigued with his journey, he rested they had small reason to expect to be himself at Jacob's well, hard by Sy- much blessed with his miracles. In char, while his disciples went to the a rage, they dragged him to the top town to buy some provision. Here of the hill whereon their city was he conversed with a Samaritan har-built, and intended to throw him down bot; and notwithstanding her mani-headlong. By his divine power he fold shifts, shewed himself the all-re rescued himself, and left the place, freshful and life-giving gift of God; || John iv. 43–53. Luke iv. 14-30. convinced her of her whoredom and Next we find him at Capernaum on wickedness; informed her of the spi- || the borders of the lot of Zebulun and ritual nature of divine worship, and Naphtali. There, as was anciently assured her he was the Messiah. A-foretold, he instructed the inhabitants, larmed with her commendation of called them to change their erronehim, her neighbours came and receiv-ous sentiments and evil courses, since ed his instruction: many of them believed on him. This, he informed his disciples, was a near presage of the conversion of the Gentiles, John iii. " 22-36. and iv. 1-42.

evil spirit cried out of a possessed person, Why do you disturb us? are you come to torment us before the time? Jesus ordered him to leave the person, which, after hideous roaring, and terrible distortion of the man, he was obliged to do. Soon after, by a touch and a word of command, he

the New Testament dispensation of the gospel was at hand. Here he called Peter and Andrew, James and John, to leave their employment of fishing, and go with him to preach When he was returned to Galilee, the gospel, for the salvation of men: numbers, who had seen his miracles [the first two he rewarded, for the use at Jerusalem, with wonder attended of their boat to preach in, with a mihis instructions. When he was at raculous draught of fishes.] As he Cana, a nobleman of Capernaum hear-one day taught in a synagogue, an ing of his fame, came and begged he would come and cure his son, who lay at the point of death. Jesus replied, it was unreasonable that they would not believe his heavenly doctrines without miraculous signs. He bade the nobleman go, and he would find his son recovered. By the way, the nobleman's servants met him, and in-healed Peter's mother-in-law of her formed him, that the child's fever had fever: she rose directly, and gave him left him, just at the very time Jesus victuals. That evening he healed a had intimated his recovery. The no- number of possessed and diseased bleman, and his whole family, believ-persons with the touch of his hand. ed in Jesus, as the promised Messiah. Next morning he employed himself In his course through Galilee, Jesus in solemn prayer; and, notwithstandcame to Nazareth his native abode.ing the entreaties of his disciples According as usual, he, on Sabbath, stood up, and read, and expounded the scripture in the synagogue. The passage he insisted on, was the 61st of Isaiah, respecting his mission and qualification for his work. His dis

and others, he departed thence, to preach in the other synagogues of Galilee. The fame of his miracles spread through Canaan, and part of Syria: they brought multitudes of distressed persons, chiefly such as were incura

met him, and represented, that the centurion thought himself unworthy of his presence, and begged that he would command a cure at a distance, and it would be effected. Jesus sig nified his great pleasure in the strong faith of this Gentile soldier; and observed it was a presage, that many of the Heathen nations should be quickly converted to the church, and brought to the heavenly mansions, when the body of the Jewish nation should be excluded, and plunged into temporal or eternal misery. [The dis

ble by physicians, and he healed them est invitation, Jesus went along with all, Matth. iv. 12-25. Mark i. 15-them. By the way, other messengers 40. Luke v. 1-11. and iv. 34-44. Great multitudes attending him, he went up to a mountain, and instructed them concerning the blessedness of persons truly religious. He shewed the excellency and usefulness of good works: he shewed, that the divine law was unalterable in its moral precepts; and prohibits malice, angry words, lascivious looks, toleration of beloved lusts, and profane swearing of every kind: he inculcated the most humble and peaceful behaviour towards others: the love of enemies, and the universal imitation of a graci-case left the servant, as his master ous God in all that we do: he taught had believed, at the command of them the inatter and manner of pray- Christ,] Mark i. 40—46. Matth. viii. er, the manner of alms-giving and 1-18. Luke vii. 1-10. fasting: he shewed them the duty of heavenly thoughts and affections, and of confident trusting in God with respect to outward concerns, and of chiefly seeking a saving interest in his kingdom and righteousness: he prohibited rash judging of others, or doing to them what we would not wish done to ourselves; he inculcated earnest prayer, and diligent endeavours to receive the Lord Jesus, and to walk in him: he warned them to avoid false teachers, and beware of resting on outward shadows of godliness. The important matter, and affectionate and solemn manner of his discourse, aston-go and take farewell of his relations; ished his audience, Matth. v. vi. vii. Jesus told him, that, if he was weary Leaving that mountain, he went to- of his work, he was unfit to be a ward Capernaum. In a village near chief founder of the New-Testament to it, he healed a supplicant leper, or- church. While Jesus and his discidered him to conceal the miracle of ples crossed the sea, there happened his cure, and to go and offer for his a terrible storm. By reason of facleansing. The leper blazed the mat- tigue, and to try the faith of his disciter abroad; and multitudes hearing ples he fell asleep. They awoke him, of it applied for cures. Jesus retired, and begged he would rescue them and spent some time in solemn and from ruin. After reproving the weaksecret prayer. He had scarce enter- ness of their faith, he ordered the ed Capernaum, when a centurion ve- storm to cease. A calm ensued.ry friendly to their nation, and who The mariners were astonished, and had built them a synagogue, sent some the ship quickly reached the eastern respectable Jews to beg he would shore. They had scarce landed in come and heal his servant, who lay at the territory of the Gadarenes or Gerthe point of death. Upon their earn-gasenes, when two possessed persons,

VOL. I.

To shun the crowds, Jesus intended to cross the sea of Tiberias to the eastward. As he travelled to the shore, a scribe, expecting outward advancement, offered to become his disciple. Jesus knowing his heart, told him he needed expect no carnal profits or honour in following him, as himself had not so much as any settled abode. About the same time, one of his disciples begged leave to go and bury his father: Jesus admonished him to leave worldly cares to worldly men dead in sin, and attend to the preaching of the gospel. Another begged allowance to

2 N

the one so uncommonly furious, that || bloody issue, and who had spent all he could not be confined, nor kept from she had on physicians, without being tearing his own flesh, among tombs a whit bettered, depending on his miand rocks, met him. From these Je- raculous virtue, by touching the hem sus ejected some thousands of devils; of his garment, was made perfectly which, at his permission, entering an whole. Finding she could not conherd of swine, carried them furiously ceal the matter, she confessed the into the lake and drowned them.- whole to his honour, and was dismisThus, at once, he discovered the rea-sed with a blessing. Meanwhile, the lity of the possession, and the terrible tendency thereof; he manifested his own power, and punished the Jews for breeding of swine contrary to their law. The owners besought him to leave their country. The person who had been most furious, begged, that he and his companion might attend him; but being ordered to go home and tell their friends what deliverance had been granted them, they readily obeyed, Matth. viii. 18. Luke ix. 57-62. and viii. 22-40.Mark v. 1-20. Jesus returned to Capernaum; multitudes, Pharisees, and doctors of the law, assembled about him, and were instructed. Miracles a-new confirmed his doctrine. One afflicted with the palsy, was let down by the roof before Jesus, as the crowd hindered his friends to bring him in by the door. He healed him; and, to the enraging of the Pharisees, declared his sins forgiven. Matthew, a publican, he called to be one of his apostles. At a feast in his house, he vindicated his eating with publicans and sinners; and signified, it was such persons, not righteous ones, who had no sin, that he came to call to repentance: he vindicated his not yet imposing fasting, or other austere duties of religion on his disciples, since they were no more able to bear them, than old bottles were to preserve new wine; or new cloth was proper to mend an old garment; or than an appetite used to old wine, was desirous of new. Meanwhile, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came, and begged he would come and cure his daughter, who appeared in a dangerous condition. As he went along, a woman, distressed for twelve years with a

ruler's daughter died. Jesus restored her to life. In his return from the ruler's house, he cured two blind men, and dislodged the devil from one that was dumb. Though the Pharisees ascribed these miracles to magic, and collusion with Satan, he went on || preaching, and healing the distressed, Matth. ix. Mark ii. 1-21. Luke v. 18-39. and viii. 41-56.

Moved with compassion to the multitudes who crowded to hear his instructions, he required his disciples to pray, that the Holy Ghost, the Lord of the spiritual harvest, would speedily provide a competent number of preachers. After spending a whole night in prayer, he set apart Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, to his work. He ordered them to go by two's, into all the cities of Israel, preach the gospel and work miracles, for the relief of the distressed: he directed them to rely on the care of Heaven for their subsistence; to lodge with persons of probity; to give a solemn testimony against the rejecters of their message; to behave themselves with meekness, innocence, and prudence; and to persevere in their work, notwithstanding the most fiery persecutions. After descending from the mountain, he gave the multitude present a summary rehearsal of his former sermon on the mount. As he travelled along from that place, he raised the only son of a widow of Nain to life, as he was carried out to his grave, Matth. ix. 36, 37, 38. and x. Mark iii. 13-19. Luke vi. 13-19. vii. 11-16. and ix. 1-6.

[John Baptist, to confirm his own || remarked, that as his Father con faith or that of his disciples, sent two tinued his work of providence every of them from his prison] to ask Jesus day, it was proper he shouid follow himself, whether he was the true Mes- his pattern, in doing good on the Sabsiah? Jesus ordered them to inform bath. His challenging God for his John of the miracles which they had Father, occasioned their charging scen performed, and the gospel they him with blasphemy: in reply to had heard preached to the poor, and which, he largely vindicated his dilet him judge for himself. He com- vine Sonship and mission, Luke vii. mended John to the multitude pre- || 36-50. and viii. 1, 2, 3. John v. sent; and remarked, that neither the Next Sabbath, being the second after austere behaviour of John, nor his the first day of unleavened bread, he own more social deportment, had and his disciples walked through been capable to gain that hardened some cornfields. In their hunger, generation to the faith and obedience || the disciples plucked, and eat some of the truth. About this time the ears of the corn. The Pharisees were twelve returned, and informed him offended. Jesus excused his disciples, of their success. He rejoiced in spi- from their hunger and necessity; rerit, and thankfully adored his Father's marking, that, in a like case, David sovereignty, in revealing his truth to and his servants had eaten the halpersons poor and weak, while he con-lowed shew-bread; and that on the cealed it from the wise and prudent. Sabbath, the priests, in offering their He upbraided Chorazin, Bethsaida, oblations, did things otherwise unlawand Capernaum, for their inattention || ful on the Sabbath-day; and that himto his instructions and miracles, and threatened their ruin: but invited sinners weary and heavy laden with sin or distress, to come to him for spiritual rest, Matth. xi. Luke vii. 16-35. Returning to Capernaum, he was entertained by Simon, a wealthy Pharisee. A woman who had been notoriously wicked, probably Mary Magdalene, washing his feet with her tears, and wiping them with her hair, occasioned an excellent discourse concerning pardon of sin, as the cause of evangelic love. Soon after he went up to Jerusalemlem, Idumea, Perea, or the country to keep the passover with his disciples, and with Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna and others, who ministered to him for his subsistence. At Jerusalem, he cured the impotent man, who had lain 38 years to no purpose at the pool of Bethesda, and ordered him to mark the perfection of his cure, by his carrying of his bed. As it was the Sabbath-day, the Jews being informed that Jesus was his adviser, resolved to have him punished. In his own defence, he

self was Lord of the Sabbath, and had made it for the real welfare of mankind. Next Sabbath he healed a man who had a withered hand. To vindicate himself, he remarked, that it was usual to draw a sheep or ox out of a ditch on that day, and hence certainly lawful to cure a man. The Pharisees were mad with rage; and along with the Herodians, plotted to put him to death.

The omniscient Saviour, knowing their designs, retired to Capernaum. Here vast multitudes from Jerusa

eastward of Jordan, and from Tyre, Sidon and Galilee, attended him; a multitude of diseases he healed, and cast out many evil spirits. In his return from the sea-side to his lodging, such numbers attended him for cures and instruction, that his friends almost forcibly carried him away, to take some food, saying he was beside himself, or would certainly faint, though he seemed insensible of it. Not long after, he cured one whom a Satanic possession had rendered both blind and dumb. The multitude were

amazed; but the Pharisees ascribed the stony, thorny, and good soil, he his cures to infernal influence. Know-represented the different effect of the ing their thoughts, Jesus remarked, gospel, on careless, hard-hearted, cartheir absurdity, in imagining that Sa-nal and serious souls. By that of the tan would cast out Satan; and their tares among the wheat, he shewed, self-contradiction, in attributing that that hypocrites and wicked men, will in his case to Satan, which, in the continue among the saints till the end case of their own children, they ascrib- of the world, and then be fully sepa ed to the Spirit of God. He assured rated, and wrathfully cast into hellthem, that the ascription of his, or his fire. By the gradual growth of corn, apostles' miracles to Satan, contrary he represented the gradual but imto the clearest evidence, should never perceptible, growth of his church, be forgiven them. Unaffected by this and of the graces of his people. By awakening discourse, they demanded the parable of a grain of mustard-seed, that he would confirm his mission by he shewed, that, from the smallest a visible sign from heaven. Alluding beginnings, and by the weaker means, to the typical fate of Jonah, he told his church should gradually become them that no new kind of sign should large, fill the whole earth, and afford be allowed them, but his resurection spiritual rest and refuge to the Hea from the dead on the third day. He then world. By that of the leaven, assured them, that the Ninevites, who he suggested, that the gospel-dispenrepented at the preaching of Jonah, sation, in its doctrines and influence, and the queen of Sheba, who so ad- should gradually affect multitudes, mired the wisdom of Solomon, would, and bring them to the obedience of in the last judgment, bear witness a- faith. By that of the treasure hid in gainst the impenitence and unbelief the field, he signified, that himself and of the Jewish nation; and by the pa- his truth, found in the field of his rable of an evil spirit going out, and word, will, with every wise man, far returning of his own accord, suggest-overbalance every other consideration. ed, that the means used to reform By that of the pearl of great price, them, were like to occasion their he suggested that men ought to posreduction to the most wretched condi- sess themselves of himself, and the tion. A woman present, and affected blessings of the gospel, whatever it with his discourse, cried out, that she may cost them. By that of the net was blessed, who had borne such a cast into the sea, he represented, that son. Jesus replied that it was not by means of the gospel-dispensation, natural relation to him or any other, many of different kinds and nations, but faith and obedience to God's should be brought into the church; word, that marked one truly blessed. and that at the last day, the good Meanwhile, his mother and other should be separated from the bad, friends desired to speak with him; these go into everlasting punishment, he suggested to the multidtude, that but the righteous into life eternal. he esteemed his disciples and others, Returning to his lodging, he private who obeyed his heavenly Father, his ly explained these parables to his di most near and beloved relatives a-sciples, and required them to ponder mong men, Matth. xii. Mark ii. 23 -28. and iii. Luke vi. 6—12. and xi. 14-32.

A great multitude assembling to hear him, Jesus retired from the city to the shore, and taught the people from a ship. By the parable of the seed falling on the way-side, and on

his instructions; that as lights in the world, they might be qualified to teach others, Matth. xiii. Mark iv. Luke viii. 419. Leaving Capernaum, he repaired to Nazareth: the inhabitants still imagined that his mean pedigree and education were a sufficient proof that he was an impostor. Their unbelief