down the mountain's side, and approaching the confines of the lake, leaped from the rocks and precipices into the sea, and the whole herd perished in the waters. The persons, who but a moment before, were roaring, raving, and cutting themselves, were now become calm and composed; they were become mild and gen tle, having recovered the use of their reason, and being now proper members of society, they, doubtless, believed in the Son of God.

The keepers of the herd, astonished at this Surprising event, ran into the city, in the utmost terror and amazement, and related the cure of the men who had been possessed with devils, and the destruction of the swine. This wonderful report threw the whole city into the utmost consternation, and the inhabitants in crowds, left their houses, to be spectators of the strange event. They saw the men sitting at the feet of JESUS, and in their right minds; but as they were conscious of having committed a trespass against the law of Moses, by keeping such numbers of swine, which were strictly forbid to be eaten, they were afraid, and seemed to expect some severer judgment: they might have been convinced of the goodness and compassion of the great person who had performed these wonders, by the cure of the men; but they were afraid, and meekly be sought our Lord to depart from their country.

The stupid Gadarenes, had they known how great a benefit they might have received by attending on the illustrious person who had worked such wonders amongst them, would not have been so cruel to themselves, as to have presented such a petition. It is true they had lost their swine, but had received two of their countrymen and fellow creatures: these happy men were delivered from the power of the Devil, and their country was freed from so intolerable a burden; and the benefit they might have received to their souls, by attending on our great Redeemer and hearing his

words, would have been of greater value than the cattle on a thousand hills.

The blessed JESUS, however thought fit to comply with the request of the foolish Gadarenes, and soon returned to the country from whence he came. The persons who were happily delivered from the power of the Devil, desired to accompany him, but our Lord ordered them to remain in their own country, as a standing monument of his divine power and goodness: Go home to thy friends, said our exalted Redeemer to one of them, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

It may be remarked on this miracle, that here we have a fuller display of the tyranny and power of the Devil, than in any other part of Scripture; and therefore it is fit to be recommended, to the serious attention of those infidels, who, like the Sadducees, will not believe in the existence of spirits, and scoff at the power of the Devil. Let such persons behold the picture of these unhappy men possessed by the devil, as drawn by the evangelists: they were driven from their abodes, and from the society of men; one of them was so fierce that he could not be confined, but broke chains of iron like a burnt thread, and fetters like rotten wood; he frequented the most solitary places, and filled the desert with more dreadful howlings, than the wild beasts; he dwelt amongst the tombs, and abode in the dismal and solitary mansions of the dead, forlorn and naked, crying out day and night, cutting himself with stones, and tearing his own desh.

If such person would give themselves time to conşider this dreadful representation of human misery, surely their scoffs would be changed into compassion for these unhappy creatures, and fearful apprehensions for themselves; surely they would no longer scoff at the power of the Devil, nor the pains of eternal dam

nation. It would certainly be more worthy the superior wisdom they boast of, to be cautious and diffident; they are men, and surely they will allow that it is possible they may be mistaken and when their eternal interest is at stake, one would think they might condescend to consider. But if they

will deride, and still persist in their unbelief, a short space of time will convince them of their fatal error; and dreadful experience force them to confess the greatness of the tyranny, and the bitterness of the malice, of this prince of darkness, against the souls of men. May they see the error of their conduct, and be enabled, by the Divine Spirit, sincerely to repent of their evil thoughts, and perverse ways, and seek the things which belong to their eternal peace.

The blessed JESUS, with his disciples, being landed in Galilee, he soon repaired to Capernaum; no sooner was his arrival known, than great multitudes resorted to him; the house where he was could not contain them, nor even the court before the door.-He preached the doctrines and duties of his gospel to the listening throng, amongst whom were many Pharisees and doctors of the law, whom the fame of his miracles had brought from distant countries to behold his person, and hear his words.

He not only, by his preaching, represented the great precepts and principles of his religion, in a plain and striking point of light, but worked such miracles amongst them, as were sufficient to convince every judicious, unprejudiced, and impartial enquirer after truth, of his divine mission; and he proved himself to be the Son of God, by those illustrious and benevolent actions, which God only could perform.

Amongst many other instances of his almighty power and God-like benevolence, was that of his restoring a person to perfect health, who had long been afflicted with the palsy, and was reduced by that deplorable disorder, to the most melancholy and distressful

condition he was unable to move any member of his body, and was become an helpless bundle of misery and distress. In this deplorable condition, he was carried in his bed, with design to have petitioned our Lord to take pity on his distress, and exert that healing power, for which he was so remarkable in his relief. The multitudes who surrounded our Lord, had filled the house, and pressed so close, that it was impossible to bring the sick person into his presence. The persons that carried this miserable object, perceiving the difficulty which attended their design, took the lame man to the top of the house, lying in his bed. The houses in Judea had flat roofs, with battlements round them, according to the command of the law, Deut. xxii. 8. On these roofs there was a kind of trap-door, by which they came up from the house upon the roof, where they spent a considerable part of the day. It was also common to have a flight of stairs from the garden to the roof of the house, by which the persons who carried the sick must be supposed to have ascended. When they came to the roof, they found the door shut but being resolved, if possible, to compass their design, they uncovered the roof, and by ropes let down the sick of the paisy, lying on his bed, into the midst of the company before JESUS. Our Redeemer seeing the faith of the friends of the afflicted person, had compassion on him, and spake aloud, Son be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.

These words gave great offence to the Scribes and Pharisees, who said in their hearts, This man speaketh blasphemy; for he takes to himself that which belongs only to his maker. Who can forgive sins but God only? They were ignorant of the high dignity of the person who pronounced the words, and they murmured against him in their hearts. But JESUS, who knew what passed in the inmost recesses of their minds, was willing to let them understand that he was endued with the Spirit of God; and to convince them that he knew their thoughts, he said unto them, Why think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is it easier

to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, take up thy bed and walk? By these words our Lord might have convinced them that he had really a right to forgive sins; for certainly it must be easier to forgive sins, than to remove the punishment which is inflicted on men for sin. As therefore it was apparent our Lord had power to perform the latter, why should it be questioned whether he had a right to pronounce the former; but these haughty teachers of Israel cherished a gloomy rancour in their hearts, and, frowning, held their peace. Our Lord then turned to the diseased person, and said, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

No sooner had our great Redeemer spoken these words than the diseased person was perfectly restored to his former health and strength; and, to the astonishment of the surrounding multitude, arose, took up his bed, and departed to his own house, praising and glorifying God; while the affected beholders, with the highest acclamations, joined the praise, and glorified the God of Israel, who had given such power unto man; but the Scribes and Pharisees, however confounded they were at the miracle, still persisted in their unbelief,. an instance which should fill us with the most serious thoughts, as it demonstrates that a pride of heart, which produces an haughty self-sufficiency, and generates an obstinate and determined hatred and opposition to the truth, and by suspending and stupifying all the noble powers of the soul, operates like the palsy of the mind, is a much more dreadful and deplorable disease than the palsy of the body.

Our adorable Redeemer having performed this miracle, departed to the sea-side; and a multitude of people gathering about him, he made use of the favourable opportunity to enlighten their dark minds with the rays of heavenly truth. What were the particular points he chose, the evangelists have not informed us; but we may safely conclude that these discourses, like