with cords in the midst before Jesus, as he was conferring with the doctors. He knew the cause of this extraordi nary manner of conveying this poor diseased wretch to him, and being pleased with their faith, he saith to the sick man, "Son, be comforted, thy sins are forgiven thee," This expression offended the Scribes and Pharisees, thinking it to be blasphemy, and that none but God could forgive sins; wherefore the blessed Jesus, to verify his absolution in proportion to their understandings (for the Jews believed that all afflictions were punishments for sin, and that removing the punishment was forgiving the sin) to prove that his sins were forgiven him, removed that which they supposed to be the effect of his sin, and by curing the palsy prevented their farther murmur about the pardon: "That ye might know," says he," that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, he saith to the sick of the palsy, Arise,* take up thy bed and walk." Immediately, the man arose up among them, and took up the bed or mattrass on which he lay, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all amazed: and being fully convinced by ocular demonstration, and satisfied according to their own principles, they could no longer deny or disown that power which God had so visi bly bestowed on his blessed Son Jesus; which struck them with fear and amazement, and inspired them all with the spirit of praise to thank and glorify God: which none did more joyfully than the restored paralytic, who, all the way he returned to his habitation, praised God for his

mercy.

It was not long after the performance of this mighty cure, that Jesus again walked toward the sea, and as he passed on his way thither, seeing Matthew the publicant

See Luke v. 19. Thus Dr. Shaw and other travellers describe the houses of the east. See also Doddridge and Calmet.

* Arise, Matt. ix, 1. Mark ii. 1. Luke v. 18.

+ Publican. Though the office of publican among the Romans was very honour. able, yet among both Jews and Greeks, the name and persons were odious, not only because they were strangers, but because the Jews stood upon the charter of their nation and privilege of their religion, that none of them should pay tribute;

sitting at the receipt* of custom, he ordered him to follow him. Matthew no sooner hears the divine summons but he obeys, and readily quits his office, and all those dazling heaps of gold, which command all things else, but have not power enough to bribe his longer stay with them. Matthew being thus called, invites his master to a feast, to which he had also invited many of his brethren publicans, and others. But the Pharisees, when they saw that he eat with publicans and sinners (for so they called all besides themselves) murmured and whispered against Christ, and expostulated with his disciples, why their master and themselves would do that which was so contrary to the Jewish law, namely, to eat and drink with heathens, and those that conversed with them? But Jesus undertaking the argument, gave so fair an account of his intercourse with those persons, that the objection turned to his praise ; for he conversed with them, because they were sinners: and it was as if a physician should be reproved for his communication with sick persons: therefore was he sent, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, to advance the reputation of mercy above the rites of sacrifice. They farther urged the practice of John's disciples, who fasted often; but that the disciples of Jesus did not fast. In answer to which Jesus tells them, that the case of his disciples was the same with those to whom the bridegroom was come in person to espouse the church; but that the days should come when the bridegroom should be taken from them, and that in those days they should fast.

During this interview and argument between the blessed Jesus and the proud Pharisees, Jairus, a ruler of

and also because they exercised great injustice and oppression, having a power unlimited.

* Receipt. The Greek word Telonion, signifies a publican's stall.

Ruler. There was among the Jews the less and greater Sanhedrim, or consistory, Mat. v. 22. The former consisting of twenty-three judges in every city; the latter of seventy-two in Jerusalem. The greater Sanhedrim was made up of the chief priests and elders, or presbyters of the people, called often the elders of Israel, and the scribes of the people, Judg. v. 11. They of the less consistory were called rulers, as here.

the synagogue, came to him, desiring him that he would help his daughter, who then lay at the point of death. He questioned not the ability of the holy Jesus, but was confident that if he laid his hand upon her, she would recover. The forwardness of Jairus's faith claimed our Saviour's compassion, who was always more ready to grant than the people were to ask: therefore he immediately went with him to his house; to which, as he was walking, a woman met him that had been diseased with a bloody flux for twelve years, without any hope of remedy from art or nature, and had consumed her fortune in expecta tion of a cure, but to no purpose. This woman having heard of the many miracles which Jesus had wrought upon all diseased and demoniac persons, and in the confident persuasion of a holy and strong faith, said, "If I might but touch his clothes, I shall be whole." The poor woman came trembling, full of hope and reverence; and thinking that in the crowd she might not be perceived, she gently touched his garment, and immediately her disease was healed. Jesus being sensible of that divine emanation which was the cause of this cure, turned about in the press, and asked who touched him? Every one that was near treated this question with indifference, it being altogether impossible but that in such a crowd many must touch him: but the poor woman who had received the benefit, was most sensibly affected; for fearing her presumption had carried her too far, in thus clandestinely stealing a cure, as she thought, in great disorder and concern came to Jesus, and at his feet declared the whole truth of what had happened to her. Jesus, with joy and compassion, at once relieved her from her fears, assuring her that her cure was the effect of her faith, and so dismissed her with the blessing of peace, and a confirmation of her being perfectly healed, "Be whole of thy plague :" and the woman was made whole from that very hour.

After the performance of this miracle Jesus hastened to the house of Jairus, from whence a servant came, and met them with the news of his daughter's death, desiring him to give Jesus no farther trouble; who, over-hearing what the servant said, comforted Jairus, bid him not fear, but believe, and he should find the blessed effects of his faith in

the recovery of his daughter. Jairus joyfully attends our Saviour to his house, where they find the minstrels* and other people busily preparing for the interment of the ruler's daughter, with music and other solemnities for the funeral. For which Jesus reproves them, saying, "Why make ye this ado? Weep not, but give place; for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." Then entering with the parents into her chamber, he approached her as to one that was asleep, and taking her by the hand, he called, and awakened her from her sleep of death; which struck her parents with such astonishment, that they could scarce believe their own eyes: but Jesus, to confirm this miracle, ordered them to give her something to eat, to convince them she was alive.

This miracle thus happily performed to the admiration and joy of the afflicted parents, he leaves them to the enjoyment of the comfortable fruits of it, strictly charging them to conceal it, hereby intending to make the noise and report of him less popular. But it is too natural to humanity to desire most earnestly that from which we are most strictly restrained. The glad parents, and other witnesses of this miracle, cannot conceal their joy, which in gratitude for so great a mercy they thought themselves obliged to divulge.

And here it is to be observed, that, as if time was to be one continued series of wonders of the holy Jesus, not a day passed without some eminent performances and exertions of his divinity: a single instance in one day or place will not complete his fame, but each moment of time, and every place where he went, must give testimony of his divine power and virtue. He had no sooner departed from Jairus, than two blind men addressed themselves to him for help; first recognizing his family, "Thou son of David," and then imploring his aid, "Have mercy upon us." Jesus commanding the blind

✦ Minstrels. This custom of having musical instruments in funerals crept in among the Jews but of later days, and from the rites and ceremonies of the Gentiles : for in the Old Testament there is no mention made of any such solemnity and custom.

men to be brought to him, demanded of them whether they had faith enough to expect a cure of their blindness from him? To which they joyfully replied, they believed: and as a testimony of his power, and their faith, he touched their eyes, proposing the cure conditionally to them, "according to your faith be it unto you." The blessed effects followed both; for immediately their eyes were opened, and they, who had long been deprived of the blessing and comfort of light, now gladly beheld it: but with infinitely greater satisfaction, when they saw "the "true Light, that came to enlighten the world."

This miraculous cure was succeeded by another as great as the preceeding, but of a different nature; for as the holy Jesus passed along, the people seeing the mighty power whereby he had healed others, questioning not in the least his omnipotent gift, brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil, whom he immediately dislodged, so much to the astonishment of the spectators, that they all unanimously confessed that the like was never before seen in Israel; but the spiteful Pharisees, who being ready to burst with envy, could forbear no longer, said that he cast out these devils by the help of the prince of the devils. This malicious and groundless calumny our blessed Lord wisely refuted, by turning their own argument upon them: for, said he, "How can Satan drive out Satan? Or if the whole community of devils make an insurrection and schism against one another, will they not soon be destroyed?" By this the malice of the Pharisees became a contradiction, being in itself unreasonable; nothing being more ridiculous than for the devil to divide his kingdom, and consequently destroy his own power. But this was but an eruption of their malice: all the last year, which was the first of Jesus's preaching, every thing was quiet, neither Jews, Samaritans, or Galileans, openly opposed his doctrine or person, but he preached freely, and without any external molestation.

The first and peaceable year of our blessed Lord's preaching being expired, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. This feast was the second passover he kept after he began to preach. Being arrived at Jerusalem, he finds an impotent person ly