we know that thy religion is holy; but let us alone, for we are sinners, and" desire not the knowledge of thy ways."

The cure of Peter's wife's mother we may pass over, as having been already considered (Matt. viii. 14, 15); but we cannot omit observing the absurdity of the church of Rome, in making a married man (as we see Peter was) the head of their church, and then denying marriage to all their clergy! But on this subject, more hereafter.

The principal topic on which we would here remark, is the extreme diligence and ardent piety of our Saviour. Late on the preceding evening we find him occupied in healing the sick, and casting out demons; and yet on the next morning, at the early dawn, before it was well day, we find him hurrying out of the town (where it was in vain to look for it) to find a solitary place for prayer; and as this was the morning after the sabbath, there is reason to think that it might have a particular reference to his public work. Here, therefore, our Saviour may be especially considered as a model for public teachers, whose time is often so much engrossed by their benevolent exertions as to tempt them to neglect personal religion, though that is certainly no less indispensable than the performance of pub. lic duties. These should be done, and the other not left undone. The only method to accomplish both, is by redeeming time, though it may be at the price of many of our comforts and indulgences. One way to do this is by early rising, of which our Lord

is the first and great pattern, though there are not wanting brilliant examples among ourselves, even in the first ranks of Society. His late Majesty, George III., it is well known, was distinguished through life by his early rising; but it is not so well known that his good grandfather, George II., set him the example; and during the long German war, constantly rose at a very early hour to implore the divine blessing on his armies and government. Col. Gardiner, after his conversion, constantly spent two hours in religious exercises every morning, before he entered upon any other engagement; and when called to be on duty at five o'clock, would not sleep later than three. Many examples might be adduced also from the clerical profession, of whom the late Mr. John Wesley was one of the most remarkable, and no one, perhaps, has more forcibly recommended it. All men have not this gift. Disease and constitutional infirmities prevent many, but indolence and indulgence many, very many more. Let us not, however, spend our zeal in reforming others, and forget our selves.

Some considerable time (as it should seem) after this, the apostles followed, but it was at an humble distance, as we follow them. It is a mercy to us all that we have an indulgent master, who will make for us those excuses that we might be ashamed to make for ourselves. "The spirit," says he, "is willing, but the flesh is weak." His kindness, however, should not be abused, but should rather stimulate our exertions.

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. After some days.-The omission of any number here, seems to have occasioned a variety of supplements. Some copies supply" eight," others "many," but some appears to be the most general and unexceptionable.It was noisedGr."heard" i. e. the report of it.

Ver. 2. About the door-that is, in the porch. Ver. 3. Borne of four-carried by four men. Ver. 4. For the press-that is, of people; Camp. "the crowd.". -They uncovered the roof-The Gr. (stege) seems applicable to any kind of covering from sun and shade. According to Dr. Shaw, and other eastern travellers, the houses in Judea are all low, and flat-roofed, and built somewhat like our ancient inns, with a square in the centre, into which

all the windows opened, and often with stairs on the outside. (See Note on Matt. xxiv. 17.) In the court within, large companies were often entertained, and over it was then spread a large curtain, or awning, to keep off the sun, The Greek reads literally, “they uncovered the covering," but Dr. Camp. in better English, "They uncovered the place where Jesus was, and through the opening let down the couch on which the paralytic lay." (The term here rendered "covering," is applied by the LXX to the covering of Noah's ark. Gen. viii. 13.) See Script. Illastrated, by the late Editor of Calmet. "On the courts of great houses."

Ver. 5-12. Son, thy sins be forgiven, &c..— See Matt. ix. 2-8, Notes and Exposition.

hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. 13 Aud he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many Publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the Scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with Publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with Publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he

saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the

[hand restored.

children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred but new wine must be put into new bottles. 23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the High Priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

CHAP. III.

25 And

AND he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil?

Ver. 8. When Jesus perceived in his spirit-Camp. "Jesus knowing in himself." He adds, "There is something particular in the expression of the evangelist. To me it appears manifest that the intention of the sacred writer was, to signify that our Lord in this case did not derive his knowledge from the ordinary and outward methods of discovery, which are open to all mea; but from peculiar powers he possessed..... May it not be reasonably concluded, that the information is here given to teach Christians that they are not warranted to pronounce on what passes in the hearts of others," Ver. 14. Levi the son of Alpheus same person as Matthew. compare Luke v. 29.

evidently the

See Matt. ix. !, and

Ver. 15. In his house-that is, the house of Matthew, or Levi, who made a feast soon after he had been called, and invited his old acquaintances to come to see his new master. This might be a dangerous example to many persons; but we remember an instance somewhat similar in the life of the pious Col. Gardiner, who, after his conversion, finding that his former friends considered him as mad, invited them to meet him; and pleaded the cause of religion

with such strength of reasoning, that one cut short the argument with saying, "We thought this man mad, and he is in good earnest proving us to be so."

Ver. 16-22. When the scribes, &c. For the parallel histories to this, see Matt. ix. 10-17.

Ver. 23-28. And it came to pass, &c.-See the parallel passage, Matt. xii. 1-8.

Ver. 26. Abiathar (afterwards) high priest. - See 1 Sam. xxi. 3, and seq., where it appears Ahimelech was then high priest, but Abiathar, who succeeded him, was now probably his assistant, and might be principally concerned in assisting David.

CHAP. III. Ver. 1-12. And he entered again, &c. -The parallel passage to this will be found Matt.

xii. 9-15.

Ver. 3. Stand forth - Camp. "Stand up in the midst," which agrees with margin.

Ver. 4. Is it lawful to do good, or to do evil, &c.— Dr. Campbell remarks, that in the style of Scripture, the mere negation of any thing is often expressed by the affirmation. Hence he infers, Not to do good when we can, is to do evil: not to save (when we have opportunity), is to kill.

The blasphemy against]

:

to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. 7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea, 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. 11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make

him known.

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, aud James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the

[the Holy Ghost.

Canaanite, 19 And Judas fscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house. 20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

22 And the Scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth be out devils.

27 No

23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satau rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eterual dammation: 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, aud my sister, and mother.

Ver. 8. From Idumea-Hyrcanus, more than 150 years before this, had compelled the Idumeans to be circumcised. See Joseph. Antiq. bk. xiii. ch.9. Ver. 10. They pressed (Marg. "rushed ") upon him.-Plagues-Camp. Maladies."

Ver. 13-19. And he goeth up, &c.-For the parallel narrative to this, see Matt. x. 1-4.

Ver. 17. Boanerges, the sons of thunder. This term has been generally mistaken, as implying that John and James were noisy preachers, of which there is neither proof nor probability. According to the Hebrew idiom, lightning is the son of thunder, and may represent their natural quickness of temper, of which we have a remarkable instance, Luke ix. 54.55.

Ver. 21. He is beside himself.-But who were the friends that said this? Marg, and Camp. “His kmsmen," or other members of the family, who did not cordially believe on him; and who were disconcerted by not having their meals regulay, as ver... He is beside himself, or "out of his wits," as we say; Doddr," transported beyond himself." Compare John x. 20.

Ver. 22-30. And the scribes, &c.-The parallel to this passage may be found Matt. xii. 22-33, with Exposition.

Ver. 29. Is in danger of eternal damnation.Camp. Liable to eternal punishment." The Gr. word (krisis) is used both for condemnation and subsequent punishment. Perhaps, as the solemn words damn and damnation are so often used profanely, it might be well if their place were, in our translation of the New Testament, supplied by those

of condemn and condemnation.

are Scripture terms.

At least it would

46-50.

him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

CHAP. V.

AND they came over unto the other side

of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean

spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains : 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they

[demoniac healed.

were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they

coasts.

began to pray him to depart out of their 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath bad compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: 1 pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the

Ver. 38. On a pillow-but Mr. Wesley renders it, "on the pillow in the stern;" understanding 66 a particular part of the vessel, near the rudder.""

CHAP. V. Ver. 1-21. And they came over unto the other side, &c --The parallel history to this has been considered, Matt. viii, 28, &c. with this difference, that Matthew mentions two demoniacs, and Mark and Luke but one, as doubtless the most remarkable.

Ver. 13. Down a steep place-Wesley, "down the steep;" i. e. the shelving coast.

Ver. 20. Decapolis-that is, the ten cities, a district of country beyond Jordan, so called from its containing ten principal towns.

Ver. 22. One of the rulers--large synagogues had sometimes several elders, or rulers: the name of this men is here given-Jairus.

Ver. 29. Of that plague-Camp. "Delivered from that scourge," meaning the very distressing complaint called by physicians, dysenteria sanguinea. Ver. 30. That virtue hud gone out of him.—Seo

Luke vi. 19.