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thority over the Winds and Waves, the like to which they had never before heard of.

Not long after they landed on the eaftern fide of the Lake, not far from Gadara, a Town inhabited by Heathens, and fituated (as we have related) on the fide oppo fite to Galilee. Jefus had no fooner landed, but there met him two men poffeffed with evil Spirits, naked, and who dwelt among the Sepulchres hard by. They had been often bound with Chains and Fetters, and as often broke them; and being impatient of all Reftraint, they made their abode among the Sepulchres, from whence they were wont to fet upon thofe that paffed by, which had made that

Road

MATTHEW.

CHA P. VIII.

29 And behold, they cried out faying, What have we to do with thee, Jefus thou

fon of God?

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MARK.

CHAP. V.

4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains. and the chains had been plucked afunder 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 ftones.

6 But when he faw Jefus afar off, he ran and worshipped

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8 (For he faid unto

him, Come out of the

man, thou unclean
Spirit.)

LUKE.

CHAP. VII.

28 When he faw Jefus, he fell down before him,

and cried out, and with a loud voice faid, What have I to do with thee, Jefus, thou Son of God most high? I befeech thee torment me not.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.

JOHN.

Road unfrequented. In thefe places they liv'd night and day raging mad, and making dreadful Outcries, not only molefting Paffengers, but tearing and cutting themfelves with Stones in a moft cruel manner. Thefe perceiving Jefus at a diftance, being acted by the evil Spirits, run towards him, and falling down at his Feet, cried out, What have we to do with thee, O Jefus, thou Son of the moft high God? We adjure thee by thy heavenly Father not to torment us, fince the time in which he has decreed we shall be punish'd, is not yet come: Do not trouble as till that time come. Thefe words were pronounc'd by the evil Spirits, who made ufe of the Organs of thofe miferable Perfons that had been a long time poffeffed by them, becaufe Jefus had commanded them to go out, taking pity on the calamitous Condition of those poor Wretches: For, as we have ob

ferv'd,

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ferv'd, they had been poffeffed of a long time, and could not be bound with any Chains or Fetters, but the Damons breaking thro all Obstacles, hurried them away into thefe Deferts. Jefus (that his Difciples might have fome notion of the great Mifery of those men, and withal of the greatness of the Benefit he was determin'd to confer upon them) ask'd the evil Spirits by what name they were call'd. They told him their name was Legion, because that many evil Spirits had entred into them at the fame time, and they vehemently befought Jefus not to banish'em from thofe Parts, nor to fend them to the place of Torment. It happen'd that there was a Herd of Swine feeding not far off at the foot of the Mountains: The Demons therefore intreated Jefus, that if he compelled them to depart out of the Bodies of the Men, he would permit them to enter into thofe of the Swine, defigning in all likelihood by the deftruction of the Swine to alienate the minds of the Gadarenes (to whom they belong'd) from him, left the miraculous Recovery of those two men fhould perfuade many to believe his Gofpel. Now

Cc

Jesus,

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Jefus, to make trial of the Virtue of the Inhabitants of Gadara, and to fee whe ther they would be more affected with the lofs of their Swine than the Recovery of the Men and the hearing of his Doctrine, granted this Requeft of the Demons; who making ufe of this Permiffion, enter'd into the Swine, who precipitated themselves from the tops of the Rocks into the Lake, where they were all drowned, being in number about two thoufand, the Lofs of which no doubt the Gadarenes would greatly refent. The Swineherds who had feen the Accident, ran to the Town in a great fright, every where divulging this Lofs, and alfo the Miracle wrought upon the men that had been poffefs'd. This news fill'd all the Inhabitants with Aftonishment, and a defire of being fatisfied of the truth of what these men had related to them. Thereupon they came out in a body towards Jefus, and near him faw with amazement the two men that had been poffefs'd by the Da

mons

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mons quietly repofing themselves, clothed, and in a found mind; and all that were prefent confirm'd to 'em the Story of the Swineherds, how the Demons had been caft out by the Command of Jefus, and of the Herd of Swines being drown'd in the Lake. The thing being thus made manifeft, the whole City came out to Jefus, and in a body intreated him to depart out of their Coafts, greatly apprehending fuch another Misfortune. Jefus perceiving their Apprehenfions, and how much they prefer'd their Wealth before the hearing of his Doctrine, took shipping in order to return to Capernaum; and being ready to put off, the two men whom he had refcued from the Power of the evil Spirits, came to him, and befought him to give them leave to go along with him. But Jefus fent them home, bidding Cc 2 them

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