26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

This parable of our Saviour's is an instructive lesson to the ministers of the gospel, faithfully to do their parts in sowing the seed of the word amongst their people, and then not to be over-solicitous about the event, but to leave the issue to God; not to be discouraged, though the fruit of their labour doth not presently appear. Accordingly Christ propounds the laborious husbandman to his ministers' imitation. As the husbandman, when he has prudently and painfully cast his seed into the ground, is not anxiously disquieted, but goes to bed, and rests in hope, and at length the corn springs up; first the blade, then the ear, then the grain. In like manner let the ministers of God do their duty without discouragement; in the morning Sow their seed, and in the evening not withhold their hand. And although the seed sown doth not appear presently, (it may be not in our days,) but seems rotting among the clods; yet may it appear afterwards with a plentiful increase, when our own heads are laid among the clods; verifying that saying of our Saviour, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Learn

hence, 1. That the ministry of the word is the ordinary, the necessary, and the principal means which God has appointed for sowing the seed of grace in the hearts of his people: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground. 2. That the virtue and efficacy of the word preached doth not depend upon the parts of a man, but upon the power of God; The seed springeth up, he knoweth not how. Learn, 3. That the word of God sincerely preached may be successful, though it be not presently successful; the seed sown in one minister's days, may spring up in another's. Happy we, if as God's husbandmen we be employed in plowing, sowing, or reaping;

our Lord will reward us secundum laborem, non fructum; not according to our success, but according to our endeavours. blessing and success is God's.

The care and endeavour is ours, but the

30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth : 32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

rable is to show how the gospel-church, The design of our Saviour in this pafrom small and little, from unlikely and contemptible beginnings, should spread and mustard-seed, one of the smallest of grains, increase, fructify and grow up, like as grows up to a considerable tallness; even so Christ foretells that the gospel should spread and increase, nations and countries becoming christians. Hence learn, That how small beginnings soever the gospel had in its first plantation, yet by the fructifying blessing of God it has had, and shall have a wonderful increase.

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took 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?

Observe, here, 1. Our Saviour and his disciples no sooner put forth to sea, but dangers attend and difficulties do accompany them; a tempest arose, and the ship was covered with waves, which Christ himself was in, with his disciples. Learn hence, That the presence of Christ himself does not exempt his disciples and followers from trouble and danger. Here is a great tempest about the disciples' ears, though

Christ himself was in their company. Observe, 2. The posture our Saviour was in when this tempest arose : he being wearied with the labours of the day, was laid down upon a pillow to sleep at night, thereby showing himself to be truly and really man, and that as he took upon him human nature, so he assumed the infirmities of our nature also, as weariness and pain, hunger and thirst. Observe, 3. The disciples' application made to Christ; they awake him with a sad outcry, Master, carest thou not that we perish? Here was faith mixed with human frailty. They believed that he could save them; but being asleep, they concluded he must be awaked before they can be saved by him: whereas, though his human nature was asleep, yet his divine nature neither slumbered nor slept. Learn hence, That the prevalence of fear in a time of great and imminent danger, though it may argue weakness of faith, yet is no evidence of a total want of faith; in the midst of the disciples' fears they believed Christ's power. Observe, 4. A double rebuke given by our Saviour, first to the winds, next to the fears of his disciples: He rebukes the winds, and instantly they are calm. When the sea was as furious as a madman, Christ with a single word calms it. Learn hence, That the most raging winds, and outrageous seas, cannot stand before the rebukes of Christ. Christ, as God, lays a law upon the most lawless creatures, even when they seem to act most lawless ly. Observe farther, Christ rebukes his disciples' fears, Why are ye fearful? No sooner was the storm up, but their fears

were up; they forgot that the Lord High Admiral of the Ocean was on board the ship and were as much overset with their boisterous passion as the vessel was with the tempestuous winds; and accordingly Christ rebukes the tempest within, before the storm without. First he calms their hearts, then he quiets the seas. From this instance of the disciples we may gather, that great faith in the habit may appear little in act and exercise: the disciples' faith in forsaking all and following Christ, was great faith; but in this present act their faith was weak, through the prevalency of their fears. O, the imperfect composition of the best of saints! Faith and fear will take their turns, and act their parts, whilst we are upon the stage of this world; ere long our fear will be vanquished, and our faith swallowed up in vision. Lord, set our souls a longing for that joyful hour.

CHAP. V.

ND they came over unto the

AN

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 came 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 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 befel to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 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 had 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.

This piece of history gives us a very sad relation of a person that was possessed with a legion of devils: we read of few, if any, the Old Testament, that were thus possessed, but of many in the New Testament. Our Saviour came into the world to destroy the works of the devil; therefore he suffered Satan to enter some human bodies, to show his divine power in casting him out. Note here, 1. That the evil angels by their fall lost their purity, but not their power; for with God's permission they have power, not only to enter into men's bodies, and

to possess them, but also to distemper their minds, and drive them to frenzy and madness, causing them to offer violence to their own lives and to do hurt and mischief to their own bodies. Thus did this possessed person here, wounding and cutting himself with stones. Note, 2. That the reason why the evil angels do no oftener exert their power in doing mischief to the bodies and lives of men, is from the restraining power of God. The devils cannot do all do all they can. Note, 3. The place where the mischief they would, and they shall not these evil spirits delighted to make their abode; among the tombs or graves, places desolate, forlorn, and solitary, which are apt to breed horror of mind, and give advantage to temptations. Learn thence, That it is dangerous, and very unsafe, for persons, especially in whom melancholy prevails, to give themselves to solitariness, to frequent desolate and forlorn places, and to affect the being much alone; it giving advantage to Satan to set upon them with powerful temptations. It is better to frequent human society, and especially to delight in the society and communion of the saints, by means whereof we may be more

and

more strengthened and fortified against Satan's temptations. Note, 4. That the devils own Christ to be the Son of God, and that he came into the world to be a Saviour, but not a Saviour to them; therefore they cry out, What have we to do with thee, or thou with us? O what an uncomfortable confession and acknowledg viour, and at the same time to know that ment is this, to own Christ to be a Sahe is none of our Saviour! Note, 5. That though the devils do own Christ to be the Son of God, and do pay homage and worship, and yield service and subjection to him, as his slaves and vassals, yet it is not a free and voluntary service, but extorted rather, and forced from them by the power of Christ: He worshipped, and cried out, saying, What have I to do with thee? Note, 6. What a multitude of evil spirits do enter into one man. O the extreme malice and cruelty of the devil against mankind, in that so many evil spirits did at once afflict and torment a single person; even a legion, many thousands of them. Observe also, The unity and agreement which is amongst these evil spirits in doing mischief: though there was a legion of them in this one person, yet they have all but one name. Learn, That the very devils have a sort of unity

amongst themselves, and in their malice and mischievous designs against mankind they are as one. How happy were it, if good men were as much united in designs and endeavours for the glory of God, as devils conspire and combine against it! Note, 7. The outcry which the devil makes at the appearance and approach of Christ, Art thou come to torment us before the time? From thence learn, (1) That there are tortures appointed to the spiritual natures of evil angels. (2) That the devils are not so full of torment as they shall be. Although they are as full of discontent as they can be, there will be a time when their torments shall be increased, when they shall have their fill of torment. This they know, and accordingly thus they pray, Torment us not before our time; that is, increase not our torments before the appointed time of their increase. Note, 8. The devils' request, Not to send them out of the country, ver. 10: for being now among heathens, they thought they were among their own, and not in Christ's jurisdiction, as being not amongst his people. Next, for permission and leave to go into the herd of swine. Where observe, First, The devil's malice; he will hurt the poor beasts rather than not hurt at all. Secondly, His powerful restraint; he cannot hurt a pig without permission: Suffer us to enter. Satan's malice indeed is infinite, but his power is bounded; it is postestas sub postestate, a power under a power. If he could not hurt the swine, much less can he afflict the body or soul of man without leave or licence. Note, 9. How Satan's request is yielded to by our Saviour: he permits the devils to enter into the swine; not to satisfy their desire in doing mischief; but, first, to show his power over the devils, that they could do nothing without his permission: next, to show how great the power and malice of the devil would be, if not restrained and lastly, That the miracle of casting out such a multitude of devils might appear to be the greater. Learn hence, That sometimes Almighty God, for wise ends and just causes, doth suffer the devil to enjoy his desire in doing hurt and mischief unto the creatures: Jesus said unto them, Go. Note, 10. What a contrary effect this miracle which Christ wrought had upon these people; instead of believing his divine power, upon the sight of his miraculous healing the possessed, the loss of their swine enrages them, and makes them de

sire Christ to depart from them. Carnal hearts prefer their swine before their Saviour, and had rather lose Christ's presence than their worldly profit. So desirous were these Gadarenes to get rid of our Saviour's company, that they pray and beseech him to depart out of their coasts. Learn hence, Sad is the condition of such from whom Christ departs; more sad the condition of such who say unto Christ, Depart; but most sad the case of them who pray and beseech Christ to depart from them. Thus did these Gadarenes desire and beseech Christ to depart from them; which accordingly he did, and we read no more of his return to them. Note lastly, How desirous the possessed man was to continue with Christ: after he was come to himself, he prayed that he might be with him. This he might desire, partly to testify his thankfulness to Christ, partly out of fear of being re-possessed again by Satan, or perhaps to have the opportunity of hearing Christ's doctrine, and seeing his miracles. For such as have once tasted that the Lord is gracious, and experienced the pleasure and profit of Christ's company, are very desirous of the continuance of it, and exceeding loth to part with it.

us.

However, our Saviour at this time did not think fit to suffer him, knowing that more glory would redound to God, by publishing the miracle to his friends. Christ expects, after eminent deliverances wrought for us, that we should be the publishers of his praise, and declare to all, far and near, the great things which God hath done for Add to this, that our Saviour might not permit this man to be with him, to avoid the suspicion of vain-glory; of which he might have given some umbrage, had he carried about with him those upon whom his greatest miracles were wrought. lastly, To show that Christ in his absence, as well as when present, is able to protect those that believe and trust in him from the malice of evil spirits.

And

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: I