sure thy gifts by our petitions, but by our wants and thine own mercies.

This work might have been as easily done by an absent command; the power of Christ was there, while himself was away: but he will go personally to the place, that he might be confessed the author of so great a miracle. O Saviour, thou lovest to go to the house of mourning; thy chief pleasure is the comfort of the afflicted. What a confusion there is in worldly sorrow! The mother shrieks, the servants cry out, the people make lamentation, the minstrels howl and strike dolefully, so as the ear might question whether the ditty or the instrument were more heavy. If ever expressions of sorrow sound well, it is when death leads the choir. Soon doth our Saviour charm this noise, and turns these unseasonable mourners, whether formal or serious, out of doors: not that he dislikes music, whether to condole or comfort; but that he had life in his eye, and would have them know, that he held these funeral ceremonies to be too early, and long before their time: "Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." Had she been dead, she had but slept; now she was not dead, but asleep, because he meant this nap of death should be so short, and her awakening so speedy. Death and sleep are alike to him, who can cast whom he will into the sleep of death, and awake when and whom he pleaseth out of that deadly sleep.

Before, the people and domestics of Jairus held Jesus for a prophet; now they took him for a dreamer. "Not dead, but asleep!" They that came to mourn cannot now forbear to laugh. Have we piped at so many funerals, and seen and lamented so many corpses, and cannot we distinguish betwixt sleep and death? The eyes are set, the breath is gone, the limbs are stiff and cold? Who ever died, if she do but sleep? How easily may our reason or sense befool us in divine matters! Those that are competent judges in natural things, are ready to laugh God to scorn when he speaks beyond their compass, and are by him justly laughed to scorn for their unbelief. Vain and faithless men! as if that unlimited power of the Almighty could not make good his own word, and turn either sleep into death, or death into sleep, at pleasure. Ere many minutes, they shall be ashamed of their error and incredulity.

There were witnesses enough of her death; there shall not be many of her restoring. Three choice disciples, and the two paren 3, are only admitted to the view and testimony of this miraculous work.

The eyes of those incredulous scoffers were not worthy of this honour. Our infidelity makes us incapable of the secret favours and the highest counsels of the Almighty.

What did these scorners think and say, when they saw him putting the minstrels and people out of doors? Doubtless the maid is but asleep; the man fears lest the noise shall awake her: we must speak and tread softly, that we disquiet her not. What will he and his disciples do the while? Is it not to be feared, they will startle her out of her rest? Those that are shut out from the participation of God's counsels, think all his words and projects no better than foolishness. But art thou, O Saviour, ever the more discouraged by the derision and censure of these scornful unbelievers? because fools jeer thee, dost thou forbear thy work! Surely I do not perceive that thou heedest them, save for contempt; or carest more for their words than their silence. It is enough that thine act shall soon honour thee, and convince them: "He took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise; and her spirit came again, and she arose straightway."

How could that touch, that call, be other than effectual? He, who made that hand, touched it; and he, who shall once say, "Arise, ye dead," said now, "Maid, arise." Death cannot but obey him who is the Lord of life. The soul is ever equally in his hand who is the God of spirits; it cannot but go and come at his command. When he says, "Maid, arise," the now dissolved spirit knows his office, his place, and instantly re-assumes that room which, by his appointment, it had left.

O Saviour, if thou do but bid my soul to arise from the death of sin, it cannot lie still: if thou bid my body to arise from the grave, my soul cannot but glance down from her heaven, and animate it. In vain shall my sin, or my grave, offer to withhold me from thee.

The maid revives; not now to languish for a time upon her sick bed, and by some faint degrees to gather an insensible strength; but at once she rises from her death, and from her couch; at once she puts off her fever with her dissolution: she finds her life and her feet at once; at once she finds her feet and her stomach: "He commanded to give her meat." Omnipotency doth not use to go the pace of nature. All God's immediate works are, like himself, perfect. He that raised her supernaturally, could have so fed her. It was never the purpose of his power to put ordinary means out of office.

CONTEMPLATION IX. THE MOTION OF THE

TWO FIERY DISCIPLES REPELLED.

THE time drew on wherein Jesus must be received up; he must take death in his way; Calvary is in his passage to mount Olivet. he must be lifted up to the cross, thence to climb into his heaven. Yet this comes not into mention, as if all the thought of death were swallowed up in this victory over death. Neither, O Saviour, is it otherwise with us, the weak members of thy mystical body: we must die, we shall be glorified. What if death stand before us? we look beyond him, at that transcendent glory. How should we be dismayed with that pain which is attended with a blessed immortality?

The strongest receipt against death is the happy estate that follows it: next to that, is the fore-expectation of it, and resolution against it: "He stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." Jerusalem, the nest of his enemies, the amphitheatre of his conflicts, the fatal place of his death. Well did he know the plots and ambushes that were there laid for him, and the bloody issue of those designs: yet he will go, and goes resolved for the worst. It is a sure and wise way to send our thoughts before us, to grapple with those evils which we know must be encountered; the enemy is half overcome that is well prepared for. The strongest mischief may be outfaced with a seasonable fore-resolution. There can be no greater disadvantage, than the suddenness of a surprisal. O God, what I have not the power to avoid, let me have the wisdom to expect.

The way from Galilee to Judea lay through the region of Samaria, if not the city. Christ, now towards the end of his preaching, could not but be attended with a multitude of followers: it was necessary there should be purveyors and harbingers, to procure lodgings and provisions for so large a troop. Some of his own retinue are addressed to this service; they seek not for palaces and delicates, but for house-room and victuals. It was he whose the earth was, and the fulness thereof; whose the heavens are, and the mansions thereiu: yet he, who could have commanded angels, sues to Samaritans; he, that filled and comprehended heaven, sends for shelter in a Samaritan cottage. It was thy choice, O Saviour, to take upon thee the shape, not of a prince, but of a servant. How can we either neglect means, or despise homeliness, when thou, the God of all the world, wouldst stoop to the suit of so poor a provision?

We know well on what terms the Samaritans stood with the Jews; so much more hostile, as they did more symbolize in matters of religion: no nations were mutually so hateful to each other. A Samaritan's bread was no better than swine's flesh: their very fire and water was not more grudged than infectious: the looking towards Jerusalem was here cause enough of repulse. No enmity is so desperate as that which arises from matter of religion. Agreement in some points, when there are differences in the main, doth but advance hatred the more.

It is not more strange to hear the Son of God sue for a lodging, than to hear him repelled. Upon so churlish a denial, the two angry disciples return to their Master'on a fiery errand: "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, as Elias did?"

The sons of thunder would be lightning strait: their zeal, whether as kinsmen or disciples, could not brook so harsh a refusal. As they were naturally more hot than their fellows, so now they thought their piety bade them be impatient.

Yet they dare not but begin with leave: "Master, wilt thou?" His will must lead theirs; their choler cannot drive their wills before his: all their motion is from him only. True disciples are like those artificial engines, which go no otherwise than they are set; or like little children, that speak nothing but what they are taught. O Saviour, if we have wills of our own, we are not thine: do thou set me as thou wouldst have me go; do thou teach me what thou wouldst have me say or do.

A mannerly preface leads in a faulty suit: "Master, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?" faulty, both in presumption, and in desire of private revenge. I do not hear them say, Master, will it please thee, who art the sole Lord of the heavens and the elements, to command fire from heaven upon these men? but, "Wilt thou that we command?" As if, because they had power given them over diseases and unclean spirits, therefore heaven and earth were in their managing. How easily might they be mistaken! Their large commission had the just limits. Subjects, that have munificent grants from their princes, can challenge nothing beyond the words of their patent; and if the fetching down fire from heaven were less than the dispossessing of devils, since the devil shall enable the beast to do thus much, yet how possible is it to do the greater, and stick at the less, where both

depend upon a delegated power! The magicians of Egypt could bring forth frogs and blood; they could not bring lice. Ordinary corruption can do that which they could not. It is the fashion of our bold nature, upon an inch given to challenge an ell; and, where we find ourselves graced with some abilities, to flatter ourselves with the faculty of more.

I grant, faith hath done as great things as ever presumption undertook; but there is great difference in the enterprises of both. The one hath a warrant, either by instinct or express command; the other none at all. Indeed, had these two disciples either meant, or said, Master, if it be thy pleasure to command us to call down fire from heaven, we know thy word shall enable us to do what thou requirest; if the words be ours, the power shall be thine; this had been but holy, modest, faithful: but if they supposed there needed nothing save a leave only, and that, might they be but let loose, they could go alone, they presumed, they offended.

Yet had they thus overshot themselves in some pious and charitable motion, the fault had been the less. Now the act had in it both cruelty and private revenge. Their zeal was not worthy of more praise, than their fury of censure. That fire should fall down from heaven upon men, is a fearful thing to think of, and that which hath not been often done. It was done in the case of Sodom, when these five unclean cities burned with the unnatural fire of hellish lust it was done two several times at the suit of Elijah; it was done, in a height of trial, to that great pattern of patience. I find it no more, and tremble at these I find.

But besides the dreadfulness of the judgment itself, who can but quake at the thought of the suddenness of this destruction, which sweeps away both body and soul, in a state of unpreparation, of unrepentance; so as this fire should but begin a worse, this heavenly flame should but kindle that of hell?

Thus unconceivably heavy was the revenge but what was the offence? We have learned not to think any indignity light, that is offered to the Son of God; but we know these spiritual affronts are capable of degrees. Had these Samaritans reviled Christ and his train, had they violently assaulted him, had they followed him with stones in their hands, and blasphemies in their mouths, it had been a just provocation of so horrible a vengeance: now the wrong was only negative; "They received him not;" and that, not out of any particular

quarrel or dislike of his person, but of his nation only: the men had been welcome had not their country distasted. All the charge that I hear our Saviour give to his disciples, in case of their rejection, is. "If they receive you not, shake off the dust of your feet:" yet this was amongst their own, and when they went on that sacred errand of publishing the gospel of peace. These were strangers from the commonwealth of Israel: this measure was not to preachers, but to travellers, only a mere inhospitality to misliked guests; yet no less revenge will serve them than fire from heaven.

I dare say for you, ye holy sons of Zebedee, it was not your spleen, but your zeal, that was guilty of so bloody a suggestion. Your indignation could not but be stirred to see the great Prophet and Saviour of the world so unkindly repelled: yet all this will not excuse you from a rash cruelty, from an inordinate rage.

Even the best heart may easily be miscarried with a well-meant zeal: no affection is either more necessary or better accepted. Love to any object cannot be severed from hatred of the contrary: whence it is, that all creatures, which have the concupiscible part, have also the irascible adjoined unto it. Anger and displeasure is not so much an enemy, as a guardian and champion of love: whoever, therefore, is rightly affected to his Saviour, cannot but find much regret at his wrongs. O gracious and divine zeal, the kindly warmth and vital temper of piety, whither hast thou withdrawn thyself from the cold hearts of men? or is this according to the just constitution of the old and decrepit age of the world into which we are fallen? How many are there that think there is no wisdom but in a dull indifferency, and choose rather to freeze than burn! How quick and apprehensive are men in cases of their own indignities! how insensible of their Saviour's!

But there is nothing so ill as the corruption of the best. Rectified zeal is not more commendable and useful, than inordinate and misguided is hateful and dangerous. Fire is a necessary and beneficial element, but if it be once misplaced, and have caught upon the beams of our houses, or stacks of our corn, nothing can be more direful.

Thus sometimes zeal turns to murder: "They that kill you shall think they do God service;" sometimes frenzy, sometimes rude indiscretion. Wholesome and blessed is that zeal that is well grounded, and well governed; grounded upon the word of truth, not upon unstable fancies; governed by wisdom and charity; wisdom to avoid rash

THE Samaritans were tainted, not with schism, but heresy, yea, paganism; our Saviour yet baulks them not, but makes use of the way as it lies, and bestows upon them the courtesy of some miracles. Some kind of commerce is lawful, even with those without terms of entireness, and leagues of inward amity, are here unfit, unwarrantable, dangerous; but civil respects, and wise uses of them for our convenience or necessity, need not, must not, be forborne.

Ten lepers are here met. Those that are excluded from all other society, seek the company of each other; fellowship is that we all naturally affect, though even in leprosy; even lepers will flock to their fellows; where shall we find one spiritual leper alone? Drunkards, profane persons, heretics, will be sure to consort with their matches: why should not God's saints delight in a holy communion? why is it not our chief joy to assemble in good?

O Saviour, give us grace to seek thee, and patience to wait for thee, and then we know thou wilt find us, and we remedy.

Where do these lepers attend for Christ but in a village? and that not in the street of it, but in the entrance, in the passage to it: the cities, the towns, were not for them: the law of God had shut them out from all frequence, from all conversation: care of safety, and fear of infection, was motive enough to make their neighbours observant of this piece of the law. It is not the body only that is herein respected by the God of spirits: those that are spiritually contagious must be still and ever avoided; they must be separated from us, we must be separated from them; they from us by just censures, or, if that be neglected, we from them by a voluntary declination of their familiar conversation. Besides the benefit of our safety, wickedness would soon be ashamed of itself, if it were not for the encouragement of companions. Solitariness is the fittest antidote for spiritual infection. It were happy for the wicked man, if he could be separated from himself.

These lepers that came to seek Christ, yet finding him, stand afar off: whether for reverence, or for security, God had enacted this distance. It was their charge, if they were occasioned to pass through the streets, to cry out, "I am unclean." It was no less than their duty to proclaim their own infectiousness: there was not danger only, but sin, in their approach.

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I seek not mystery in the number. These ten are met together, and all meet Christ, not casually, but upon due deliberation they purposely waited for this opportunity; no marvel if they thought no attendance long, to be delivered from so loathsome and miserable a disease. Great Naaman could be glad to come from Syria to Judea, in hope of leaving that hateful guest behind him: we are all sensible enough of our bodily infirmities. O that we could be equally weary of the sicknesses and deformalities of our better part: surely our spiritual maladies are no less than mortal, if they be not healed: neither can they heal alone; these men had died lepers, if they had not met with Christ.

well, in the conscience of our shame and vileness, to stand afar off. We cannot be too awful of thee, too much ashamed of ourselves.

Yet these men, though they be far off in the distance of place, yet they are near in respect of the acceptance of their prayer: "The Lord is near unto all that call upon him in truth." O Saviour, while we are far off from thee, thou art near unto us. Never dost thou come so close to us, as when in a holy bashfulness we stand farthest off. Justly dost thou expect we should be at once bold and bashful. How boldly should we come to the throne of grace, in respect of the grace of that throne! how fearfully, in respect of the awfulness of the majesty of that throne, and that unworthiness which we bring with us into that dreadful presence!

He that stands near may whisper, but