end-of benefiting mankind, and of giving them a proof of his kind intention to heal their spiritual diforders, by his goodnefs in curing their bodily infirmities; according to that of Ifaiah, where the Meffiah is reprefented as bearing our fickneffes; meaning both thofe of the foul and the body.

The miracle which our Saviour firft performed was on a perfon afflicted with the leprofy, who, expreffing his faith in Jefus's power, begged his almighty affiftance. Jefus healed him by a word; but ordered him, by no means to neglect what the law required: Go, fhew thyself, faid he, to the priest; and offer the gift which Mofes commanded for a teftimony unto them: that is, he was to offer his gift at the temple, as a proof of his being perfectly cured, to all who wished for that testimony.

One thing more is remarkable in this miracle: Jefus forbids the leper to make any open publication of the cure. The reafon of this probably was, that Jefus might wish to avoid drawing crowds of people about him, which an open fhew of his miraculous power might have invited. They were ready to rife into infurrections when they were inflamed by any thing of this kind ;

and Jefus cautiously avoided giving them any. handle. It was prophefied of him, that quietness should attend all his actions; and the com❤ pletion of this prophecy would still more con vince all well-difpofed perfons of his truth.

Perhaps, too, our bleffed Lord, by ordering his miraculous actions to be concealed, might chuse to fhew his difciples with what modefty, quietness, and secrecy, all their good actions should be attended. He had given the precept before: he now gave the example.

After performing this cure, we are told, he went to Capernaum, where a centurion, or officer in the Roman army, came to him, defiring him to heal a favourite fervant. On Jefus's offering to go with him, the centurion begged him to fpeak a word only at that distance, which would be fufficient to heal his fervant :-" For if I," said he, "who am only an inferior officer in an army, can at a distance give orders to my fol diers, and be punctually obeyed, how much more may I fuppofe that you, on fpeaking a word, may heal my fervant, though at fo great a dif tance." This faith of the centurion appeared in fo ftrong a light to Jefus, that he declared he had found in this heathen a greater instance of

1

it, than he had found among the Jews themfelves. He then difmiffed him, with an affurance that he should find his fervant recovered; telling the people, at the fame time, that many fhould come from the Eaft, and from the Weft, and fhould fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom fhould be cast out into outer darkness; there should be weeping and gnashing of teeth: the meaning of which is, that the Gentiles should have the gospel offered to them, and numbers should accept it; while many of the Jews should draw upon themselves that punishment, which their hardened infidelity deserved.

This account of the centurion is followed by a relation of other miracles which Jefus wrought at this time, particularly on Peter's mother-inlaw, whom he cured of a fever.

The town of Capernaum, where Jesus now was, lay upon a large lake, which is called in fcripture, fometimes the fea of Tiberias, and fometimes the lake of Geneferet. Jefus, there fore, perceiving that the multitude was now come about him in fuch inconvenient numbers, that he either could not inftruct them properly, or feared fome tumult from them, ordered his

disciples

disciples to prepare a boat for him to pafs over the lake.

He

As he was embarking, he took an opportunity of discovering the infincerity of fome who profeffed themselves to be his difciples. informed one, who followed him with fome worldly view, that foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests; but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head: that is, if he gave himself up to the gospel, he must not expect any worldly returns, but muft lay his account for a life of difficulty.-Another declared his readiness to follow Jefus; but firft defired leave to bury his father. Some explain this, as if he wished to live with his father till he died: but whether this was the meaning, or it was really what the words exprefs, Jefus, who knew the man's heart, faw this to be only a worldly pretence; and therefore confidered him as an improper difciple of the gofpel. Let the dead, faid he, bury their dead: that is, let the affairs of the world be left to worldly men.

As they were paffing the lake, a violent storm arofe, which Jefus immediately calmed with a word. It is probable he wrought this miracle to confirm the faith of his difciples, by fhewing them

them he had power, not only over men, but over the elements. It feems, at least, that his disciples took it in this light, when they cried out, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the fea obey him? as if the power which he fhewed over the winds and ftorms, placed his authority in a still stronger light than any thing he had yet done.

When he arrived at the other fide of the lake, he performed that remarkable miracle, in which he gave the devils leave to enter into a herd of fwine. This is the only miracle of the bleffed Jefus that ever brought lofs or damage to any one: nor do we eafily know the reasons which induced him to bring such a loss upon the Gergefenes. In general, it is fuppofed, that it was done by way of punishment to these people, whether they were Jews or Gentiles. If they were Jews, it is faid, they were punished justly for keeping fwine, which was forbidden by their law. And if they were Gentiles, as they lived there on fufferance from the Jews, they were alfo punished juftly, for keeping fwine as a fnare to lead the Jews into fin.-It feems very probable, that the people themselves confidered it as a judgment for their fins: for the whole city

came