the wife. He then cautions them to beware of Chapter Verfe

false prophets: and gives them an excellent rule

to discover good men from bad- By their vii. 'fruits, ye shall know them.' Adding 'Not

every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, ' shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven: but ' he that doth the will of my Father which is

' in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day,

(of judgment) Lord, Lord, have we not pro

' phefied in thy name? And in thy name have ' cast out devils? And in thy name have done

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many wonderful works? And then will I pro• fess unto them, I never knew you: depart 'from me ye that work iniquity.' Surely they cannot have the impudence to make this address without some truth: and if they have, in his name, done such wonderful works, it must have been by faith. It is plain then, notwithstanding St. Paul's affertions to the contrary, that faith alone will not insure salvation. Jesus winds up this long oration with two beautiful similies, claffing his auditors in different points of view. Matthew concludes the affair with- The people ' were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught ' them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.' He viii. cleansed a man from the leprosy, ordered him to tell no man, but shew himself to the priest, and offer a gift, as Mofes had commanded.

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Chapter Verse When Jesus entered Capernaum, he was met by a centurion, who requested him to heal his fervant, fick of the palsy. Jesus readily offered to go to his house for that purpose; but the centurion replied; that though he was a man of some consequence, he was unworthy the honour of hav ing Jesus under his roof; and therefore requested him to speak the word only, and his servant would 8 be healed. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled,

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' and said to them that followed: Verily I say ' unto you, I have not found so great faith, no 'not in Ifrael.' I do not fee wherein this consequential man's faith exceeded that of the poor 1 leper who had just before faid to him- Lord, ' if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.' It may be said-It is plain the former believed the word of Jesus was sufficient to effect a cure-but it cannot be proved that the latter had not the same faith, or that he expected any interior or exterior application. Jesus seems, throughout his ministry, to effect his cures by a touch, or by a command, indiscriminately. This story of the centurion, is told by St. Luke in a very different manner. By his account the centurion neither conversed with, or faw Jesus; but fent his request by the Jewish elders; who, to obtain it, informed Jesus that he was a friend to their nation, and had built them a synagogue. When Jesus was on his way to the centurion's house, he sent friends defiring he would not trouble himself, that that he was unworthy to receive him there, or to Chapter Verfe wait upon him elsewhere. What an equivocal

politeness! Jesus (according to St. Matthew)

proceeds-' And I say unto you, that many shall viii.

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come from the east, and from the west, and

'shall fit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and

Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven. But the

' children of the kingdom shall be cast out into

outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' This prediction might mortify and discourage the Jews; but it doth not here appear that it encouraged the Gentiles. The centurion might furmise that Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, were three Jews: but unacquainted with their being men of consequence, was not defirous of being their companion. We read not of his converfion, though Jesus faid to him'Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be ' it done unto thee.' And Matthew tells us'his servant was healed in the self-fame hour.' This story of the centurion is not recorded by Mark or John : but the latter gives us one of a nobleman, which, in point of time, according to John's account, was previous to that of the centurion; and which, in point of faith, was equal to it: (vide ch. iv.) but neither do we read of his converfion. And when we are told that the wife and prudent were kept in darkness, and the ignorant only enlightened, we could not expect it. (vide ch. xi. v. 25.) Matthew proceeds to inform

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Chapter Verse inform us, that after the centurion's affair Jefus enters Peter's house, and by touching his wife's mother, raised and released her from a fever. 16 ، And when the even was come, they brought ' unto him many that were poffefsed with de'vils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, ' and healed all that were fick. That it might ' be fulfilled which was spoken by Efaias the prophet, faying-Himself took our infirmities,

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and bare our ficknesses.' How, or in what manner this was fulfilling the prophecy, requires more penetration than I am master of, to discover. St. Matthew throughout his gospel feems fond of introducing, or rather producing prophecy, but is feldom lucky in his quotations. He proceeds to inform us that a certain scribe telling Jesus he would follow him wherever he went, had this reply- The foxes have holes, and the birds ' of the air have nests; but the son of man hath ' not where to lay his head.' Had he forsaken, or was he drove from his father's house? It appears that his next fleep was on board a ship, or boat, upon the sea, or lake. In facred history we find every thing upon a much larger scale than we do in prophane. The devil, from an high mountain, shewed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Matt. ch. xii. v. 42. And when he was come into Jerufalem, all the city was moved, ch. xxi. v. 10. The queen of the south came from the uttermost parts of the

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earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, ch. xii. v. Chapter Verfe 42. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, ch. xxiv. v. 14. (This, if we may believe St. Paul, was verified within the space of thirty years. In ch. ii, writing to the Coloffians, he says- The gospel which ye have heard, and ' which was preached to every creature which is under heaven.) And there went out unto him (John) all the land of Judea, and all they of Jerufalem,' and were baptized, Mark, ch. i. v. 5. Jesus, after his refurrection, said to his difciples-' Ye shall be witnesses unto me, both viii. ' in Jerufalem, and in all Judea, and in Sa'maria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth; with other passages of this kind: but to crown all, take the conclusion of St. John's gospel. Matthew informs us that a storm arose which covered the ship with waves. The disciples alarmed, awoke their master, saying-' Lord 'save us: we perish.' He replied-' Why are

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ye fearful, O, ye of little faith.' Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and a calm ensued. The aftonished spectators exclaimed-What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! (Mark and Luke relate this story with some little variations; but

John says nothing about it.) 'And when he was

come to the other fide, into the country of the

Gergefenes, (Mark and Luke call it Gadarenes)

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