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Chapter Verse renes) there met him two, poffefsed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pafs by that way. And behold they cried out, saying-What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? 'Art thou come hither to torment us before the 'time?' Whether this was faid by the men or by the devils, is not clear by Matthew's account. Mark's differs greatly; he says-' And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean 'fpirit.' Here we have but one man, and one devil. A most outrageous one: he brake his chains and fetters often: cut himself with stones, and cried night and day in the tombs or mountains. 'But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran ' and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice ' and faid-What have I to do with thee Jesus, 'thou son of the most high God.' (A knowing devil, and does not pray amifs.) ' I adjure thee

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by God, that thou torment me not. For he ' said unto him, come out of the man, thou un'clean fpirit. And he asked him, What is thy ' name? And he answered saying-My name 'is Legion: for we are many. And he be

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fought him much that he would not fend ' them away out of the country.' (This, I suppose, was the great, or master devil, with young ones in his belly who foon join in the request.) Now there was nigh unto the mountains, a great

great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils Chapter Verse

befought him, faying, Send us into the swine,

'that we may enter into them. And forthwith

'rits went out (of the man) and entered into the fwine. And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the fea; they were about two thousand, ' and were choked in the fea." Luke says-And they (the devils) befought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. A herd of swine being on the mountains; the devils having obtained his permiffion to enter into them, did so: 'and the herd ran violently down a steep

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place into the lake, and were choked.' By this account it is plain the devils were deceived; but whether it was effected by the supernatural power of Jesus, or the natural perverseness of the pigs, is not so clear. Nor are we informed by Matthew, Mark, or Luke, if the devils were choked with the pigs, or escaped half drowned. John takes not the least notice of the devils or the pigs. Matthew says not what became of the two outrageous men, after they were disposseffed. Mark and Luke clothe their man, make him a very orderly fellow, and introduce him, requesting Jefus that he might follow him; but he is, very properly, fent home to his friends. When this transaction was reported in the city by the swinekeepers, all the inhabitants came forth and were joined by those of the adjacent country : this produced

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Chapter Verse produced a general and united request to Jesus 'that he would depart out of their coafts.' This he complied with immediately; and, we may suppose, in filence, as nothing is added but that ' he entered into a ship, and passed over, and

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came into his own city. Here they brought him a man fick of the palsy; to whom he said,

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Son, be of good cheer: thy fins be forgiven ' thee.' This being the first time Jesus had mentioned his power to forgive fins in this world; certain scribes who were present, faid within 3 themselves' This man blafphemeth. And

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Jesus knowing their thoughts, (by comparing 'this and part of the story in page 36, we shall 'find that Jesus, though he knew the thoughts

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of men, did not know even the names of de'vils) faid, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is it easier to say, thy fins 'be forgiven thee; or to say, Arife and walk?

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(there is some obscurity in this question) but

6 that ye may know that the Son of Man hath

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power on earth to forgive fins, then faith he to 'the fick of the palsy, Arife, take up thy bed, ' and go unto thine house and he arose and de8 'parted to his house. But when the multitude 'sawit; they marvelled, and glorified God, who ' had given such power unto men.' It is plain, from this, they did not think he was a God; or the Son of God: but that he was, what he called himself, the Son of Man.

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Neither Mark, Luke, or John, record this Chapter Verse transaction; but in lieu of it, the two first give us two miracles: healing a bloody issue, and restoring life to a child. These, in the order of time and place, clash with that of Matthew's already recorded. Turning accidentally again to Matthew I find these are recorded by him, but are preceded by other matter more material to himfelf, and to which I will return :-' And as Jesus ix.

passed forth from thence he saw a man named 'Matthew fitting at the receipt of custom : ' and he faith unto him, Follow me. And he 'arose and followed him. (From hence, it is 'evident that St. Matthew was not a witness to 'the doctrine preached or the miracles per'formed by Jesus, previous to this time.) And it

came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house, ' behold many publicans and finners came and ' sat down with him and his disciples.' The Pharifees mentioned to him the impropriety of this, and Jesus replies- They that be whole ' need not a physician, but they that are sick, 'Go ye and learn what that meaneth-I will ' have mercy, and not facrifice: for I am not 'come to call the righteous, but finners to re

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pentance. (It might have been added-not the ' rich or learned; but the poor and ignorant.) 'Then came to him the disciples of John, saying-Why do we and the Pharifees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?' He tells them, the children

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Chapter verse dren of the bride-chamber, mourn not whilft the bride-groom is with them; but when he should be taken from them, then would they faft. Here two fimilies are adduced, very like fome of Matthew's propheciacal quotations; and very like fome of Sancho's proverbs; that is to fay-very little to the purpose. Matthew proceeds-' And ' while he spake these things unto them, behold ' there came a certain ruler, and worshipped ' him. (I am inclined to think the word worship, ' in this and many other places, ought to have 'been intreat) faying-My daughter is even now

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'dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, ' and she shall live. (Mark has it-My little daughter lieth at the point of death. Luke says

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-one only daughter, about twelve years of 19 age, and she lay a dying.) And Jesus arose, and 'followed him, and so did his disciples. And behold, a woman which was diseased with an iffue of blood twelve years (Mark adds-and ' had fuffered many things of many phyficians; and had fpent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.') Luke, probably from experience, but however honeftly fays' She had spent all her living upon phy'ficians, neither could be healed of any.') came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself-' If I may but ' touch his garment, I shall be whole. But 'Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, ' he

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