out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together 34 None who go to him come empty at the door. And he healed away.

31 He, the blessed One, is at hand now to heal my soul-calm its feverish fears, its impetuous and eager strivings after the world, and give to it the healthful spirit of his grace.

34

many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also for therefore came T forth. : And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. *And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

35 Early, ere the busy stir of active life disturb his serenity, he seeks the refuge and strength of private prayer. Blessed is the word of prayer! it gives to the soul a strength and peace not its own.

40 This appeal to his mercy was irresistible" If thou wilt !" His infinite power was at once exercised to prove his infinite love.

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter.

CHAPTER II.

FEB. 2, JUNE 1, SEPT. 29.

AND again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it

:

2

2 When men throng to the preaching of the word, let us hope that many a palsied soul is healed-many, long dead to holiness, find strength and power for the exercise of Christian graces, and learn to live to the glory of God. Sin being forgiven, spiritual health succeeds.

But there were certain of the

7 It were blasphemy, did man pretend to forgive sin. That is avowedly the province of God alone. But as Jesus proved himself by his miracles to be God, he merely claimed an office which was his own.

was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four*. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,' Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed by, he

10 How considerate to our infirmi ties-adding this testimony to confirm our faith!

12 You are healed by the same gracious Being. Glorify him therefore by a holy life, in proof that you are thankful.

14 What a noble decision! what a resolute "casting off" the power of this world, and "putting on" the

* Their houses had flat roofs with large openings in them.

saw Levi the son of Alphæus strength of Him who is Lord alike

of the world that now is and of that which is to come * !

sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they 16 He wished to convert all men ; followed him. And when therefore he mingled with all.

followed him. And it came to

16

the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?" When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And 19 He would not lay upon his disciples any unnecessary course of humiliation ‡.

17 A sharp reproof this to the selfrighteous Pharisee, whom he thus reminds that all men are sinners, and all therefore require the Physician of souls †.

Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber

fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. "No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred but new wine must be put into new bottles. And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto

21 "My disciples are too weak to bear this austere discipline now. To urge it upon them at this time would be as unreasonable as to join a piece of strong new cloth to a weak old garment, or to put new wine into old leathern bottles, which the fermen

tation would burst."

* Levi was his Hebrew name, He was also called Matthew. The Publicans, as collectors of the public taxes for their Roman conquerors, were held by the Jews in great detestation.

Enough of unavoidable sorrow awaited his disciples, without a voluntary infliction of it. He was soon to be removed from them: "sorrow" would then "fill their hearts."

him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is

25

25 The principle laid down is of general application; teaching us, that the obligatory force of every institution is to be estimated not only by its authority, but by the object which that authority would effect. In this case

not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

the Sabbath was instituted for God's glory and for man's benefit.

CHAPTER III.

FEB. 3, JUNE 2, SEPT. 30.

1 Jesus is a beautiful example to us in the regularity of his attendance upon public worship.

But they held their peace. 5 Reader! are your spiritual hopes withered by infirmity of soul? Seek Him; He will make you whole.

'AND he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith 4 His enemies were unable to refute unto them, Is it lawful to do Him, or they would not have" held good on the sabbath days, or their peace *." to do evil? to save life, or to kill? And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved with the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. 'But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judæa, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumæa, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he spake to

7 As his time was not yet come, He withdrew himself. Prudence ever attends true courage.

* The principle laid down in ver. 27 of the former chapter is the clear answer to this question.

should wait on him because of 10 Well for ourselves, if when oppressed by the faithlessness of our own hearts, or the evils which the wicked bring against us, we fall down in prayer before the Son of God; and seek in Him, healing and strength.

his disciples, that a small ship the multitude, lest they should throng him. 10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils : and Simon he surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphæus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him and they went into an house. And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him : for they said, He is beside himself. And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils cast

14 Here we have the foundation of the Church. Christ called all menHe ordained certain of them to pro

claim that call *.

23 Our Lord's reasoning comes home to every one of us. No community

eth he out devils. 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan

whether a nation, a church, or a family-can be strong except by unity †.

The Apostles thus ordained of Jesus, were to ordain others as their successors; and these again, by the same delegated authority, were to continue the ordination of ministers from time to time. The ministers, thus duly and authoritatively appointed, have preached, and do preach the word, through good report, and through evil report: whilst the doctrines they deliver, by the word and spirit of Christ, heal all spiritual sickness; casting out all those evil thoughts, which too often hurt and assault the soul, relieving all its infirmities, and leading it in the way of life.

We all know that the very respectability and comfort of a family depend upon their avoiding dissensions. Strive then, that thou and thine be" of the family and houshold of God."