Self, and they enter in, and dwell there, and the last fate of that man is worse than the firft.

27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lift up ber voice, and faid unto him, Blefjed is the womb that bare thee, and the pafs which thou baft fucked.

28. But bejaid, yea rather blessed are they that bear the word of God and keep it.

COMMENT.

F what unhappy Power private Interefts and Prejudices are in Matters of Religion, and how great a bar they put to Mens coming to the knowledge and belief of the Truth, we cannot have a clearer Proof, than from the Instance set before us, in the Portion of Scripture appointed to be read this day. Jefus is here faid to have difpoffefs'd a dumb Spirit; and the Operation was fo amazing and fo effectual, that the Devil immediately quitted his hold, the Tongue that he had tied up before was prefently loofed, the dumb fpake, and the people wondred.

This Wonder indeed was the natural confequence of fo fudden and mighty a Cure. For the Difeafes of this kind were always looked upon with Horror and Defpair, and acknowledged to exceed all the force of common Remedies and Human Helps. And when they faw a Recovery perfected without any tedious Methods of Application, only by virtue of one commanding Word; A Word too abfolute for the Strength of Hell to withftand; This would neceffarily carry them to admire, not only the thing, but alfo the Perfon by whom it was done.

Of this the Scribes and Pharifees were well aware, who had degenerated fo far into Ambition and Covetoufnefs, as now to use their Authority over the People, no longer for Their Benefit, but their Own. The Advantage they fucked from their falling to them was no fmall one: And, provided this could but be continued and fecured, it was no great concern to Them, what became of the Confciences under their direction. The

Reputation of our Saviour's Miracles prefs'd them hard. And great danger there was, that the Multitude fhould be drawn off, and join themselves to this new Mafter, of whofe Commiffion they beheld fo many, and fuch convincing, Teftimonies every Day. Some Stratagem was neceffary, to check this growing Prophet, and ruin him in the Esteem of the People; for things were now brought to that defperate pafs, that both their Credits could not ftand together. What then was to be done in this Cafe? For, that indeed a notable Miracle had at this very time been wrought by him, was manifeft to all them that were prefent, and they could not deny it. The Powers of Nature were evidently outdone, and fomewhere else they must lay it. But, if they could infinuate, that there was a Secret in all this, which, tho' the credulous and eafy vulgar could not discover, yet themfelves, who were wifer, and examined things more nicely, faw clearly into: That might prevail with Men to proceed more warily, and at leaft to fufpend their Belief for fome time.

To this purpose they agree with the Crowd, in the Confeffion of a fupernatural and invifible Power, concerned in these Matters; but, at the fame time craftily warn them not to be too rafh, and eafily impos'd upon. For, that the Devil, who is the Great Deceiver of Mankind, might very probably play booty, and enable our Lord to caft out Devils, only the more effectually to enfnare and betray Men. Thus they hardned themselves and their Hearers, by a moft obftinate and perverfe Calumny, by attributing what they could not deny to be above the Power of Nature and Art, to the Concurrence of the Devil. Rather chufing to make it pafs for the Work of Hell, fo to countenance their own wicked Infidelity, and to difcourage the Belief of Others; than to confefs the Spirit of God, even where his Power and Goodness appeared most eminently vifible, and, where nothing

could

could have hindred them from Seeing it, but a fettled Refolution, not to See, and not to be Perfuaded.

Upon Men fo violently bent against the Truth, there was little hope of any Good to be done. But however, when fo malicious and black an Afperfion was caft upon our Saviour, it was neceffary to refute it. This was a Right, he owed to himself, and to the Divine Spirit, by which he wrought. It was alfo an Act of Compaffion, due to those better meaning People, whose Eafinefs might have been poffeffed by that impudent Cavil of their Spiritual Guides. Upon thefe Accounts our Lord condefcends to reafon the Cafe with them; and, by four most undeniable Arguments, fhews, that what they objected, could never be. That it was impoffible, any Man of common Senfe, or even They themselves, fhould imagine it true. And, becaufe these Arguments make up the greatest part of this Gofpel, I will touch them lightly, that you may read and hear what the Church hath recommended to your Meditation, with a better Understanding; and may difcern the Abfurdity of calling into question the Divinity of our Saviour's Miracles. Which is indeed fo very material a Point, that the greatest Evidence of the Chriftian Religion ftands upon this Bottom; And, if thofe Miracles could be proved either Falfe, or Diabolical; the very Foundations would be torn up, and we should never be able to Support our Caufe without them.

The first of thofe Arguments proceeds upon common Experience, and the known Mischiefs and Disorders, which follow upon Divifions: In regard all Societies, the lefs, as well as the greater, owe their Subfiftence and Prefervation to Amity and Concord, and can never maintain themselves, except by an united Strength. Whenever therefore any thing happens to break and divide them, Destruction presently follows. Of this the Devil is fo fenfible, that he makes it his business

A a 3

perpe

1

1

perpetually to Sow the Seeds of Difcord and Difcontent, Animofities and Jealoufies among Men. He knows, that this is to play Parties against One Another; And, that the End of it will be the dafhing, and breaking One Another to pieces. But He, who fo well underftands the Confequence of fuch Separated Interefts in Other Cafts, and ufes them with fo much Artifice to Our Ruin, cannot be Suppofed, to be fo far forfaken of all Policy and common Prudence, as to employ this dangerous Weapon against himfelf. Nor can the Nature of the thing be io changed, as to produce a quite contrary Effect in the Kingdom of Darknefs, from what it does in all other States. Nay as it produces, even in private Families, where the Difference might feem more eafy to be con pofed, or over-powered. And therefore, fince we fee daily, that every Kingdom divided against it felf is brought to deftruction, and that a boule divided against a house falleth; it were most abfurd to fuppofe, that our Saviour fhould caft out Devils through Beelzebub. Because, at this rate, Satan conld be divided against himself; and the effect of this would be, that his Kingdom could no longer fland. This is the Importance of what we find urged, at the 17th and 18th Vorfes of this Chapter.

The Two following Verfes proceed to a Second Argument, in which the Perfons of thefe Objectors themfelves were more immediately concerned. It was a very common thing among the Jews, to make ufe of the Name of the God of Abraham in Exorcifms. And, tho' they made this the Occafion of a great many Superftitious Practices, yet God was pleafed many times to give Succefs, to fuch Solemn Invocations of his Name. By this Prefence of his Power he faw fit to fignalize and diftinguifh his own People, who worfhipped the one true God only; from the reft of the World, who ftill continued in Ignorance and Idolatry. Now thefe Operations of a Divine Spirit the Scribes

and

and Pharisees were very fond and proud of; because they thought a great deal of Honour devolved upon their Religion from hence, and confequently upon themselves, who were the very Oracles, and Teachers of it to the People. And upon this Account, our Saviour mentions the Spirits, that were frequently dif poffefs'd by their own Difciples; to fhew their most unreasonable Malice against himself; and the Wickednefs of that Partiality they were tranfported with. For they afcribed the very fame Operations to the Devil, when done by Chrift; which they freely acknowledged to be the wonderful Work of God; and boasted of, and valued themselves upon them as fuch, when their own Profelytes and Children were made the Inftruments and Minifters of them. If therefore the Fruit be the Same in both cafes, it is manifeft, that the Tree producing it must be the Same too. And, if that be owned, and admired for a good Tree in one cafe; Nothing but Frowardness, and Envy, and the incorrigible Obftinacy of the very Devil himself, can call it a Thorn or a Thistle, when the Grapes and the Figs gathered from it are ftill the Same. If then I by Beelzebub caft out Devils, by whom (fays he) do your Sons caft them out? therefore fhall they be your Judges. But if I with the Finger of God caft out Devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you.

Ver. 19, 20.

Thirdly, The Devil is that Wolf, who cometh not, but to catch, and to tear, and to deftroy.

He Seizeth upon Men as his Prey, and he is so greedy of that Prey, as never to let it go again, till they be forced out of his Hands. So that, whenever any wicked Spirit is difpoffeffed; This comes to pafs, not for want of employing any Subtilty or Strength that he hath; but from having his Force overpowered, and his Cunning defeated, by a Being wifer, and mightier than himself. And Such a Being is none but God only. So that, where-ever dumb and deaf Spirits are caft out, this is an A a 4 unde