Being, who can do what he pleaseth in heaven, and in earth, in the sea, and in all deep places, could make the fiercest winds and mighty waters to obey him?

Let no good Christian therefore be too much dejected, even in the most discouraging circumstances, whether of his own affairs or those of the public, nor tempt God by presuming upon his assistance in any rash and unwarrantable undertakings; but by adding to his faith virtue, and to virtue patience, and to patience a perfect acquiescence in the Divine disposals, make it his business to secure Christ's favour and presence with him; and then he need not fear the utmost that wicked men and devils can do against him. He that is sure of thy friendship and protection, O almighty Jesus! what is there in the whole creation that he need dread? What public commotions in the state, what persecutions in the church, what private troubles and afflictions, can injure him whom thou wilt please to shelter under the wings of thy providence, and watch over him for good?

Why art thou then cast down, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God".

And how great will be our tranquillity and joy, when Jesus by his grace and mercy shall have quieted all our storms, if not those of affliction without, yet those of passion within, and restored to us that serenity and peace of mind, which, even in the most blustering times, is a heaven upon earth! With what a swift yet smooth and placid motion shall y Psalm cxxxv. 6.

z Psalm xlii. 11.

we then make our way to the haven of eternal rest! And when we have once arrived at that long wishedfor place, how shall we forget our former sorrows, and the sharp conflicts we have had, the fightings that were without, and the fears within, and be dissolved in praise and gratitude and love to him who was our merciful Deliverer! The tempests we before were tossed in will make that eternal calm still more welcome and delightful; as ease and safety always relish best after great pain and danger.

Whoso is wise, and will ponder these things, even he shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord a

a Psalm cvii. 43.

C

THE TENTH MIRACLE.

A dumb and deaf spirit cast out, from one that had been possessed by him from his childhood.

MARK ix. 14, 16, 17.

And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them. And he asked the Scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit, &c.

WHEN our Lord went up to mount Tabor, with Peter, James, and John, that they might see his heavenly glory in his transfiguration, and become thereby still more confirmed in their belief that he was the Messias, and more zealous and bold after his decease in asserting that great truth, and creating a belief of it in others; the disciples, or apostles, as the other evangelists style them, that were left at the bottom of the mount, had one brought to them that was grievously afflicted with the falling sickness, (as the description of it shews it to be c,) which the possession of an evil spirit had brought upon him, or at least heightened to a very great degree, so as to take away the use of his hearing and his speech, and oftentimes to endanger his life, by casting him into the fire and water ©, and the Father of him earnestly desired them to a Matt. x. i. b Luke xvii. 5. c Mark ix. 18. d Mark ix. 20.

e Mark ix. 22.

cast the evil spirit out f; which not being able to do, they were scoffed and flouted at by the Scribes and the multitude that was got together about them, and who were well enough pleased, no doubt, that they had so fair an opportunity of insulting over them.

But while they were thus employed, our Lord descended from the mount, and came to his disciples; and as soon as the people saw him they were greatly amazed, (at the unusual brightness of his countenance we may suppose, which the glory of his transfiguration had still left upon it, as the face of Moses %, we read, shone when he came down from mount Sinai with the tables of the law,) and running to him saluted him with great wonder and veneration. Upon this, Jesus took notice of the hot discourse that was amongst them, and asked the reason of it; which when he knew, he said to his disciples, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?

For having before (as we read Matt. x. 1.) given them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and disease, it might well displease him to find that either their fear of not succeeding made them not attempt to dispossess this evil spirit, or, (which I rather think was the case here,) that though they did attempt it, they failed of success through the weakness of their faith. He had told them he would endow them with sufficient ability for works of this nature when there should be occasion, and very probably it was known that he had so, otherwise the man here would not have brought his son to them to cure; g Exod. xxxiv. 29.

f Mark ix. 22.

and therefore, as it must needs be a scurvy reflection upon him in the opinion of the Jews, that he had pretended to more than he could make good, so it was very blameworthy in the disciples to distrust his power of enabling them, though in his absence, to do what he had promised them ability of doing, since he had given them abundant reason to believe that what he had promised he was well able to perform.

And this diffidence of theirs did the more deserve so sharp a reproof, because if it was suffered to continue, it would make them uncapable of that great work they were to be employed in, of converting the world to Christianity; for unless they could confirm the truth of what they taught, by doing things evidently miraculous and above all human power, it would be in vain to expect to bring people off from the religion of their fathers, to an upstart sect, as it was called, and which was then every where spoken against h, and ridiculed; to the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Gentiles foolishness i.

Now a firm faith being required as a necessary condition on their part, in order to the exercise of such miraculous powers, (and that with the greatest reason, that they might not forget by whose assistance it was that they could do such wonders, and be tempted to ascribe that to themselves which was the gift of God,) it was high time to acquaint them wherein they were deficient, and reprove them for it. And accordingly when they asked him privately, Why could not we cast the Devil out? he told them it was because of their unbelief; for if ye