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36. And he charged them that they should tell no man : but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it:

37. And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

We are fond of inquiring why our Lord did not perform this miracle at once, but took the deaf man aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and spit, and touched his tongue. These means could not assist the cure.

A reason seems to be found in this: His power had been questioned: it had been said that he performed his miracles by the aid of Satan: and he chose to show that the virtue was in himself.

But what if we could give no reason? What if it is a mystery, why he charged them that they should tell no man? It might be expected that he should have motives for many of his actions which are not obvious to us. This we know, and are sure: He has done all things well. And it is good to implant and cherish this confidence in our minds, and restrain curious inquiries.

Many, however, are ready to allow what is here allowed, He has done all things well; who do not act upon the acknowledgment, any more than the Jews who made it. I mean, that though they applaud his precepts and his character, they do not. trust in him, as being "made unto us, of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." " The acknowledgment, He has done all things well, unless accompanied by faith,

11 Cor. i. 20.

As the chief priests

will be their condemnation. and elders justly foresaw, when they were questioned concerning "the baptism of John whence it was:" "If we shall say, from heaven: He will say unto us, Why did ye then not believe him ?"8 So we may reasonably ask-If he has done all things well; if his precepts teach heavenly holiness; if his character exemplifies divine wisdom; if his religion is a religion of peace and righteousness, which, if universally followed, would purify the world from sin, and relieve it from misery: why do ye not believe him? Why do ye not believe him when he says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "He that hath the Son hath and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life."

life;

Such is the deceitfulness of our nature, that we have constant need to examine ourselves, whether the creed of our heart agrees with the creed of our reason: whether our feeling keeps pace with our conviction. This will be so, if among the things which Jesus has done well, we habitually reckon this as the first and greatest: not that he made the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, but that he paid the ransom of our sins, and redeemed us from all iniquity.

Matt. xxi. 25.

LECTURE XCI.

FOUR THOUSAND MIRACULOUSLY FED.-A SIGN
REFUSED TO THE PHARISEES.

THE DISCIPLES WARNED AGAINST THE LEAVEN
OF THE PHARISEES.

MARK Viii. 1-21.

1. In those days the multitude being very great, and Matt. xv. having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, 32-39. and saith unto them,

2. I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

3. And if I send them away fusting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

5. And he asked, them How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

6. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves: and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

7. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

8. So they did eat and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

9. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Our Lord here has compassion on the multitude, who had now been with him three days, and made no provision for their wants. He will not send them away fasting. Do we not see a proof

Matt. xvi. 1-12.

Have they been
In seeking those

in this of the manner in which he regards those
who "
hunger and thirst after righteousness?"
Have they been with him many days? Do
divers of them come from far?
long seeking the means of grace?
means, must they use some exertion and submit to
some self-denial? He will not send them empty
away; his "grace shall supply all their need," and
provide them with "the meat that perisheth not.”
The history also illustrates the promise given in
Matthew vi. 33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you." This multitude came
for instruction. He gave them that instruction;
but he did not suffer them to want what was need-

ful for the body. "Your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things."

10. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

12. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Here is a proof of that awful declaration, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given to this generation.

Now it was needful that a proof should be given to the Jews, showing that Jesus was the long-promised and long-expected Deliverer. It was a reasonable question which we read in John ii. 18, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou

doest these things?" "What sign showest thou, that we may see and believe thee? What dost thou work?"

Our Lord constantly referred to such signs in proof of his divinity; saying, "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin." "The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." (John xv. 24; x. 25, 37.) "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him."

But to these signs the scribes and Pharisees had long been blind. Seeing, they had seen not; and hearing, they had not understood. When Jesus wrought his miracles, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." When the words of wisdom which he spoke, caused the people to exclaim, "Of a truth this is the prophet ;" their answer was, "Search and look; for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." And now they came forth, with no honest intention, but seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. He knew their thoughts. He sighed deeply in his spirit, "being grieved for the hardness of their hearts ;" and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given to this generation. No other sign, no further sign. St. Matthew adds, "There shall no sign be given it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." The next sign which they 2 John vii. 40, 52.

1 Matt. xii. 24

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