Chriſt, after his Sermon on the 3-.»:c, cleanſeth tho bclizuing Leper, I—4. Being at Capern.tim, admire the Centurim's Kuth, and healeth his Servant ſich of the Palfi:, $—123 Cureth Peter's Mn ther-in-law of a Feaver, and 1.1 5ther Pifetes, 14—17, A Scribe reſoluveth tn folbw him: His 4oſmer both to him and to or of his Diſciples, 18-22, Hs Ditcivies foar the Tempeſt ; He re- buketh their Unelief, 23—27., Ar Gergvſones he dijp>ſſ-fferh two Men of unclean Spirits : and juffereth them t» 22 into Swine, 23—32, The Inhabitants of the City being ac;uainted with it, defire him to depart, 33—34
ie baving 2uthiority,
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I 7 Hen he was come down firem the mountain. great multitudes followed him.
2 * And bchold there came a leper and worſhip ped him, ſaying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean.
We heard 6f Chriſt's going up into the Imtin, Math, 5. 1. and of great Multitudes that followed him trom Decapolis, and from 7uder,, and irom 7eruſalem, and from berond 7ordan - Wherher the ſame Mulrtitude, or others followed him upon his
uy coming down, is not ſaid: Bur b-h1ld (faith the Evanzceliſt) there came a Leper ; both Mark and LZuhe have the fame Story, or one very like to it, Mar. 1. 40. Lik. 5,12, Orche Plazue or Leproſic, we read much in the Boks of Aries, Ir was a white Scab in the Fleſh, which Gradually contumed the Body, and was Contagious : The Leper, and he wiio touched him, or any rhing he came near, was Legally unclean; twice weread of it inflifted as a feverc Pu- niſhment upon Gehazi tor Lying, and taking Bribes ; and upon Kings Ozziah for offering Sacrifice » It was a Diſeaſe of very diffi- cult Cure, This Leper comes and | worſhippeth Christ, | Mart laich, that he bneeleth down to him : Whether he only bnee/ed dn, or proftrated himſelf, is nor much material, for either of chem mighr be done according to rhe Faſhion of thoſe Countries, in-roken either of a cjvi/ eſpe? paid to him as a great and eminent Pro- phet, or a piece Gf Re/121ons Thmage, (if he had fo carly a Reve- lation, that he was the Son ot God, which ſome doubr,) ſayins, [ Lord, if thou wilt, thou £217 make meclean, | The term Lord will not conclude his Recognizing Cirrilt as the Son of God, being a The words import it's deſire, tho' they be not a Firm of Prayer, but an Acknowledgment ot the Power of Chrift, The Leper acknow- ledzing Chriſt's Power, ſubmics himftelt co his Will, and ſo with
the ſame Breath declareth his &vith and Modeſty, He indeed de-
clarerh no Faith in the ill of God ; nor can any Perſon exerciſe any ſuch Faich as to any Temporal Mercy, any furcher, than as GoG ſhall judge ir for our Good.
3 And Jeſus pur forth h/s hand, and toucked him, ſaying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his Leproftie was cleanſed.
By che Law of God, Lev. 5. 3. he that touched another, who was unclean, (as the Lopzr was, Lev. c<. 13. <. 14.) was unclear, how then doth Chriſt (who was ſubje(t co che Law) touch che Le- per ? Some ſay he did nor rouch the unclean Leper, bur him thac was a Leper, and by his Touch made clean. Bur it is a berter Anſwer, thar what Chrift did as he was God, (fuch were his miraculous Operaritons,) he could not contra& any ritual Vnclean- neſs by ; and pofſibly under the Law, the Prieſt was exempred from that Uncleannefs, tor he came very near the Leper, in his Oihce abour him expretled, Lev. ch. 13. ch. 14. Nor do weread of any Uncleanneſs conrtrafted by A4.zron, in his Pertormance of his Office to Miriam under her Leproſze; nor by the Prieſts, 2 Chron. 26. 20. tho' it be ſaid, They thruſt out Uzziah, Chrilt, by putting forth his Hand, ſhewed his kindneſs ro this miferavie Creature, by healing him with a touch; he ſhewed his Divine Poiw- er, ſaying, T will, be thou clean. He anſwereth him in his own term, I will; and then Commands the thing. How acceptable 15 Faith to God? Ani immediately his Leprofie was cleanjed; tat 1s, removed; the Word immediately confirms the Miracle ; it was nor only a thing done withour ordinary Means, but withour te ordinary Time requiſite for ſuch a Cure,
4 And Jeſus ſaith unto him, See thou tell noman, but go thy way ; ſhew thy ſelf to the Prieſt, and of- fer the gift that * Moſes commanded for a teltimo- ny unto them. |
Some think thar our Saviour only Commanded him Silence 1n:- til he had ſhewed himſelf unto the Prieſt ; and he, according to rhe Law, Lev. 13. ſhould have pronounced him c!c.:n, leſt cheir Envy upon hearing of ir, ſhould have cauſed chem to have <b- {cured the Miracle, by delaying zo proncunce him clean : Bur ic
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manded hte upon whom he had wrought Miracles to fay no- thinz of ity fee Chyp. 3. 39. & 12, I6, Of 17. 9. thar chis Precept was not to be underſtood with but rhar Chriſt did ir, either char he might not be chouzgite ro feck his own Glory ; or rather, becaule Chriſt judged it nor ver time by his Miracles to be publickly made known : Bur he icnds him to the Prieſt, both to reach him Obe- drence 19 the Law, and that the Truth of the Miracle might by a publick Record be confirmed ; he alto Commands him to offer the Gitr appoinred by the Law, Lev. 14- Thereby both ac- knowledying his Cure to be from God, and reſtifying his Thank- juinets. | That Afiſes commanded.) To ſhew that he came not to oppole 12s. | For a Teſtimony unto them] Thar hereatrer 1 may be a Teſtimony unto them thar I am more than rhe Son of Man, 7:in 5. 36.
5 * And when Jeſus was entred into Capernaum, there came unro him: Centurion, beſceching him,
6 And ſaying, Lord, my Servant lieth at home fick of the Pallic, grievoutly tormented.
7 And Jeſus fairch unto him, | will come and
heal him. *Luk. 15. $8 The Centurion anſwered, and ſaid, Lord, * 1 19, 21- ara nct worthy that thou ſhouldeſt come under my *DCQL, 1c, Root: but * ſpeak the Word only, and my Servant
20, thall be healed. :
o For i am a Man under Authority. having Sol- dicrs under me - and I fay to this man, Go, and he goeth : and to another, Come, and he cometh : 1nd to my Servant, Do this, and hedoth it. :
i Whcon Teſus heard 77, he marvelled, and faid to them thar tollowed, Verily I fay unto you, I have not found {© great Faith,, no, not in Iſrael.