Lyhe adds , v. 31. And they beſought him that he would not com- mand rhem t2 20 out into the deep. 1 cannor think that the mean- inz of that is into the Sea , for ſurely the Devil did nor tear Drowning, the word is 4&vavop, into the Abyſs; that 15, into Hell, inco the bottomleſs Pit, where he could do no more Miſchief: Mark favs, ch.tp. $. 10. The Devil befpught him that he would not fend them out of the Country, Still, upon the ſame Grounds, the Devil hath an intatiable Thirſt ro do Miſchief, and would gladly be where he may do it. In the mean time, he knowerh it i in the Power cf Chriſt ro ſend him whither he pleaferh. - Now comes in the 3o and 31 Verſes of Matthew, 7 hey ſaw an herd of many Swine feeding z Mark faith , chap. 5+ 11+ nigh unto the Moun- tins; Lube faith, on the Mountain. They beſeech Chriſt ro give them leave to enter into the Swin? ; and the Text faith , He ſuf- fred them. The Devil cannor fo much as trouble a Swine with- vur leave from GOD. The next Verſe tells us the Conſequent of 1t.
>2 And he ſaid unto them, Go: And when they were come out , they went into the herd of ſwine : and behold , the whole herd of 1wine ran violently down a Zecp place in the Sea, and periſhed in the
WAattTrs. : ; IO Þ gives us much the ſame Account, chap. 5-13. Only aud- _ jd. wore abour two thouſand : Luke differerh, nor only m_ Matthew calls a Sea, Luke calls a Lake 3 bur the 7ews call'd a great Gatherings rogerher of Waters , Seas. The Devil is natu- rally ſo tond of doing Miſchief, that he will racher Play at a ſmall Game, than ſtand our. This way of execvring his Ma- lice upon the Beaſts, we have often experience of in the praftice of Witchcraft. And it may teach Husbandmen, and thote that trade much in Catrel, ro whom they are beholden for the Preſer- vation of their Cartel ; and how rightly God 15 ſtyled, He that preſerveth b-th Man and Bea#t 1, and whar need they haveto keep up Daily Prayer in their Families; and to hve ſo as they may not make God their Enemy, who hath Legions of Devils, as well as many L2gims of leſs hurttul Creatures , to revenge his Quar-
rCls.
22 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was bzfallen to the poſſeſſed of the devils.
114 and Lube in this differ not from Matthew , only they add, a>. they oF ir in the City and Country. Thoſe thar moſt ſerve the Devil, are afraid of him, when he cometh roſhew him- ſelf in his true Colours. Theſe Men go, and publiſh abroad the Miracle, what had happened co the Man that was ſo famous an Obje& of the Devil's Malice, and whas had happened to the
Swine,
24 Ard behold the whole city came out to meet Teſus and when they ſaw him, * they beſought him thar he would depart out of their coaſts.
Both Mr and Luke here add much : Mark faith, chap. 5. 14, 15,15, 17,18, 19, And they went out to ſee what it was that was done. And they came to Jeſus, and ſaw him that was poſſeſſed with a Devil, and had the Legion , ſitting and cloathed , and in bis right mind : and they were afraid. And they that ſaw it, told them how it befel to him that was poſſeſſed with the Devil , and alſo concern- ing the Swine : And they began to pray him to d:part out of their Cofts. And when he was come into the Ship, he that had been poſ- ſeſſed by the Devil, prayed him that he might be with him. How- beit, Feſus ſuffered him not, but ſaid unto him, Go home to thy Friend's, and tell them how great things the Lord hath dome for thee, and hath had Compaſſim on thee. And he departed, and began to publiſh in Decapolis , hw great things Jeſus had done for him; and all men aid marvel. Luke ſaith, chap. 8. 26, 28, 29. Then the whole mul- titude »f the country of the Gadavens round about beſought him to de- part from them, for they were taken with great fear; and he went ap into the ſhip, and departed back again. Now the Man out of whom the Devils were departed, beſought him that he might be with him ; but Jeſus ſent him away, ſaving, Return to thine own houſe, and ſhew hyy great things God hath done unto thee. And he went away, ard publiſhed throughout the whole city , how great things Felns had dime unto him. By the whzle City, or the whole Country, we muſt underſtand a very great parr of them , came out to meet Feſus + Mch expounderht it, to ſee that which was done, and to beſzech him to depart out of their Coask. They /aw him, and not him onlv, bur him tht had been poſſeſſed of the Devils, ſitting at his Feet cloathed, in his right mind, A great Miracle wrought: They did not only ſee ir, bur they heard their Servants , the Swine-berds, atteſting it; they had all the External Means of Faith imazinable. How are they affeted ? The Text faith, they were afraid; an Awe of this Great Perſon ſeized them; and poſſibly they were afraid, Ic{t he ſhould have done them fome further Evil. What + the Effect of this Fear ? Surely they will fall down ar his Feer, beg his Graceand Favour; and thar he would continue with them , and be the Author of more Good amoneſt chem. Tho' they had loſt rwo thouſand Swine, yer they were delivercd trom the Fe. of him that was poſlefled with the Devil; and that pwr Creature was delivered from as great an Afi&ion as we can imagine. Nothing of all this. They came and prayed, and b-/nught him to go out of their Coaſts, Certaznly our Saviour's knowledge of the Nature of this Pevple, and what was 1n their Hearrs , provoked him to give the Devils ſuch a Liberty as he did, ro deſtroy rheir Swine : We are ordinarily puniſhed in the thing whercin we offend ; we need no more than our ordi- nary Wiſhes and Prayers to ruin us. Who ſhall hereafter cell us of 2a Prwer in Man's Will, to do that which is Spiritually Good, upon a +21 Suafion 2 What higher ral Suofion could theſe Gadarens have had , chan the ſight of Chris 2 And what he had done, afforded , (yer for ought appears) they were unanimous in this Deſire, That ChriS ſhould be gone. They do not do what was in cheir Power to do, defiring him to Stay. But Oh | how dan-
St MATTHERK.
Chap, [