and ſcemed to ſuggeſt, as if Chriſt ſer up a new, and more jovial Relivion. (As if Religion lay only or principally in Rituals, as to which God had ſer no Rule.) The Papiſts are ar this day the Ph.iriiees true Succeilors in theſe Arts. Chriſt anfiererh chem in cwo Particulars. 1. He tells them that his Diſciples were not as yet under ſuch a Diſpenſ.ation, as called for Faſting. 2+ That his Di;ciples were new Converts, and ro be brought on by degrees to the (orer Prafices of External Diſcipline and GodlineſS. This is the Sum of vr. 15, 16,17, 18. This he delivers in Meraphorical Expretſions : Can the Children of the Bride-chamber mourn as long u; th Bride-groum is with them 2 But the days will come when the Bridt2-groum fhail bz taken from them , then they ſhail ft. Your Maſt:r Fobn hath compared me to a Bride-groom , Foh. 3. 29. Thete my Diſciples, are the Children of the Bride-chamber. It 1s as yer 2 Feſtival-rime with them. #zſting is a Duty fitted to a Dav of Mourning and Affition. Ir is noryet a time of Mourn- in; for my, Diſciples : Yer do not envy them; there will ſhort- I; come 4 time when, as to my bodily Preſence, I ſhall be ta- E-1 trom chem; then they ſhall Mourn,and Faſt. The Second Thing he faith . he Illuſtrarech by mo Similirudes. Firſt, (faith he) &moneſt Men, no dilcreer Perfon will put in an old Garment a reiv piece of Cloth, for they will not agree rogerher, che ſtrengrh of the new Cloth will bear no proportion ro the ſtrengrh of rhe old, which by wearing is made weak ſo as it che Garment comes rt» a ſirefs, the rent will be the greater. So as ro Wine, Men d tor uſe to pur new Wine into old Bottles, that through much uſe ate weakned.for fear of breaking the Borrles, and ſpilling che Wine: bur they uſe ro put new Wine into ney Boctles, to pro- parcion the thing containing to the rhing contained. My Diſ- ciples are newly converted. Should I impoſe upon them rhe ſe- verer Exerciſes of Religion, ir might diſcourage them, and be a Tempcation to them to go back. For, as Luke addeth , No Mam h.cvinz drab Old Wine, deſireth New ; for he ſaith the Old us better. Cuſtom is a grear Tyrant, and Men are nor on the ſudden broughr of from their former PraQtices, bur by degrees. This 1s a Por- tion of Scriprure which much commendech Prudence to Miniſters, both Teaching their People as they are able to bear, and alto putting them upon Duties, with reſpett to cheir Stature and Pro- ficiency in the Ways of God ; eſpecially in ſuch rhungs as are but our Kee-will Offerings to God,
13 * While he ſpake theſe things unto them, be- hold , there came a certain ruler, and worſhipped him, ſaying, My daughter is even now dead : but come.and lay thine hand upon her,and ſhe ſhall live.
19 And Jeſus aroſe, and followed him, and /o dzd his diſciples.
Mark hath this Hiſtory , Chap. 5. 22. And behold there cometh one of the Rulers of the Synagogue, Jairus by name and when he ſaw him, he fell at his Feet, and beſought him greatly, faying , My little D.wehter lieth at the point of Death, I pray thee come, and lay thine Hunds upin her that ſhe may be healed , and ſhe ſhall live , v. 24. And Feſus went with him, and much Pezple followed him, and thronged him. Lube hath ir, chap. 8. v. 42. adding only, That ſhe was his only Daughter, twelve years of age : Two Evangeliſts ſay ſhe was at the point of Death, or dying: Matthew 1aich, that he ſaid
ſhe was dead, ( that might be accordin3.ro his Apprehenfion) ſhe
was ſo near Death, thar he concluded, thar by char time he was vor to Chriſt, ſhe was dead. Others obſerve our of Greek Au- rhors, thac the Parcicle 4${, here uſed, doth nor always fignifie a time pa, bur ſometimes , 4 time near at hand. Burt the beſt Anſiver is, Thar Matthew relates che Srory compendioufly. Ir appears from Luk. 8. 43. thar the Maid did dye; and Matthew reports that firſt, which che Meſſenger brouzht chem the news of atrerwards, 25 we ſhall ſee ver. 23. of this Chapter. By the Ruler, here both Marh and Lube tell us, is to be underſtood Fairus, nor a Civil Magiſtrate, but one who was the Ruler of the Synagogue in thac place ; for in their Synag2gues. they had an Order, there was one Chief who ordered the Affairs of ic, and they fay the Interpreracion of the Law belonged to him. [ And worſhipped him, with a Civil IWo;ſhip, or Reſp-#, { ſaying, My Daughter is but now
dead} or dying. One would judge the latter ſhould be the Evan- geliſt5 meaning of rhe Parcicle, becaute of what the other Evan- zclifts ſay, Come and lay thine Hand upon her , and ſhe ſhall live.
His Faith riſerh not up to the Centurion's Faith , who declared his Faith, Thar if Chriſt would bur ſpeak the word, his Servanr ſhould live. Fairs defires him 70 come and lay his Hand upon her.
[ And Feſus aroſe and followed him, and hy Diſciples.) The Jews thruſt Chriſt's Followers out of their Synagogues; he 1s more kind
to the Ruler of their Synagogue z he preſently goerh, | and þis Di/- ciples followed him.) They were to be Witneſſes of his Miracles,
Mk adds, Mach People folbwed, and thronged him; which gave eccafion to another Miracle which Chriſt did 1n his way to Fairs kis Houſe; the Relation of which Matthew giverh us, before he perfetterh the Hittory of this Miracle.
20 * And behold , a woman which was diſeaſed wich an iflue of blood twelve years, came behind 1z, and touched the hem of his garment.
21 For {he ſaid within her ſelf, If 1 may but touch his garmznt, I {hall be whole.
Mark addeth, chap. $. 25. that ſhe had ſuffered many things of m.ny Phyſicians, and had ſpent all that ſhe had , and was nothing betrered; but rather grew worſe ; when ſhe had heard of Jeſus, ſhe e-zne in the Preſs behind, and touched his Garment, &c. Luke ach, the border of bus Garment. In the Crowd there cometh a Woinan that had a bloody Flux twelve years: Inveterate Diſeaſes are I;a1d ro be cured; nor had means been negletted ; ſhe had tried many Phyticians, ard had ſpenc all her Eſtate upon chem. She caize behind him out of Modeſty , and perhaps Shame , defiring nor to be taken notice of, That which induced her to come, was the Fame the had heard of Jeſs, and a Perfuaſion wrought
in hec Heart, (doubrlcls by the Spirir of God,) thar it ſhe could
St MATTHEW.
bur cone to touch the Hem or Border of his Garment, ſhe ſhoulq
| according to that Power, 3. Ir 1s hardly poffible thar any ſh-ull
| there came ſome from the Ruler's Houſe, which ſaid, Ti'y Daughtc
Chap, | ( hap. I