17. And they began to pray him to depart out of their

coasts.

18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

The account here given, furnishes a striking illustration of the consequences which were to follow the coming of our Lord. 2

First, the apostle tells us that he must reign, "till he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power," that shall dare to exalt itself against him. "He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." The end, therefore, of the swine into which the devils entered, is an emblem of that destiny which awaits all hardened and unrepenting sinners, who "are led captive by Satan at his will:" is an emblem of that final "destruction from the presence of the Lord" for which the evil spirits themselves are reserved "in chains under darkness unto the great day."

It is a warning therefore to all, that they "harden not their hearts." "Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation."

Secondly, the change produced in the man who is relieved from this dominion of the unclean spirit, represents the case of the penitent, when delivered

21 Cor. xv. 24.

from the dominion of Satan by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

The abandoned sinner, who has thrown off the allegiance which he owed to his Creator, and spurns the commandments which are intended to govern him, may be compared to the wretched creature of whom it is here said, that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces; neither could any man tame him.

When such an one is reclaimed by the Holy Spirit acting through the word of the gospel, and convincing him "of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" the change is like that in the miracle before us. They come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed of the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind. He no longer lives in a manner unsuited to a reasonable being, and ranges through haunts which threaten his destruction: but he is found sitting at the feet of him by whom he has been " delivered from the power of darkness:" he is clothed with that "righteousness which is upon all them that believe:" he is in his right mind. He was not in his right mind, when he lived "without God in the world :" when he lived as the brute beast" which has no understanding" when he lived as if he had no immortal soul. He is in his right mind, when "the spirit of his mind is renewed," and he begins to live as "a member of Christ, a child of God, and

3

3 See Col. i. 13.

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17. And they began to pray him to depart out of their

coasts.

18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

The account here given, furnishes a striking illustration of the consequences which were to follow the coming of our Lord. 2

First, the apostle tells us that he must reign, “till he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power," that shall dare to exalt itself against him. "He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." The end, therefore, of the swine into which the devils entered, is an emblem of that destiny which awaits all hardened and unrepenting sinners, who "are led captive by Satan at his will:" is an emblem of that final "destruction from the presence of the Lord" for which the evil spirits themselves are reserved "in chains under darkness unto the great day."

It is a warning therefore to all, that they "harden not their hearts." "Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation."

Secondly, the change produced in the man who is relieved from this dominion of the unclean spirit, represents the case of the penitent, when delivered

from the dominion of Satan by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

The abandoned sinner, who has thrown off the allegiance which he owed to his Creator, and spurns the commandments which are intended to govern him, may be compared to the wretched creature of whom it is here said, that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces; neither could any man tame him.

When such an one is reclaimed by the Holy Spirit acting through the word of the gospel, and convincing him "of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" the change is like that in the miracle before us. They come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed of the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind. He no longer lives in a manner unsuited to a reasona ble being, and ranges through haunts which threaten his destruction: but he is found sitting at the feet of him by whom he has been "delivered from the power of darkness :" 3 of darkness:"3 he is clothed with that righteousness which is upon all them that believe:" he is in his right mind. He was not in his right mind, when he lived "without God in the world :" when he lived as the brute beast" which has no understanding" when he lived as if he had no immortal soul. He is in his right mind, when "the spirit of his mind is renewed," and he begins to live as "a member of Christ, a child of God, and

3 See Col. i. 13.

H H

an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven." And so is the prophecy fulfilled, "Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be de livered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."

4

We must observe, further, the conduct of the man that had been possessed with a devil. He prayed Jesus that he might be with him. Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion upon thee.

Those who enjoy the blessing of " with peace God through Jesus Christ," will be with him, not indeed in presence, but in spirit, in the exercise of prayer, and in the habit of obedience; and they will publish the great things done for them: that is, by their instruction, their advice, and their example, they will recommend to all around them the same faith which is the source of their own comfort, and the guide of their own lives.

4 Isai. xlix. 25.

H