MARY MAGDALENE.

those who heard it; for they knew it was not for man to forgive sins; and yet they were by no means prepared to recognise Jesus as more than man. While they were murmuring among themselves, "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" turning round to the woman, dismissed her with hath saved thee: go in peace!"

Christ, again "Thy faith

After this Jesus set forth upon another tour in Galilee, performing his usual works of mercy, and seizing all suitable occasions of pouring forth those persuasive utterances on which the people generally hung with admiration and delight, while those who were wise in their own conceits, found in all he said matter for cavil and reproach. In this excursion he was attended by the twelve apostles, and also by some women of property and consideration, who out of their abundance felt it their duty to provide food and such other necessaries as the party required. Among these women we find particular mention of Mary Magdalene, so called from Magdala, near Capernaum, her native place; she was probably a widow, and is not to be confounded. with "the woman who was a sinner," who has just been under our notice. She owed a debt of deep gratitude to Christ, who on some former occasion had dispossessed her of "seven devils." Another of these ladies was the wife, or more probably widow, of Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas; and another is only known by her name of Susanna. This incidental statement of St. Luke (viii. 3) is corroborated, also very incidentally, by St. Mark (xv. 41), who, speaking of the women who were present at our Lord's crucifixion, says that when Jesus was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered unto him of their substance.” We thus obtain information respecting the mode in which Jesus and his apostles were principally supported during those constant movements which precluded them from earning their own sub

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sistence. Most of them had lived by their labour; and the few

some property, could not long large a body, had it not been

who may be supposed to have had have supported the expenses of so for the assistance obtained from these and other pious women who appear for the most part to have received from our Lord-in the cure of painful diseases—benefits which they estimated beyond all price.

The travelling of men and women in parties from all parts of the country to Jerusalem, at the great festivals, familiarized the mind to such associations in travel, and relieves all that seeming impropriety which the absence of any such circumstance in our own social habits might induce us to connect with them.

Jesus did nothing more in this town which is recorded; and at length he again returned to Capernaum. On his arrival, he went with his followers to the house which he commonly frequented, which was speedily so beset by people anxious to see and hear him, that the inmates were unable to take their usual meals. Heedless of this, Christ, although just arrived from a journey, and needing refreshment, went forth and spoke to the multitude; but when his friends within knew this, they went forth and constrained him to come in and obtain the refreshment and rest which he was supposed much to need.

CASTING OUT DEVILS.

CHAPTER XIV.

CURE OF THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN-THE PHARISEES MODE OF ACCOUNTING FOR THIS MIRACLEOUR LORD'S REPLY-THE JEWS SEEK A SIGN FROM HEAVEN-THEY RECEIVE A REBUKE-ARRIVAL OF THE MOTHER AND BRETHREN OF JESUS-JESUS DINES AT A PHARISEE'S HOUSE-IS APPEALED TO BY TWO BROTHERS RESPECTING THEIR INHERITANCE-WARNS THE PEOPLE AGAINST AVARICE-ENCOURAGES TRUST IN PROVIDENCE-FAMILIAR ILLUSTRATIONS, COMPARISONS, AND

PARABLES.

HE next recorded act of Christ, probably on the following day, was the relief of a poor creature who was brought to him, "possessed with a devil, deaf and dumb." At his word, the man's tongue was loosened, and his ears unstopped, and he who had long been mute to all the world, and all the many-voiced world mute to him, both spake and saw. A man in this plight is usually well known in any place which he inhabits. This miracle therefore made a strong impression upon the people, and led them to throng after Jesus with fresh ardour wherever he appeared.

The Pharisees, and others of their mode of thinking, were much troubled at this; and seeing that they could not deny so plain a miracle, they proceeded to account for it after a peculiar fashion of their own. "This fellow," said they, "doth not cast out devils but through Beelzebub, the prince of devils;" that is, he expels the weaker demons by the aid of the stronger. Christ was not slow in exposing the absurdity of this reasoning. Citing

a well-known proverb, he said : — “ 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:" and by way of applying this, he continued, "If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” And then he added "If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?" This question supposes, what indeed appears from other passages of Scripture, that besides Jesus and his apostles, many at this time went about pretending to cast out demons, both by exorcisms and medicaments, Luke ix. 45; Acts xix. 23; compare Josephus, 'Antiquities,' vii. 6. 3; viii. 2. 5. It is probable that these exorcisms were sometimes effectual by means of the accompanying medicaments. This superstition continued for some time after the apostles, and even led in part to the use of exorcisms in the early Christian church.

After some further remarks, Christ uttered those awful words, which in all ages have engaged the profound attention of the

REBUKE OF UNBELIEF.

Church-" All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." This awful declaration has been variously understood: but taken in connection with what precedes and follows, and with the circumstances which called it forth, it seems to point to those who ascribed to the agency of devils the manifest and glorious works of God, such as those which were wrought by our divine Saviour. The crimes of the heart are greater than those of the hand; and surely, in the lowest depths of the most bitter heart there lurks not a sin equally horrid with that which Christ thus declares to be without forgiveness in this world or in the world to come.

This seems to have silenced that set of Pharisees. But soon after, Jesus was assailed by another set, who assumed the characters not of accusers, but of doubters. They came around him, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from thee." They meant a sign from heaven, such as some of those of Moses and Elias, and such as the Messiah might be expected to afford. The implied argument was, that the wonders he wrought on earth might be possibly effected by the power of Satan; but wonders from heaven would be above all such suspicion, and would bring conviction to their minds. But Christ knew that they asked not from the desire to be convinced, or from the wish to obtain satisfactory proof of his divine mission, but in order to find new ground for cavil and objection. Some believed him to be an impostor, who could not give any such sign, and these hoped to confound him by the demand; others were prepared to cavil, even if such sign had been given-they would doubtless have