S. MARK.

CHAPTER I. VERSES 1-16.

According to the prediction in Mal. iii. 1, John was found preaching in the wilderness, preparing the way for one whose shoes he was not worthy to unloose. Nevertheless, our Lord permits himself to be baptized of John; and, coming out of the water, the Spirit descends upon him, and

a voice from heaven was heard saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." God alone can take delight in spotless perfection in his own express image. In man it gave rise to the hatred the Son of God met with, and called forth the worst passions of human nature. Let this lead us to a deep sense of our vileness, and let us seek to have the mind of God, loving what he loves, hating only what he abhors. When our Lord began his preaching, he says, "The time is fulfilled.” And as surely as Christ came at the very time predicted, so surely shall all other events be fulfilled, according to the word of God. This is the dispensation wherein we are called upon to repent. When Christ comes the second time, it will be to take vengeance on his enemies-no further offers of mercy will be made. If we believe not the Gospel now, our final doom is fixed, even in this world. Let us obey Christ's command whilst it is called to-day.

VERSES 17-34.

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

20 And straightway he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And there was in their syna

gogue a
man with an unclean
spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.

34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

We cannot doubt that as it was under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the history of our Lord's sojourn on earth should be written, so it was his will also that there should be a repetition of it by four of the Evangelists. There are additional facts related by Mark in his narration, and differences in his account of the same circumstance told us by Matthew, from all of which we derive obvious advantages. There are sufficient differences to prove that there was no aim at agreement, and sufficient similarity to convince the reader that such facts as are stated were related by eye-witnesses. But, beyond this, we have thus the advantage of "line upon line, precept upon precept," for the confirmation of our faith, and for fresh inducements to study with greater perseverance what we are sure the Holy Spirit thus points out to us as unspeakably important.

VERSES 35-45.

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

42 And as soon

as he had

spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses com

manded, for a testimony unto

them.

45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter.

After casting out evil spirits, and performing other works of mercy mentioned by Matthew, we are here told in addition that, rising long before day, our Saviour went to a solitary place for prayer; for that communing with his heavenly Father which he could not enjoy except in retirement. What an example for all persons to begin their day with secret prayer! and how condemnatory of those who resort to places set apart for public worship, rather than adhering to the injunction of entering their closet and praying to Him who seeth in secret! Jesus then preaches in the synagogues throughout all Galilee; and, after healing the leper, could no more enter the city, so much was his fame blazed abroad.

A

CHAPTER II. VERSES 1-12.

ND again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door : and he preached the word unto them.

3 And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts ?

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that

the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Though the chief facts of this miracle are the same as recorded by Matthew, Mark adds a few more particulars of the case, which are very striking, and well worthy of obser vation. The first, that the presence of the Lord was "noised," or, as we should say, discovered; and, in consequence, without loss of time, multitudes gathered around till there was no room in or out of the house; next, he mentions the difficulties of bringing the sick man into contact with the Saviour; and, lastly, the contrivance adopted for the purpose. The reception the sick man met with should make a lasting impression upon us, nor should we forget our greater advantages in this our period of the world. Personal contact is not now necessary for our relief. Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us, and to bestow his gifts. His ear is ever open: nothing can come between us and him but our unbelief. With the way of access thus freely open, let us as freely use it; and we shall find Christ willing to give beyond what we can ask or think, as in the case of this paralytic, whose sins were forgiven, besides the power to walk and carry his bed. The effect of this miracle on the multitude, Mark describes as producing amazement, accompanied with an acknowledgment of its being the work of God, quite out of the usual course of nature. But how powerless are miracles in themselves on those who witnessed them! Seeing, they shall not see; hearing, they shall not hear! How constantly has this prediction of Jeremiah been fulfilled, and is fulfilling even to this day. Let us not draw down upon ourselves this judicial punishment pronounced upon the Jews,

VERSES 13-28.

13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. arose and followed him.

And he