(38) And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house, and Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. (39) And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. (40) Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on everyone of them, and healed them. (41) And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. (42) And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. (43) And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. (44) And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
We have the record of these things, Matthew 8:14. etc. I refer the Reader thither.
REFLECTIONS
Reader! let it be our wisdom, in all our meditations on the sufferings and exercises of Christ, to connect with them the cause. He was wounded for our transgressions: he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed! And while we think of those things, let us in all our lesser exercises bless God, when at any time called to the fellowship in suffering of his Son Jesus Christ. My brethren (saith James) count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations. And, no doubt, when the strength of Christ is made perfect in our weakness, there is great cause of joy, to glory even in our infirmities, when the power of Christ doth rest upon us.
Reader! think what a sermon Christ's first sermon was, as recorded here, which he preached after his ordination by the unction of the Holy Ghost, in the Jewish synagogue? Oh! that all preachers of the word of God were to follow Christ's example, and thereby prove that the spirit of the Lord, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, was upon them. Might we not hope, that from the same blessed cause, as by the master, so by his servants, gracious effects would follow; and the Lord's cause would be glorified in the earth. But let all such not fail to do as Christ did. However offensive to carnal reason, and to the free will of men, let the sovereignty of God be proclaimed. Many widows, and many lepers there may be in Israel now, as of old; but until God sends his word, there will be no commission to heal. Oh! do thou, blessed Jesus, who in the days of thy flesh didst heal all the diseases of thy people, now in the day of thy power manifest the sovereignty of thy grace and salvation, and preach by thy blessed spirit, as then in the synagogues of Galilee. Amen.