CHRISTMAS EVANS, the famous Welch preacher, has the following comment on the return home of the Demoniaeæc of Gadara:—
“As soon as he came in sight of the house, I imagine I see one of the children running in, and crying, ‘O mother! father is coming, and he will kill us all!’ ‘Children, come all into the house,’ said the mother. ‘Let us fasten the doors. I think there is no sorrow like my sorrow!’ said the broken-hearted woman. ‘Are all the windows fastened, children?’ ‘Yes, mother.’ ‘Mary, my dear, come from the window; don’t be standing there.’ ‘Why, mother, I can hardly believe that it is father! that man is well-dressed.’ ‘O yes, my dear children, it is your own father. I knew him by his walk the moment I saw him.’ Another child stepping to the window, said, ‘Why, mother, I never saw father coming home as he comes to-day. He walks on the footpath, and turns round the corner of the fences. He used to come towards the house as straight as a line, over fences, ditches, and hedges; and I never saw him walking as slowly as he does now.’ In a few moments, however, he arrives at the door of the house, to the great terror and consternation of all the inmates. He gently tries the door, and finds no admittance. He pauses a moment, steps towards the window, and says, in a low, firm, and melodious voice, ‘My dear wife, if you will let me in there is no danger. I will not hurt you; I bring you glad tidings of great joy.’ The door was reluctantly opened, as it were between joy and fear. Having deliberately seated himself, he said:— ‘I am come to show you what great things God has done for me. He loved me with an everlasting love. He redeemed me from the curse of the Law, and the threatenings of vindictive justice. He saved me from the power and dominion of sin. He cast the devils out of my heart, and made that heart which was a den of thieves, the temple of the Holy Spirit. I cannot tell you how much I love the Saviour. Jesus Christ is the foundation of my hope, the object of my faith, and the centre of my affection. I can venture my immortal soul upon Him. He is my best Friend—He is altogether lovely—the chief among ten thousands. He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. There is enough in Him to make a poor sinner rich, and a miserable sinner happy. His flesh and blood are my food—His righteousness my wedding-garment—and His blood is efficacious to cleanse from all sins. Through Him I can obtain eternal life, for He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of His Person, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily. He deserves my highest esteem, and my warmest gratitude. Unto Him who loved me with an eternal love, and washed me in His own blood—unto Him be the glory, dominion, and power, for ever and ever. For He has rescued my soul from Hell: He has plucked me as a brand out of the burning. He took me out of the miry clay, and out of a horrible pit. He set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings, and put in my mouth a new song of praise and glory to Him! Glory to Him for ever! Glory to God in the highest! Glory to God for ever and ever! Let the whole earth praise Him! Yea, let all the world praise Him! Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!’
It is beyond the power of the strongest imagination to conceive the joy and gladness of this family. The joy of sea-faring men delivered from being ship-wrecked—the joy of a man delivered from a burning house the joy of not being found guilty at a criminal bar—the joy of receiving pardoned by a condemned malefactor—the joy of freedom to a prisoner of war—is nothing in comparison to the joy of him who is delivered from going down to the pit of eternal destruction. For it is joy ‘unspeakable and full of glory!’