Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 4:24

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto▪ him all sick people, that were taken with divers diseases, and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which [illegible: 1 word] lunatick, and those which had the palsie and he healed them.

Syria, is said to be bounded on the North by Cilicia by Egypt, on the South, on the West with the Sea, and on the East, with Euphrates, and to comprehend within it all Iudea, Bethany, Galilee, Decapol[illegible: 1 letter]s, Samaria, Idumea, Palestina, Syrophoenicia, Syria; of Damascus, and Syria of Antioch. Christs fame spread very far doubtless, because of the good he did, and the Miracles he wrought [and they brought out to him, all such People, that were taken with divers Diseases] All here again can signifie no more than very many that were indisposed, and ill affected as to their bodily Health, those that were Sick of, or detained in their Beds, or Houses by divers Diseases: Tho Christ shewed his Power in curing some Diseases, which Physicians judge incurarable, yet he shewed his kindness also in relieving others, not so fatally Sick [and Torments] such as were troubled with great Pains, as if they were upon Racks, or in the hands of Tormentors, that set themselves to Torture them [and those which were possessed with Devils] Of these sorts of Persons▪ we shall read often in the Gospel: This is the fir[illegible: 1 letter]t time, we meet with the term. It is observed that in the Old Te[illegible: 1 letter]tament we read little of any such Persons (we read only of Saul's being vexed with an evil Spirit) we read much of them in the New Testament, and in Ecclesiastical History, for some years after Christ, they called them Energumeni. Some think God in those first times of the Gospel permitted, the Devil to this degree, that the Power of our Saviour might be the more seen casting them out, and in giving Authority to his Disciples to cast them out, which was a great Demon[illegible: 1 letter]tration of his Divinity: Others think, that God did it for a Demonstration of the Error of the Sadduces, who held there was no Spirits. The Gospel seemeth to hint two sorts of these Persons. Some upon whom the Devil had Power, no further than to Wrack and Torture them. Mar. 5.3, 4, 5. Luk. 9.39. others, in whom he dwelled Bodily, and Divined, and Prophecied in them, Acts 16.16. [and those which were Lunatick) affected with such Diseases, as use to increase, in some times of the Moon, or at such times to seize Persons of this Nature, we know divers more particularly, the Falling Sickness, and Dropsie [and those which had the Palsie] a Disease caused by the Resolution of the Nerves. Those Diseases are mentioned, which Men account hardest to be cured, if capable of Cure by Men, Christ to shew his Divine Power healed them. Christ did not only cure these Bodily Di[illegible: 2 letters]empers, but he also Preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to heal their Soul Distempers: We read of many came to him for Bodily Cure, but of none that said to him: What shall we do to be saved? How sensible are Men and Women of their Bodily Pains, and Diseases more than of their Souls wants?