Luke 8:37

besought him to depart The opposite to the request of the Samaritans (John 4:40). Unlike Peter, they meantwhat they said. Preferring their swine to Christ, they felt that His presence was dangerous to their greed. And our Lord acted on the principle of not casting that which was holy to dogs, nor pearls before men whose moral character tended to become like that of their own swine. At Gadara the worst iniquities were prevalent. It may be that if they had not deliberately begged Christ to leave them they might have been spared the fearful massacre and ruin fire, and sword, and slavery which befel them at the hands of the Romans in less than 40 years after this time (Jos. B. J.III. 7, § 1, iv. 7, § 4). But

"We, ignorant of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers

Deny us for our good."

For other instances of prayers fatally granted see Exodus 10:28-29; Numbers 22:20; Psalms 78:29-31; on the other hand, a refused boon is sometimes a blessing. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. The result of their wilful sensuality was that the time never came when

"E'en the witless Gadarene,

Preferring Christ to swine, shall learn

That life is sweetest, when'tis clean."

they were taken Rather, they were oppressed.