cheers his latest hours with fallacious hopes

of recovery.

But, blessed be God, there is provision in the covenant of grace for the recovery of every spiritual patient on the face of the earth. In that covenant a remedy is provided amply sufficient for every spiritual disease, how deeply seated, how inveterate soever it be! Of the sick folks who were brought to the Apostles from all quarters of the land, it is emphatically said, in the closing words of the text, “And they were healed every one." When once the power of the Almighty was present to heal, difficulty there was none: every species of disorder fled away without exception or reserve.

Nor in spiritual diseases is any thing too hard for the Lord to accomplish. The fever of intemperance-the lethargy of indifference and security-the wasting consumption of worldly minds-these and numberless other diseases, are instantly checked by the remedies of the gospel.

:

Let these remedies be applied by the heavenly Physician, even though it be through the instrumentality of their poor fellow-patients, and the effects are instantly produced. The spiritually deaf recover their hearing, and the spiritually dumb their speech; the eyes of the blind also are made effectually to see, and the halt and the lame to leap for joy. The whole man becomes renewed, and every faculty of the soul receives fresh life and vigour. But if all this be true, how can we account for the lamentable fact that few comparatively are made whole? Incredible as the assertion may at first sight appear, it is, because men prefer sickness to health. They choose rather to remain diseased as they are-unmolested and unrebuked at liberty to indulge their passions and live in sin, than to be brought into such a state of health and soundness as would impose upon them any restraint, and deny them the licence in which they delight to live. And not only so but they

are ignorant, for the most part, of the extent of their malady, and, in a corresponding degree, they are insensible to their danger. Being insensible to their danger the Physician's aid is refused, and they come not within the sphere of his influence. Hence they continue diseased, when they might have been curedand finally they taste the bitter pains of eternal death, whereas they might have had their spiritual health restored, and live for ever!

185

LECTURE VIII.

ACTS v. 33-42.

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space.

And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, what ye intend to do as touching these

men.

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after

him: he also perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought.

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the Apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

YOUR attention, my brethren, has already been called to the religious tenets of the men who formed the majority of the Jewish Council before whom the Apostles were now arraigned, and to the persecuting spirit which they displayed towards the early Christians notwithstanding their ostentatious professions of liberality. Nor should we be slow to learn from the narrative to mistrust the fair promises of infidelity in whatever garb she may present