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PART III.

MATTHEW VIII. 5-13, 18-34-IX. 1, 10-38, X.-XIV.—MARK II. 23-28-III.-VI.—LUKE VI.-IX. 1—17.-JOHN V. VI.

IN WHICH IS CONTAINED THE PERIOD OF TWELVE MONTHS, FROM THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR'S PREACHING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN THE BEGINNING OF TWENTY. EIGHT, TO THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR, IN THE BEGINNING OF TWENTY-NINE.

HARMONY OF THE FOUR GOSPELS.

93

33

SECTION I.

JOHN V. 1-16.

AFTER this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk.-Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a

multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

What reason have we humbly to adore that Almighty Being who kills and makes alive, who wounds and heals! (Deut. xxxii. 39.) If the Jews had cause of thankfulness for this miraculous interposition, surely those virtues which God has in a natural way bestowed on medicines, and that sagacity which he has given to men for the discovery of those virtues, are matter of much greater acknowledgment, as the blessing is so much more extensive and lasting.

But how much greater still are our obligations to him for the blessings of his gospel and the ordinances of his worship, those waters of life by which our spiritual maladies are healed, and vigour restored to our enfeebled souls! Let us humbly attend them; yet during that attendance let us look beyond them for surely the efficacy of this pool of Bethesda did not more depend upon the descent of the angel, than the efficacy of the noblest ordinances depends on that blessed Spirit which operates in and by them.

Multitudes were continually attending at this pool; and why then is the house of God forsaken? where not one alone, but many, at the same moment, may receive spiritual sight and strength; yea, and life from the dead? Yet, alas! under the diseases of the soul, how few desire to be made whole! Blessed Jesus ! if thou hast awakened that desire in us, we would adore thee for it as a token for good; and would lift up our believing eyes to thee, in humble expectation that thou wilt graciously fulfil it.

The man who was lately languishing on his couch we quickly after find in the temple: and where should they be found who have been raised up from beds of weakness, and brought out from chambers of confinement, but in the sanctuary, rendering their praises to the God of their mercies? How reasonable is the caution which our Lord gave him there! Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. May we see sin as the root of all our afflictions; and, by the bitterness of them, may sin be embittered to us, and our hearts fortified against relapsing into it, especially when we have been chastised, and restored again!

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