him by the faith of the opcration of God. If ye then be risen with Christ, seck the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

5. It is observed of these apostles, that they discovered a marvellous zeal and fortitude in the cause of Christ. This was the effect of their acquaintance with him.

The spirit of his religion is a spirit of power and of a sound mind. It inspires with resolution and courage in times of opposition and danger. If we have seen Christ's example-his zeal for God -his contempt of the world-his perseverance in his work: If we have learned his doctrines, heard his promises and contemplated the glorious rewards which he has prepared for the faithful; we may be strong in the power of his might. If then we faint in the day of adversity, yield to temptations, or dissemble our religion in the presence of scoffers, we act as those, who have never been with Jesus.

6. The religion of Jesus breathes a spirit of love. A pattern of the most exalted benevolence he himself has exhibited; and the same benevolence he has inculcated on his disciples. He has taught them to love one another-to love enemies to love all men. It It may then be expected of those, who are formed under his example and instructions, that they should put away all bitterness, wrath, malice, envy, clamour and evil speaking; and put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, meekness and long suffering, forgiving one another, as Christ forgiveth them; and that, above all things, they put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.""By this," says our Lord, "shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one anoth

er." If then we have nothing of his love, Shall we say, we have been with him? No: We have VOL. II. PP

not seen him, nor known him; or we have companied with him in vain.

Let us seriously apply these thoughts.

If we find not in ourselves the temper which was in Christ, let us humbly lament our neglect of the privileges which we enjoy, and more wisely improve them in future.

We see, when we may be said to make a proper use of ordinances, and to attend upon them acceptably. It is when we have so been with Christ as to learn his religion, and become conformed to it.

We have, this day, been near to Christ in his house, and at his table: Let us not walk according to the course of the world, but according to the pattern and precepts of our divine master. Let us, who have been so highly honoured of God, as to be called to the fellowship of his Son, depart from all iniquity, be zealous of good works, live above the world, and maintain a humble, contented, benevolent and peaceable spirit; thus men will be constrained to confess, that Jesus is among us of a truth.

For

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheepmarket, 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. 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 said 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 in before me. Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed and walk And immediately he was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. And on the sama day was the sabbath.

THE feast here mentioned, on account of which Jesus went up to Jerusalem, was brobably the passover; for at this, all the males were required to. appear before God in the temple.

Though the Jewish church, in that day, had greatly degenerated from its ancient purity, and in

many things had departed from the divine institutions, yet Christ did not withdraw from her communion; but he constantly attended with her on the festivals appointed by the law.

The Evangelist says, "Now at Jerusalem, by the sheepmarket," or sheepgate, as it is elsewhere called, "there is a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bathesda, having five porches." The word rendered a pool, properly signifies a bath, or a place for swimming. It was just within the walls of the city, near one of the principal gates; and it had several porches, or covered walks, for the convenience of those, who came thither to bathe themselves.

"At a certain season," it is said, "an angel went down into the pool and troubled the water," or put it in motion; "whosoever then first after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."

Some have conjectured, that the healing virtue of this water was derived from the entrails of the beasts, slain for sacrifice, which they suppose, were thrown into it; and that the angel, who stirred the water, was only a messenger, or officer, sent at certain times to put it in motion. But it seems altogether incredible, that water, from any natural cause, should cure all sorts of diseases that its healing virtue should operate only at particular seasonsthat it should help only the person who first stepped in or that such multitudes should wait for a certain officer to come and stir the water; and should not rather do it themselves, or call on some person to do it for them. Nor does it appear probable, that the sacrifices were washed in this pool, as there was in the temple a laver for that purpose. It is manifest, therefore, that the efficacy of this water was miracu lous.

This pool seems to have been the same which is, elsewhere called the pool of Shiloah, or Siloam, whither Jesus sent the blind man to wash, after he had anointed his eyes with clay.

We find some allusions to it in the Old Testament.

The disobedience of the Jews to the mild government of the Prince of Peace, is, in the prophet, expressed by "their rufusing the waters of Shiloah, which go softly." The faith of such as received the gospel is foretold by a similar allusion. "With joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation," or the fountains of health. The word Shiloah, which signifies one who was sent, is a name by which the Messiah is called, in prophecy, particularly in that of Jacob, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloah come." As these waters were typical of Christ, and of the blessings which flow from him, God might communicate to them this healing virtue, to prepare the Jewsf or the reception of the true Shiloah, and to lead them unto that fountain, which he should open for uncleanness.

The historian tells us, that, in the porticoes of this pool, "lay a great multitude of impotent folk, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water."

What pains men will take, even on the most doubtful prospect, for the cure of their bodily diseases; and yet under their spiritual maladies, how negligent are they to seek relief, though they enjoy the most efficacious means! Multitudes came and lay at the pool to be healed of their blindness, lameness and other infirmities; but of those, whose souls were perishing under guilt, how few applied to the Divine Physician! They who lay at these salutary waters, came to them with great sincerity-with real desires to be healed. This was their sole intention. There was not a dissembler among them. But of