to the divine love and wisdom of the MOST HIGH GOD. Q. But the BLESSED JESUS adds, as a proof of the unreasonableness of such evil thoughts, Whether is easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk ?- -what do you conceive to be the force and drift of this significant question? A. My SAVIOUR would instruct me by this significant question, that to forgive sins, and to cure bodily disease, are acts which equally require the exercise of Divine Omnipotence, and that consequently the supernatural cure of a bodily disease implies the power to cure a mental disease. He would instruct me therefore to regard all His healing operations, exercised on the bodies of men, as proofs most positive of His divine power to exercise similar operations on the souls or spirits of men. And the reason is plain, because sin, properly considered, is nothing but a distemper of the soul; and to forgive sin therefore, or, as it is expressed in the original, to remit it, means nothing more or less than to remove that distemper. The BLESSED JESUS therefore, by every act of healing exercised on the bodies of men, gave a full demonstration of His divine power to heal their souls or spirits; in other words, to forgive sins: to which purpose He declares afterwards, But that ye may know that the SON OF MAN hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. Q. And what do you conceive to be involved in the words, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house? A. The injunction to arise, involves in it spiritually an elevation of the affections and thoughts, or of the will and understanding, from earthly things to heavenly; in other words, from self-love and the love of the world to the love of GOD and neighbourly love. The injunction again, to take up the bed, involves in it a similar elevation of the natural mind, with all its purposes, words and works, agreeable to what was said above concerning the spiritual signification of the term bed. And lastly, the injunction, go unto thine house, spiritually considered, involves in it a divine exhortation to the sick of the palsy, and thus to every distempered child of man, to retire into the interiors of his own mind, where the MOST HIGH has His consecrated abode, and there to dwell continually in the enjoyment of the divine presence, favour and benediction of the GOD who healeth all his infirmities. Q. In the conclusion it is said, that he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men -what do you learn from these words? A. By the sick of the palsy arising, and departing to his house, I am taught to discern the effect of the divine word of the Most HIGH, produced in the ultimates of nature. For such is the quality of the divine intention and thought, which is the same thing with the divine word or speech, that it ever proceeds to its effect, which effect terminates in the ultimates of the natural world, and from thence returns, by re-action, to its divine source. And from the multitude marvelling at the sight of the effect, and glorifying GOD which had given such power unto men, I am further instructed in the true disposition and genuine character of the followers of the BLESSED JESUS, that is to say, of the real living members of His church and kingdom, viz. that they adore with wonder the effects of His omnipotence, in removing the disorders both of body and mind, and thus of restoring man to his original purity, order, and life; and further, that they refer these effects to the union of the divine and human nature in the person of the INCARNATE GOD, and thus worship JESUS CHRIST in His DIVINE HUMANITY as One with the ETERNAL FATHER, consequently as the SuPREME AND ONLY GOD, who hath all power both in heaven and earth. Q. What then is the general instruction which you learn from this miracle? A. I learn again to adore the power of that merciful GOD AND SAVIOUR, which find exercised in healing the bodily infirmities of mankind. But I learn still more to adore that same divine power as applied to the removal of spiritual infirmity and distemper, and as expressing itself in the divine consolatory words, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. From the account too of the above miracle, I receive an additional confirmation of my faith in the divinity of my LORD AND SAVIOUR, of whom I find it written, that Ile knew the thoughts of those with whom He conversed; for such knowledge is a peculiar characteristic of divinity, and conse quently a demonstration that the person possess ing it could be no other than the SUPREME God. Again I learn, that the power of healing bodily disease involves in it, of necessary consequence, the power of healing spiritual disease, and that therefore the BLESSED JESUS, in controlling the disorders of matter, exhibited a proof most positive that the kingdom of mind also was subject to His authority, and that of course he was able likewise to control all its disorders, and to restore it to its proper health, vigour, and enjoyment. Lastly, I learn what is the true temper and spirit of the followers of this INCARNATE GOD, or of the members of His church and kingdom, and that their minds are continually filled with wonder and adoration at observing the effects of His mercy and omnipotence as exhibited both in matter and in mind, and further, that they are led by those effects to the acknowledgment of the INCARNATE GOD, and to the devout worship of Him in His DIVINE HUMANITY, thus in His ONE-NESS with the ETERNAL FATHER. I am resolved therefore from henceforth to take this GOD for my GOD, and to believe in and follow Him, as the RESTORER OF THE BREACH in all the principles both of my body and of my mind. So may I humbly hope, in all my sorrows and infirmities, to hear from His divine mouth the |