ble himself before the mercy seat, acknowledging his sinfulness and guilt; and let him seek Divine grace to turn his heart from the love of sin, that he may forsake all iniquity. Let him implore the pardon of his past offences through Him who is the propitiation for our sins,75 and whose blood cleanseth from all sin.76 Let him believe in the mighty power of the Lord Jesus to forgive and to subdue his iniquities, to cleanse him from his sins past, and to preserve him for the future from falling into the sins which most easily beset him. They who humble themselves at the footstool of the mercy seat; worshipping the King of glory, who is seated upon it; acknowledging His almighty power, and imploring pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace to be vouchsafed to them, shall not humble themselves before Him in vain. He will graciously answer them, as He replied to the distressed leper, I will, be thou clean. He will pardon and deliver them from all their sins. He will give them health and a cure. He will grant them the blessings of His great salvation, to the joy and consolation of their souls. He will give them His good Spirit to bless, preserve, and sanctify them, to keep them from falling into sin, or running into danger. Those who rely upon His Divine power, and cast themselves

upon His compassion, shall obtain the rich blessings of His grace, to the glory and praise of His holy name.

Again, the case of the paralytic may represent to us the state of one who is painfully sensible of his helplessness and inability to do that which is pleasing to God. He sees especially that he has left undone those things which he ought to have done; that he has not made the salvation of his soul his chief concern; he has not endeavoured to glorify God, and therefore has not answered the end of his existence; he has not loved and served Him in whom he lives, and moves, and has his being. He has been living to himself, and has not sought to please God in his life and conduct. Should this de

scription be in any degree applicable to the state of those who are esteemed the more sober kind of people, who are moral and respectable in their general conduct in the world; it must be observed that few of these characters are grievously tormented with their spiritual disease. They are mostly found to be well pleased with themselves, and contented with their state. They have been preserved from gross sins, and with that they are satisfied; as if the opinion of their fellowcreatures respecting them would exculpate them at the bar of God; and gross vices alone would meet with condemnation from the Searcher of hearts. But it may be that the bed of sickness

has been the means in the hand of God of leading such a one to self-examination, and of humbling him before God. It is adversity which commonly brings these persons to reflection. In the day of adversity they consider" why it is that God contends with them. The high opinion which they had of themselves is then laid low, and the fear of death falls upon them. They see that what they had been accustomed to rely upon, the general harmlessness of their character, will not avail them in His awful presence, who has not only commanded men to abstain from what He has forbidden, but has required that He Himself should be the supreme object of their best affections; and that from love to Him they should live in active obedience to His holy will and commandments; that they may glorify God in their body, and in their spirit, which are God's.78

But we are taught by the circumstances related in connexion with the healing of the paralytic; that if omissions of our known duty, if our helplessness and inability to do that which is pleasing in the sight of God, be a source of distress to us, we should go and humbly represent our case to the Lord Jesus, the great Physician of souls; and beseech Him to have mercy upon us and heal us; to turn our hearts to

77 Ecclesiastes vii. 14.

781 Corinthians vi. 20.

Himself by the gracious influence of His Holy Spirit, that we may love Him above all things; and that the love of Christ may constrain us to devote ourselves in reality to His service, to live in active obedience to His blessed will, and to walk in all His commandments and ordinances. We are to confess our unworthiness of His favour, and to plead with Him for the exertion of His almighty power in our behalf; and then we may be assured that He will graciously manifest Himself as the Lord that healeth 79 us of our spiritual diseases.

He whose power is almighty, is also infinite in compassion towards them who humble themselves at His footstool, and implore His mercy and pity. He calls upon us to believe in Him. in these His characters, and says to us, As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 80 He will not reject the humble importunate suppliants at His footstool. He will not send them empty away. He will give medicine to heal their sickness. Let us then be importunate with Him for the blessings which He has promised to bestow upon the humble penitent. Let us imitate the conduct of the persons whose cases we have been considering. And we may be assured that He will give us those blessings which

79 Exodus xv. 26.

80 Matthew xxi. 22.

He sees to be good for us, that He will bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things here on earth, and will make us partakers of eternal blessedness when we have done with all things here below. Let it be our prayer Let it be our prayer that accord

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ing to His gracious promise to His people, He would do these things unto us, and not forsake us, and may He of His infinite mercy grant our petitions, for Christ's sake: To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God in Three Persons, be glory, honour, and praise ascribed, now and for ever. Amen.

81 Isaiah xlii. 16.