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and discouragements fall down before it; I learn further to distinguish this good effect by the three characters here given of it, first, as discovering to the woman the quality of her faith, and that it was a faith grounded in love and charity, signified by a great faith, for the term great is always applied in reference to that heavenly principle, or to its opposite. Secondly, as discovering further that the quality of every one, and his condition hereafter, depend altogether on the state of his will or love, signified by the words, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And thirdly, as promoting the deliverance of the affection of good in the church from the infestations of infernal evils, signified by the words, And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Q. What then is the general instruction which you learn from this miracle?

A. I learn in the first place, that when the affection of truth in the church, by the acquirement of heavenly knowledge, is succeeded by the affection of good, which is the affection of heavenly love and charity, this latter affection is presently infested by evils, and by the infernal spirits who are in connexion with those evils, and who seek to destroy it. I learn further, that in this state of infestation, the Omnipotence of the GREAT REDEEMER is sought for and supplicated, as the only power capable of removing the. infestation. I learn again that the aid of this Omnipotence, according to appearance, is not immediately granted, and that many apparent

difficulties and discouragements are wont to present themselves against it. Lastly, I learn that these apparent difficulties and discouragements only tend to the purification and confirmation of the good desires and purposes, which they seemed to oppose; and that finally, through the divine mercy and power of the INCARNATE GOD, which had been solicited, all apparent obstacles are removed, the quality of heavenly good in the devout supplicant is made manifest, the ruling love is discovered to be the arbiter of man's eternal state, and infernal infestation is no longer suffered to assault and vex the troubled spirit. I am resolved therefore, that under all the infestations of evil spirits which are permitted to molest me, I will follow the example of the devout woman, whose great faith is recorded in the above history, and therefore, whatsoever discouragements may be thrown in my way, whether they be real or apparent; and howsoever my GOD and SAVIOUR may delay the fulfilment of my desires and petitions, I will not cast away my confidence, but will still patiently persevere, until I hear from His divine lips the consolatory words, Great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. AMEN.

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THE LAME, BLIND, DUMB, MAIMED, and MANY OTHERS HEALED.

MATT. xv. 30 to 32.

And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at JESUS's feet, and Ile healed them, &c. &c.

Q. WHAT do you here understand by great

multitudes?

A. By great multitudes, according to the sense of the letter, are to be understood great multitudes of people or persons; but according, to the spiritual sense are to be understood multitudes of principles and persuasions; which principles and persuasions were disordered, according to the description given in the history of this miracle, some being lame, some blind, some dumb, some maimed, with many other dis orders.

Q. And what do you mean by principles and persuasions of these several characters?

A. A principle and persuasion is lame, when it has no orderly connexion with the fountain of life, being destitute of that knowledge of genuine truth which is necessary to give it such connexion, for without genuine truth, the FoUNTAIN of LIFE cannot descend into the life of man, neither can the life of man ascend to the. FOUNTAIN of LIFE. Man therefore, in such case, is spiritually lame, in like manner as he is: corporeally lame, when a limb or member of the body has no orderly connexion with the fountain of its life. Again, a principle or persuasion is spi ritually blind when it is without the intelligence of truth, or, what amounts to the same, without the light of heaven, since as the body is blind, which has no eye capable of discerning the things of this world, in like manner the soul is blind, which hath no understanding capable of discerning the things of another world. Again, a principle or persuasion is dumb, when it cannot speak the praises of its MAKER, and tell of all his wondrous works, since as the bodily mouth is dumb, when it cannot give utterance to natural thoughts, so as to communicate them to others, for the same reason the spiritual mouth is dumb, when it cannot communicate to others its spiritual thoughts. Lastly, a principle or persuasion is maimed, when it is destitute of the love of the SUPREME GOOD; in other words, when natural love is separated from spiritual love, since as the body is maimed when injury is

done to any of its members, so that the connexion is broken betwixt them and the heart, in like manner the spirit is muimed, when any perverse affection separates any of its members from the influences of heavenly love and charity.

Q. And what do you understand by what is further written, where it is said, That they cast them down at JESUS's feet, and He healed them?

A. According to the sense of the letter, by these words is to be understood, that the lame, the blind, the dumb, and the maimed, were really laid at the bodily feet of JESUS, and that he healed them; but according to the above spiritual sense of this miracle is to be understood that the spiritually lame, the spiritually blind, the spiritually dumb, and the spiritually maimed, had access to the NATURAL HUMANITY of the BLESSED JESUS, and had thereby communication with the healing virtue flowing forth from the DIVINITY which dwelt in that HUMANITY, and was one with it. For as the feet of man are the lowest parts of his body, on which the higher parts stand and operate, they are there. fore figurative and representative of the lower principles of his spirit, which principles are called natural, as being in the nearest connexion with the world of nature. Accordingly the term feet is frequently applied in the sacred Scriptures to express the lower principles of man's natural life, as where it is written, Thy word is a lamp unto my fect, (Ps. cxix. 105.) He shall pluck my feet out of the net, (Ps. xxv. 15.).

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