depart out of their coasts, since by the experience which I have of the omnipotence and miraculous energy of my GOD AND SAVIOUR in my own bosom, I shall be led to cleave to Him the more closely, and to beseech Him the more earnestly, not to depart, but rather to take up His eternal abode in my purified and grateful bosom. AMEN.

58

THE SICK OF THE PALSY

HEALED.

MATT. ix. 2 to 9.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and JESUS, seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee, &c. &c.

Q. YOU have already told me, in the explanation of a former miracle, what is to be understood both naturally and spiritually by the sick of the palsy, and that it implies some obstruction to the circulation of the blood in the body, and of truth in the mind, in consequence of which both the corporeal and mental organis are rendered incapable of performing their proper functions. Can you now tell me why the sick of the palsy, as here recorded, is described as lying on a bed?

A. The reason is, because a bed, according to • its spiritual signification, figures and represents the natural principle of the life of man, since what a literal bed is to the body of a man, that the natural principle is to the spirit of a man. For man, it is well known, or may be known,

consists of two distinct principles, the one natural, the other spiritual; in other words, the one formed to be affected by, and to take cognizance of the things of this world, and the other formed to be affected by, and to take cognizance of the things of another world, viz. God, His law, His kingdom, His providence, His perfections, and the relationship subsisting between Him and His creatures. Agreeable then to this idea, the natural principle, as being the lowest, may be regarded as the bed of the spiritual principle, which is above it, because the spiritual principle rests upon, and finds its repose in the natural, in like manner as the body of man rests upon, and finds its repose in a literal bed. That bed hath such a spiritual signification, may be plain from these passages in the HOLY WORD, where it is mentioned. Thus it is written in the Book of Psalms; Commune with your own heart on your bed, (Psalm iv. 4;) and again, He deviseth mischief upon his bed, (Psalm xxxvi. 4;) and again, Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness, (Psalm xli. 3;) and again, When I remember thee upon my bed, (Psalm lxiii. 6;) and again, in Isaiah, The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it, (chap xxviii. 20;) in all which passages, by bed is not meant a bed literally, but the natural mind or principle, on which the spiritual mind or principle rests, and in which it thinks. The awful sentence therefore against Jezebel was denounced in these words, Behold, I will cast her into a bed, (Rev. ii. 22,) to denote that she would be left to

the natural mind or principle, and to its false persuasions.

It deserves however to be noted, that the spiritual bed here spoken of varies according to the state of the natural principle, being a soft and easy bed if the natural principle be brought into right subordination to the spiritual, but a hard and uneasy bed, if such subordination be wanting. By the sick of the palsy, therefore, lying on a bed, is to be understood the connexion of the spiritual principle with the natural, and that in this connexion there was some obstruc tion, which prevented the due circulation of spiritual principles and persuasions in the natural life and its principles and persuasions.

Q. But it is said, that JESUS, seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee- -what is it you understand by these words of the BLESSED JESUS, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee ?

A. JESUS, in calling the sick of the palsy his son, announces his divine parental affection to all His distempered and suffering children, and this is language at once the most tender, most consolatory, and most encouraging. When He says again to this son, Be of good cheer, He meant to announce, further, the presence and comfort of His own mercy and love, since it is impossible that man can be of good cheer, or, as it is expressed in the original, have confidence, by any other means than the communication and reception of the divine favour and loving-kind

ness. And again, when He pronounces, thy sins be forgiven thee, He meant to declare the saving blessed effect of such favour and loving-kindness, in removing and separating all the principles of sin and disorder, thus in purifying the affections and thoughts from all defilement of iniquity, and finally restoring the whole man, with all his principles both natural and spiritual, to the order, the image, the peace and blessing of GoD and heaven.

Q. But it is added, that certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts ?- -what instruction do you learn from these words?

A. I learn that sinful men, especially if their sin be strengthened and supported by human learning, and what are commonly called great talents, are ever ready to misinterpret the words of the MOST HIGH, and to call His wisdom foolishness, and the declarations of his mercy blasphemy. I learn further an additional proof of the divinity of my SAVIOUR, manifested so evidently in His discernment of the thoughts of those with whom He was conversing; for who but the ONLY GOD can possess such discernment? Thirdly, from the significant question, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? I am taught to reflect, not only that all evil thoughts proceed from a corrupt heart, but also that they are in themselves most unreasonable and groundless, being nothing more or less than oppositions