III.

THE LAME MAN RESTORED.

WHERE now are Peter and John? Can they do without prayer because they have been so long blessed with the society of the holy Jesus? Oh, no! such an association had made them but more deeply feel the sinfulness of their own hearts, and their inability for one moment to stand alone.

Look! they are going to the temple, to pour out their souls to their Redeemer, to unfold their sorrows to their risen yet still sympathising Lord, who, though invisible, is ever present where the faithful are gathered yes, they are anxious to seek fresh supplies of their Saviour's strength, which is to be made perfect in their mortal weakness.

We can now understand why these disciples walked so closely with their Lord; they sought him in his own appointed way. It is to prayer that all spiritual blessings are promised: "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."

As Peter and John walk in company to the

house of God, they observe a poor lame man, who is sitting at the gate of the temple, which is called "Beautiful;" and we do not wonder that this name was given to it, for it was made of Corinthian brass, and had a most splendid appearance.

He is a beggar, too, and asks the disciples to give him some money. Poor man! perhaps he has received nothing all day, for as they look earnestly on him, hope glows on his countenance; and he is probably thinking within himself that they will give him some relief. Peter must have observed this, for he gently says, "Silver and gold have I none." The beggar's heart begins to fail, and had Peter with these words passed on, as many had done before him, still would that lame man have remained in his helplessness at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. But Peter had a better gift for the crippled beggar than the wealth of the East could purchase. Taking the poor man by the hand, "Such as I have give I thee;" he exclaims. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk;" and immediately his feet and ankle-bones receive strength, and walking and leaping he enters the temple to pour forth his full soul in praise; and the language of his grateful heart is, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies!"

Now we must remember that we are in the state of this lame man. We are crippled by sin, we are unable of ourselves to take one step in the path of holiness; but if we only look unto Jesus, he will impart to us abundant supplies of grace and strength, and enable us to go on our way rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God.

The multitude are astonished. They are looking at the disciples as if they are something more than human. They think that Peter and John have, by their own power, performed this wonderful miracle. The apostles, however, had been taught of God, and they well knew that no praise was due to them; that they were in themselves utterly helpless; therefore, when they hear the multitude giving them credit for this miraculous deed, as though by their own strength they had made the lame man to walk, they said it was faith in the name of Jesus that had given that cripple perfect soundness, in the presence

of them all.

Faith! it is indeed a blessed thing-it sweetens the cup of sorrow, it takes the poison from the barbed wound of enmity; it spans a bright rainbow over the cloud of adversity; it touches with a ray of golden light the stormiest waters-giving beauty and serenity to the most troublous hours; it throws open on time the portals of eternity, and enables the departing spirit boldly to exclaim, “O death,

where is is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ?"

Lord, increase our faith! Then shall our heaviness be turned into joy; then shall the cedar and the myrtle-tree grow in the desert; then shall the song of gratitude be heard with trials all around; for faith, with its transforming power, shall make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

The captain of the temple, the priests, and the Sadducees surround Peter and John: these rulers of the land are ill at ease. This will never do, they think. If these people learn of a risen Saviour, even now interceding for them, we shall lose our power, and be thought of as nothing. The shades of evening are deepening; and these holy men are put into custody till the next morning: no doubt, however, they slept peacefully; for even the cold dungeonfloor is a softer pillow to him who is reconciled to God through Christ, than the downy couch to the troubled dreamings of a guilty conscience.

And did these priests really think that, by thus persecuting the servants of the Lord, they could check the progress of that word which the Mighty One of Israel had declared should accomplish that which he pleased? But thus the clay strives with the potter ! thus man, in his weakness, dares impiously to contend with his Maker!

IV.

THE DISCIPLES BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

-THEIR COURAGEOUS BEHAVIOUR.

WITH the dawn of the next morning, Peter, the especially-forgiven, and John, the beloved, side by side, are standing before the rulers of the land. large company are there; Annas, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and many of the relations of the High-priest.

Are the apostles daunted? Do they tremble before these stern men? Look at their calm and placid faces. Look at Peter's beaming eye as he begins to speak of his Saviour. Does he stand in the outer hall now, afraid that his speech will prove him to be a follower of the Nazarene? He is filled with the Holy Ghost. Ah, this is the secret! We no longer wonder at his loud bold tone, as with extended arms, from which the prison-chains are still hanging, he thus respectfully but firmly addresses Israel's astonished elders:

"If we this day be examined for the good deed done to this impotent man,-by what means he is