CHA P. III.

THE MAN LAME FROM HIS BIRTH.

N

O fooner had the difciples of Jefus

begun (in the midst of the capital), to bear witness to what they called the truth, than they were led before the tribunals. They are examined, queftioned, and they openly attest, before thefe tribunals, that which they had already affirmed in the prefence of the people.

A man lame from his birth, had been recently restored to the use of his limbs ; this lame man was forty years of age (d). Two of the witneffes are the reputed authors of this cure. They are fent for by the senators, who propofe this queftion to them, By what power or by what name have ye done this? The question is precife and formal. Ye

(d) Acts iii. 4.

rulers

rulers of the people (answer the witneffes), if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Ifrael, that by the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raifed from the dead, even by him doth this man ftand here before you, whole.

What now is the behaviour of the two fishermen? Do they attempt to ingratiate themselves with their judges? No; they fet out by upbraiding them openly with an atrocious crime, and conclude by affirming the very fact which the judges held in the utmost abhorrence.-Here I reafon with myself, and my reasoning is very simple:If be, whom the magiftrates have crucified, has been crucified juftly; if he be not rifen from the dead; if the miracle wrought on the lame man be another deceit ; thefe magiftrates, who undoubtedly have proofs of all this, will loudly and publicly reproach these witneffes with their audaciousness, their imposture, their malice; and will inflict on them the fevereft punishment. I continue

H 3

per

I continue reading'; Now, when they Saw the boldness of Peter and John, and ceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed Standing with them, they could fay nothing against it; but, when they had commanded them, to go afide out of the council, they conferred amongst themselves, and they recalled them, and commanded them, not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

What do I fee here? These fenators, fo prepoffeffed against the witnesses, and their declared enemies, are not able to filence them! Thofe very fenators, whom the witneffes have cenfured with fo much courage and fo little caution, content themselves with threatening them and forbidding them to teach! The lame man then has been reftored. But it was in the name of the crucified Jefus. The crucified man is then rifen from the dead. The fenators then tacitly admit this refurrection at least their conduct feems to imply that they cannot prove the contrary:

I cannot

I cannot reafonably object, that the hiftorian of the fishermen has falfified all this proceeding. For it certainly does not become me, who came into the world 1700 years after this tranfaction paffed, to form a charge against this historian, which should have been brought against him by contemporaries of the witneffes; who nevertheless have not brought it, or at least have never been able to prove

it,

I learn by this hiftorian, that the confequence of this miracle was the converfion of five thousand men: I do not fay that these five thousand men were fo many witneffes. I have not their account: but I will say, that the converfion of fo confiderable a num¬ ber proves the publicity of the fact, Neither can I prefume to fay that this number is exaggerated; because I have no authentic evidence to oppose to that of the historian, and my fimple negative ought not to counterbalance his positive affirmation,

I cannot forbear a few obfervations on fome particular expreffions in this very interesting recital.

Such as I have, give I thee: in the name Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, rife up and walk.

of

Such as I have, give I thee. The only power he has, is that of making a lame man to walk; and this power is committed to a poor fisherman! In the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, rife up and walk. What precifion, what fublimity in these words! how well adapted to the majefty of him who commands all nature!

If we this day be examined of the GOOD deed done to the impotent man. It is an act of pity, not of oftentation, which they wrought they have made no figns to appear in heaven: they have done a good deed to an impotent man; a good deed! and in all the fimplicity of a pure and a virtuous heart.

Whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, No referve, no management here i no prudential confideration, no perfonal fears are here predominant: they are then well affured of the fact, and fear not being confuted!

When they fpoke to the people, they faid, We wot that through ignorance ye