escape all these things that fhall come to pass, and to ftand before the Son of man. Which may God of his mercy grant, through Jefus Christ. Amen.

SERMO

ST. PETER's

ACTS ii. 12.

tal when Peter farw it, be unto the people, Ye men of Ifi marvel ye at this? or why carnefitly on us, as though by c power or holiness we had mad man to walk?

THESE words, as the te

THE

us, were spoke by St. P the occafion of his miraculo of the lame man, who was lai gate of the temple, and, in t ning of this chapter, had

And when Peter fato it, be anfwered unto the people, Ye men of Ifrael, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye fo earneftly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

THESE words, as the text tells

THE

us, were spoke by St. Peter, on

the occafion of his miraculous cure of the lame man, who was laid at the gate of the temple, and, in the beginning of this chapter, had afked an

alms of St. Peter and St. John, as they went up together at the hour of prayer; -on whom St. Peter faftening his eyes, as in the 4th verfe, and declaring he had no fuch relief to give him as he expected, having neither filver nor gold,—but that fuch as he had, the benefit of that divine power which he had received from his Master, he would impart to him,he commands him forthwith, in the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, to

rife

up and walk. And he took him by the hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ancle-bones received strength; and he leaped up, ftood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, leaping and praifing God.

It feems he had been born lame, had paffed a whole life of defpair, without hopes of ever being reftored;

-fo that the immediate sense of ftrength and activity communicated to him at once, in fo furprifing and unfought-for a manner, caft him into the tranfport of mind natural to a man fo benefited beyond his expectation. So that the amazing inftance of a fupernatural power;-the notoriety of fact, wrought at the hour of prayer; the unexceptionablenefs of the object, that it was no impofture, -for they knew that it was he which fat for alms at the Beautiful gate of

1

fions of an enraptured heart almost befide itself, confirming the whole;