LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. 8i water, Jlepped in, was made whole ofwhat- foeoer difeafe he had. The account of this miraculous pool is given us by the evan- geliR John, but is dot mentioned by any more of the facred writers : and various queflions have arifen concerning thefe won- derful waters, which it hath been impof- fible to refolve, becaufe the pool of Be- thefda is not mentioned by any other Jewifh writer, facred or profane. For the above reafons, it cannot be precifely determined, when this miraculous power ofhealing firft appeared in this pool; but it is almoll usiverfally agreed, that it could not be long before the coming of our Redeemer ; and that the miracle was intended to lead tothe Son ofGod, and to prepare the nation for the reception of him. Nor is it ftrange, that a healing virtue fhould attend thole waters, which were flained with the blood of the facri- fices, which pointed to CHRIST, at the time when this great perfon was about to be manifefted. The gift of prophecy, and that of miracles, had ceafed amongft the Jews above four hundred years; and therefore, it muff be fuppofed, that this miraculous event would roufe the atten- tion of the nation, awaken every defire in their hearts for the ,coming of the Meffiah, and make them more circumfpe& in ob- ferving the tokens of his appearance. And as the Jewifh nation, at this time, was under great tribulation and contempt, and fuffered exceedingly from the tyranny and oppreffionof the Gentiles, it may be fup- poled, that the God of Ifrael gracioufly condefcended to give them this eminent token of his favour, and gave this won- derful healing virtue to thefe blood-flained waters, that they might not defpair of the fulfilment of his ancient promifes, but have an eye to the blood of the aove. nant, and expe& the appearance of that great perfon, of whom Ifaiah prophecied, He was woundedfor our tranfgreffions, and bruifed for our iniquities. And as God was pleafed, at this time, to give fuck a No. y. wonderful healing virtue to a fountain of water, it may reafonably be fuppofed, that he defigned to lead the minds of the de- vout worfhippers in his temple to that great perfon, of whom it was prophecied that he fhould be a fountain openedfor fin and uncleannefs. Jesus being come to Jerufalem to the feaft of the paffover, he repaired to the pool of Bethefda; and took a view of the various fubje&s of difeafe, infirmity, and affliQion, which crowded the porches, and waited for the troubling of the waters. Had thefe , miferable obje&s applied to our great Redeemer for help, no doubt, they would all have experienced the great effe&s of that divine power of healing, which this illuftrious perfon fo eminently poffeffed : but it is to be fuppofed, that he was ablolutely unknown amongft them, and no bleffing or benefit was expe&ed from him. This mai' be fuppofed to be the reafon why our great Redeemer,' did not extend his heavenly goodnefs to the whole number of thole afflifed and dif- eafed perfons ; for the general account which the evangelifts give of his divine compaffion on other occafions is, that he healed all who came to him. Such dif- eafed perlons who left their habitations, out of a perfuafion of his divine power and goodnefs, were the firth obje&s -of his compaflion, and never returned without a cure ; but the fick at the pool ofBethefda, were attentive to other means of relief, and thought not of the Redeemer of Ifrael. Amongfl thefe miferable obje&s, was a man who had laboured under his difeafe no lets than thirty-eight years. The long continuance, as well as the diftrefsful na- ture of this man's . affli &ion, was well known to the Son of God ; and amongft the great number of difeafed perlons which he beheld crowding the porches that furrounded the pool, our exalted Saviour tingled out' this poor man as the obje& W of
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