is no health in us:" and we may as justly apply to our state that description of the Prophet Isaiah, " From the sole of our foot even to the head there is no soundness in us, but wounds and bruises and pu- trefying sores." Still however there is such a thing as a state of health : and what that is, we may learn,
1. From the condition of some who had never known sickness —
[Adam in Paradise was made after the Divine image : every perfection of the Deity, as far as it was communicable to a creature, was found in him. His dispositions were altogether in unison with the will of God. He communed with his Maker daily, as with his familiar friend ; and sought all his happiness in the performance of his will, and in the enjoyment of his presence.
Our blessed Lord and Saviour also is another example of one who never knew sin. In his early years we have but little information about him, except that he was subject to his parents, and obedient to them in all things : and though we cannot consider this as the whole of a child's religion, we do not hesitate to say, that it is a most essential part of it, and that religion never can exist where this proof of it is wanting. When he had attained the age of twelve, we are enabled to speak determinately concerning him. Then, we know, that he loved the house of God, and found all his delight in the ser- vices of religion. Yea, with such intenseness was he engaged in communicating and receiving instruction, that he let his parents go from Jerusalem without him ; and, when they found him in the temple after three days, expressed his wonder that they felt any solicitude about him, and that they did not at once conclude him to be occupied " about his Father's business." When he entered on his ministry, he made it " his meat and drink to do his Father's will :" after labouring in his vocation the whole day, he would sometimes spend whole nights in prayer. He went about doing good amongst the poorest and vilest of mankind : and when his love was recompensed only by the most cruel insults and persecutions, he rendered nothing but good for evil : " when he was reviled, he reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not : " yea, rather, he wept over his enemies, and prayed for his very murderers.]
2. From the condition of some who had expe- rienced a recovery —
[We cannot easily find persons more diseased than those to whom Peter addressed himself on the day of Pentecost. They had withstood all the discourses and miracles of our