manner of sickness gave way, at once, at His presence. The fiery heat of consuming fevers, and the malignity of noxious ailments, were conquered at His approach; for even leprosy, which is death, seated triumphant amid vitality, yielded at His touch; and life and vigorous health ran suddenly, and with alacrity, through the stagnant veins of its despairing victim.
4. I am told that these were miracles; and so, indeed, they were. They were mighty works; "great and astounding marvels;" wondrous and amazing powers. They were facts and occurrences which startled the senses, and overcame all the deductions of reason, and outran the flights of imagination. But they were something more than this. They were mercies as well as wonders; grace-tokens as well as demonstrations of God's great power; in fine, manifestations of that gracious and merciful spirit which characterizes the religion of Jesus, as well as mighty miracles which evidence the Faith.
Ignorance of this is blindness to the spirit of the New Testament, and of the acts of Jesus. For, without doubt, no man has even seen the deep reality and the wondrous significance of our Lord's miracles, who has only regarded them as wondrous marvels, and hence, has failed to notice the Divine Love, the genial and genuine humanity, the large-hearted philanthropy, and the tender, melting sympathy, which they everywhere so savingly signify The Lord Jesus, never be it forgotten, was not only a wonder-worker among men, but He was, and pre-eminently so even in them, a compassionate Saviour, a sympathizing
