Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: these words are not a prayer, (though they were not spoken without Peter's lifting up his heart to Christ in prayer), but a promise to this sick man of health and recovery, declaring from whom he should receive it, that he might know whom to acknowledge and thank for it. Arise, and make thy bed: our Saviour bids the sick of the palsy to arise, and take up his bed, Mark 2:11; and so he commands the impotent man, 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Here St. Peter bids this paralytic to make his bed; which seems more strange, being he was commanded to arise, so that now he should have no need of having his bed made; but it is easily answered, that being it was only intended to show how fully he was cured, the making of his bed did as much prove, both to himself and others, that he was recovered, as any thing else could do.

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