people suppose they know enough, and can see already, and are yet strangers to our Saviour, and whose eyes were never anointed with his eye-salve, neither did they ever come to him to receive their sight, These are those who love darkness, and are of the Laodicean stamp and spirit, who boasted that they had need of nothing, and knew not that they were poor, and miserable, and blind. Such who proudly stand it out, and will have no other illumination but nature, no light but reason, receive no benefit by the gospel; Christ, the light of the world, is of no service to them, they are only the more blind, and all their wisdom becomes a curse and a snare to them, and their brightest counsels are, like the counsel of Ahitophel, foolishness.

I believe all the gracious acts of our Lord, in respect of his curing so many blind people in the days of his flesh, were written not only as a history of his deeds and miracles, but that souls, sensible of their blindness and darkness, might apply to him and be enlightened. Let them then who are spiritually blind tread in the steps of Bartimeus, and others, let them sit in the way begging, and though they should be persuaded and charged by their prudent friends, who are afraid of their being righteous over-much to hold their peace, and not make so much ado, yet let them cry so much the more, "Lord Jesus! thou Son of David, have mercy upon me." See only the astonishing effect Bartimeus's prayers had upon the Lord; he stood still; he could not proceed on his journey till he had helped him, he called him to him, and asked him. "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" and he answered, "Lord, that I might receive my sight; and Jesus said, receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee, and he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way." If you wish, O that I knew the road in which Jesus would go, or

R-3,

could

could be so happy as Bartimeus, to know the place where he would pass by, I would beg like him, and not cease till I had prevailed; then know, as surely as Jesus passed along the road to Jericho, so surely is he present where two or three are met in his name; go and sit with them, and be assured Jesus passes by: If you cannot see him, he sees you, and has compassion on you. Speak to him and beg of him, as a beggar intreats for an alms; let neither friends nor foes prevent your crying to him, till he has said to you, "Receive your sight, your faith has made you whole." Thus has our Saviour done to many thousands, and is come into the world on that errand, to preach recovering of sight to the blind. He only said in the beginning of the creation, "Let there be light, and there was light," the same said only to the blind eyes Ephatha, and immediately they saw; let him only speak the word and you shall no longer walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Many of those who were healed by our Saviour could not relate distinctly how Jesus did the miracle, and neither did he work the same by all, but spat upon the ground and anointed one man's eyes, touched another's, and only spake to a third; but this all could say, "One thing I know, that whereas I was blind now I see.” So some who have been converted and brought into marvellous light by the divine Oculist, and whose blind eyes his tender mercy has opened, cannot always relate the direct manner of his dealings with them, or tell as others, step by step, all his gracious proceedings with them, but this all can affirm, "I know I was blind, I know I was in darkness, and walked in darkness once, I did not know whether I was going to heaven or hell, I was blind to my part and interest in the Lamb, 1 did not see him, I did not look upon him, I was blind, but now I see; see Jesus, I see the things that make for my peace,

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mine eyes have seen the Lord's salvation; he has recovered my sight, and I walk no longer in the cloud and in darkness, I know whither I am going, I am a child of light and of the day, the Sun of righteousness is risen upon me, the Lord himself is my light and my salvation, he is my sun by day, and my moon by night, and my light shall go down no more; God, my own God and Saviour, the Sun that went down in clouds and blood upon the mount Golgotha, is my light, and his countenance, once covered with shame and spittle, is iny everlasting brightness."

Yet another office of our Saviour was to set at liberty them that were bruised. This is to release souls buffeted and hurried by Satan, to extricate the tempted, and such as are continually unsettled and unsafe through the persecution and envy of the serpent. There are some souls of whom it may be said properly, they are bruised; they are sore with trials, and surrounded with numberless temptations, but they have a Friend who was tempted in all points like them, who will preach deliverance to them, and set them at liberty, so that the enemy shall not approach to touch them and to do them violence any more; these have been like sheep driven from the fold, and worried up and down in the wilderness by beasts of prey, but Jesus is their good Shepherd; he I says, "I will go after that which is driven away, will bind up that which is torn, and heal that which is sick, and I will bring them back and feed them in good pasture." There are some in the world pitiable in deed, sore and bruised above measure, but to none is our Saviour more nigh and tender than to these; he pities them, and will surely lead them safe out of all temptations, and be their Saviour out of all their troubles; he will comfort all that mourn, they shall sooner or later find him wipe away the tears from their eyes, and leave no cause to complain or sigh any

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more for ever. Are ye bruised? tarry the Lord's leisure, be strong and he shall comfort your heart; only put your trust in the Lord; though you sow in tears you shall reap in joy, and though heaviness may endure for a night, joy shall come in the morning; though you pass through the fire, and go through deep waters that rage and swell against you, remeniber who has said, "Ye shall not be burnt, neither shall the waters swallow you up; he will say one day to you," Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, I also have appointed you to sit down with me in my kingdom; come in ye weary and heavy laden souls, enter the joy of our Lord !”

There is yet another office of our Saviour to be treated of, and that is, to publish the acceptable year of the Lord. There is a day of grace, and an acceptable time in which God is found, and wherein salvation is tendered and offered, so long the door of the wedding-chamber is open, so long the trumpet of jubilee sounds, and it is possible to let this season of mercy slip and pass over. This was the case of the Israelites of old, "Forty years long was God grieved with them," and when they always erred in their hearts, and gave no credence to his word, after he had said, "To-day if ye will hear my voice; he sware that they should not enter into his rest." They were more thoughtful about the onions and garlick of Egypt, than to get the vineyards and olive-yards of Canaan, they longed more to go back and get the flesh-pots and herbs of the heathen, than the land. flowing with milk and honey, wherefore God gave them up to their lusts, and they perished in the wilderness. Thus now many look after the pleasures and vanities of the present life, and despise the pleasures at God's right hand; they are eager and athirst for the things of this world, to redeem them from which it has cost the Lord so dearly, and the

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true land of Canaan, the glory of all lands, they slight all his tender calls are of little weight to them, the price with which they were ransomed and bought is slighted, and they let the day of jubilee pass over, and so fall into the sad estate of Jerusalem, over which our Saviour weeping said, "O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that make for thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes."

On the other hand, many embrace the gracious opportunity, and while it is called to-day, lay hold on everlasting life. It is our Saviour who has the honour to let the soul hear, "Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation !” O that he would preach it to all here, and give you chearfully and joyfully to betake yourselves now to the sanctuary and hiding place of his wounds, that when the night comes, when no man can work, ye may be safe in the refuge, and accepted for sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty.

The day and year of grace is now come, the gospel is now preached, salvation is now set before you, all things are ready, let your hearts also be ready, and enter in by Jesus, so shall ye experience all his tender mercies and loving kindness. Let your eyes be fastened on him, and your ears attend to the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, hear all he says, and abide with him; he is your friend and Saviour, he is the riches of your poor souls, he can preach deliverance to you in your captivity, he can open your eyes and anoint them with his tears and blood, that best of eye-salve, he can heal your broken hearts, and comfort you in all afflicting times. Get an insight into his wounds and stripes, learn to prize their healing, and to them bring every disease, and pain, and grief, till you are entered into your Lord's joy. Sit down at his feet, like Mary, and O! hear what he will say concerning, you. Attend

upon.