But when was it ever known, that a poor suppliant met with no hinderance in coming to the Deliverer for mercy?" They who went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace." From what principle could this proceed? Did they suppose that he was clamorous for alms, and knew that silver and gold the master had none? Did they conclude that his entreaties would be deemed noisy and troublesome? Did they deem him beneath his notice, and suppose that the Son of David would have nothing to do with him? Alas! they discovered too little tenderness themselves, and were too little acquainted with their Lord and Saviour, who never did, and never will, consider such importunity unreasonable, or presumptuous; who never broke a bruised reed or quenched a smoking flax. Nor was Bartimeus to be discouraged. He felt wisely. "This is my opportunity, and it may never return. I have addressed thousands who could give me breadbut never did I meet with one before who could give me eyes. And O! in a moment, he will be out of hearing, and when may he pass by again? -He cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Such a cry arrests him in his journey: he cannot take another step-he stood. What cannot prayer do? Once the sun of nature stood still at the desire of Joshua, who was eager to complete his victory. And, lo! Now the Sun of righteousness stands still with healing under his wings, at the desire of Bartimeus, who begs a cure. He stood. And has thereby taught us never to think it a hinderance in our journey to pause to do good. To do good is our chief business; and to

this every thing else is to be rendered subordinate and subservient.

-And commanded him to be brought. By this circumstance he administered reproof and instruction. Reproof-by ordering those to help the poor man, who had endeavoured to check him: instruction-by teaching us, that though he does not stand in need of our help, he will not dispense with our services; that we are to aid each other; that though we cannot recover our fellow creatures, we may frequently bring them to the place and means of cure.

Our Saviour is acquainted with all our sins, but he requires us to confess them: he understands all our wants, but he commands us to acknowledge them: he is always graciously affected towards our case, but he would have us properly affected with it ourselves. He knew the desire of this man-the case was too plain to be mistaken-but he would know it from himself; and therefore, when he was come near, he asked him, saying, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee?" Wherein did this man's faith appear? I answer, in his confession-calling him the Messiah, or Jesus, Son of David: and also in his application -for had he not believed in his power, as able, and in his goodness, as willing to succour and relieve him he would not have addressed himself so earnestly to him. Thus, his faith honoured Christ, and Christ honoured his faith. Thus, his faith excited prayer, and prayer brought him relief. Thus, his faith produced a unity of design, and a correspondence of disposition between the

giver and the receiver, the agent and the subject, the physician and the patient. It is in this way that so much is ascribed in the scriptures to the influence of faith.

And what would be the feelings of this man as soon as he received sight? O! what joy, what ecstasy, what gratitude, would he discover! How would he look and gaze-all things are become new!—But the first object upon which he would fasten his eyes-would be his benefactor, and deliverer. He would admire, and weep, and adore, and kneel, and arise, and resolve never to leave him. Thus, the man lame from his mother's womb, no sooner received strength in his feet and ankle bones, than he, "leaping up, stood and walked, and entered with his deliverers into the temple--walking-and leaping-and praising God: how exquisitely natural is all this! But what follows is no less so: it is said-" The lame man who was healed HELD Peter and John, while all the people ran together unto them, in Solomon's porch." He HELD them, grasping their hands or their garments-it was a grasp of affection-of gratitude-perhaps also of fear, lest the malady should return, and he should not be near those who alone could cure him.

So, here: as soon as Bartimeus received sight from the Lord Jesus, "He followed him in the way, glorifying God." We may view this two ways. It was, first, an evidence of the reality and perfection of the cure. In other cases where human skill has removed blindness, by couching -the restored orbs cannot be immediately used; light is admitted into them by degrees: the man cannot measure distances; nor judge with accuracy: and he is not fit to be left to himself. But

it is said, our Lord did all things well; his manners distinguished him-the man saw at once clearly; and was able to conduct himself. Secondly, it was an improvement of the greatness of the mercy. "I can never," says he, "discharge my obligations to such a gracious and Almighty Friend. But, O! let me devote myself to his service-let me continually ask, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

From the narrative, thus explained, I would take occasion to bring forward four admonitions.

And the first is this:-Be persuaded that you are all spiritually in the condition of Bartimeus -and that, without divine illumination, you are no more qualified for the concerns of the moral world, than a blind man is for those of the natural world. It may be as difficult, as it is important, to convince persons of this truth. For "vain man would be wise, though he be born like a wild ass's colt:" and many, like the offended Pharisees, ask-are we blind also? But to the law and to the testimony. There is no image, under which the scripture more commonly holds forth our natural condition, than blindness.

We

read of our being "alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, because of the blindness of our hearts;" and we are told, that "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not." Our Saviour sends Paul to open their eyes: the apostle prays for the Ephesians, "That the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened;" and David_prays for himself, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

If a blind person were to say, "I see," we should be disposed to censure or pity him; we

should suspect that he was influenced either by pride or insanity; and be satisfied that, if a trial were made, the result of it would prove that what he affirmed was false. Let him work-see where he seeks for his instruments, and how he uses them. Let him walk-see whether he can escape that stumbling-block, or that pit-fall. Desire him to pull a mote out of a brother's eye. Show him a fine painting, and ask him to mark its beauties. Men may deny their ignorance, but their lives and actions prove it. For instance, He that loveth

not, knoweth not God. And do men love God? Is he in all their thoughts? Is their meditation of him sweet? Do they love to speak of him? The Saviour is "fairer than the children of men; yea, he is altogether lovely "--but they see "no form nor comeliness in him; no beauty, that they should desire him." Though "destruction and misery are in their paths," they see them not; and the way of truth, though revealed in the scripture, have they not known. Is not this blindness?

Though Bartimeus was surrounded with landscapes, they were nothing to him. Though the sun shone upon his head, he saw nothing of its lustre. He saw not the guide that led him to and fro: he never saw his own features; and had he been possessed of the finest mirror in the world, it could not have shown him what manner of man he was. Thus blind is man; thus unacquainted is he, even with himself: and thus ignorant is he, under all the advantages of external helps, and even of the bible too-without divine teaching. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual,