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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i ^i*^;'B'fi§®0'%t£'^i^' i,^**^"fc.#~»-*^» * BLIND BARTIMEUS" *iy \ \% AND # ♦ il HIS GREAT PHYSICIAN. ^wia*Kwi*<— BY PROFESSOR W. J. HOG?. ■ti \ 4 a ^m u. .'» :■ (I'm PRESCOTT, C.W.: PRINTED :AT THE «'EVANaELIZER" OFFICE. 186.2. ■i!S^ ■^'~ -"^ .-^. -^^ -^^ .'V W^ ^v ,*{ 1' ./ /»• ■■<>: Olifv' KA(n-: RIVER." " lUUTANNK l>: " <»N' PACIFIC UAIIAV \V. KTC, irif. OITAW A : CITIZKX IMdXTINO AND I'lllUSIIIXfi fOMI'ANV. (MlHNKIi SI'AkKS AM) MKTCAI.rK STIiKKTS. f 18 8 0. « • \\ .# ^ BLIND BAHTIMEUS AND HIS GREAT PHYSICIAN. BT FBOFESSOF W. J. HOGE. PRESCOTT, C.W.! PRINTED AT THE "EVANGELIZBR" OFFICBL X862. BLIND BARTIMEUS. MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT. And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude follow* ed Him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way-side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the muliitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace : but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you ? They say unto Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes : and immediately ^heir eye» re- ceived sight, and they followed Him, MAEE'S ACCOUNT, X. 46-52. And they came to Jericho : and as He Went ovti of Jericho with His disciples, and a great number of people, blind Barti. mens, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway-side begging And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,, be began to cry out, and say, Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace s but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise ; He calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee 7 The blind man said unto* Him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hatb made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight^and followed Jesus in the way. XM 6 BLIND OARTIMEUS. LUKE'S ACCOUNT. " xviii, 35-43. And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a blind man sat hy the ^vay-side begging; and hearing the mul- titude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told liim, that Jesus of Nazaretli passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace : but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him : and 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 fii^ht : thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he receiv- ed his sight; and followed Him, glorying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave prai«e unto God. THE FULL- NARRATIVE. COMPILED FROM THll THREE EVANGELISTS. • And they came to Jericho : and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples, and a gi*eat number of people, blind Barti- nieus, the son of Timcus,sat by the highway-side begging. And hearing the multitude pass by^ he asked what it meant ; and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And when ho heard that it was Jesns of Nazareth, he began to ciy out, and say, " Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me !" And many — they which went before — ^rebuked him, and charged him that he should hold his peace. But he cried the more, the more a great deal, " Lord, thon Son of David, have mercy on me !" And Jesus stood still, and called him. He also commanded him to be called, and even to be brought unto Him. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, " Be of good comfort ! Rise 1 He callcth thee !" And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus. And when he was come near, Jesus asked him, saying, " What wilt thou that I should do unto thee ?" The blind man answered and said unto Him, " Lord, that I might receive my sight!" So Jesus had compassion and touched his eyes, and said unto him, " Receive thy sight I Go thy way : thy faith hath saved thee." And inimediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way, glorifying God. And all the people^ when they saw it, gave praise unto God. INTRODUCTION. Matthew, Mark, an^l Luke all give this stoiy, but with some variations. Indeed, there are two things which look like coutra- dictions. In Luke we read that tho miracle was wrought as Jesus was come nigh unto Jericho, while Matthew and Mark agree that it was as He went out of the city. Again, Matthew says two blind men were healed, while Mark and Luke speak of but one. Matthew Henry gives a -very short answer to the second diffi- culty. " If there were two," he says, " there was one." In this he but expresses, in his quaint way, the well-known rule of inten- pretatiou that, where several historians narrate the same event, it is no coutradiotion for one to give incidents about which others are allettt If, indeed, the number is an essential element in the narrative, it must be given with accuracy. If a general won a i)attle with ten thousand men, he would be a false historian who -should say he won it with five thousand. But if one historian Bhoald tell as a great captain's fighting two battles the same davy It would be no impeachment of his veracity, if another chronicl<>r should tell us of but one of these battles. One might be so insisr-i nificant that it would be lost in the greatness of the other; or it «night not concern the special design of one of the narratives ; or Any similar reason might prevail. And surely the number is nut ihe great thing here. Christ healed such multitudes that, iu any given case it is a small matter to the gospel narrative whether he healed one or more. Amid the gracious prodigality of Ilia miracles, there may well be a noble negligence, on the part of H i-^ biographers, as to the extent of the number He cured. The great thing is, that he healed at all maladies, incurable by any power but divine. Atid one Evangelist might often have special reasons (as Mark, perhaps, in this case) for relating only the more conspicn- ous and important cure. Why should any one feel a difficulty, when Luke simply tells us that, when Christ was near Jericho, He wrought so illustrious a miracle as giving sight to a bUad man ; and Mark, writing, perhaps, to some who would be es- pecially interested to know this, says that "the son of Timeus, blin J Bartimeus" — a man widely known, it may be— on that day .'^ INTROnuCTIOW. fpceivefl Ws sight ; while Matthew tells us that, on that blepsed da^, two sonls wen^ mode ^'lad by the healing word of Christ ? Thus the seeming contradiction vnnishcH, and tnrna rather into a confinnation of the trutli and independence of the narratives. An impostor would hate avoided this. The other difficnlty remnins. Matthew and Mark say the core wns performed as lie left tlie city ; Luke, as lie came new it. How shall these stsiiements be reconciled ? Several solntions have been proposed, of which I think the following is the best. One blind man crird to Christ as He was going into Jericho, but was not cured until, joining himself to a companion in blind- ness, they cried together to Him as He wajB leaving the city. Luke, however, having begun the narrative wb4>re the firttt man cried out, carries it on to the end without interrnptioD. All his- torians do this. They constantly relate events which run through months or even years, never breaking the thread of their narrative by even an allusion, meantime, to whatever else is taking place. In this case tike fitory of the blind man begins on one side of the city, as Christ is going in, and ends on the other, as He is goinr out; while m the city His visit to Zaccheus is to be related. g-.uke xix. 1-10.) Now, three courses ai'e possible to the narrator, e may begin with what took place as Christ drew near the city, and tell that story to its end, and then tell what occurred in the city, lliis is what Luke does. Or commencing with what began on one side of the city and ended on the other, he may suddenly check his narrative to tell of Zaccheus, and then go on again with his account of the blind men. But this would sacrifice our plea- Bui-e in the separate and undisturbed beauty of each picture, merely to secure what Trench well calls a " paiiiful accuracy." Or, finally, he may refuse to begin the first story until he comes where the n^.nst important port of it took place, namely, the actual healing ol the men, as Christ was leaving Jericho. I'his is what Matthew and Maik do. Like the other, this seeming discrepancy lies too mnch on the surface for the work of an impostor. He would have made his three narratives harmonise more easily, lest any should reject them. If the Gospels were cunningly devised fables, there would be contradictions indeed, but not like these. They would not lie on the surface, readily detected, and avoided as readily ; but in the very depth and heart of things, hard perhaps to discern, and ioipoRsible to reconcile. Gaining easy triumphs for a time, such narratives would be utterly overwhelmed at length. But true men write with an lyjQOiJiscious vwiety and naturalness, which INTRODUCTION. 9 looks at first likf contradiction, but which, moro closely qneation- ed, gives out a dooper teatiraony for indepondonce and integrity. I wish now to say Homotliing of tUoi*eliitioii of Christ's mimcleS to things uore purely spiritual, that I may at once guard and jus- tify the use I intend to make of the record of the healing of blind Burtimeus. 1. 1 do not suppose a double sense, as ii is called, in which the words have^ besides the obvious meaning which we would give them in other books, a hidden, spiritual meaning, which we must tafik our ingenuity to neareh out This theory is without foun- dation, and opens a wide door for every fancy and heresy. The words have but one sense. They are simply a record of a miracle of healing. 2. But the miracles of the New Testament are miracles of grace. They are not mere signs and wonders. Power is not their chief clement. They are essentially reden«ptive — works of God's for- giving and restoring love. They are not meant merely to as- toitisbt much less to terrify. They l^Iess, and curse not ; bring- ing HO fire from heaven (Luke ix. .54-56.) but that which relumes tk^extingaished lamp of life ; and dealing with leprosy, blindness, and pain, only that they may drive them away. They are not even mere proofs of a divine mission. They do not, like the Magi, come from some far-off region, and Imving offered their incease to Christ, pass away again to be soon no more. (Matt. ii. 1, 11, 12.) They all speak the language of Canaan, (Isa. xix. la.) and, with heavenly tongue, bear witness that Jesus is the Son of God, (John v. 36 ; xx. 30, 31.) while, as sons, they have the freedom c^ His house, and abide with him for ever ; John viii- 35.) They prove His mission chiefly as they themselves are a part of it Thej establish his Messiaship by exemplifying it To men doubting and perishing they bring heavy clusters from that Eshcol, whose i-eality and surpassing fruitfulnesa they would demonstrate. (Numb. xiii. 23.) Ages ago, Augustine expressed this thought with much beauty. Speaking of the miracle?!, he says, " Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Physician of our eternal health, and to this end He took the weakness of our nature, thsit our weakness might not last for ever." And Trench finally calls them " miracles of the Incarnation — of the Son of God, who had taken our flesh, and taking would heal it." Thus is every miracle of Christ, as he says again, " an index and prophecy of the inner work of man's deliverance." " In each of them the word of salvation is incor- porated in an act of salvation." Sin has cursed not only man's soul but his body, (Gen. iii. ^^ 10 INTRODUCTION^ 10-19.) and there is a fearful analogy between the ^igeaseB, dis- tortioua, and ruins of the body, aiadi^e deformitios and .corrup- tions of the soul. Therefoi* when we gee gvlt Saviour mauit'f«t- ing His healing grace in repairiugtherayages which the Destroyer has made on man's body, we cannot fail also to have new and deeper insight into His redeeming work qq m&iici spirit And it would be wonderful, when this is so, itf «orae of t,he records of these graciouK healings should not be, throughout, aptest UiM»- traiions of a sinner's restoration by the powei* and ^ruce of Jesus. 3. Again, great i)rinciples are ofitea cei]ftaiDed in these nan-a- tives, which are of universal application. If we see that the vilest have free access to Jesus ; that He heals the wretched without price, of His own pure grace ; that importanity ever gains its point ; that everything depends on faitli.; 4:hat4:he largest fueth is ever most applauded and most blessed ; that no disease is be- yond His power ; that these and many such things are true in .these miracles of bodily healing, then do we as surely know thajfc we may rest confidently upon them, when we ;go to Him in the •deeper uuworthiness of sin, and with the more awful maladies ttf 4)ur souls J (Matt, ix 4 35 ; Luke yii. 19r23.) .u(i~/« M BLIND BARTIMEU& "And they came to Jericho; and as He ^enf out of Jericho with Hi* disciples, and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Ifimeusy oat by the highway-side^, begging^** What a sad sight is tfiis I A blind" beggar sitting by the* way-side !• Hi a clothes are tattei^d and filthy. His face m btrnied by many a sun, and browned by many a rude wind,- an^ fuiTowed with many a wrinkle^ makiisg' cmiiiiiel* ^f tears, and writing' histories of sorrow^ Hi» kiod still grasps bis long staff-— his only support and gnide, as every morning he gfopes bis way &am>bis hovel to his accustomed haunt on this high road to Jerusa^ Tern: He fias takeu>his seat ©n the well-woi*n stone uttder the palm-- tree, and now he waits patiently in the gi*ateful shade for' some' passing traveller from whom he rar\y ask an alms ; for on the' chance pittance of charity he must live. Unhappy man, if he has a wife and childeu depending on this slender precarious sup- port ! More unhappy, if he must bear his dark life alone ! Is he man as God made him ? Is that tlie divine image ? Is he- possessor and lord of the world ? Wlioen window. But the little eyes move not, or move aimlessly, and turn vacantly away. And she cries out in anguisb, " Oh, niy poor child is blind !" And now I understand why even tender children turn away from Christ, seeing ud beauty in Him that they should desire Him, (Isaiah liii. 2.) and caring nothing for all His smiles or tears, or ofk'rs of the rich jewelry of heaven. They see nothing of it all. They ar:e blind, born blind. I have read of a man of old to whom God had given great might, for dignity and honour and the redemption of his enslaved country, who made uiivvieldy mirth for thousands of scoffing Phil- istines. He had come from grinding in their prison, where slaves \vere his master's, and now he made sport in open day, while th*} i u BLIND BARTIMEUP; uncircuincised triumphed and jeered. But he saw neither the dungeon nor the day, for they had put out his eyes — Samson was blind; And now I understand how men can make themselves the slaves and scoff Of dfevils, aS they rattle their chains and dance in their fetters, and play the fool with the high powers God has given them for Usefulness to their fellows, and their own glory, honour vhd immortality. In the daWy drudgeries of mere worldly business, and the occasional levities of mere worldly amusement, they are alike represented by fallen and degraded Bamsou in hia blindness; . . I once saw a man walk aloiig the fedge Of a pi-fecipice as if it were a plain. For anything he knew, it was o. plain, and safe; He was calm and fearless^ not because there was no danger, but because he was blind. And who caundt how tmderstand how mell s6 wisi?, so cau- tious in most things, can go so securely, so carelessly, even so gaily on, as if everything were safe for eternity, while snares and pitfalls are all about them, and death may be just at hand, and the next step may send them down the infinite abyss ( Oh, we see it, we see it — they are blind ! A blind man is more taken up with what he holds in his handj than with mountains, ocean, sun, or stars. He feels this ; but those he can neither touch nor see. And now it is plain why unconverted men undervalue doc- trine, saying, that " it is no matter what a man believes, so his heart is rig-ht ;" that "one doctrine is as good as another, and for that matter, no doctrines are good for much ;" and that "they don't believe in doctrinal preaching at any rate." They, forsooth^ they, blind worms, pronouncing contemptuously of the stupen- dous heights and glories of God's revelation, where alone we learn what we are to believe concerning Him, and what duty He requires of us. It is plain, too, why they see no preciousness in the promises, no glory in Christ, Ho beauty in holiness, no grandeur in the work of redemption ; why they make amockatsin, deppise God's threatening?, brave llis wrath, make light of the blood of Christ, jest at death, and rush headlong on certain perdition. They are blind. So the Scripture speaks. There are blind i)eople that have eyes. (Isa. xliii. 8.) Having the understanding darkened^ being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. (Eph. iv. 18.) So there is such a thing as heart blindness, as well as blindness of the bodily eye. r BLIND BARTIMEUSi n Unconverted men often slay, "' If thesis things are so, if they are so clear and great, why cannot we pee them ?" And there is no answer to be given but this, Ye are blind. ^' But we want to see them. If they are real, they are our concern as well as yours. Oh, that some preacher M^ould come, who had power to make us see them!" Poor souls, there is lio such preacher, and you need not wait for him. Let him gather God's light as he will, he can but pour it on blind eyes. A burning-gla^s will condense sunbeams into a focus of brighluess ; and if a blind eye be put there, not a whit will it see, though it be consumed. Light is the remedy for darkness, not blindness. Neither will strong powers of understanding on your part, serve. The great Earl of Chatham once went with a pious friend to hear Mr. Cecil. The sermon was on the Spirit's agency in the hearts of believers. As they were coming from church, the mighty slatesmau confessed that he could not understand it at all, and asked his friend if he supposed that any one in the house could. "Why, yes," said he, -^ there were many plain, unlettered women and some children there, who understood every word of it, and heard it with joy/' Ah, hapless souls^ ye complain against the gospel, that it is' hidden from yoii, as if that were its fault. And now I mus^t bring forth a dreadful scripture which will open the mystery of your inability to understand it Oh, it is a fearful word, which ought to make your ears tingle and year heart freeze with terror as you hear it !— If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (Cor. iv. 3, 4.) The gospel is real and glorious, and is all the while shining in its own divine splendour ; but you are blind. Satan, the old liar and murderer, (John viii. 44.) has blinded you lest you should see this blessed gospel and be saved. And you are lost, lost already. This is your dreadful condition, and there- Jo re you cannot see the gospel I Let the people of God no more wonder then at the clamours of infidels against the Scriptures. Would you heed a blind man criticising pictures, or raving against your summer skies? If he denies that the sun has brightness, or the mountains grandeur, will you believe him? And if a hundred blind men should all declare that they cannot see the stars, and argue learnedly thiit there can be i40 stars^ and then grow witty and laugh at you as fitar-gazersj Wx)uld the midnight heavens be less glorious to you'/ ]« BLIND BARTIMKUS. AVIkmi these men had thus satisfactorily demonstrated tlieir blind- ness, would not the mighty works of God still prove their britflit reaiity to your rejoicing vision? Would they not still declare His glory and shew His handiwork? Ps. xix. 1. And shall the spiritually l)lind l)e more trusted ? Shall they he spiritual guides? No, the weakest believer who has seen, tliit the Lord is gracious, Ps. xxxiv. 8, seen any preciousness in the promises, any beauty in Christ, any glory in the Scriptures may cling to his faith, despite the testimony and pretentious sopliistries and wit of ten thousand infidels. God has opened your eyes. Satan has blinded theirs. Your t(!stiniony is posi- tive. 'J'heirs is negative, and necessarily worthless. A lawyer told his client that two men would swear that they had seen him onunit the murder. "Ah, but," said he, " 1 can bring fifty men who will swear that they didn't see me commit it!" And that j»oor villain, guilty, bat merry with his own stupid conceit, is a fair type of infidelity. It can bring men, in great numbers, it must l)e owned, who will swear right lustily, and with no Uttle (•ur.^ing, that they never saw any beauty or glory in C:!hrist or ilis gospel. And when they have wrapped this, their whole testi- mony, in the mists of an unintelligible philosophy, and played off t;ie machinery of an historical criticism, which can prove with equal ease, and by the same process,* that neither Jesus nor ]>onaparte ever lived, so that man has had no Redemption and tin* Frendi no Revolution, and have then joined in a loud laugh at the deluded "saints" who still prefer Paul to Mr. Hume, John tu Mr. Newman, and Jesus Christ to Dr. Strauss, then infidelity has but one thing more which it can do,— change its voice, put on a new disguise, and begin again. If these men be followed, they will be found to be blind leaders of the blind, and both will fall into the ditch. Matt. xv. 14. II. HIS POVERTY. See now a sad result of this blindness — deep poverty. In this, too, is Bartimeus an image of every unregenerate soul.— Both are poor. When may a man be called poor? Is wealth for the body alone ? Has the heart up riches ? May not a mind be im- Moverished, a soul be bankrupt? Ah! yes, there are riches besides noney, wealth to which gold and rubies are as nothing. 1 James i .5 ; Prov. viii. 10, ^ ; Job xxviii. }:i-19. A man is poor when his need is not supplied. The higher h<' wants, the deeper the kind of poverty ; the more the wants, * Ah Archbishop Whitely has shewn in his "Historic Doubts," etc. BUND BARTIMEUS. ir the deeper its degree. A man with neither food nor shelter it poorer thiin he who laeka shelter only. And is not the man without love or hope poorer than he who has merely no fire nor bread? Who shall deny the name of poor to him whose soul is unfurnished ? What is the chaff to the wheat, Jer. xxiii. 28, the body to the soul ? Are not the soul's desires lai'ger and more insatiable than those of the flesii ? Does not the heart hunger ? Is there no such thing as "a famine of truth and love ?" Do deso- late spirits never covvor and shiver and freeze, like houseless wretches in stormy winter nightfi? Night and winter and storm- are they not also for the soul? And when it has no home io its desolations, no refuge from its fo^s, no shelter from the blast, no food for its hunger, no consohition in its sorrows, is it not poor ? poor in the deepest poverty, which almost alone deserves the name of poverty ?* How much of such poverty is there, dwelling in princely halls, clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day! How often does it walk in royal jn'ocessions, and flash with jewels, and handle uncounted gold! How much in the circles of wealthy "fashionable life," as it is called, by which weak souls are so dazzled, and for which weak breasts so ache! Fashionable life — with its suspicion and envy and falsehood; its little mean- nesses and splendid cheats ; its magnificent desolations and gorgeous misery! There is poverty indeed. But let me not forget. It may also be sober and industrious and plain, and have its pew in orthodox churches. I see it before me. It has its likeness in Bartimeus, but its dreadful reality, O Binner, in you! I saw a man beginning a long journey. It was a roost peril- ous journey through a wild, inhospitable country. It did not seem so at first; a green and flowery lane led from his dwelling. The road was smooth, the day bright, friends near, the prospect fair. He set gaily oft' in an easy carriage, attended by assiduous servants, and followed by waggons loaded with all curious pro- vision for present amusement or need. Song and fragrance filled the morning air, and tho'igh as the early hours flew by, these fled with them, still his spirits were high, and the wheels rattled mer- rily over the gradeJ way. The smiles jind congratulations of friends saluted him as he passed, and some envied him. He counted himself happy, and rejoicing in his admirable appoint- ments, gave up his heart to pleasure. The evening of the first day has come, and lo! the carriage is going down a hill. How * "That man only is poor in this world, who lives without Jesna; and that man only is rich with whom Jesus delights to dwell'' — Thomas A. Kempis. 18 BLIND BARTIMEUS. if m steep it is G^ctting! Faster luul faster it ^oes. The air darkens, the };loom thickens, it <^r()w,s cohl; aud taster, faster rolls the car- riatre dowmvanl. Xothiiisj ran clicc.'k it. He tries, the servants try. lie slirieks for lidj), hut in vain. Downward dash tlie horses. And see! at the bottom ol' the liilj, a river, dariv, aud wjtliout a l)ri*l;^'e. The roini leads into it. In rush the horses, and with strug-gles aiul groans and plunges of agony, all dis- appear. IJut onr traveller did not die in the stream. At the other shore he came forth from the water, cold, desolate, alone. His servants were gone. Ills treasure was gone. His amusemeuts were gone. And on that bleak shore, in that bitter clime, bound still for that awful journey, I saw him standing, pale, weak, ia helpless despair. Oi;. on he nmst go. Me was hungry, but he had no food; thirsty, but there was no water; footsoi-e, but he must walk. See, he totters, but he has no staif; dangers assail him, but he has no defence; remorse gnaws him, but he has now no resource. An irresistible destiny urges him, and while th«.' hunger ever bites, and the way grows rougher, aud horrors thicken about him, on, on he must go. Yet he knew alt tiiis from the first, but counted it nothing.— All his prepar..tions were for the pheasant road, through greea and sunny fields, lie seemed rich then. Men called him so, all but on(? honest soul, who frankly told him that his arrangements were short-sighted, wretche, if 1 meant the petty concerns of this life alone. But suppose I strip ofi the veil, and tell you that eternity is that awnd journey, and life that pleasant lane, and the body that easy carriage in which tlie soul sets out so gaily, and death that bridgeless liver, wiuM-e friends can go no fuither, and servants must forsake us, tuul all the treasure of earth go down for ever ? Where notv is the unnaturalness ? Has it not be- come natural enough — tame even from its very commofflSess ? Thus from your own mouth I condemn you, and from the shock BLIND BAATIMEUS. It you feel, wheu the whole scene is bouuded by an inch of time, convict you of unutterable madness in preparing for the little 'Course of this life only, and going all unfurnished for everlasting ages. As I bid you, then, in God's name, beware, shall I be drivea ;away as too rough for your polite ears and tender nerves ? Shall I fear lest I describe the coming terrors of your remorse, and i^hame, and utter desolation, of your fiery, unappeasable thirst, and eternal deep poverty, so graphically, that you shall be really .alarmed, and set to securing the true riches '; Must I measure fny periods, and make mild words drop trippingly from my tongue, lest you should believe me to be in earnest ? 6 souls, let me deal truly by God's Word, and by you. Let me tell you that you are poor, miserably poor, and in danger of eternal poverty. Poor ? You have no Almighty Comforter for your sorrows, John xiv. 17, no Infinite Redeemer for your sinai, Acts iv. 12, no Eternal God for your portion, Matt. xxiv. 51.. You have no solid peace in this world, Tsa. xlviii. 22, no well- grounded hope for another, Job xi. 20 ; Prov. xi. 7, no security £or one moment more out of hell. Matt. xii. 19, 20. You are an fflien from God's people, a stranger from His covenants of pro- mise, Eph. ii. 12. You are without the only blood which can pardon, John iii. 18, the only Spirit who can purify, John iiL 5. 6, the only righteousness which can justify, Job xxv. 4 ; Rom. iii. 19-26, without title to heaven, Rev. xxii, 14, 15, without meetness for it, Heb. xii. 14, without any hope of it, except a hope which is false and shall fail you in the day of need. Matt, vii. 21, 2G, 27. Ah, ^'you are without Christ and have no (xod," Eph. ii. 12, and that is poverty indeed, unspeakable, intolerable I Bartimeus' blindness caused his poverty ; and your blindness, that is, your sin, has caused yours. His blind eyes could not see all his poverty, and your blind souls cannot see yours. He could get rid of poverty, only by getting rid ot blindness ; and it is only by getting rid of sin, that you shall escape being everlast- ingly poor.. III. HIS BEGGARY. See now to what a sad strait this blind man's malady has Ijrought him — he is a beggar. Blindness has made him poor, and poverty a beggar. In this, too, he shews the woeful estate of the sinner. Every sinner is a beggar. How can it be other- wise ? Can such poverty be independent ? In outward poverty, a well-furnished mind, a wealthy soul may be an inward solace. But whejii it is the soul that is bankrupt, there is no region 90 BLIXP BAHTIMKUS. t r ^ <«f m I ■tin within, whore it may rotiro atid comfort itself. It will seek for hsippiiiosH, ami it ?nj/x/ look witlioiit — it is forced to bejj^. You iiiivo seen a blind bcu'iiiir in y(jiir stic'ts. He stands at the corner whei-c the crowd Imrries by. lie hears the con- fu:^ed hum of busv life — the cries of the driv(M's, the earnest voices of m"n, the merry lair.-h of childnn. How lively and happy tlu^y uU s('<>m to iiini in his n)eluncholy darkness ; all happier than he, the poor blind bt\i>u,'ar ! In one haiul he holds his lon^ stiilf, while tiic otiier is reacliin-Ji' forth for alms. His form is ben* with weariness and au^e. He often stands with his head uncovcre and could not — these touch the heart and plead for him as no Vvords could do. And thus 1 see poor, ,'i,ui]ty, blinded souls bej^fring — befrj^ing of earth and sky, and air an- but His own fulness can satisfy: the noble i)0wers (Ungraded to work with trifles ; the aspirations wliich thrill only as they mount heavenward, but now, stru'^'ule and ptuitlike an eaji'le with broken wini^, and his breast in the dust; the deathless conscience, filled with guilt and touelied with unappeasiible wrath, drugtred, in- deed, and often sleepint"" heavily, but wakin<^ surely, and then lashini;- the soul inexorably — ali th' se compel it to be a beggar. Thej constrain it to cry out, with the lost fiend, "Me, miserable ! which way shall I fly ?" ^ It is not yet conscious, indeed, of a ''heir within, but its elements are there, vnd the uneasy burning keeps it for ever restless. Tlie soul was made for good, nnd for good it will ever cry. However d.'based and fallen, it still hungers for good. It may be a diseased hunger now ; but it is not less ravenous for that. If it camiot (Ind food, it will (kn-oer off d. In itu ruin, the soul feels itse'f an exile and vacral'Misd. It is like a prince stolen away from his home in early chiidliood. and ev^r retaining some dim ri niee.ibrance of the i>lory of his aneient heritage. Amid its derp poverty the roy:d instinct sometimes stirs witliiu it, and it wsmders weeping through the world, iqi «earch of that Edeu which is no longer ou earth. BLIND DARTIMKUS. 91 *Poor pensioner ou the bounties of an hour," the impovcrishpd soul looks for oncli n^vv hour to brinp^ some good it. li::s not yet. l)iMi|)j)()iiit<'(l each iii^ht, it wakes ouch day to [n'g juiew its (jjiily licad. "Wlio will shtw me any good?" Ps. iv. G, is its ('oll^t;:Mt cry, uiid hitlicr and thither, to and fro over the lace of tiie cai tii. it uandei'a searciiing evermore lor tli» eatistaction wliici) still it iinds not. Bego'ino* hejiins in childhood Wo bog then with eager hope. We are sure wo shall not lie disai^pointcd. (jamos, holidaySr siglit-soeing, all promise mnch, and childhood hega them to make it blessed. Vexed, woaiied, sent omf)ty away again and Jigaio^ the boy sees, further on, the youth, pursuing his greater hopeSr and hastens to join him, conlident that in higlu'r excitements and larger liberty, in new asj)irations anil 1<'nderer love, hia soul'ff thirst shall be slaked. Doiudi^d once more, he grows sober and wise and firm. He is older. He is a man. lie lays deep plans now, puts on a bolder face, and begs with st»>iner importunity. He can take no denial. He rnunf. have lui])])iuess ; he tvill be* blessed. Fame, woidth, power — i\\o>M have the hidden treasure- he has sought so long. He knows now where it is, and they must give it up. Years are passing, his time will soon he goue^ and now he begs indeed I How these idols lead his soul captive 1, How he toils, ci-inges, grovels sacrifices for their favour ! Fame^ wealth, power — deceitl'ul liods !— stiil promise tliat to-mori'ow the long-sought good shall be gi'in. \U\t how many to-morrows, come and go, and leave him still trusting to the next ! Now he forsakes the pleasures he nnglit have, dries up the fountains of his early love, sweeps all sentiment from his heart, crushes hia dearest affections, taslcs every ])o\ver to the utmost, wrings out his heai't's blood, and lavs all liis soul before his idol's feet — and is disappoint<'d ! l)isapj)ointe(l alike in failure and success ! If he wins the ])rize. this is not what he coveted, and worshipped, and iiargained away his soul for, and he curses it for a cheat. If he fails, lie still believ(\»; that the true good teas there, and he was near it; and he curses the chance, or envy, or hate which snatched it from his gi'asp. But who shall describe the ha!?e arts of tliis beggary ? The disguises, the preteiic's, tlit^ fiwiiiiig; — uU the low tricks of street- beggars — ai-e adopted and e(;lip,-ied by taose who will be rich, will be great, wiil have fame. And what are the projiis of thus begging the world for what God alone can give ? Observe a street-beggar for a while. How many go by and give nothing, where one drops eveu a penny in the hat ! So many w BLIND BAnTIMEUS. i m P< H- of the passing things of time refuse altogether to give the soul the good it asks. See again. Do you mnri\ the impudent leer of lliat mean boy? He knows the lu'g;^ur ia hliiuj, ami ho he comcH up pretending sympathy, and |)Ut,s a |)el)l)le, a chip, in that tnMnbling hand. So a thousand times have yuu seen the world do for u begging soul. But there cornea a stiil nnviner boy; he puts that which, when the grateful old man's hand cUisoh on it, pierces or stings it, and, laughing loudly in the blind, hcwildcied face, he runs away. And thus have I seen the gay, polished world i)ut a sparkling cup to the young man's lipo ; but when at last it bit him like a serpent and stung him like an adder, the polished world jeered his im- prudence and turned him front its iloor. His excesses and agony and death must not be seen there ! And when the beggar's gains for the day are fairly counted, what are they ? A few copper coins, foul with gangrene, land little bits of silver, nirrly — i>nouoh to buy a scanty meal and a poor lodging, and to-morrow all is to begin again. And thus the world gives — few pleasures, low pleasures, brief pleasures. They stay the soul's hunger for a while, but never satisfy it, so that straightway we must go out and beg again. The world never raised a man's soul above beggary. It is both too selfish and too poor. It gives but little of wluit it has, and if it gave all, gave itself, that would not till and bless an immortal soul. These things make me think how sadly all this begging from the world ends. The hour comes when the world can do no more. It is a bitter hour — an hour of pain and anguish, of weakness and despair— the hour of death. The world is roaring away as ever, in business and mirth, all unconscious that the poor man who loved and worshipped it so, is dying. His banqueting halls, where the world used to riot, are shut. A strange guest came i . unasked, and few cared to stay with him. The revelry hushed, (je splendour grew dark. He took the host by the hand, asto- nished and speechless, and led him to his chamber, and laid him on the bed, and whether others slept or waked, he was a constant watcher — with those cold, sleepless e\'es ! Not many may cross the threshold now, and they tread lightly, and speak in whispers. Even the blessed light of day naty no nu)re come in freely at the windows. The gloom and solitude and dreadful stillness of the grave are already closing round him. His pillow smoothed again, another drop of watiu-, ai>d the ehill dews of the everlasting night wiped once moi-e from his brow — this is all the poor man has to ask from the world. It is all the world has to give. But 0, the begging of God which now begins ! Bitter cry- BLIND BARTIMEUS. 9S tb« soul 'an boy? tendjiiff g huiid. beg»;iug h, when it, and, ^ And cup to serpent hJH im- i agony ounted, 36, and and a hus the They )o that never tnd too I gave ^from ' more. ss and i ever, n who halls, came ished, asto- l him istant cross ipers. t the f the ^^ain, light is to Ing to Him whose pracious heurt has been waitinp^ to bless these many years, Mutt, xxiii. 37, Wiiitinjx in vain for one sigh of coo- trition, one pniyor of faith to IIIh ififiuito pruce ! But it is too late. His patirnt, in iiltrd Spint lias been grieved at lenptlt Epli. iv. 30. lie iuJM departed. In aiij»er He hatli shut np His teniler nien-iea. He will be favourable no more. His mercy is clean pone for ever. Ps. Ixxvii. 7- 9. He pives no answer, and the soul, beppared now eternally, poes into outer darkness, Matt XXV. 'M, and l)e;jinH its blind, everlasting wanderings iu the luud of blackness uud emptiness ! IT. " And hearincr the mnUitade pas^^s by, he asked what it meant, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth pa-ssetli by." Blindness, poverty, beppary ! What woes to be mingled id one cup 1 Who can measure the wretchedness of the man who is ever drinkinp their still unexhausted bitterness? Let us pity Burtirneus. liut do not forpet the deeper sorrows of which these were but the shadow. 1 see moie n»iseruble souls before me. I can weep over Burtimeus. but when I look at many of you, I nra amazed that I ever cease to weep. What hardness has seized my heart that I can think of you without tears, or meet you without lamentation ? 'Vhe heavens are astonished at your wretchedness and doom, and why doth not horror take hold on my soul ? Jer. ii. 12, 18 ; Ps. cxix. 53. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I mipht weep day and niglit for you, Jer. ix. 1, O ye blinder blind, and poorer poor than Burtimeus ! Ah ! if it were only the eye of the body that is out ! only the flesh that is clothed with raps ! Yet that would be dreadful. It was dreadful in visions of the nipht, when (K^ep sleep fulleth on men, Job iv. 13. Then I dreamed that Sabbath morning had come, and I stood in my pulpit to preach; when suddenly I saw paleness patherinp on all faces ; for God was wrapi)ing you iu His cloud and thick darkness, and 1 stood alone among a con- grepation of the bliiul. 'llien a ehanpe passed over your bright raiment, and it became raps — the coarse raps of beppars. All bloom lied from every cheek, and every form was shrivelled and bent. A horrible old age hud come even on the faces of little children. Ah ! what a scene it was ! Some of you groped your fearful way in the dark. Some shrieked in frenzy. Some stretchiOKi 24 ]ftLIMD BARTIMBCS. fey- :,.;■>' i PI: your bony hands and turned your hunger-bitten faces toward heaven, and with eyes that uej)t tlieir omu blindness, cried in anguish for light ; while some ssit still, petrified with horror. Yet I kncwyuu all us bilbre. 1 looKcd down on the si nie d(ar frees, wretched now, jind glui.-tly, 11h' siuiie g( ntio (yrs through which loving souls had f-o o'Avu looked in kimliiei^s on nic — now dis- torted and wild, and "rolling in vjiin to find the day." When grief and aytonislnicnt would h t nie, I tried to speak,, but none heard nie. I called aloud, but screams and sobs, and deep-drawn sighs, and cur^^es muttered thiough gnashing teeth,i drowned my voice. When lol amid the great bitterness and stiuggle of n»y e-oul, I lunud the voice of God saying unto me^ '* Weep not, nor be dismayed for this ; but weep for souls that see not, and iiearts that are blind. Weep for the desolations of sin, of which I have now slu wn thee a little, Irst I visit ths peo- ple in mine anger, ;uul there be no remedy ; lest I smite them m my wrath, and their bliiiduefe\s be everlasting. Weep for them.'' The awful voi< e had made a great silence, and now again it spoke, and said to you, with a benignant sweetness which melted your hearts and poured sunbeams on your darkness, "0 ye wretched, and miserable, and pooi", and blind, and naked ; I coun- sel you to buy of me gold tiied in the fire, that ye may be rich ; and white vaiment that ye may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not apj)ear ; and anoint your eyes with eye- salve that ye may see !'' llev. iii. 18. Will you not weej) for youiselves, ye blind souls ? Will you not believe God's testimonv declaring your ruin and proclaiming a remedy ? W^ill you not taste and see that the Lord is gra- ■^ioufc ? Fs. xxiv. 8. Will von not follow on to know the Lord ft Hos. ^i. 3, as-: He reveals ilis loving kindness, in this story, in which human mi.'^«'ry and Divine n)eren bitter, deadly clusters, and thon, weavy of the dreadful ount, adds, "and such like." When God begins to deal afraciously with us, pass- ing by us in pity, and looking on us in love, to make us His in -everlasting espousals, we are described under the image of a miserable infant, born in an accursed land and of accursed parents, and cast out immediately, luipitied, into the open field, •exposed, helpless, bleeding, polluted, to die ! Ez"k. xvi. And in many other scriptures we are declared to be l)y jij'tnre dead in trespasses and sins, lying in wickedness, cliildron of wrath, hav- ing minds which are enmity against God, of our father the devil, Eph. ii. 1 ; 1 Jolm v. 19 ; Eph. ii. 3 ; Ronu viii. 7 ; John viii. 44. And if the likeness, corruption, and cur-e of hell are not ours for «ver, the change from first to Inst is of God. '• Men find a th'ng Jovely, and lov;^ it ; (Jo'l h»ve ; athiirr, and tlierebymukes it lovely.''* In this ease, it is in ieed brou'x'it to ))ass that the first word shall come from BarV.meus. Bnt Christ, who i« coming near on purpose to bless him, has, by His providence, arranged it that * Jenkyn on Jude, 26 BLIND BAKTIMEUS. lie shall be sitting there as he is to pass by> that he should hay« some previous knowledge of Jesus of Nsizareth and His power to heal, that His curiosity shall be awakened and his desires excited while through His grace alone he has faith to call Him Lord, and rusthis cure to His power and compassion. 1 Cor. xii. 3; Eph. ii. 8. There he sits hoping for mere worldly gain. He has not come to meet Christ. It was not in all his thoughts to get his eyes .opened. How many lilve him are before me — dying sinners on whom Crod's curse is resting, who yet did not come to secure the great salvation. You have gathered in the place of mercy, but not as fugitives from the wrath that is pursuing you. You knew that C/hrist was preached here in every sermon, but you did not come to meet Him. How many of this ])erishing multitude! came for iDO higher reason than that others were coming, and you knew .•not well what else to be doing meantime, or - ou thought it decent to come, or you like to hear sermons ! For these and such rea- sons you have dared to seat youj'selves in the house of God, and come under the tremendous responsibilities of hearers of the gospel ! To stroll through sacred places, cai-eless spectators of tiie crucifixion; indifferent lookers-on while God comes down in tempest and blackness ou Mount Sinai, to give His dreadful Lawl Ood grant a fuither parallel; that you may get what you did not come for^ even a solemn meeting and saving closing of your fiouls with Jesus Christ. There sits the blind man, when a faint sound catches his quick ear. He listens^ and perceives a noise pf many footsteps, a mur- mur of many voices, confused and distant. On they come, and h.ope rises high in his br«nist. 'I'o-day shall be a harvest 1o him. It is rare that so many pass at once,, and now will he be diligent. Ou they come, and louder grows the sound of steps, the swell of voices. WondBr mingles with his hope — wonder what all this means, for now they are near, and plainly it is a great multitude, A multitude with Jesus! a multitude of followers ! How can he then complain, I have laboured in vain, I have -spent ray strength for nought ? Isa. xlix. 4. Bim])ly bectiuse He had many followers, but few friends; many from curiosity, many for loaves, many for fashion, but few from faith, few from love. And so it has been ever since, A multitude with Jesus ! But it is not all following that blesses. Judas followrd Him duilv, but ronniined to the end the thief and devil he was from the boti'iuiiiug, tlohn vi. 70; Matt, jycvi. 24; xxvii. 5. Once the people not only followed but thronged Him; but only one was healed, and she touched but the k$im of His garment. They pressed upon Him, but hers was th« \ X •BLl^rD BARTIMKUi. # ar only touch of faith. Mark v. 27, 31, 34 Mere outward connexion with Christ did no man anv crood. And so it lias been ever since A multitude with Jesus ! Yos, whon 11 is march is at all triumphal,— when as Ho jjfoes lie invests His progress with the splendour of i^iraclos, tliere will he no want of a crowd to gape after Him. But thouij^h lie I'tid as woll as dazzled them yester- day, a little bard doctrine preached to-day thins them with a wit- ness. No man, said Jesus, can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of His dis- ciples went back and walked no mare with Him. John vi. 65, ^Q, And so it has been eve found; sonii who, thoui^h weak and sinning, — forward, lik; Pv>ter, when tii.^y' should be backward. Matt. xvi. 22, and tiien backward, of course, when they should be forward, Mitt. xxvi. ^^'i', am)itious, like Zobedee's children. Matt. XX. 20-24, or doubting, like Thorn is, John xx. 2.3, are still true friends of Jesus, living I'or Him, .sUif.M'ing for Him, growing like Him day by day, and dying for Hon without a murmur, if He so appoint. Always remi?inber that Jesus Christ has never been left without true followers. Among tiie professed people of G-od there have alWiiys been real people of G-od. So it was in the days of Christ. And so it has beoii ever since. "And heii.rlns; the multitn:le." O, what a blessing is that! His ears are open though his eyes are shut. Thus God remem- bers to be gracious. VVliore lie takes one mercy He leaves another. He never takes all until the cup of iniquity is full. Gen. XV. 16, and then wrath comes to the uttermost and shivers it 1 Thess. ii. 16. He leaves even tlie heathen without excuse, for they may know His eternil power and Godhead from the works of creation. Rom. i. 20 32; ii. 14, L"). And no sinner need flatter himself that because the Bible calls him blind or dead, he shall therefore escape duty or condemnation. The same epistle which pronounces sinners dead in trespasses and sins, shouts in their i.i: dd BtlND BARTIMETJS. '■< r «ars, Awake, thou that slecpest. and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light ! Eph. ii. 1; v. 14. Yes, sinners, you are blind; you cannot see spiritual beauty Or glory. But yon can " hear" of tbcm, and know that you must see them or perish. " But / cannot open my eyes. So you have told me again and again. You say I am helpless." You are, indeed; but it remains nevertheless true that you mupt see or perish. " Is not this a hard case ? Is not such preaching mockery ? I cannot open my eyea." True, true, and the more's the pity. It is a hard case. For the constitution of heaven will not be changed by your helpless- ness. Christ tells us that none are blessed but they who see God, and that only the pure in heart shall see II im. Matt. v. 8. But your heart is foul with sin, which (Jod hates, and its foulness has blinded your eyes and brought you under His curse. So that you are indeed in helpless blindness. And yet you must see or perish. ■" But why preach this to me ? If I am helpless, why urge me with impossible duties and vain responsibilities?" Because it is true that you are helpless, and true that you must see or perish. Both are awful truths of God's Word, and it greatly concerns you to know them. I see, indeed, that you would silence me by this logic. You think tliat in pleading your inability, you have an argument that will excuse you from the duties you hate. Very well; suppose you do silence me. God will still call to you, Kepent or perish, Luke xiii. 3, 5, Believe or be damned ! Mark xvi. 16. And if you do excuse yourself from these hateful duties, do you know that you will also excuse youi^ eelf from salvation ? You need not see, you need not believe. God will not compel your vision or your faith. But He tcill compel you to believe or be damned, to see or be lost So all your logic has done for you is to shut you out of heaven. But perhaps you do not believe that you are helpless. Then prove your power by opening your eyes. Try it. jSV^, if you can. Look around on the regions of spiritual beauty. Delight your- self with the saint:?' blessedness. God's light and love are pour- ing all around you, and they will pour into you, if you can but open your eyes. . . . There, have you done it ? Do they fill you with light ? Bathe your soul with wonder and bliss ? Ah, have you failed ? Are you still blind ? Is all dark ? Is your heart fltill cold and hard ? Alas, then you are helpless, and may never «ee ! Yet if you do not see you must perish ! " Ah, me ! what then shall I do ?" iBLtST) BARTlMEUa. «t What ! are you indeed convinced that you have no power to open your eyes ? And yet that you must see or perish ? " Yea, alas ! I feel my utter helplessness, while the Law of God is urgin<^ me with its heavy requirements. I know I can have no heaven but in the vision of God reconciled, and smiling on me. that would indeed be heaven ! But I do not, cannot see Him. I am blind, and can do nothing. wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me ?" Kom. vii. 24. Now, sinnei', you find the use of preaching- your helplessness and your duty togt^ther. The merciless dilenmia has met you at either hand, and shut you up to the faith of the gospel. Gal. iii. 23. You have learned to despair of your own strength, and cry out for a deliverer. Thei) you were in no haste to obey God, for what you could do at any time, why should you not choose y«ur own time for ? You would wait for a convenient season. But now that shield of ■vain confidence is cast away, and your naked heart bared to every arrow from the quiver of God. You lie helpless before a Sovereign God, justly condemned, and hopelessly lost, unless He save you. And now I mny tell you what to do. Do what Bartimeus did. Hear the truth, bear the truth, be- lieve the truth. Settle it for ever in your heart, that if you do not see your infinite need of a Saviour, and Christ's infinite fitness to be your Saviour, you are lost. Then cry to Jesus Christ to open your eyes. Salvation is by faith, Eph. ii. 8, and faith is by hear- ing, Rom. X. 17, and you have hearing, you do hear — hear that you are l^lind, and the wrath of God is on you, John iii. 36, and the vengeance of bell awaits you. Matt, xxv. 41, and none but Jesus Christ can save you, Acts iv. 12, and He can ! 1 Tim. i. 15. You hear that, and I pray you make speedy use of it, or that will be taken away, with every otlier sense and power, and this death in sin will deepen into death in hell — ueath in blindness and despair for ever ! I have seen Laura Bridgman, whom God sent into this world without sight, hearing, or the power of speech. She could see nothing, hear nothing, ask nothing. To her the very thunder has ever been silence, and the sun blackness. The tips of her fingers and the palms of her hands have been her eyes and ears and tongue. Yet that poor sickly giii knows much of the earth and language and numbers; of human reliitionships and passions; of what is. has bien, shall bo, should be; of sin and death and hell; of God and Christ and Heaven. And all this has gone through the poor child's slender fingers, darkly feeling the fingers of another; and thus she tells her hopes and fears and sorrows. And if she, groping so blindly for the Saviour, finds Him, and restg C •« :4i SO BLlNb BARTl.VfEt'S. ..:,;; : ber weak hands on His lowly Iloud, — that blessed Head which bows lowly enough even for this, — O, how will she rise up in judgment, Matt. xii. 41, 42, and condemn, with utter overwhelm- ing, yon. O sinners, upon whose souls every sense is pouring the knowledge ol' Uod, while y(»ur eyes read Mis Holy Word, and your ears hear, a thousand times over, these tiflings of grjat joy, — even the glorious gospel of the blessed God ! 1 Tim. i. 11. " Hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant." So this iiinrticulate preaching of the passing multitude arrested the attention of the blind man, and awakened his curiosity, and set him to inquiring the meaning of these things. "Hearing, he aslced." Yes, yes, that is the true piogression. If there is a movement in the Church, if a new impulse is given to the power of goflliness, if Christ walks amidst J I is people. He v. ii. 1, even though false professors gather with them; if the tread of Zion on the earth is like the tread of an army ""vith banners, Song vi. 10, then will a blind, ungodly world be arrested iiom its hungry, clamorous quest after mere earthly gain. It will consider and wonder and inquire. If the Church. — if you, my brethren, will cease to wander or daizce or drudge wherever the world does; if you will be awake and up, and gvither nearer to Christ, and thus nearer to each other; if you will move onward with Christ, thea men will look up. Old Avarice will drop his muck-rake, and Ambition forget to chase his bubble, and on the highway or by- way, in court and cap and on 'change, men will pause and look; 4ind the movem'nits of a spiritual Church will make them wonder, and they will inquire (while no little awe is creeping over their liearts), AVhat do these things mean ? Where are these men go- ing ? Why do they seem like strangers and pilgrims, with their loins girded and their faces set toward some far-off country ? Heb. xi. 13; Luke xii. 35; Jcr. 1. 5. Why are they so earnest ? Why do they seem to walk above the world, Prov. xv. 24, while yet they scatter ten thousand sweet charities as they pass ? What means their strange speet h like an unearthly harmony ? Why do they sing in the way (Ps. cxxxviii. 5) brave songs of glory, even when the cloud wraps them, and the driving storm beats tli«m with its hail ? If Zion thus moved on with her King in the midst of her, Zech. iii. 15, 17, how would the thunder of her triumph shake the earth ! Ah, brethren, if you, just you, thus moved on under the Captain of your salvation, how would this city be stiired ! Your life would then be preaching all over the town — in every street and lane, and it would be preaching which would crowd this house continually with anxious inquirers. In my heart I believe it; ^ BLIND BAIlTiMJlUS. n every seat and standing-place would be filled, and the place be speedily too strait for us, Isa. xlix. 20, and that cheering cry be heard again among us, Let us rise up and build. Neh. ii. 18^ Then would these courts be still and awful. Believers would find it hard to be absent. Pious allections, deep adorations, impor* tunate desires would till their hearts aud go up to heaven. With what power would they sing ! With what fervour would they pray ! With what holy relish would they eat the simple food of the gospel ! And how would the unpardoned hang with painful anxiety on the words of life ! How simple and easy would preaching then be — yet savouring so preciously of life everlasting through Christ crucified. Shall I describe a sermon which would refresh the people of God, and be as arrows in the hearts of His enemies, Ps. xlv. 5^ till they became willing captives of Christ ? Ps. ex. 3. My text shall bu my guide. The road-side was the church, the multitude preached, and Bartimeus was ihe hearer. And now lor the sermon — " And they told him, Jesus of Nazareth passetk by." "Jesus of Nazareth pasaeth by !" That is the whole of ii; And I think H a very good one, when we consider the occasioo, At any rate it enchained the whole mind and heart of Bartimeus. It went down into his soul like a beam of light, and filled him with amazement and joy. It was the strangest, gladdest word he Jiad ever^heard. "Jesus of Nazareth — the Savioui* — He who openeth the eyes of tlie blind ! Is Fie here — so near me — wher« I may speak to Him ? ! has the day come at last, when ray eyes shall be opened ? When I shall see, shall see, and be ud more a bea^gar ? O ! can such news be true ?" So you s«?e it was a powerful sermon. It went to the heart .and took complete possession of it. I am quite sure Bartimeus was not a captious critic of that sermon. Ife had no time to think whether it was uttered fast or slowly, loudly ov gently.. But what made it so powerful ? " J'^sus of Nazareth passeth by." That is all of it. I atn 'ifi-aid many of us would think very little of such a sermon. But Bartimeus I'oit his blindness and his need of Christ. There is the diiftM'ence, The ])o\ver of the sermon was :in the stuto of the hearo'r's heart A sermon often seems poor because we are cold. There is a ditfcreiice in sermons, no doubt But 1 read that men could go to sleoj* while Paul preached. Acts XX. 9, and even the wise men of Athens calleil him a babbler and mocked, Acts xvii. 18, 32, while the most noble Festus, who was a gentleman in high life, and should have known better, inter- rupted him in the midst of his sermon, and pronounced hin^ '•mad," Acts xxvi, 24, — crazy, as we would suy. If siuuers ,w^ ^■1 ^a BUND BARTIMKUS. saint? felt their noeds more — if they ofteufr camo frora secret de- votions, the simplest things we could say of Christ would be like breaof Nazareth passeth by." There is no follower of Jesua who -cannot tell poor blind souls this. Yet this is the message which is to save the world. The Bible tells it over in a thousand forms. Fill your hearts with them, and go, tell the glad tidings to lost sinners everywhere. I thank God that the gospel is so simple that the whole multitude of Christ's followers can preach it. And 80 must the preaching from the pulpit be simple. We must say many things that our hearers already know. A good preacher tries to make all truth simple. He is a bad shepherd, say the old writers, who holds the hay too high for the sheep. According to Lord Ba<'on, little minds love to inflate plain things into marvels, while gieat minds love to reduce marvels to plain things. " The very essence of truth," says Milton, "is plainness and brightness; the darkness and orookedn(?ss are oar own." * " Better the gran»marian should reprehend," says Jeiikyn, " than the peopte «not underst>md. Pithy plainness is the beauty of preaching. What good doth a golden key that opens not?"t An old lady once walked a great way to hear the celebrated Adam Clarke preach. Hhe had heard he was " such a scholar," as-indeed he •was. But she was bitterly disappointed, "because," said she, "I understood everything he said . ' And 1 knew a man who left the church one morning quite indignant, because the preacher had one thing in his sermon he knew before ! It was a little explan- ation meant for the children ; dear little things— they are always comiii^' on, and I love to see their bright little faces among the older people, ff^e used to need and prize these simple explana- (tions, and why shouldn't they have them in their turn ? And this blessed thing is to lie said of the gorpel : Let it be made ever so fiimple, so that little children arc drinking it in with grateful won- der, it still has depths and riches to satis(V the mind and beai't of the mightiest philosopher, if only he has that highest attainment of wisdom — a simple, child-like faith. Like the sun, it is mirrored at the same moment by the dew-drop and the ocean. But best of all, this sermon was about Christ. He is men- tioned alone. When Bartimeus asked "what it meant," these preachers did not answer, " We are passing by." Yet their move- * Reformation in England, t Exposition upon Jude. Book First t BLIND BARTIMEL'S. it9 ments arrested him ; he heard them. But when he asked what the multitude meant, they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." It is a happy thing when tliyi"ul ? Was it much that those eyes should be opened upon a world darkened by the curse^ and stained by the shadow of death, and furrowed so roughly with graves? eyes often to !je dimmed wili: tears and soon with age ? eyes whose brief light death should soon quench with the clods of the valley, and leave their hollow sockets to be nests for worms ? Yes, yes, I confess it, even this was much. But 1! tell me, in your turn, is it nothing to you that Jesus is again near, and tliat your eyes may this dtiy be opened to the light of the- Cross ? light fairer than the moon, clearer than the sun, and maJ;;ing earth radiant with the glories of heaven ? li^ht which often streams brightest in death, gilding even the dark valley ?' light of the everlusting Throne, on which, with saints and angels,, you may gaze for ever ? And is it tidings of this light alone which cannot agitate ? Is it only eternal salvation that is a trifle? Is it only because the offered blessedness is absolutely immeasurable and everlasting that it is not worth your thought or care ? Miserable souls ! so blind that you do not know your blind- ness, so blind that you do not believe it, though God declares it, my business now is to tell you that Jesus Christ is near, — He passeth by ! Now is your time; make haste to secure your sal- vation. How near He is ! Jle passeth by in the light of every Sabbath sun, in every church built to His Name, in every read'- ing of His Word, in every gospel sermon, in sacrament-s and prayers and psalms, but most of all in every movement of His Spirit on the heart If you feel under the truth, if your con- science confirms what God declares, if you have been made eveoi uneasy in your sin, if like Felix you have trembled, Acts xxiv. 25^ ri 4 5' U BLIND BARTIMEUS. «!f ' I ^;l or like Agrippa have been almost persuaded to be a Christian^ Acts xxvi. 28, 0, let me tell you that / did not work any of these things in your heart. Who am I, that I can [mt u pulsr in the heart of death ? 2 Kiiij,'^s v. G. They are not my work, and I dare not claim the crlorv of tlicn. Ps. cxv. ]. (rod's Spirit has been stirring m yjv.i in ml, strivin<>- witli you for your eternal salvation ! vV'hat an awiuhicss docs that give to these services ! Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, 1 Tim. iii. 16, is here, by His gracious Spirit. John xvi. 7, 8. He tills every ordinance. Matt, xviii. 20. He moves from heart to heart. You are in His tre- mendous presence, under His omniscient eye, in the grasp of His infinite power, in the gracious sphere of His healing love. But He " passeth by .'" He will not always tarry. John xiL 35, 36. The day of grace is not for ever. Gen. vi. 3. Its sun "will go down, and the night that follows is eternal despair. John viii. 21, 24; Luke xix. 42. Ciirist nev<>r passed that way again; He may never pass your way again. That was His last visit to Jericho ; this call muy be VI is last visit to you. This was Bar- timeus' only opportunity; to-day may be your only opportunity.. 2 Cor. vi. 2. Woe, woe, to Bartimeus, if he lose tins goluea season ! If he does he shall die in his blindness. Woe, a heavier' woe to you, sinner, if you slight this, your golden season, for securing this great s .Ivation ! Heh. ii. 3. This moment may de- cide your doom. Fly to Jesus Christ ! III. '* And when he heard that it was Jesna of Nazareth, he began to crjr out and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me !" We left Bartimc'is listening to his first gospel sermon. The preachers seem to have done their part we]]. At any ruto their message was good. It was simple, straightforward, and altogether about Jesus Christ. We do not know how they spoke. It would be pleasant, for their sakes, to know that they showed a proper sympathy with the precious words they were saying, and with the poor man who heard them. But if we cannot tell this, we know what concerns us far more, — that they told him the very thing he needed. How- ever rude in speech, they have lex him know that the Healer of the blind is near; and I am sure that nothing they could say about •nything else could make up for not telling him that. The most n« !• BLIND BARTIMEUS. ns eloquent harangue on the politics of the times — though Pilate and Herod and Caisar, and Roman eagles and Jewish banners, and liberty and nationality and destiny had rolled with splendid imagery through sounding pcMiocls— would Imve hern a stid exchnnge for those simple words, — " Joi^usof Nuziueth piisscth bv." Nor would Aristotle's keenest logic, nor Vliito".^ finest specnlMtio'^.s have served a whit belter. The miui was l>li:id, sind wanted his eyes opened ; and till this was done, these things, however set forth, were but trash and mockeiy. Mockery ? Are not the preachers of God's Word stewards in Christ's Hous^e? 1 aves no man where it found him. If it be not winufs to bear him to heaven, it will be a mill-Kto!ie to sink him to h< II. Home of you think it tl./ Iio;hte8t of pastimes to come to cliuv(di and hear a sermon. I warn you that this is a fearful mistake. T avIII spt^ak to v )u in the words of God : We are ajubassadoi's U)v CIn'ist, as tliouf^h God did lieseech you by us: wu prny you in Christ's ste.i.l, be ye reconciletl to (»od. 2 Cor. V. 20. \V(> are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are ^.aved and in thein that perish: to t\w one we are the savour of-deatli unto death; and to the of'ier the savour of life unto life^ 2 (>or. ii. 1"), 1(1. Jf our fi;ospel be hitl, it is hid to them that are lo. t. 2 Cor. iv. 3. This is true always. It is true to-day — of this sermon. As God is true, this j)roeess is now goint]^ on ia every hearer. Each of you is this moment fittinnf either for blessedness with God, or for His wrath in hell; for which, depends on one thing alone — how you are now hearing'. Take heed then, and that you may do this the more intelligently, see further how Bartimeus heard. I think we shall find most of the marks of a Ijgod hearer in him, and I shall notice none other. I. His hearing led him to action. His very soul seemeu to be roused, and he began to do something. In contrast with this, we see the great fault of gospel hearers in this day. It is not that you are not polite and attentive hearers. Your orderly sitting and solemn listening are even beyond our expectation. When Paul and Stephen and Christ preached, the people often made a tunmlt. They mocked ; they sneered ; they cried out and threw dust into the air. They were ready to beat and kill them. John viii. ')9 ; Acts xxii. 22, 23, &c. You do none of these things. I often wonder you do not. It sometimes makes me fear I have not dealt faithfully with you. Yet I try to preach as plainly hs t1u\y did. I take their very words, and m the name of God sp(^ak tlieni bohlly to you. I do not abate one jot or tittle of their terrible energy and point. Yea, I take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, Eph. vi. 17, and with unsparing hand lay open your hearts. I repeat *he tremen- dous descriptions which (^rod has given of them ; i ipply the dreadful names by which lie has called you; I sound aloud the BLIND BAHTIMKUs. 87 tbreatH of HIk wraUi; I strive in ovory way to n\ako yo»i fool tliat I am peraoual — that I mean you — every uMrojir(>n(»rHt(» soul ; and for these thinjjfs in Christ's day, they would have f^iiiushed on mo with their teeth and hurled me out of the city; while you Inten so calmly, so complacently, tiiat 1 ' nnnot tell saint fn.m sinner; the men upiinst whom God's rui • s are thnnde.ed, from those to whom His eternal hl'ssinnr i . .^ aled; the men, who throu, religion." Would to (jrod our groaning land were delivered from the curse of fSund.iy n)..'is and Sunday railway trains, and all the oppressions and al.jniniatious they drag after them ! But while they last, the duty ;f men who fear God and mean to save their souls, is clear ; and that is to protest against them, pray against them, and above all, .tund aloof from ti»em, if t^ey would not have the blood of Go I's "maidered Sabbaths" staining their skirts and crying from the ground for veiigeauce. Whatever your business, if it stands in the way of your serving God, it is wrong, and you mast give it up, or keep it at the cost of losing Clirist. Matt vi. 24; xvi. 24. It may try you sorely, but you had better pluck out a right eye, or cut off a right hand, than be cast into hell. Matt. v. 29, 30. 1 miss the honest face of a German, who used to be in his seat every Sabbath morning and night, listening anxiously to the Word of God. For many years he had faithiuiiy served one of our railroad companies through seven days of the week. But at length his conscience was awakened, and he could no longer serve them on the Sabbath. Six days he would labour hard, but God's day he must have for God. So he gave up his place. It was in the winter of 18.^4-5 too, when thousands of workmen were thrown -out of employment, and when men already out had almost BO hope of getting in. But in the face of all this he gave up his place. Then month after month passed by, and brought no relief; Bot one dollar could he earn. '4'he savings of years -of toil were fast consuming, and soon his family would be suffering, and still he could not get employment, 'inen his old place was offered hira, and it was a sore temptation. But God's Law stood up m his way, and bade him beware. So he was strengthened, and still trusted in God and obeyed His Word. For long montns more were his faith and patience tried, until at last, with a reluc- tant but determined heart, he left the city, and sought in the far West a new home, where by the sweat of his brow he might eara bis bread, and still have "freedom to worship God." If rfll true men would do likewise, (iod would soon right their wrongs. He would teach oar Government and these huge cor- porations, that though they have joined hand in hand to defy the God of heaven, tht^ shall not go unpunished. He is yet a God that judgeth in the earth. As they tempt men to transgression, He will brand them with the curse of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, BLIND BARTiMEUB. i« who made Israel to sin. 1 Kings xii. 26-30; xiiL 34. He wHl set His face against them in dreadful providences. He has dealt with our nation as He did with Israel of old, in great goodness. "We may yet Uave to learn, as they have, in exile and tears, His severity also, Rom. xi. 22. Aod these powerful companies will find, that if their requirements and God's come in conflict, their best .servants will leave them, and then their places of high trust mu.st be filled by those who fear not God, and therefore regard not man, Luke xviii. 4, and then swift damage and ruin must come upon them, until they repent and learn righteousness. Meantime, let all who suffer for conscience' sake take this good word of Christ for their consolation; Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or. wife, or children for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting ! Luke xviii. 29, 30. But if Bartimeus chose to attend to his alms instead of his eyes, see if he has not a still stronger reason. Begging is not only his business, but this happens to be a very " busy sejison," as we say in the city, or "harvest-tim(%" as tliey say in the country. A maititucle was passing I When had he such a ( haiice before? He waits day after day, glad of an occasional traveller; but .to- day the people pour along in crowds and can he afford to leave his business now ? iSight is no dorbt a very good thing.^ but suppose alLthese people should give hi.n even a penny a-piece^ t'link of that! He might go home almoi-t rich — might almost retire from business I And after all has not I'rovidence given him this opportunity, and would it be exactly light to throw it away ? 8o have I heard professors of religion and non-professors ^reason. So do they put earth's business above all the calls of God. With such words do some members of the Ohurch thi»ow all the active work of .the Cimrch on some one else; yes, on others ■as busy as you, or at least, as busy as you have any right to be. Tney redeem time, or take time at a sacrifice, which you could take, and should, and would, if your hearts were right before God. .Some of you make business and busy seasons (which seem to last •iHOSt of the year), an excuse for not sec'kifig "God, and some for not serving Him, despite all your professions and vows. Some of you are too much pressed ever to g(^t to prayer-meotings, or the Hervic<'S before the holy ('omfuunion, tu do any of the work of the Church, by which her influence is enlarged, her wheels are made Xo move on, and by which your graces might be enriched and manifested. Iq the dark ages men sometimes sold themselves by deliberate 44 DLIND BARTIMEUS. compact to the devlL For so mnch wealth or honour he should have their souls. Men rarely do that now, I suppose, in any formal way. But this busy age, busy country, and busy city, are binding them in chains, and sealing them for hell, as surely as any infernal sorceries. When men say they iave no time for religion, while they acknowledge its divine claims, they really say, " Busi* ness, be thou my God 1 I devote myself to thee." Men of the world ! You must take time for religion, or eter- nity for remorse. If you take the world for your service, you must take hell for your reward. Luke xvi. 25. Men of th»' CMiurch ! Your whole time is God's, and you must use it for His glory, so as to satisfy, not only your ungodly busi- ness partner, and your torpid conscience, but the severities of the Judgment Bar. If you do not always make the world's calls yield to Christ's, then you deny your Saviour and belie your profession. Matt. X. 37-39. But let me no longer misrepresent Bartimeus, even in suppo- sition. He delays not, but makes haste. Christ is passing, and he may be too late, and therefore he is in haste. He is blind and feels the misery of bliuuuess, and therefore he is in haste. If he begs first, Christ may be insulted by this putting of filthy lucre before His healing power, and so may refuse the blessing when it is sought, Heb. xii. 16, 17, and thei-elbro he is in haste. And sinner, be you in haste. There is a limit to God's long- suffpring. He will not see His calls made light of tor ever. £ie will not stand waiting all the day long. His Providence and grace will move on. His voice will be silent He will noise- ■ lessly withdraw, and you shall call aftor Him and grope after Him for ever, but never fin;l Ilim again ! Prov. i. 24-31. V. and VI. Two other marks of a good hearer of the gospel are found in Bartimeus. He heaid with Faith and Hvmihty He trusted in Jesus and was lowly in heait. H>e felt his need and looked to Christ for aid. Hu nility laid him in the dust, while Fai''^ reached up and took hold on the strength of the Re- deemer. His faith even outran the word of the multitude. They spoke of "Jesus of Nazareth," — Nazareth of Galilee— a despised town of a despised prov'ice ; but he could call Him "Son of David,** and "Lord." In tuese words he hailed ITim as the Messiah, the promised Messiah of God, of whom Isaiah had foretold that lie should open the eyes of the blind. Isa. xxxv. 5; xlii. 7. Though Nathanael might ask,Oan any good come out of Nazareth ? Jonn i. 46, and the Pharisees assert that. Out of Galilee there ariseth BLIND BARTIMEUS. 4ft no prophet, John vii. 52, this poor blind man had an eye of faith which snw in Him the great descendunt of David vno should redeem Lrae! — David's Soji and David's Lord. Matt. xxii. 45. He believed too (lint lie was i.< v» puyRinsr by, and that He had power enoagli and \k)\^ enoujili io opf-n his eyes. This was- hia simple faith, and by this hf^ tool; hold on Ciirist for deliverance. And how dtep was his humility ! lie hid nothing, pn-tend- ed nothing. He came as he was. Blind, he came as blind.-— Poor, he cauie as poor. A beggar, he came as a beggar. He set up no claim sis of right. He told of no good deed. But needy and wrtt hod and helpless and unworthy, he cai't himself on the tender heart of Christ ; "Jesus, Hon of David, have mercy on me ! Lord, Son of DaviJ have mercy on me !" Bnt is this the wiiole lesson? When we have found both, feith and hunnlity in this i)rayer, ai-e we to view them apart only ? May either be absent, and are they here in ftiendly meeting but by chance t No the prayer has a deeper and more precious teaching.— Faith and humility are so blended in it, that none. can say how much is one, and how much the other. If laith is more manifest in the titles he gives Christ, yet humility is not wanting; obd it humility shines brightest in his asking for " mercy," faith is seea in his simple reliance on that mercy. And so it is always. Faith and humility meet in the sinner's experience, not as occasional companions only ; they ever walk lovingly together as sisters. They cannot separate. Like the Siamese twins they live in each others presence alone ; should they part, they would die. A sinner cannot believe in Jesus and not be humble : he cannot be truly humble without believing in Jesus. This is most needful for a sinner to know; for when seeking Christ, he fears it would be presumptuous to believe and rest on Christ at once. So he still stays away and tries to preware him- self for Christ He thinks that this is true humility ;' but it is only pride in disguise, and so deceiving him. '• Alas. I ani lost," begins the sinner, " what shall I do to be saved?" Acts xvi. 30. " Come to me," snys Chrif-t, " I came to seek and save that which was lost," LuKe :jx. 10. " But how can 1 come? I am a sinner." " Come />ecaw«e you are a sinner. I came not to call the righteous, hut sinners to repentance," Luke v. 32. " But I am mch a sinner." snys this false humility (for you see it dares dispute with Christ,) " there never was a heart as bad ftB mine.** 45 BLIND BARTIMEU8. 1 " The grfittter yonr siii) the greater your need of me,^ Bbjm Christ, "and do not fear, for J cnino into the world to save pin- ners, even the chiof. 'i'his is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." 1 Tim. i. 15. " But my hoait is so hardS " Then j^ive it to me, and I will soften it, I will take away the" stony^ heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an he-irt of flesh," Ezek xlxxvi. 26. " But 1 do not even feol my sins as I ought," continues thift disputatious, arrogant humility. " And )ou never will," answers Christ, " until you have a new heart; cte>me to me, and I will gfve yoa one," Ezek. xxxvi. 26. " But I cannot see anythinfr good in my heart; 1 am /oo- un- worthy ; I have no faith, no love." " Then come without them," says Christ, "and I will give them to yon;' Ual. v. 22, with Acts ii. 33. But the heart is not ready to give up yet, and take Christ just at His word. It cannot nailfrstand that it is to go to €hpist with aUsointely noes your unwortliincss overtop my righteousness? Rom. x. 4. Does my blood l\dl for your hcait? 1 John i. 7. My righteous- ness and blood are infinite, Jer. xxiii. 6; Heb. vH. 25, and da you stretch up to measure them and find them wanting? I say \can, save you, and what arrogance is it that denies it I What BLIND BARTIMEUS. 4T bomidless presumption! If you were better you would come, yon s!iy Yes; you are too proud to come as other siDners.— You must no(>(ls be nn oxcrption. Yon onnnot be tdtopether iii(]el)te(l to prnire. A litth' vvortliinrss must be found, for tho- ploiy and roinlort of your splf-ri<»hteousnes8. Abase yourself in the dust and come just as you are." If these cuttinsr words of (;hrist slay the sinner's pride, true- humility fills his heajt. // dares not dis'pute with Christ, or think ©f makinj)^ any chansre in Ills plan of ju^race, amazing as its free-- Bess seems. It just taked Ilim at His word, and says, " Jnst as r flTii, witliont one plea, But thiit Thv V.lnoj', tint wliciKWiT tvvo pn-sous meof tlwvo is always a third. Th > proverb ri't'cr.-. to tiic pr«\<'.'n..'(^ ol'CJod. But it is just as truo thit wh;Mi (iod ar.i a luiii: iii soul mo;'!; on busi- ness for etfriiity, Sit.m will l)0 th struggle. Mark ix. 20, 25, 26. He hnth the (heek-t« eth of a fSfreat lion, and it is not easy to rend the prey from his mouth. Mark ix. 29. Both Christ and Satan came on earth as destroyers; Satan to destroy the works of Uod, but Christ to «lestroy his de.structiona and the destroyer himself. Rev. xii. 12; Heb, ii. 14; 1 John iii. 8. And so we must look for war on the eiirtli, and must ourselves take pan in the battle, if we mean to j?o to heaven. Eph. vi. 11-18. The kingdom of heaven sufforeth violence, and the violent taketh it by force. Matt xi. 12. The children of Israel sang bravely on the shore of the Red Sea, and behaved themselves stoutly. They seemed just ready to- go up and possess the promised hind. But the howling wilderness soon shut up ti\eir song, and when they began to hear of giants and war chariots of iron, and cities wailed up to heaven, their craven hearts died witain them, and for base saf( ty, beside fulF flesh-pots, they were ready to slink back into slavery. Exod. xv. 1-21; xvi. 1-3; Deut. i. 27, 28. The giants are not all dead yet, and if a pilgrim do but show himself, going toward the City of Go(1, out they come to give him battle. So, those who nipan to serve C^hrist, mav as well make up their minds at once lo meet opposition. 2 'i'ini. iii. 12. Bartimen« had snd pr()t)f of this. As soon as he begni to cry out for mercy, rebukes rained down upon him fjoni all sides. Satan raised a clamour, "iid tried to beat liim down. Am J liofc right in ascribing tlii-' (opposition to (he old murderer, though men were his agents? Whut was the olfi'iKe? A sight ess beggar beseeches the compiission of t'.ie He ven!v Pliyf>i( iiii. He has never been ne:n" Him befoi'e. 'VhU is the only opportunity of bis life. A word or toueh cpm itciil hin. and in a sudilen agoiiy of earnestness, he l)ef;< the- bless'.-d str:iiiu''v to pity him — said I not rightly, that none but a devil would have l)i(iden him hold his peace? But Satan hides while he works. He is sometimes like aliou roaring on his prey, 1 Pet. v, 8, but oftener a serpent gliding in the grass, biting, gone. 2 Cor. xi . 3. He can even put ou the BLIND hAR'ilMKUS. 4^ form of ail augel of light, 2 Cor. xi. 14, and here he wears the guise of the followers of CMirist. Matt. iii. 7. There is a mairfold, hellish craft in this. He conceals him- self, puts the shamo of his deeds ou the cause of God, destroys his victims more easily and ..irely because his hand is not seen^ corrupts all who do his work, and thus brings them under his own condemnation, and fills many who see what is done with snch pre- judice against the cause and followers of Christ, that they too are ruined. The ungodly world bids anxious souls to hold their peace. It cannot bear the sinner's distre>^s. If his conscience is disturbed, its own is not quite easy. If he cries out through fear of the wrath to come, Matt. iii. 7, a shudder passes through its heart If he speaks of heaven, it is not ready, it feels, for that, and its own joys look pale in that pure light. If the weight of eternal concernments smite him amidst its gay throngs, it has the unplea- sant eflFect of the sudden death of an actor in the theatre. The play goes on, to be sure, but the applause is not hearty, and a chill shadow damps the mirth. The tragedy is gloomy and the comedy hollow. Therefore the world sets itself to make an end of these convic- tions. For this it has innumerable devices. It will flatter or curse. For some it has persecutions, for others promotions. Now it laughs with irresistible merriment, now dazzles with deceitful splendours, and now cuts one's acquaintance with a sneer. It bewilders the reason with sophistry, and bewitches the senses with volui)tuousnoss. And two other foes it brings into the field for the silencing of cryinof souls — Infidelity, with its thousand "phases" ^changing every day), its flippancy, its sarcasms, its dogmatism (which never change); and Atheism, with its sullen front and frozen i.eart. But I pause not on any of these. I wish now to address the professed people of God. I pray you heed an honest warning. I say, tiien, plainly: You are in great danger every day of re- buking anxious souls, and charging them to hold their peace. I do not say you do it wittingly. It Is a sin so awful, so unnatural,. 80 cruel, that ev^ry lover of the Saviour must utterly abhor it. Yet even Christ's line friends m^iy commit it carelessly and un- consciously. B'^ar tli"ii some cautions. I. By mjudiciovs crllicism of sermons you may stifle convic- tions and drive sinners awav from Christ. We do not refuse to be ti ied by honest and enlightened judg- ments ; and when we hear their verdict, it should give us little concern, except to learn how we may become wiser and mom faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Gor. iv. 1. But we ^ DI.IM) nARTIMUUd. charge our hoarors not to forgot tlmt, hownver humble our abili- ties, if wo aro in our place at all, we are .Vmbassadors for Christ, ."2 Cor. 'V. 20, standing in Mis room, makiu'/ Uiiowii flis lerms of ipardon; and that, so fur as w(i preach the VVord, 2 Tim. iv. 2, He Ilo will take its vindication into His own iiand, and avenge it of • every s'i^ht and all contempt. Luke x. 16 ; ix. 26. Nay more; when we preach Christ crucified, our message is :the power of God, by which alone sinners can be saved: but your (Criticisms may turn it into very foolishness, and a stumbling- ; block, and tlie savour of deatii to some beloved one for whose .salvation you have been striving. I Cor. i. 23, 24; 2 Cor. iL 16. I cannot better illustrate this caution than by a tiue narrative ■from "'J'he Central Presbyterian.'' "A pious lady once left a (Church in this city [Richmond], in company with her husband, -who was not a professor of religion. Siie was a woman of un- usual vivacity, with a keen perception ofthe ludicrous, and often playfully sarcastic. As they walk«Hl along toward home, she ■ began to make some amusuig and spicy comments on the sermon, which a stranger, a man of veiy ordinary talents and awkward tjuanner, had preached that morning in the absence of the pastor. jLfter running on in this vein of siportive criticisih for some time, .flurprised at the profound silenco of her husband, she turned and .looked up in his face. lie was in tears. That sermon haiit, y» t cheert'nl \Titli stui>!. A Clin-tiiUi ciui sit in drod's House, and relish all tlie truths of His Woni. lie tiiny indeed oUtn hear what ia imniediutely (li.'-tn'ssin^. Unlike tli Christ, and ye shall find, Matt. vii. 7, 8. When God calls a soul out of Egypt, old tyrants and new enemies, a deep sea and a howling wilderness maj all be in the way,, but if that soul be of good courage it shall not fail ta eat of the golden fruits of Canaan, Joshua v. 11, 12. jf either a chosen people nor a chosen soul ever lost a battle except bjr cowardice or sin. For Bis mercy eudureth for ever ; twenty-six times over is that said in the Psalm that recounts Israel's redemp- tion and triumphs, Ps. cxxxvi. At every point, at everyjdanger and every battle is the story interrupted to say. For His mercy endureth for ever ! Has God said to you, Seek ye my face? And has your Keart refrfif^d, 'I'hy face. Lord, will I seek? Ps. xxvii. 8^ Then, though a host should encamp against you, your heart need not fear. Though father and mother forsake you, the God of your salvation will never leave you nor forsake you, Ps. xxvii. 3, T0| Heb. xiii. 5. So, Wait upon the Lord ; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart ! Wait, I say, on the Lord, Ps.. xxvii. 14. Are you thus opposed? Do as Bartimeus did. " He cried the more," says Matthew ; " the moie a gieat deal," or " so ucU the more," say Mark and Luke. Oh. that is brave ! Opposiiioa only rouses him to new energy. And so cry you. It is time to "cry out'' when men would beat you back from Christ; time to summon all your strength when the enemy is summoning his. Seel there is but one way; the path is narrow; the foe is closing in. Now, soul, if thou wouldst not be lost, quit thyself like a man. BLIND BARTIMBIUS. m 1. Oor. xvi. 13. Take shield and sword, and lay about thee. It ia now or never with thee. Cry unto Christ and press forward. And while using- all thy might, still remember that nothing can cut through the foe and clear Ihy path to C.irist, like thia cry of faith, "Jesus, Son of David have mercy upon me !" V. "And Jesus stood still and called him." — (Matthew.) "And JesuH stood still and commanded him to be called." — (Mark,) "And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto Him.** —(Luke.) When Jesus thus "stood still," ITe was on His way for the last time to Jerusalem. His " hour" was drawing nigh, John xvii. 1 ; Mark xiv. 41, and he was hastening to meet it. He knew it was to be an hour of anguish and desertion, the hour and power of darkness, Luke xxii. 53. He saw the cup he was to drink, and He knew the biitcrness of every drop, Mark x. 32-34 ; Matt. xx. 22; xxvi. 39 ; John xviii. 11. He knew He was to wrestle with the terrors of death and the principalities of hell, and bear the in- sufferable torments of avenging wrath. Yet such love for sin* ners such hatred of sin, such zeal for the vindication of the insult- ed glory of the Godhead filled and fired Him, that he was press- ing on, with almost impatient ardour. He was straitened, in au inexprcf^sible way, till lie had offered Hims^elfa sacrifice to divine justice for the sins of His people, Lukexii. 50, Never was any being in the universe on such a journey be. fore. Never can *^ven He be again. 'I'he redemption of the world, John i. 29, the defeat of Satan, Heb. ii. 14, and the most illustrious display of the Attrributes of God which ever can be made, Luke ii. 14 ; John xiii. 31 ; xvii. 1, 4, 6; Eph. iii. 10, 21, the infinite conceiimients of thr3e worlds, heaven, earth, and hell, and the gloiy of tho sovereign, eternal Godhead, all rested oq Him and the decease Wo was about to accomplish at Jerusalem, Luke ix. 31. Can He be arrested in this journey ? Where is the event mighty enough to stay His course ? What restiny of^man or empire is worthy ( ven of a thought from Him now? Shall not the vision of infinite sufferi.iff, and the infinite glory that is to fol. Ipw, 1 Pet. i. 11, absorb His heart ? Avaunt, even ye angels of fe>d ! luet oot cherubiiji or seraphim intrude now ! B« m* li ittrntm •6 BLIND BARTIMEUS. \ 1^ If, tonished, ye heavens, and be silent, earth, while your Maker and Lord, who is over ill, God blessed for ever, Rom. ix. 5, treads His path of unutterablti shame and glory I He mast walk that awful V ay alone I Br.t what voice breaks this holy silence ? Who dares draw BO near, with clamours so loud ? A degraded mortal ! A miserar- ble, blind beggar ! obtruding his petty sorrows on the Heart that is gathering to itself the woes of a world ! Can he be regarded? Will the war-churl ot rushing into battle, turn aside for a worm? Will the swell of the sea, roaring on the shore, be checked lest a lamb be drowned? Shall we not join with the multitude and bid Miad Bartimeu?, hold his peace ? Ah,, if we do, neither we nor they know the heart of our Lord. If we mean thus to do Him honour, we will find wo have only put ©ursclves to slwnie. Fw see, Ffe turns ro the cry; He looks vjpoQ thft b^ggav. There is no lightning in His eye, no terror in His voice. Ris ? ; i \.fn\ ttice beams wi t\\ benignity. He stands still. Ills journey is stayed. He calls the poor mm to Him> imd gently directs those about Him to vepeat His welcoming words and; guide the i>ncertain st^ps to Him. " He stood still," Let us also stand and admire. Here let us- learn the gr