of diftrefs, which he only can relieve. But when he comes, the blind receive their fight, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the dumb have voices given them to refound his praife. These mighty works, in their literal fenfe, marked his character, and confirmed his claims, when he was upon earth; and to these, he himself appealed, in proof of his being the promifed Saviour whom the prophets had foretold, and that no other was to be expected *. But the words have a ftill more fublime and important fenfe. As the great Physician, he cured all manner of bodily diseases and infirmities. But this was not the principal defign for which he came into the world, The maladies to which fin has fubjected the body, are but emblems of the more dreadful evils which it has brought upon the foul. He came to open the eyes of the mind; to make the obftinate will attentive and obedient to the voice of God; to invigorate our benumbed and paralytic faculties; that we may be active and cheerful in his fervice; and to open our lips, that our mouths may fhew forth his praise. I have a good hope that I may warrantably fay, This day is this fcripture fulfilled * Matt. xi. 3-6. in in your ears*. Some of you who were once darkness, are now light in the Lord. These different effects are produced by one fimple, but powerful, operation. While Lazarus lay in the grave, all his natural powers were inactive. But when the voice of the Son of God restored him to life, he was, of course, immediately enabled to fee, to hear, to move, and to speak. Thus, while we were fpiritually dead, we were neceffarily blind, deaf, dumb, and motionless, with respect to all the objects and faculties of that life of God in the foul, which is the perfection and honour of our nature. When we are made partakers of this life, by a new and heavenly birth, then our spiritual senses are brought into exercise. Then the eyes of the blind are opened, to see the beauty and glory of divine truths; we hear the voice of God, we feel a liberty to walk and act in his fervice, and our tongues are taught to praise him. Here are four chief effects of a work of grace upon the heart, which distinguish believers from the rest of mankind. And these effects are all to be afcribed to MESSIAH. For they are all wrought by the * Luke iv. 21. + John xi. 43. agen agency of his Holy Spirit. The gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which are abfolutely neceffary, as well for the perpetuating of his gospel from age to age, as for making it efficacious and fuccefsful, are bestowed upon finners wholly upon the account of his mediation. It was, when he afcended on high and led captivity captive*, that he procured these bleffings for rebellious men, that the Lord God might dwell among them. And it was only for his fake, and on the account of what he was to accomplish in the fulness of time, as intimated in the promife of the feed of the woman appointed to break the serpent's head, that there were any gracious communications afforded to fallen man, from the first entrance of fin into the world. But now the Redeemer's great work is fulfilled,his falvation is more openly revealed and applied, by the publication of the gospel, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and finners hear the voice of God and live. Then all the changes, prefigured and predicted in my text, take place, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field. 1. They were once blind, but now they fee. The religion of true believers is not the * Pfal. lxviii. 18. effect effect of imagination and blind impulse, but is derived from a folid knowledge which will bear the ftricteft fcrutiny, and is the reasonable service of an enlightened understanding. They fee God; their apprehenfions of him, are, in fome measure, answerable to his greatnefs and his goodness, and infpire them with reverence and love. Their conceptions of other things in which they are most nearly interested, are agreeable to the truth. Sin appears to them hateful in itself, as well as mifchievous in its confequences; and holiness, not only neceffary by the ordination of God, but defirable for its own fake, as effentially belonging to the true dignity and happiness of man. They know themselves; they fee and feel that they are fuch creatures as the Bible describes them to be, weak, depraved, and vile. Of courfe, they fee the folly of attempting to recommend themfelves to God, and can no longer place any dependance on what they once accounted their wisdom, power, or righteousness; and therefore they fee the abfolute neceffity of a Saviour. They fee, likewife, and approve the method of falvation proposed by the gofpel, as worthy of the wisdom and juftice of God, and every way adapted adapted to the exigencies of their fins, wants, and fears. They fee and admire the excellence, dignity, and fufficiency of him, on whom their help is laid. His power and authority engage their confidence, his love captivates and fixes their hearts. They see the vanity of the prefent ftate, and the vast importance of eternity. In these respects they have all of them a good understanding, however inferior in natural capacity, or aequired knowledge, to the wife men of the world. 2. Their knowledge, fo far as they have attained, is not merely fpeculative, cold, and indiftinct, like the light of the moon. The Sun of Righteousness has fhined into their hearts. The light they enjoy is vital, cheering and effective. Because they thus fee, they bear likewife. They were once deaf to the voice of God, whether he spoke by his word or his providence; whether in the language of mercy or judgment. But now their deaf ears are unstopped. They are now attentive, submissive, and willing to receive his inftructions, and to obey his commands. With them, one Thus faith the Lord, has the force of a thousand arguments. They defire no farther proof of a doctrine, no other warrant |
