with fuch peculiar favour on the state of poverty itself, but only as it cherished and improved a difpofition moft congenial to his fpirit, and therefore best adapted for the reception of his Gofpel. Humility of circumftance was a favourable foil for humility of mind, that root and principle of the Christian character. And therefore we may understand it was, that while he opened the treasures of divine grace to all, he offered them in the first place to the Poor and to the Meek.

And the fame disposition of mind, which he favoured fo effentially in his personal ministry, is still expected and enjoined as a primary qualification for becoming and for continuing his difciples. Whatever be our ftation or condition in fociety, whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, if we would have any portion in this offered good, we must learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart. We must entertain an humble opinion of ourselves in regard to fpiritual things, a devout fubmiffion to the law, and a patient refignation to the will, of Heaven. For fuch a character of mind is not only a positive condition, but also a virtual qualification for admiffion into his kingdom, whether in the state of grace or of glory. Accordingly to perfons of this character our Lord affigns

the

the firft of his beatitudes; "Bleffed are the Poor in fpirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Another object of our Saviour's miffion was, To bind up the Broken-hearted. While he went about doing good, he found abundant scope for the exercife of his benevolence in alleviating the afflictions of a wounded fpirit; more especially such as exceed all human cure, as when a Sifter mourns over the tomb of her beloved Brother, or when a bereaved Widow follows the corfe of her only Son to the grave. In this cafe he was ready to administer a supernatural confolation. To the tenant of the filent tomb he faid, "Come forth." To the Young man borne upon the bier he said, "Arife." Thus he effectually difpelled the Sifter's tears; thus he turned the Widow's forrows into joy.

But the relief, which he thus administered to those, who were pierced to the foul for the natural afflictions of human life, was a pledge of that more extenfive and more efficient relief, which he was always ready to adminifter to those, who were broken-hearted with a fenfe of their fins and a fearful apprehenfion of the wrath of God. To them he was always liberal of his mercies. As foon as they displayed the feeling forrows of a con

trite

trite heart, with repentance towards God and faith in him, he was ready to address them in the language of confolation and forgivenefs.

And the fame healing power he is ready ftill to exercise toward all, who labour under the fame affliction, the anguish of a broken heart, arifing from the confcioufnefs of fins, and the terrors of the divine difpleasure. And who among us can prefume to say that he is innocent in the fight of God? Who can boast he never hath offended? If we truly know ourselves, we all have reason to lament our unhappy state. For we all without exception labour under the maladies of a corrupted nature; and to all of us indifferently belongs the confeffion in our daily prayers, that there is no health in us. But no fooner are we conscious of our unhappy state, than we learn for our comfort where a remedy is to be found. To those, who refort in penitence and tears to Chrift, he still presents himself the true Phyfician of the foul. To them he is understood to say in the still small voice of confcience, "Your faith hath healed you; go in peace." To this purpose he declares in his Sermon on the Mount; "Bleffed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."

Another

Another part of our Saviour's ministry was, To proclaim, or, To preach deliverance to the Captives. By Captives in the primary fense we may understand all those, so frequently mentioned in the gospel history, who laboured under the burden of bodily diseases and infirmities, which arrested the liberty of action and impeded the faculties of life. No fooner did our Lord appear, than all those maladies which are incident to human nature fled. Whatever was the difeafe or deprivation under which they laboured, were it ever so severe or inveterate, they had only to repair to him, and at a touch, or at a word, they were inftantaneously loofed from the bonds of their infirmities.

By thefe benevolent operations on the bodies of men, he shewed his authority to accomplish a far more important and beneficial work, the deliverance of their fouls from the bondage and the yoke of fin. Having ocular proof of his divine authority, when he said to the impotent, "Arife, and walk," and to the fick, "Be whole," they could not question the efficacy of his abfolution, when he said to the Captive in the spiritual life, “Thy fins be forgiven thee." To them, who were oppreffed with a galling sense of their iniquities, and found no alleviation of their burden from thofe,

thofe, who fate in the chair of Mofes, and affumed the authority of Masters in Ifrael, he addreffed this language of compaffion and confolation, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden; and I will give you reft."

And the fame deliverance he continues to extend to all the fons of men; more efpecially to thofe, who feel the burden under which they bend, and acknowledge and addrefs him as the Deliverer of the foul. Herein we have all a common intereft. Unconscious as we feem of the fervitude we bear, we are all too much the flaves of our vicious paffions and propenfities, which are the most despotic masters that can bear dominion over us, and the most fatal enemies to our final peace. Approving in our hearts what is good, we find in our bodies no difpofition to perform it. Our reason would perfuade us to love and cultivate the law of God; but with a stronger fway our paffions bend us to the dominion and control of fin. In this unhappy state we are not left without a powerful and a willing Friend. Our bleffed Lord prefents himself to our regard, as the means of deliverance from this deadly bondage. If we

Rom. vii. 18.

truly