October 2

had made them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. That can never make us happy which is not adapted to our disposition. We cannot even hope for an object unless we value it and desire it: but our wishes follow our convictions and our feelings. No one longs for the heaven of a Christian but he who is renewed in the spirit of his mind; and he alone is capable of enjoying it—Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Therefore the decision is, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And the subjects of Divine grace do not feel this a hardship: they do not groan. What a sad thing it is that we cannot go to heaven unless we are sanctified: they love sanctification, and pray to be delivered from all their iniquities. Suppose a man had the promise of an estate, and was assured he should be put in possession of it as soon as ever he was recovered from sickness, would he, while suffering the effects of his vile and painful disease, say, How lamentable it is that I cannot be put into the enjoyment of my estate till I am well. He would feel that he could not enjoy it while the malady continued; and would long for his health, even for its own sake, if no inheritance followed the invaluable blessing itself.

OCTOBER 2.—“And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?”—Luke 4:21, 22.

This is all we have of his wonderful sermon at Nazareth. And who can fill up the outline? But while we want the matchlessness of his own exemplification, we have the text, and are able to discern something of the truth and force of the words in their bearing on him who spake as never man spake—“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

It is useless to inquire, because it is impossible to determine, whether this scripture was one of the appointed lessons for the day, or whether he chose it purposely for the occasion, or whether it was the first passage that presented itself to his eye when he unfolded the roll. The latter would seem probable; yet, were this to be conceded, we must remember that he did nothing casually; accidental circumstances subserved his pleasure and were parts of his plan. But he asserts his qualification for his work and the design of his office. His mission was all mercy. He came not to condemn the world, but to seek and to save that which was lost. The statement more than implies the fallen perishing condition of mankind. The truth of the humiliating fact is the dark ground on which alone the glory of the Gospel can be displayed to advantage. If we deny it, the Gospel has nothing to do with us, and we shall have little to do

with the Gospel. But happy are they, however painful the conviction, who feel that they are in the state of wretchedness which the Gospel is intended to relieve. To them it will be indeed glad tidings. They will see that it is every way suitable to their woes and wants, and entirely adequate to their relief.

Draw near, and lay open your complaints. Are you "poor?" Envy not those who have an abundance of this world's goods. Let not your privations induce you to murmur or despair. You may be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. The poor have the Gospel preached unto them: and if you receive the message, it will bless your bread and your water; it will turn your humble dwelling into a heavenly palace; it will fill you with all the fulness of God—"He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor."

Are you "broken-hearted?" pressed down, crushed with fear and sorrow, arising from a sense of sin and guilt? A wounded spirit who can bear? But he healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up all their wounds. In other cases people are said to die of a broken heart; but here they will only die of a whole one. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit—"He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted."

Are you enslaved? There is no bondage like the bondage of corruption: no vassalage like the slavery of the soul under the dominion of sin, and when taken captive by the devil at his will. Have you felt the degradation and misery, and do you sigh for deliverance? Turn, ye prisoners of hope, to him who can make you free indeed—He is sent "to preach deliverance to the captives."

Are you "blind" as well as bound? This was the case with Sampson and Zedekiah; their oppressors having put out their eyes. We have known persons deprived of bodily sight who were able to see clearly the things of God: but multitudes who have corporeal vision are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. They see no beauty nor comeliness in him who is fairer than the children of men. But he can open the eyes of the understanding, and make us wise unto salvation—He is sent "for the recovering of sight to the blind."

Are you not only bound, and blind, but "bruised?" Here is no tautology or excess—every word adds to the picture. Joseph's "feet were hurt with fetters; he was laid in irons." The magistrates commanded Paul and Silas to be "beaten;" and they were not only cast into prison, but "had many stripes laid upon them." Who can describe the injuries and sufferings of sinners! But he "sets at liberty them that are bruised."

Or are you in the condition of any or of all those among the Jews who were compassionated by the Jubilee, which returned every fiftieth year; when silver trumpets proclaimed through the land, "ye servants, you are now free from your masters. Ye debtors, you are now discharged from your creditors. Ye forfeiters of your estates, you have now your inheritances restored?" How would such an announcement be longed for—how "acceptable" would such a season prove to all who were to be relieved and enriched? "Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound"—He preaches