July 24

PART III.—Luke 18:42.

BARTIMEUS cried the more, when the people said, hold thy peace. And this was necessary, or his voice would have been lost in the clamour of the people. So, when hindrances from Satan or from men present themselves, it is then absolutely indispensable that with increasing earnestness we should cry the more, and thus agonizing press through the strait gate, and seize the kingdom of heaven by prayer, seeing the violent take it by force. Thus it was that Jesus was arrested in his course, and stood still; and on hearing the request, he said, "receive thy sight." So will it be with the earnest seeker of mercy, Christ will hear, he will not turn away his face from them, but will most readily grant them their requests, and bless them with his salvation. He said to Bartimeus, "thy faith hath saved thee," Not that faith itself could give the sightless eyeballs light, — but faith saved him instrumentally, by laying hold of Christ's compassion and power, and thus receiving from Jesus the necessary efficiency. So it is that faith saves the soul. Jesus is the depository of all spiritual blessings, — in him is pardon, peace, and righteousness, and eternal redemption. By receiving Jesus, we therefore receive all that is treasured up in him, and all that he is, and has becomes ours. Faith brings the soul into happy contact with the Lord, it lays hold of his merits, it extracts the virtue from his person and work, and by it, we obtain all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Have you thus believed in Jesus? Has he said to you, receive your sight? Have you experienced his redeeming power and saving grace? Do you know in whom you have believed? Are you now light in the Lord, and like Bartimeus have you arisen to follow in his steps, and to glorify God, if so,—

"Let heart and tongue attune his praise Through the remainder of your days, And when you join the powers above, Your souls shall better sing his love."