say, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation*.

"Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee."--This was an additional mark of condescension and favour. He was not only seen by this poor man, who was born blind, but he familiarly and kindly conversed with him. Once an indigent beggar, sitting by the road side, craving a pittance of relief; and now debased even below that mean condition, excommunicated from the synagogue," cast out" from society, and deprived of its common advantages; the "Friend of sinners affectionately regards him, and freely converses with him! And why? This man was a monument of Divine mercy: he possessed an immortal spirit of incalculable worth: he had a humble, honest heart, and was a sincere inquirer after the Lord Jesus Christ. If this be your disposition and character, Jesus Christ will converse with you; the Lord the Saviour will commune with you; he will hold delightful fellowship with you in his word and ordinances; with his graces he will abundantly enrich you; and, by his blessed Spirit, he will come and take up his abode in your hearts! And is not this desirable? Can you think of any thing of equal value? Get acquainted with spiritual privileges, and heavenly consolation; and for these you will be cheerfully ready to relinquish the world: you will "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord." We have still to notice,

IV. The PLEASING RESULT of the whole.

* Luke ii. 29, 30.

"And he said, Lord, I believe; and he worshipped him."

Here are observable three things-his Faith-the open Declaration of it-and his religious Worship.

1. His Faith.-He believed. While he looked on the Son of God, and heard the gracious words which proceeded from his lips, his heart was opened; the eyes of his understanding were enlightened; he felt the sovereign force of truth, a convincing energy, which he was neither able nor inclined to resist; he yielded to what he felt-he believed! What is believing, but taking God at his word; giving credit with the whole heart to "the record which God hath given of his Son?" The Son of God spake to this man in person: he speaks to us in his word; and shall we not receive his testimony? Shall we prefer the delusive imaginations of our own minds, and give way to unreasonable incredulity? God forbid ! Thomas, one of the twelve, was obstinately incredulous: at length, fully convinced by the condescending grace of the Saviour, he "believed;" and said, in the obedience of faith, "My Lord and my God." What was the reply of the Lord Jesus? It is closely interesting to us-" Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed*." May the sentiment of each be, "Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelieft."

We next observe,

He

2. The open Declaration of his faith. said," with a distinct and audible voice; certainly with transporting pleasure, and heart-felt joy; "Lord, I believe."-Thus, "with the heart man

* John xx. 28, 29. + Mark ix. 24.

believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." What is it that we are called to confess? "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Where faith is possessed, should it not be declared? We cannot now express it, as this man did, to the Son of God himself; but may we not avow it to his people, and manifest it to the world? Yes, we may; and certainly we ought. We press this duty on you; and would have you to consider it no less your privilege and your honour. Do not keep your religious concern to yourselves. Conceal not your spiritual feelings and evangelical hopes, within your own breast. Come forward, and declare in the gates of Zion the work of the Lord our God. Tell to others what a compassionate Saviour hath done for you: be not backward to avow your dependence on him, your expectation from him, and the conviction you feel of strong obligations to him.

Here is also observable,

3. His religious Worship. "And he worshipped him;" that is, he paid divine homage to the Lord Jesus; a homage graciously accepted, which is satisfactory proof that it was due. He worshipped him, it is evident, from a conviction of the Divinity of his nature; from a clear discovery of his exalted character as "the Son of God." The homage deserved, he most readily paid.

When Cornelius was falling down to worship

* Rom. x. 8-10.

Peter, that apostle forbade it, saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man*." When John fell down to worship before the feet of the angel, the angel would by no means permit it, but said, "See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God t." If God only must be worshipped, and worship was accepted by Jesus, the Son of God, we class this among the substantial proofs of his proper Deity; that he was "God manifest in the flesh;" that he is, "over all, God blessed for ever .'

What became of this man, after the affecting event recorded in the text, we know not; but we have no fears concerning him. Most likely he became a decided and constant follower of the Lord Jesus; doubtless he was taken under his protection, and countenanced as one of his friends. This being the case, he was in good hands; in the special care of Him who hath said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand §."

This subject supplies us with several reflections.

1. Men may suffer for the sake of Christ.-This man did so; and we find that what particularly exposed him to suffering was his openness; his decision, his firmness in vindicating his kind Benefactor from the vile aspersions which were cast against him. Had this man been less open and honest, had he possessed more of the wisdom of

* Acts x. 26.

+ Rev. xxii. 9.

1 Tim. iii. 16.

Rom. ix. 5.

John x. 27, 28.

this world, he might have suffered much less. His parents were different from himself: they afford an affecting example of cowardice and worldly compliance when examined before the council, they evaded a direct answer; they equivocated; and the reason was, they feared the Jews." Can we but feel concerned, when that which forms the real worth of character is that which exposes to difficulties and distress? But so it has been in all ages of the church. Moses was decided, and he "suffered affliction with the people of God." Jeremiah and Daniel were decided; and they were cast, the one into "a dungeon," the other into a "den of lions." The Apostles were decided; and they were "thrust into inner prisons, and their feet made fast in the stocks." They, and the primitive believers, "through much tribulation entered the kingdom of God." Jesus says to his disciples, encouraging them against what they had to expect, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord: if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." It was the result of much personal experience and painful trial, that the Apostle lays down this general principle; "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution*."

2. They who suffer for the sake of Christ, shall lose nothing by it.-No: he will himself take care of their interest. He evinced his care in the instance before us. No sooner was this sufferer excommunicated, than Jesus sought him, and found him. Cast out from all that was dear in social life, the compas

* John xv. 18, 20. 2 Tim. iii. 12.