SERMON IX.

"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."-ST. LUKE, iv. 18.

WHEN We seriously and attentively reflect upon those benevolent principles which constitute the Christian dispensation, in how amiable and commanding a light does the gospel of Christ Jesus appear. The Almighty, instead of pouring upon a guilty world the vials of his wrath; instead of arising in awful majesty to take vengeance upon the disobedient, he appears to our view in the attractive tenderness of a parent, commiserating our blindness and perverseness, and providing a remedy for our relief. By him an immaculate lamb hath been prepared to make an atonement for transgression, in whom "mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each

other."

Animated with the glowing subject of redemption, the inspired prophets struck the lyre of celestial joy. When proclaiming to a ruined world the appearance of the Son of God, they represent him as the Saviour of the penitent; the friend of the distressed; the physician of the sin-sick soul. To secure the confidence of mankind in his wisdom, and to call their attention to those dispositions of mercy which would mark his life, they represent him as "a wonderful counsellor," "the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." They speak of him as the light of the world; that Being

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through whose sacred influences the wilderness of the world should be divested of its moral darkness, and the desert of the human mind be made to blossom as the rose. hold," says Isaiah, "my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench." "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom." "I will bring the blind by a way which they knew not, I will lead them in paths which they have not known." (Jeremiah, also, animated with the same sensations, thus introduces the Saviour to our view: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his day Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.) In perfect agreement with the language of prophecy, Jesus, the Redeemer, descended from the courts of heaven to preach peace on earth and good will to men. To emancipate our ruined race from the dominion of sin and hell formed the object of his mission. To open a way for our escape from the ruin of the fall, and to conduct us to glory, he took our nature upon him; he atoned for our transgression by an offering of his own body on the cross, and irradiated the world with the light of divine instruction. Yes, with the language of reconciliation upon his lips, the messenger of the covenant of grace and mercy appeared :-"He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the recovery of sight to the blind." At such a declaration of mercy the heart of man should dilate with gratitude, and in a burst of joy should welcome hissapproach. "Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever."

That truths of the most important nature are contained in the specific declarations of the text, must appear evident to all who are disposed to reflect. That there are

certain situations in which man may be involved, to which those declarations are peculiarly appropriate, is a self-evident truth; a truth known to all who are acquainted with the divine life, and who have experienced the exercises of mind to which they immediately refer. I shall, therefore, endeavour, with that aid which I shall derive from the sacred writings, to explain each particular feature of my subject ; and may God, in infinite mercy, sanctify it to us all, and render it conducive to the comfort of the sincere inquirer. "He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted." It frequently occurs that the human mind, when first convinced of sin, becomes so oppressed with a sense of personal transgression (and in the expression of personal transgression I include the omission of our duty to God) that all the assurances of mercy with which the page of revelation abounds, fail in communicating that relief which they are intended to convey. The soul, under such circumstances, becomes exceeding sorrowful; involving the individual sometimes in the most extreme distress. As the convinced sinner knows that he hath offended God, and as God has declared himself the avenger of sin, his mind becomes tremblingly alive to his situation, and his distress bows him to the earth. It was this part of religious experience to which David alludes in the fifty-first Psalm, in which he speaks of a broken and a contrite heart. From the general tenor of that portion of sacred writ, it is evident that the light of the divine countenance was withdrawn from the mind of the Psalmist, and that he was involved in the deepest darkness. "I acknowledge my transgression," said the royal sufferer, " and my sin is ever before me." It is recorded of Philip, the renowned king of Macedon, that in order to prevent the victories he had achieved from inspiring his mind with pride, he commanded his page to address him every morning with this salutation, "Philip, remember thou art a man." In the same way, when the Spirit of God exercises its power upon the soul, that power evidences its existence and presence, by giving the individual who feels its influence, a humiliating view of himself, and by

proclaiming, in a voice that will be heard, man-womanremember thou art a sinner. It is thought, by the world, that to speak of the conviction of sin, is an evidence of mental weakness; a principle unknown to any but to the poor and illiterate. David, it must be acknowledged, was a great man, elevated not only in rank, but also in the powers of his understanding. His conscience, however, was placed in his bosom for the same purposes for which it is placed in the bosoms of the poorest individual, and, when it ascended its throne, asserted its rights, and condemned him for his sin, and produced in his mind the most humiliating view of himself. "I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me."

Jehovah, remember, has but one mode of procedure with mankind. The law of repentance is equally binding upon all; the rich and the poor must in that particular meet together, for "except we repent, we must all likewise perish." David, therefore, humbled himself before God; he descended from his chair of state, and took that place which became him as an offender against heaven,-the place and posture of a penitent. That his distress of mind was great, is evident from the language of his prayer, "Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me;" "make me to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice;" "restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit." "Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it thee; the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

Similar, brethren, were the exercises of the Phillippian jailor; who, in his distress of mind, sought instruction at the lips of Paul. "What shall I do to be saved?" Observe the urgency of his inquiry; he came trembling to the apostle; 'his heart condemned him, and as he knew that the knowlledge which Jehovah had of his sins was more accurate than his own, his fears were excited, and he sought a remedy for the evil under which he laboured. He felt con

vinced that something must be done, and done immediately. The concerns of eternity rested upon his mind, and awakened his attention. He did not ask what may be done for me, but his inquiry was, what shall I do? "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Though sensations of distress and alarm are permitted to exercise their influence for a season, yet we shall find, from the effects which they produce, in weaning us from sin and attaching us to our duty, that they are the evidences of divine love. "Sorrow endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." The alarms of the awakened sinner will be removed, the doubts under which he laboured respecting his acceptance with God will subside. By attending to the assurances of mercy to the penitent, he will reap that comfort of which they are so full. "Come unto me all ye who labour and are heavy laden," will inspire his heart with confidence. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," will kindle in his bosom the sincerest joy. "He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted," will dispel his doubts, restore him to peace, and tranquilize his mind.

I would not be understood to say, that the conviction of sin must in all cases be as great as David experienced. But thus much, brethren, I will affirm, that as we have all offended God, and withheld from him that homage to which he is entitled; that as we have permitted the world and its delusive pleasures to hold the chief place in our affections; that as we have profaned his name, violated his Sabbaths, forgotten our obligations of gratitude, and resisted the strivings of his Spirit; that as we have fallen into those sins, we must be convinced of our errors, and pained at the recollection of them, before we will be disposed to repent, and to seek the pardon and forgiveness of offended heaven. The persuasion of our ingratitude to God will excite such an alarm for our future safety, and give rise to such distressing sensations in our minds, that we shall rejoice to hear that the "Lord Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted."

The mind of man is not only subjected to that anxiety