Five Sermons, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Blind BARTIMEUS.
MARK X. 52.
And Jeſus ſaid unto him, Go thy way thy Faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his Sight, and followed Jeſus in the Way.
WHEN the Apoſtle Peter was recommending Jeſus of Nazareth, in one of his Sermons to the Jews, he gave him a ſhort, but withal a glorious and exalted Character, viz. That he went about doing Good.—He went about, i. e. He ſought … of doing Good—It was his Meat and Drink to do the Works of him that ſent him, whilſt the Day of his publick Adminiſtration laſted.—Juſtly was he ſtiled by the Prophet, the Sun of Righteouſneſs—For, as the Sun in the natural Firmament, diffuſes his quickening and reviving Beams through the Univerſe, ſo wherever this Sun of Righteouſneſs, the bleſſed Jeſus aroſe, he aroſe with Healing under his Wings.—He was indeed a Prophet like unto Moſes, and proved, that he was that Meſſiah which was to come into the World, by the Miracles which he wrought; tho' with this material Difference, the Miracles of Moſes, agreeable to the Old Te…ment Diſpenſation, were Miracles of Judgment… the Miracles of Jeſus, who came to bear our Sickneſſes, and heal our Infirmities, were Miracles of Mercy; and were wrought not only for the Cure of Peoples Bodies, but alſo for th… Converſion of their precious and immortal Souls.—Sometimes one and the ſame Perſon was the Subject of both theſe Mercies—A glorious Proof of this, we have in the miraculous Cure wrought upon a poor blind Beggar, named Bartimeus, who is to be the Subject of the following Diſcourſe, and to whom the Words of the Text refer.—Jeſus ſaid unto him, go thy way; thy Faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his Sight, and followed Jeſus in the Way.
My Deſign is, Firſt, to make ſome Obſervations on the Matter of Fact, as recorded by the Evangeliſts. And then,
Secondly, To point out the Improvement that may be made of it. May Jeſus ſo bleſs it, that every ſpiritually blind Hearer, may receive his Sight, and after the Example of Bartimeus, follow Jeſus in the Way!
If we would take a View of the whole Story, we muſt go back to the 46th Verſe of this Chapter—And they, i. e. our Lord and his Diſciples (who, we find by the Context, had been converſing together) came to Jericho—A Place devoted by Joſhua to the Curſe of God—And yet, even this Place yields Converts to Jeſus—Zaccheus had been called out of it formerly; and Bartimeus, as we ſhall hear by and by, in all Probability, was called now.—For ſome Good may come even out of Nazareth—Chriſt himſelf was born there, and his ſovereign Grace can reach, and overcome the worſt of People, in the very worſt of Places.—Jeſus come to Jericho—Let not his Miniſters, if Providence points out their Way, ſhun going to ſeemingly the moſt unlikely Places to do Good—Some choſen Veſſels may be therein—Jeſus and his Diſciples came to Jericho—They were Itinerants; and, as I have frequently obſerved, ſeldom ſtayed long in a Place—Not that this is any Argument againſt the ſtated Settlement of particular Paſtors over particular Pariſhes.—But however, our Lord's Practice, in this Reſpect, gives a Kind of a Sanction to i…n…ant Preaching, when Perſons are properly called to, and qualified for, ſuch an Employ.—And I believe we may venture to affirm (tho' we would by no means preſcribe, or dictate to the Holy One of Iſrael) that, whenever there ſhall be a general Revival of Religion in any Country, itine…ant Preaching will be more in Vogue.—And it is to be feared, that thoſe who condemn it now, merely on Account of the Meanneſs of its Appearances, would have joined with the Self-righteous Scribes and Phariſees, in condemning even the Son of God himſelf, for ſuch a Practice.—
And as he went out of Jericho with his Diſciples, ſays the Evangeliſt, and a great Number of People, foreign, a great Number of the Mob, or Rabble, as the High-Prieſts of that Generation termed them—For theſe were the conſtant Followers of Jeſus of Nazareth.—It was the Poor that received his Goſpel, the common People that heard him gladly, and followed him from Place to Place▪—Not that all who followed him, were his true Diſciples—No, ſome followed him only for his Loaves, others out of Curioſity; tho' ſome undoubtedly followed to hear, and be edified by the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth. Jeſus knew this, and was alſo ſenſible, how diſpleaſing this crowding after him was to ſome of the Rulers of the Jewiſh Church; who, upon every Occaſion, were ready to ſay, have …ny of the Scribes a…d Phariſees believed on him? But notwithſtanding▪ I do not hear of our bleſſed Lord's ſending them Home but once; and that was, after they ha… …een with him three Days, and had nothing left to eat—No; he ſaw they were as Sheep, having no Shepherd, and therefore had Compaſſion on them, and taught them.—A ſufficient Warrant this, for Goſpel-Miniſters to preach to poor Souls, that follow to hear the Word, whatever Principle their coming may proceed from.—At the ſame Time, they ſhould caution People againſt thinking themſelves Chriſtians, becauſe they follow Chriſt's Miniſters—This our Lord frequently did.—For there are many that followed Jeſus, and now follow his Miniſters, and hear them gladly; nay, perhaps, do many Things, as Herod did▪ who, 'tis to be feared, will never follow them into the Kingdom of Heaven.—Much People followed Jeſus h…e out of Jericho, but how many of them were offended in him; and afterwards, it may be, cried out, Crucify him▪ Crucify him.—Who wou'd depend on Popularity? It is like the Morning Cloud, or early Dew, that paſſeth away—But what a Preſs, and ſeemingly continued Hurry of Buſineſs, did the bleſſed Jeſus live in!—He could not be hid—Go where he wou'd, much People followed him—He had ſcarce Time to eat Bread.—Happy is it for ſuch▪ who are called out to act in a publick Station in the Church, …nd to be more abundant in Labours, that their Jeſus has trod in this dangerous Path before them.—Popularity is a fiery Furnace—And no one but he, that kept the three Children amidſt Nebuchadnezzar's Flames, can preſerve popular Miniſters from being hurt by it—But we can do all Things, thro' Chriſt ſtrengthening us—And I have often thought, that there is one Conſideration ſufficient to extinguiſh, or moderate at leaſt, any Exceſs of Joy, and ſelf Complacence, which the moſt popular Preacher may feel, when followed even by the greateſt Multitudes; and that is this, viz. How many of theſe Hearers will go away, without receiving any ſa…ing Benefit by my Preaching; nay, how many, it may be, will only have their Damnation encreaſed by it!—As we find many ſhall ſay at the Great Day, Haſt thou not taught in our Streets, to whom Jeſus ſhall anſwer, Verily I kn…w yo… not.—But to proceed—As our Lord went out of Jericho with his Diſciples, and a great Number of People, blind Bartimeus; i. e. the Son of Timeus, ſat by the Highway-ſide, begging. It ſhou'd ſeem that he was a noted, tho' by no means what we commonly call, a ſturdy Beggar; having no other Way, as he had loſt his Sight, to get his Bread—His Caſe was ſtill the more pitiable, if he was, as ſome think the Name imports, the blind Son of a blind Father. It may be, he begged for his Father, and himſelf too—And if ſo, then this may give us Light into that Paſſage of Matthew, xx. 29. where we are told, that two Men ſpake to Jeſus—It might be Father and Son, tho' only one is made mention of here, becauſe he only followed Jeſus in the Way—Thus that holy, judicious, and practical Expoſitor of Holy Writ, Mr. Henry—But however this be, he is not blamed for Begging—Neither ſhould we diſcommend others for ſo doing, when Providence calls to it. It was the unjuſt Steward that ſaid, to beg I am aſhamed. It is our Pride, that often makes us unwilling to be beholden—Jeſus was not thus minded—He lived, as it were, upon Alms—The Women that followed him, miniſtred to him of their Subſtance.—Bartimeus not being …ble to dig, begs for his Living; and in order to make a better Trade of it, ſat by the Highway-ſide, in all Probability, without, or near the Gate of the City, where People muſt neceſſarily paſs in and out. But tho' he had loſt his Sight, he had his Hearing perfect—And it ſhould comfort us, if we have loſt one Senſe, that we have the Uſe of another, and that we are not deprived of the Benefit of all.—Happy was it for Bartimeus, that he could hear, tho' not ſee▪ For in all Probability, upon hearing the Noiſe and Clamour of the much People, that followed after our Lord, his Curioſity ſet him upon enquiring into the Cauſe of it, and ſome one or another told him, that Jeſus of Nazareth was paſſing by—Jeſus of Nazareth—Called ſo, becauſe he was bred there—Or out of Contempt—Nazareth being either a very mean, or very wicked Place, Or both; which made guileleſs Nathaniel ſay, Can any Good come out of Nazareth? And what does Bartimeus do, when he hears of Jeſus? We are told, Verſe 47th; And when he heard that it was Jeſus of Nazareth, he began to cry out—This plainly denotes, that tho' the Eyes of his Body were ſhut, yet the Eyes of his Mind, were, in ſome Degree, opened, ſo that he ſaw, perhaps, more than moſt of the Multititude that followed after Jeſus—For, as ſoon as he heard of him, he began to cry out; which he wou'd not have done had he not heard of him before, and believed alſo, that he was both able and willing to reſtore Sight to the Blind.—He began to cry out.—This implies, that he had a deep Senſe of his own Miſery, and the Need which he had of a Care—His Prayers did not freeze as they went out of his Lips—He began to cry out, that Jeſus might hear him, notwithſtanding the Noiſe of the Throng—And he began to cry out, … ſoon as he heard he was paſſing by, not knowing whether he might ever enjoy ſuch an Opportunity any more—He began to cry out, Jeſus, thou Son of David, have Mercy upon me.—The People called him, Jeſus of Nazareth.—Bartimeus ſtiles him, Jeſus thou Son of David—Thereby evidencing, that he believed him to be that Meſſiah which was to come into the World, unto whom the Lord God was to give the Throne of his Father David, and of whoſe Kingdom there was to be no End.—Jeſus, thou Son of David; or, as it is in the parallel Place of St. Matthew, xx. 30. O Lord, thou Son of David; of whom it had been long foretold, Iſaiah xxxv. that when he ſhould come, the Eyes of the Blind ſhould be …—Have Mercy upon me—The native Language of a Soul brought to lie down at the Feet of a Sovereign God—Here's no laying Claim to a Cure by Way of Merit; no proud, Self-righteous, God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are: No bringing in a R…ckoning of Performances, nor any-doubting of Jeſu's Power or Willingneſs to heal him—But out of the Abundance of the Heart, his Mouth ſpeaketh, and, in the Language of the poor, broken-hearted Publican, he cries out, Jeſus, thou Son of David, have Mercy on me.—Jeſus, thou Friend of Sinners, thou Saviour, who, tho' thou be the true God, waſt pleaſed to become the Son of David, and to be made Man, that thou mighteſt ſeek, and ſave thoſe that were loſt, have Mercy upon me; let thy Bowels yearn towards a poor, miſerable, blind Beggar—One wou'd have thought, that ſuch a moving Petition as this, would have melted the whole Multitude that heard his piteous Cry, into Compaſſion, and induced ſome at leaſt to turn Suitors in his Behalf, or help carry him to the bleſſed Jeſus.—But inſtead of that, we are told, Verſe 48th, that many charged him—The Word in the Original ſeems to imply, a Charge attended with Threatning, and ſpoken in an angry Manner.—They charged him to hold his Peace; and it may be, threatned to beat him if he did not. They looked upon him beneath the Notice of Jeſus of Nazareth, and were ready enough to aſk, whether he thought Jeſus Chriſt had nothing elſe to do, but to wait upon him.—This was, no doubt, very diſcouraging to blind Bartimeus.—For, Oppoſition comes cloſeſt, when it proceeds from thoſe who are eſteemed Followers of the Lamb.—The Spouſe complains as of ſomething peculiarly afflicting, that her own Mother's Children were angry with her.—But Oppoſition only ſerves to wh…t the Edge of true Devotion, and therefore Bartimeus, inſtead of being ſilenced by their Charges and Threatnings, cried out the more a great deal, th… Son of David, have Mercy on me. Still … breaks out into the ſame humble Language and, if Jeſus the Son of David will hav… Mercy on him, he cares not much, what ſom… of his peeviſh Followers ſaid of, or did unt… him.—This was not a vain Repetition, but devout Reiteration of his Requeſt. We … ſometimes repeat the ſame Words, and yet not be guilty of that foreign, or vain ſpeaking, which our Lord condemns. For our Lord himſelf, prayed in his Agony, and ſaid the ſame Words—Father if it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs from me.—Thus Bartimeus—Jeſus, thou Son of David, have Mercy upon me.—And how does the Son of David treat him? Does he join Iſſue with the Multitude, and charge him to hold his Peace? Or, does he go on, thinking him beneath his Notice? No; for ſays St. Mark, Verſe 49th, And Jeſus ſtood ſtill, tho' he was on a Journey, and it may be in haſte (for it is not loſing Time, to ſtop now and then on a Journey, to do a good Office by the Way) and commanded him to be called.—Why ſo? To teach us to be condeſcending and kind even to poor, if real Beggars, and tacitly to reprove the blind, miſguided Zeal of thoſe who had charged him to hold his Peace—By this alſo our Lord prepares the Multitude the better, to take the more notice of the blind Man's Faith, and his Mercy and Power exerted in the Healing of him.—For there are Times and Seaſons, when we are called to perform Acts of Charity in the moſt publick Manner, and that too very conſiſtently with the Injunction of our Saviour's not to let our right Hand know, what our left Hand doth—For there is a great deal of difference between giving Alms, and exerciſing Acts of Charity, that are ſeen of Men, and doing them, that they may be ſeen—The one is always ſi… ful—The other often becomes our Duty—Jeſus commanded Bartimeus to be called—And they called him, ſays the Text—Who called him? It may be, thoſe who a little before charged him to hold his Peace.—For it often happens, that our Oppoſers and Diſcouragers, afterwards become our Friends—When a Man's Ways pleaſe the Lord, he makes his Enemies beat Peace with him—And it is to be wiſhed, that all who have charged poor Souls, that are crying after Jeſus, to hold their Peace, ſpare themſelves and not be Righteous over much, would imitate the People here, and encourage thoſe they once perſecuted and maligned—They call the blind Man, ſaying unto him, Be of good Comfort, riſe, he calleth thee—The Words, and Manner of ſpeaking them, implies Haſte, and a Kind of Solicitude for the blind Man's Relief—Oh! that we might hereby learn to be patient and long-ſuffering, towards Oppoſers—For it may be, that many may oppoſe awaken'd Souls, not out of Enmity, but thro' Prejudice and Miſinformation, thro' Ignorance and Unbelief, and a real, tho' perhaps falſe, Perſuaſion, that their Relations are going in a wrong Way—By and by they may be convinced, that Chriſt is indeed Calling them, and then they may become real and open Friends to the Cauſe and Work of God—If not, it is our Duty to behave with Meekneſs towards all, and not to render Railing for Railing, but …-wiſe Bleſſing, knowing that we are thereunto called, that we may inherit a Bleſſing—Jeſus did not break out into harſh Language againſt theſe Oppoſers, neither did Bartimeus—Our Lord only ſtood ſtill, and commanded him to be called; and they call the blind Man, ſaying unto him, be of good Comfort, riſe; … calleth thee—And he (Verſe 50) caſting aw… his Garment, roſe and came to Jeſus—Had Bartimeus not been in earneſt when he cried, Jeſus thou Son of David, have Mercy, upon me, he might have ſaid, why do you mo…k me? Why bid ye me ariſe? Riſe indeed I can, but after I am riſen, how can I, being blind, find my Way unto him? If he will come to me it is well; if not, all your calling availeth nothing, it being impoſſible for me to find my Way—Thus Thouſands now-a-days object to Evangelical Preachers, ſaying, why do you bid us come to and believe on Jeſus Chriſt, when you tell us it is impoſſible of our ſelves to turn to God, or to do good Works; and that no one can come unto him, unleſs the Father draw him—Is not this like the Peoples calling upon Bartimeus, to ariſe and come to Jeſus, when he could not poſſibly ſee his Way before him? True it is ſo—And would to God, that all who make this Objection would imitate Bartimeus, and put forth the Strength they have! What if we do call you to come and to believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you may be ſaved? Does this imply, that you have a Power in yourſelves to do ſo? No, in no wiſe—No more than Jeſus Saying unto Lazarus's dead and ſtinking Carcaſe, Come forth, implied, that Lazarus had a Power to raiſe himſelf from the Grave—We call to you, being commanded to preach the Goſpel to every Creature, hoping and praying, that Chriſt… Power, may accompany the Word, and make it effectual to the quickening and raiſing of your dead Souls—We alſo call to you to believe, upon the ſame Account as Jeſus ſaid unto the Lawyer, do this, and thou ſhalt live, viz. That you, ſeeing your utter Inability to come, might thereby be convinced of your Unbelief, and be led to aſk for Faith of him whoſe Gift it is, and who is therefore in Scripture emphatically ſtiled the Author, as well as Finiſher of our Faith—Add to this, that it is your Duty to wait at the Pool, to make Uſe of the Strength you have, in the earneſt and ſteady Performance of all commanded Duty—For tho' you cannot do what is ſpiritually Good, becauſe you want ſpiritual Principles of Action, yet ye may do what is morally and materially Good, inaſmuch as ye are reaſonable Creatures; and tho your doing Duty as you can, no Ways deſerves Mercy, or entitles you to it, yet it is the Way in which you are required to walk, and the Way in which God is uſually found—While you are attempting to ſtretch out your withered Arm, peradventure it may be reſtored; and who knows but Jeſus may work Faith in you, by his almighty Power? Bartimeus has ſet before ſuch Objecters an Example—Oh that they would once ſubmit to be taught by a poor blind Beggar! For he, caſting away his Garment, roſe, and blind as he was, came to Jeſus—Caſting away his Garment—This ſeems to be a large Coat or Clock, that he wore to ſcreen himſelf from the Rain and Cold—undoubtedly, it was the moſt neceſſary and valuable Veſtment he had, and one wou'd have thought, that he ſhould have taken this along with him—But he knew very well that if he did ſo, it might hang about his Heels, and thereby his reaching Jeſus be re…rded at leaſt, if not prevented intirely—Valuable therefore as it was to him, he caſt it away—The Word implies, that he threw it from off his Shoulders, with great Precipitancy and Reſolution, knowing that if he got a Cure, which he now hoped for by Chriſt's calling him, he ſhould never want his Garment again—And thus will all do tha… are in earneſt about coming to Jeſus here, or ſeeing and enjoying him in his Kingdom eternally hereafter—They will cut off a Right Hand, they will pluck out a Right Eye, they will leave Father and Mother, Huſband and Wife, yea, and their own Lives alſo, rather than not be h…s Diſciples—The Apoſtle Paul therefore exhort▪ Chriſtians to lay aſide every Weight, and the Sin that doth moſt eaſily beſet them, or h…ng about their Heels, as the Word in the Orig…l imports; alluding to the Cuſtom of the Romans, who wore long Garments—Such a One was this, which Bartimeus had wrapped round him—But he, to ſhew that he ſincerely deſired to recover his Sight, caſting it away, aroſe and came to Jeſus—And what Treatment did Jeſus give him? Did he ſay, Come not nigh me, thou impudent noiſy Beggar? No, he anſwered (verſe 51) and ſaid unto him, What wilt th…, that I ſhould do unto thee? An odd Queſtion this, ſeemingly. For did not our Lord know what he wanted? Yes he did—But the Lord Jeſus dealt with him, as he deals with us—He will make us acknowledge our Wants ourſelves, that we thereby may confeſs our Dependance upon him, and be made more ſenſible of the Need we ſtand in, of his divine Aſſiſtance—The Blind Man immediately replies, Lord, thereby intimating his Belief of Chriſt's Divinity, that I might receive m… Sight—Methinks, I ſee the poor Creature liſtening to the Voice of our Saviour, and with Looks and Geſtures beſpeaking the inward Earneſtneſs of his Soul, …he cries out, Lord that I may receive my Sight—As tho' he had ſaid, I believe thou art that Meſſiah which was to come into the World—I have heard of thy Fame, O Jeſus! and hearing the long-wiſh'd-for Glad-tidings of thy coming this Way, I cry unto thee, aſking not for Silver and Gold, but what thou, thou alone, canſt give me, Lord, that I might receive my Sight. No ſooner does he aſk, but he receives—For Verſe 5…d, Jeſus ſaid unto him, Go thy Way; thy Faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his Sight.—With the Word, there went a Power; and …e that ſpake Light out of Darkneſs, ſaying, Let there be Light, and there was Light, commanded Light into this poor blind Beggar's Eyes, and behold there was Light—The Miracle was inſtantaneous—Immediately, he received his Sight—And next to a Miracle it was, that by breaking into open Light all at once, he was not ſtruck blind again: But he that gave the Sight, preſerved it when given—Oh! happy Bartimeus! Thy Eyes are now opened, and the very firſt Object thou doſt behold, is the ever-loving, altogether-lovely Jeſus.—Methinks I ſee thee tranſported with Wonder and Admiration, and all the Diſciples, and the Multitude, gazing around thee!—And now, having received thy Sight, why doſt thou not obey thy Lord's Command, and go thy way? Why doſt thou not haſte to fetch thy Garment, that thou juſt now in a Hurry didſt caſt away? No, No!—With his bodily Eyes, I believe he received alſo a freſh Addition of ſpiritual Sight, and tho' others ſaw no Form or Comelineſs in the bleſſed Jeſus, that they ſhould deſire him; yet he by an Eye of Faith diſ… ver'd ſuch tranſcendent Excellencies in hi… Royal Perſon, and felt at the ſame time, ſuch a divine Attraction towards his all-bounti… Benefactor, that inſtead of going his Way … fetch his Garment, he followed Jeſus in … Way; and by his Actions, ſays with faithful, honeſt-hearted Ruth, entreat me not to … thee—For whither thou go…ſt, I will go; whe… thou lodgeſt, I will lodge; thy People, ſhall … my People; and thy God, my God—He … Jeſus in the Way—The narrow Way, the Way of the Croſs; and, I doubt not, but long ſince, he has followed him to his Crow…, and is at this Time ſitting with him at the Right-hand of his Father.—
And now, my dear Hearers, how find you your Hearts affected at the Relation of this notable Miracle which Jeſus wrought? Are you not ready to break out into the Language of the Song of Moſes, and to ſay, Who is like unto thee O Lord, glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes, continually doing Wonders! Marvellous are thy Works, O Jeſus, and that our Souls know right well! But we muſt no… ſtop here, viz. in admiring what the Lord did for Bartimeus—This, no doubt, as well as other Parts of Scripture, was written for our Learning, upon whom the Ends of the World are come.—Conſequently, as was propoſed in the Second Place, we ſhould ſee what ſpiri… Improvement can be made of this Hiſtory, upon which we have already been making ſome Remarks.—
A natural Man, indeed, goes no further than the outward Court of the Scripture, and reads this, and the other Miracles of our bleſſed Saviour, juſt in the ſame Manner as he reads Homer's Battles, or the Exploits of Alexander—But God forbid, that we ſhou…d reſt in only hearing this Matter of Fact—For I tell thee, O Man, I tell thee, O Woman, whoever thou art, that fitteſt this Day under a preached Goſpel, that if thou art in a natural State, thou art as blind in thy Soul, as Bartimeus was in his Body; a blind Child of a blind Father, even of thy Father Adam, who loſt his Sight when he loſt his Innocence, and entailed his Blindneſs, juſtly inflicted, upon thee, and me, and his whole Poſterity.—Some think indeed, that they ſee—But alas! ſuch talk only like Men in their Sleep, like Perſons beſides themſelves—The Scriptures every where repreſent Fallen-Man, not only as ſpiritually Blind, but dead alſo; and we no more know, by Nature, ſavingly the Way of Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt, than Bartimeus, when he was blind, knew the Colours of the Rainbow—This, I truſt, ſome of you begin to feel—I ſee you Concerned—I ſee you Weeping—And, was I to aſk ſome of you, what you want to be done unto you? I know your Anſwer wou'd be, that we may receive our Sight—And God forbid, that I ſhould charge you to hold your Peace, as tho' Jeſus wou'd not regard you!—No, your being made ſenſible of your natural Blindneſs, and crying thus earneſtly after Jeſus, is a Sign at leaſt, that you are awakened by his Holy Spirit (tho' it is poſſible, that you may cry with an exceeding bitter Cry, as Eſau did, and be loſt at laſt—) however, Chriſtian Charity induces me to believe and hope the beſt—I will therefore, in the Language of thoſe who afterwards encouraged Bartimeus, ſay unto you, ariſe, take Comfort,; for I truſt, Jeſus is calling you—Follow therefore the Example of Bartimeus, caſt away your Garment; la… aſide every Weight, and the Sin which doth moſt eaſily beſet you, ariſe, and come to Jeſus—He commands me, by his written Word, to call to you and ſay, Come unto him, all ye that a… …eary, and heavy laden, and he will refreſh you—He will give you reſt—Be not afraid—Ye ſeek Jeſus of Nazareth—Behold, he comes forth to meet you—Ye are now on the Highway Side, and Jeſus, I truſt, is paſſing by—I feel his Preſence—I hope, many of you …el it too—Oh then, cry mightily to him, wh… is Mighty and Willing to ſave you—Lay yourſelves at the Feet of Sovereign Grace—Say unto him, Jeſus, thou Son of David, have Mercy on me, in the ſame Frame as Bartimeus did, and Jeſus will anſwer you—He will not caſt out your Prayer—According to your Faith, ſo ſhall it be done unto you. Blind as you are, you ſhall notwithſtanding receive your Sight—Satan indeed, and Unbelief will ſuggeſt many Objections to you—Your carnal Relations will alſo join Iſſue with them, and charge you to hold your Peace—One will tell you, that your Blindneſs is too inveterate to be cured; another, that it is too late; a third, that tho' Jeſus can, yet he will not have Mercy upon ſuch poor, blind, deſpicable Beggars, as ye are—But, the more they charge you to hold your Peace, do you cry out ſo much the more a great deal, Jeſus, thou Son of David, have Mercy on us—Jeſus, thou Saviour, thou Friend of Sinners, Thou Son of David, and therefore a Son of Man—Oh gracious Words! Oh endearing Appellations! Be encouraged by them, to draw nigh unto him—Tho' David's LORD, yet he is become David's SON, after the Fleſh, that ye thro' him may be made the Sons of God—No matter, what thou art, O Woman, what thou art, O Man—Tho' thou art literally a poor Beggar, think not thy Condition too mean for Jeſus to take Notice of—He came into the Highways and Hedges, to call ſuch poor Beggars in—Or, if you are Rich, think not yourſelves too high to ſtoop to Jeſus—For he is the King of Kings; and you never will be truly rich, until you are made rich in Jeſus—Fear not being deſpiſed, or loſing a little worldly Honour: One Sight of Jeſus will make amends for all: You will find ſomething ſo inviting, ſo attracting, ſo ſatisfying, in the altogether-lovely Lamb of God, that every ſublunary Enjoyment will ſicken, and die, and vaniſh before you; and you will no more deſire your former vain and trifling Amuſements, than Bartimeus after he had received his Sight, deſired to go back again and fetch his Garment—Oh that there may be many ſuch blind Beggars among you this Day! Here is a great Multitude of People following me, a poor Worm, this Day—I rejoice to ſee the Fields thus white, ready unto Harveſt, and to ſpread the Goſpel-Net amidſt ſo many—But alas! I ſhall return home with a heavy Heart, unleſs ſome of you will ariſe and come to my Jeſus—I deſire to preach HIM, and not myſelf—Reſt not in hearing and following me.—Behold, behold, believe on, and follow the Lamb of God, who came to take away the Sins of the World.—Indeed, I do not deſpair of any of you, neither am I diſcouraged, on account of my preaching in the Highways and Hedges—Jeſus called Zaccheus; Jeſus called Bartimeus, as he paſſed thro' Jericho; that curſed, that devoted Place—And why may he not call ſome of you, out of theſe deſpiſed Fields? Is his Arm ſhortned, that he cannot ſave? Is he not as mighty now, and as willing to ſave; even to the uttermoſt, all that come to the Father thro' him, as he was Seventeen Hundred Years ago? Aſſuredly he is—He hath ſaid, and he alſo will do it—Whoſoever cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out—In no wiſe, or by no means—Oh encouraging Words! Sinners, believe ye this? Ariſe then, be of good Comfort—For Jeſus is indeed calling you.—Some of you, I truſt, have obeyed this Invitation, and have had a Sight of him long ago—I know then you will bleſs and love him; and if he ſhou'd ſay unto you, as he did unto Bartimeus, Go you your way; your Anſwer wou'd be, We love our Maſter, and will not go from him.—But ſuffer ye the Word of Exhortation: Suffer me to ſtir up your pure Minds by way of Remembrance, to …hew, that you have indeed ſeen him, and that you do indeed love him, by following him in the Way; I mean, in the Way of the Croſs, the Way of his Ordinances, and in the Way of his holy Commandments—For alas! The Love of many … cold; and few there are, that follow Jeſus rightly in the Way—Few there are, that … away their Garments ſo heartily as they ſhould—Some Idol or another hangs about us, and hinders us in running the Race that is ſet before us—Awake therefore ye ſleepy, tho' it may be, wiſe Virgins—Awake, awake, put on Strength—Shake yourſelves from the Duſt; ariſe and follow Jeſus more cloſely in the Way, than ever you did yet—Lift up the Hands that hang down, and ſtrengthen the feeble Knees—Provide right Paths for your Feet, that …hat which is lame be not turned out of the Way, but rather be healed—For tho' the Way be narrow, yet it is not long; tho' the Gate be ſtraight, (to uſe the Words of pious Biſhop Beveridge) yet it opens into everlaſting Life— Oh that ye may get a freſh Sight of him again this Day! That wou'd be like Oyl to the Wheels of your Graces, and make your Souls like the Chariots of Aminadab—It is only owing to your loſing Sight of him, that you go ſo heavily from Day to Day—A Sight of Jeſus, like the Sun riſing in the Morning, diſpels the Darkneſs and Gloomineſs that lies upon the Soul—Take therefore a freſh View of him, O Believers, and never reſt till you are tranſlated to ſee him as he is, and live with him for evermore, in the Kingdom of Heaven.—Even ſo, Lord Jeſus, Amen, and Amen!