shews them to be blind as to all practical perception of their duty, their interest, and their happiness ? Alas ! we need not go far to find such as these ; for on every side of us we see persons living for themselves, and not for God ; for time, and not for eternity. I ask not then respecting your worldly pos- sessions or your intellectual attainments. If you have not a truly spiritual use of your faculties, possess what else ye may, ye are in a far worse condition than the man whom Satan had rendered blind and dumb. His wants might be supplied by others ; yours cannot : his would cease at death ; yours will never terminate : his might be far more than compensated by the acquisition of spiritual attainments; but what can ever compensate for the wants which you experience ? Ten thou- sand worlds could not be to you any compensation for the loss of spiritual faculties and spiritual enjoyments. Then I entreat you come to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is as able and as will- ing to supply your wants as ever he was to heal those who were brought to him in the days of old ]
2. Those who have been delivered from him —
[Who that beheld that man's change of state did not cor- dially congratulate him on the mercy he had received ? Yet was not the blessing conferred on him in any degree to be compared with that which they have experienced, whose eyes are opened to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and whose tongues are loosed to speak forth his praise. Dear brethren, so ftir as these blessings are enjoyed by you, you are restored to the haj^piness which Christ has purchased for you by his blood, the happiness which shall ere long be perfected in glory. Give honour then to the Lord Jesus Christ: and, when you see how many around you still remain both blind and dumb, stand amazed at the distinguishing mercy
which has been vouchsafed to you And now, need I
tell you how to employ the faculties which have been thus re- newed? Surely of yourselves you will feel, that they should be henceforth consecrated altogether to your God. " Get then your spiritual senses more and more exercised" on spiritual things ; and let your one employment henceforth be on earth, what it will ere long without interruption be in heaven, to behold the glory, and to shew forth the praises, of your adora- ble Benefactor.]