sun, because he does not see them. There are great beauties just beside them—beauties of holiness, of grace, of glory, of Christ, and God; but they are as blind to spiritual beauties as a blind man to all the multiform beauties of this lovely world—a world so lovely notwithstanding the blight of sin. The spiritually blind see no comeliness in Christ that they should desire him, no glory in the gospel that they should embrace it, no preciousness in salvation that they should seek it, no beauty in holiness that they should practise it. Neither do they see any terror in the threatenings of God, nor much, if any, sinfulness in sin; nothing to attract in the promises of the gospel, and nothing to terrify in the curses of a broken Law. Sinner, you are blind, though you know it net] The sinner is poor as well as blind. He has no peace in this world, no prospect for the next; he has no real satisfaction on earth, and no sure hope of heaven. He has no shelter from the storm of Divine wrath, and no refuge in the day of danger He has neither part nor lot with the people of God, no interest in the covenant of promise, no title to the heavenly inheritance, and no meetness for it. He is without the only blood that can cleanse from sin, the only righteousness that can justify a sinner, the only Spirit that can sanctify the soul. In a word, he is without Christ, and without God, and without hope. This surely is poverty—spiritual poverty, the deepest and the worst. This is the sad state of all unregenerate persons. They are, in the words of Scripture, “ wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” They are blind in soul as Bartimaeus in body, poor in spiritual things as he was in temporal. And yet to such the advice is addressed, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, * that thou mayest see.”
IL. THE AppLICATION oF Bartraaus To Jesus. 1. Hisingutry. The first step here was inquiry. Hearing the noise of the on-coming crowd and the voices of the multi- tude passing by, he asked what it meant, and the answer returned to his inquiry was “that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.” This was good news for the poor blind beggar. Bartimeus had no doubt heard of Jesus, of his works of wonder and miracles of mercy. Some report may, nay, must, have reached him about the lepers cleansed, the demoniacs cured, the sick restored to health, the deaf whose ears were opened, the dumb whose tongues were loosed, even the dead raised to life, and, what came more closely home to himself, the blind whose eyes were opened. Bartimaeus might, most probably did, hear all this; but how was he to reach the Prophet? Where could he find him? How could he, s poor, blind beggar, make such a long and weary way? Unless Jesus came into the neighbourhood of Jericho, he could not expect to be blessed and benefited. Now, however, what he never expected has come to pass. Jesus is at his sid~—he is passing by; and now Bartimeus feels that it is his opportunity, a most precious oppor- tunity, far too precious to be lost. When his condition had rendered it impossible for him to go to the Saviour, the Saviour has come to him. Instantly and energetically he avails himself of this blessed opportunity. Now or never, he thinks with himself. He does not lose a moment; he cannot afford it, for he knows not but that the chance may be lost for ever. Bartimaeus bethinks himself of all this, reasoning thus :—He is come to me; I could not go to him; and it is do or die now. If I lose this opportunity I may never have another. The tide will soon ebb; I must take it at the flow. The steamer will soon start; I must enter it or it will go without me. The bell is ringing and the train will soon be off; if I do not take my place at once I am left behind, and perhaps for ever. Somehow thus reasoned the poor, blind beggar—if we may be permitted to translate his words, or rather express his thoughts, in modern parlance. 2. Vis earnest appeal. And so “he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” Previous occurrences had prepared for this: Christ was passing by that way; Bartimzus was informed of his approach; he felt his need, and the Friend of sinners was near. Thus the various stages were inquiry, information, felt necessity, and the Saviour’s presence. His appeal was earnest as well as instant, He cried out, and it was a strong and loud cry. Many things might have prevented his appeal, but they did not; many impediments lay in the way, but he did not allow them to keep him bacx. The crowd did not deter him, for he was in earnest, and cared not what the crowd either said or thought. he fact of so many strangers being round nim did not stop him, for their presence was nothing to him, and he was too anxious
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WABEK—XH.
114 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [cn. x. 1—62
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