1

his kingdom.
Our BLESSED LORD,
who well knew the secret views and pur-
poses of the Baptist in this message,
gracioufly condefcended to exhibit such
amazing proofs of those mighty powers
with which he was invested by his
HEAVENLY FATHER, as must needs
have convinced these disciples of John,
that he was certainly the MESSIAH
that "should come," and that they
need not "look for another." For, " in
"that same hour," says the Evangelist,
" he cured many of their infirmities and
" plagues, and of evil spirits; and un-
"to many that were blind, he gave
"fight. Then JESUS answering, faid

unto them, Go your way, and tell "John, what things ye have seen and "heard; how that the blind see, the "lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, "the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and " to the Poor the Gofpel is preached.”

The

The evidence which was here presented, must have been strong and convincing indeed, as it refulted from the concurrent testimony of miracles and prophecy. Omniscience, no less than Omnipotence, sealed and confirmed the mission of Jesus. For the words of the Evangelist are a literal and exact accomplishment of a remarkable prediction-Rapt into future times, the sublime and evangelical Ifaiah had foretold, that the MESSIAH should "preach "good tidings unto the meek, that he "should bind up the broken-hearted, " that he should proclaim liberty to the

captives, that he should open the " blind eyes, and make the deaf to hear." One of these remarkable characteristics, by which the Son of God was to be distinguished at his appearance upon earth, I have selected for the subject of my present discourse, viz. as a "preach"er of Good Tidings unto the Meek;" or, according to the words of my text,

DISCOURSE XIX. PREACHED ON WHITSUNDAY. GALATIANS, CHAP. iv. VER. 6. "And because ye are Sons, God hath " fent forth the Spirit of his Son "into your Hearts, crying, Abba! "Father!"

DISCOURSE

XX.

THE GROUND AND NATURE OF PRIVATE AND PUBLICK WORSHIP. HABAKKUK, CHAP. ii. VER. 20. "The LORD is in his Holy Temple: " let all the Earth keep Silence before " him."

DISCOURSE I.

ON POVERTY OF SPIRIT.

St. LUKE, CHAP. vii. Part of VER. 22.

spotless robe; who can fatisfy our hunger with his bread of life, and supply all our wants out of the inexhaustible treasures of his Grace. Such, my Brethren, is, in general, the nature of that Gospel, or of those glad tidings, which in my text are said to be preached or published to the Poor : "To the Poor "the Gospel is preached.-Let us now proceed to enquire who those persons are, that come under this particular designation, "The Poor."

I. According to one sense in which this name is used, we are to understand all those, who, for wife and gracious purposes, are placed by Providence in low and indigent circumstances, destitute of this world's goods, and constrained, by a painful series of toil and labour, to earn a scanty pittance for the preservation and support of their animal life. To these, who, according to this more common acceptation of the word,

are