marks of our Lord's character, equally with miracles and His merciful cures. Our own judgments immediately represent it to us as an act of exalted goodness to regard and to relieve those chiefly who continually stand in need of aid,—who are "poor," either in respect of their worldly goods, or of the endowments of their minds. Every reflecting mind must contemplate with the purest delight the superiority of Christ's doctrine, proved by this act of beneficence, above all former example. It is true the Jews had the law given by Moses for a guide; but how little advantage this had for some time proved to the multitude at large-to the poor amongst that people,— we may learn from our Saviour's declaration, that their Scribes and Doctors "had made it of none effect by their traditions ;"* and that though they had the "key of

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knowledge" in their hands, yet would they neither employ it to open the true meaning of the Scriptures themselves, nor suffer the people to make this use of it. Such was the state of the poor amongst the * St. Matt. xv. 6.

Jews at the time our Lord uttered the words of the Text; and we must acknowledge it to have been most deplorable but were the poor of the nations of the Gentiles in more favourable circumstances? A little consideration will shew us they were not. Their philosophers, indeed, professed themselves to be "wise," but the Apostle tells us that in so doing they "became fools." And whatever advancement some few of them might make in morals and the first principles of natural Religion, yet were they so far from applying this knowledge to any public benefit, that it became amongst them a mere subject of vanity; and the poor,-the vulgar, and the illiterate,-were left in a state of the grossest ignorance and darkness. It was reserved, therefore, for our blessed Lord to manifest God's impartial love to all His true servants, and to adapt the knowledge of saving truths to the capacities of the generality of mankind. He burthened His Gospel with no doctrines fit only for the wise and learned to comprehend, as did the wise men of old ;

with no obligations of sacrifices and purifications, which the wealthy only could frequently discharge, as the Law of Moses enjoined. But the simple and the illiterate, provided they are honest and sincere, may perfectly understand the whole will of God; and every man in every station of life has the means and the opportunity of performing all that the divine law requires. Nay more; the very manner of conveying instruction by the Gospel is an instance of the divine attention and condescension to the wants of mankind, deserving of our utmost regard. Not only the doctrines of it are conveyed in the most intelligible language, clear as the meridian sun, they are moreover intermingled with the narrative of our Lord's ministry: the precepts it enjoins arise for the most part out of some event or action, which illustrates and enforces them, rendering them impossible to be misunderstood or forgotten; and while we read with an earnest desire to know what He did and suffered for us and for our salvation, the learned and the unlearned alike insensibly imbibe His spirit

of piety, and purity, of resignation, humility, and unwearied benevolence. In short, the Gospel conveys information to all in the plainest and most forcible language, and which must reach the heart-in language, which never yet was equalled by the wisest and most learned either in ancient or modern times: and we cannot but acknowledge what great things our Saviour hath done for us.-He, on whom was poured the Spirit of the Lord to preach the Gospel to the humble and the poor!

In the events of this life riches certainly place men in the possession of many and considerable advantages; and a superior cultivation of the understanding, or excellent natural talents open the way to distinctions and honours, which the generality of mankind cannot aspire to, or ever attain. But with respect to a better life to come, the Saviour of the world accepteth no man's person; He hath made all ranks and degrees equal, and pronounceth God to be "no respecter of persons, but "that in every nation, he that feareth "Him, and worketh righteousness, is

"accepted with Him;'"* all who press forward toward the mark for the prize of the calling of God, shall assuredly obtain the incorruptible crown.

The second great design of God's anointing His Son, was to send him to "heal the broken-hearted."-- -Those persons who are in the full possession of all their wishes, or whose years, health, and strength, promise them a long series of enjoyments yet to come,-such men will not easily be made sensible of the value of this blessing. But wherever we turn our eyes, we cannot fail to behold numbers who need a medicine for their minds, such as this world cannot yield. In most respects, the wise and great are no better guarded than the poor and the ignorant. Calamities, like death, own no distinctions; disappointments, in their dearest and most meritorious labours, visit alike the palace and the humblest dwelling; and old age, with its long train of dispiriting evils, weakens the most steady and the firmest minds. Before these afflic

* Acts x. 34.