WHEN opportunities for doing of good, or at least our attempting to do some good, are providentially presented and offered to our acceptance; it seems to be fit and right that we should take and improve them in a proper manner.

And since such an opportunity is now afforded, for discoursing, in the audience of a poor crimi­nal under a sentence of death, which is this day to be executed on him, and to such a large assemb­ly collected on this occasion; it is judged to be suitable and right to accept of it; however affect­ing, irksom and painful it may be to the person who is now called to it.

[Page 6]With diffidence to myself therefore, and with a due concern of mind about a right and pro­fitable discharge of the duty, which at present falls to my lot, it must be advisable to implore, and rely on, the aid and assistance of that divine Lord, that strong Redeemer, who gives power to the feeble and to the weak encreases strength, that he would graciously uphold in this service and carry well through it; and at the same time it must be desired, that all, who are piously dis­posed in this assembly, would agree and unite in their good wishes and prayers, that divine succours may be given in our discoursing and a divine influ­ence and blessing may accompany and follow it.

The passage, chosen for the subject of our fol­lowing discourse, and apprehended to be as ap­posite as any other to such an occasion as the present, was uttered by him, into whose lips grace was poured, and who spake as never man spake: He is now to be considered as being in the place, where he had his education: For it is written in the context, v. 16. And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: for, though he was born at Bethlehem; he had his education at Na­zareth. And as his custom was, he went there into the synagogue on the sabbath day. So then altho' our blessed Saviour was Lord of the sab­bath; it was however his custom to keep it. And why then should any of us think it unfit and improper to spend one day in a week in holy rest and religious worship according to his example, and to his honour as our maker and redeemer? Our Lord then, according to his custom on the [Page 7] sabbath day went into the synagogue; i. e. the house set apart for public prayers, and for reading, expounding and hearing the word of God: And, being at meeting at the proper time for it, he stood up to read. Such honour did the son of God put on the holy scriptures: He chose to take the book, and read his text out of it, rather than to deliver one of his own: And just as he is about to read his text out of it, he rises up in a respect­ful manner towards it: And such like respect does the word of God justly deserve from those, who preach, and those who hear it.

Now, when our Lord stood up to read, it follows, in the beginning of the 17. v. there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Esaias. In order to your understanding of which, we would observe to you, that a jewish synagogue had ten persons, who had the management of its af­fairs; among whom one of them was called the Chazan, and the angel, of the synagogue, or assem­bly; and he was properly the overseer of it; to whom it belonged on the sabbath day to call forth seven persons; five of which were usually common Israelites, such as he thought fit, to read some portion out of the sacred volume. And it is very probable, that even in this way, by the angel of the synagogue, our Saviour was furnished with a proper occasion of declaring the truth. Well! The book of the prophet Isaiah was by the overseer of the synagogue de­livered to our Saviour. And he opened the book; or as the greek more properly signifies, unfold­ed [Page 8] the roll; as, when he had done reading, he closed the book, i. e. he rolled up the roll: From which it evidently appears, that the books of those days were in the form of rolls. But now our blessed Saviour, having unfurled the roll; behold, as divine providence ordered it, the LXIst. chapter of Isaiah's prophecies strikes his eye, wherein is a celebrated prophecy con­cerning himself.

Some indeed have insisted on it, that the pro­phecy quoted in v. 18 and 19th, under our view, was literally and punctually fulfilled with respect to the prophet Isaiah himself: And it must indeed be acknowledged, that every sentence of it might be accommodated to him.

But, behold, a greater than Isaiah is here: We have here the infallible testimony of our Saviour himself, that this whole passage refers to him and was fulfilled in him.

We shall not now particularly illustrate all the parts of this prophecy, as belonging to our Saviour and accomplished by him: But we shall confine ourselves to the particular clause, which has been read in your hearing; from which it appears, that our Lord Jesus Christ was not only sent to preach healing, but to communicate it to broken hearts: For, says he in the prophecy of him, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted.

Here therefore we have two important and most interesting things presented to our serious consideration and earnest heeding at this time.

I. The character of our divine Redeemer▪ [Page 9] which is that of a physician, or healer of souls;

And,

II. The description of those, to whom he will approve and manifest himself to be a divine heal­er: And these are the broken in heart.

Let us begin then with considering the ami­able and excellent character of our divine Re­deemer: And this is that of a physician, or heal­er of souls.

It is declared in the prophecy concerning him, and also from him, he hath sent me to heal; and, in the following context, v. 21, we find, that he began to say to them, this day is this scripture ful­filled in your ears. So then he was at that time accomplishing the business for which he was sent of his father: He was performing the part of a spiritual physician, and a healer of those, who were broken in heart.

But not only in the prophecy, quoted in our text, but also in other prophecies of the old tes­tament: he is characterized as a glorious healer. And indeed he is most justly characterized in this manner. He therefore speaks of himself as a physician in Matth. 9.12. Where sinners, sensible of their spiritual indisposition, are de­scribed as the sick; and CHRIST is intended and meant as the physician of those, that are sick in a spiritual sense.

And now, for the clearing and confirming it, that he is in truth and reality the healer of souls; we would propose the following things to your consideration.

[Page 10]First of all; He is such a healer with regard to his divine nature: for it is he, that is to be understood as saying, in Exod. 15.26. I Jeho­vah, that healeth thee; in the Hebrew it is Repheka, i. e. thy physician. And indeed he not only heals the diseases of natural Egypt, if they come upon his people; but he heals the souls, which are afflicted with the distempers of spiritual Egypt, such as blindness of mind and hardness of heart and the like maladies: For in truth when the hearts of any are sick and wounded, can any but he, who is the wisest and best physician, heal them? it is therefore sung to his perpetual praise and glory, as in Psalm 147.3. He, i. e. Jehovah, healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds; in which words our divine Lord is compared to a skilful surgeon, as well as a physician; for he is herein represented not only as binding up the wounds of human souls, but as applying healing medicines to them. Thus the son of the highest as having the divine essence or nature in him, is the healer of souls: Nor indeed, had he not the divine nature in him, could he have healed one, that was broken in heart. As therefore it was very fitly enquired in Mark 11.7. Who can for­give sins but God only? so we may with the like fitness and propriety say, who can heal hu­man souls but God only? now it is our Saviour God, who, by his divine influence and help, is the physician and healer of the children of men.

But then; not only as God, but as the Me­diator [Page 11] also, is he the healer of human souls. As he is thus by office a spiritual healer, so he has been divinely qualified and set apart for this office and business. As, under the old testament dispensation, they, who were separated unto some special work and business by the divine appoint­ment, were anointed for it; so their priests and their kings were anointed to their respective of­fices: Thus also our Lord Jesus Christ is above all others the anointed of the Lord: hence the name of Messiah in the Hebrew, and Christos in Greek is given to him; each of which words properly signifieth anointed. Not that Christ was anointed with any material oil; as the priests and kings were under the old testament dispen­sation: but he was anointed with a spiritual oil: For it was the spirit of the Lord, who a­nointed him; with respect to his humanity: and, in consequence hereof, it appears, that he was divinely replenished with gifts and graces: and hence he is said, in our text and context; to be sent of GOD. Which implies and intimates, as that he was qualified for the business; so that he was called and sent forth to the office and work of a physician and healer of souls. And indeed the father of our Lord Jesus Christ would not trust the souls of the human race in any other hands but his: For he certainly knew, when he put them all into the hands of his son, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he had put them into most able, skilful and faithful hands; and that none of them, who would come to him for help [Page 12] and healing, should miscarry; or be plucked out of his healing hands. It is on the account of his be­ing entrusted with this office of a Mediator, that he is said to be the great shepherd and bishop, as well as a physician of souls: And hence he is said to be the Saviour of the world. Not that he is a mere temporal Saviour, as the Jews vainly imagined that he would be; and as they even to this day vain­ly expect him to be. But he is a spiritual heal­er and Saviour; a Saviour of immortal souls: When they are infected and wounded by sin, he healeth them, and saveth them from death. It is as the mediator, and the only mediator for the souls of men, that he affords relief against every spiritual malady. As their souls are darkned and full of ignorance with regard to things spiritual and divine; the son of God, as a prophet, re­lieves and helps that malady. As they are guil­ty, alienated from GOD and obnoxious to his displeasure; Christ, as a priest, delivers them from that wretchedness. And the souls, which are under the power of sin and other spiritual enemies, Christ Jesus the Lord rescues; and he subdues all those enemies, which would otherwise have proved their ruin. It is observable, that, in our text and context, there is a reference had to the threefold office of our divine Redeem­er. It seems here to refer to his prophetic office, that he is said to preach the gospel to the poor. It seems to refer to his priestly office ▪ that he is described as affording relief to the sinners, who are broken in heart: And, when he is said to [Page 13] afford deliverance to the captives, and the reco­very of sight to the blind, that, is to sinners, whose eyes are put out; it intends and signifies, that God by his mighty power delivers them from this wretchedness and misery, and that by vir­tue of his royal office.

Thus, have we considered and shewed, how our Lord Jesus Christ as possessed of a nature tru­ly divine, and in the exercise of his mediatory of­fice, is the physician of human souls: And we shall further see, that he is the healer of the souls of men; if we consider, what is the healing which he affords unto them. And now there are various things implied in this:

For, first of all; Forgiveness of sin is implied in this healing. As long as the guilt of sin, yea of any one sin, lies on the souls of men, they are in a morbid and hazardous state: But, when this sin is pardoned, they are recovered out of this state. Now this is obtained by our Lord Jesus Christ. Had it not been for this glori­ous Lord our healer, we should never have had this remission of our sins: But, through him, every one, that penitently believes on him, has the free and full forgiveness of all his sins. It is with regard to this, that the blood of the re­deemer will heal the souls of men. Nor can any other balm or medicine be so effectual as this: For, by his stripes and wounds and blood we are healed. And O! what a healing, what a blessed medicine indeed is it, which will produce and work a perfect cure of souls wounded by guil­tiness? And then,

[Page 14] Another thing implied in this healing is the renewing and sanctifying of men's souls. As the souls of men are wounded and made sick by the guilt of sin lying upon them; so they are by the filth and impurity of sin: That therefore, which is contrary to this and removes it, res­tores the soul and makes it well. Now this is renewing and sanctifying grace, which causes the soul to recover from its impurity. The beginning of this healing is, when any souls, by the converting grace of God, are made new creatures: For it is this grace, which healeth human souls: And, the more of this grace any have within them, the greater and more com­pleat is the cure produced in their souls. And now this healing is from Christ: As he is full of grace, as well as truth; he is made also of God unto other's sanctification: And he thus healeth them. His word indeed, his gospel, is the instrument of the divine healing, which he affords to human souls; and this has a virtue divinely healing in it: But the grand efficient of renewing and sanctifying is the spirit of our living and powerful Redeemer. As he is the spirit of grace, all healing virtue proceeds from him: He quickneth and restores the feeble and languishing souls. And some of these, that have been sick, and even nigh unto death, have by the spirit of our glorious Lord been brought to life and health again: For, as these souls within us quicken and actuate our bodies, so the spirit of Christ quickens and actuates hu­man souls; and by this, they are recovered and healed.

[Page 15]And further; the consolation of human souls is implied in this healing of them. The souls, which are sad, very distressed and quite discon­solate are said to be sick, to be wounded, to be brought low. Surely then, they must be reliev­ed and healed by the affording of consolation to them: And hence indeed we read, of the restor­ing of comforts, as in Isaiah 57.18. And now this is a special thing intended in the text: For to heal the broken hearted is to restore comfort to them. And now our divine healer Jesus Christ is the great author of this comfort. And, when any have been in trouble of spirit, and afterwards received good comfort, this relief and comfort has been from the Redeemer, who has poured his wine and oil into their wounded souls. But it is by the spirit of Christ, that this effect also is wrought: For this spirit is not only a sanctifier, but a comforter also: And it is by his sprinkling the virtue of the Redeemer's blood, that he caus­es the souls of his people to be comforted and easy. And besides, it is by the word of pro­mise, that he communicates comfort, which is healing to their souls. Supposing their souls be ever so disconsolate; yet a divine promise administred will as a cordial revive it: And the souls which were before drooping and discon­solate, will be presently thus restored. But now it is the spirit of Christ, who makes the word of the gospel to become effectual, who applies the precious promises thereof to their consolation and healing.

[Page 16]Thus far we have been considering the cha­racter of our divine Redeemer, as the physician, or healer, of human souls; and shewing the res­pects and instances, wherein He appears to have been, and still to be, deserving of that charac­ter. And we are now

In the second place, to consider the descrip­tion here given of those, to whom he will ap­pear and manifest himself to be such a divine healer. And these are the broken in Heart.

There are then some, who are broken in heart: And these are the people, to whom which our Lord discovers and manifests himself as a healer.

In the first place then; we shall endeavour to shew you, who they be, that answer to the description of the broken hearted: And here­upon we shall attempt to shew you the Redeemer as healing them.

The broken hearted then are to be first known by us: And who are they, to whom this description belongs? Now these are such as follow:

First of all; such as are grievously afflicted. There are some afflictive things, which such poor frail creatures as we are cannot well bear: Instead of holding up, our hearts give way and succumb; they sink and fail under the weight and burden of them. Such heart breaking af­flictions are bitter reproaches and calumnies. And such also are grievous distempers and pains of bo­dy, which render life very uncomfortable. So [Page 17] when any are deprived of their estate, and of their liberty, and for many years they are deprived of opportunities for the worship of the most high with his people; as was the case of the Israelites in Ba­bylon; it must than be a time of grievous affliction to them, and breaking to their hearts. And when any are afflicted with spiritual temptations, they usually find these to be heart breaking things to them: And when they are thus buffeted, and their spirits by such means are broken and hum­bled within them; they then are in vast need of divine healing; nor can they subsist unless this be afforded from above unto them.

Again; A deep sense of sin, and hence of the di­vine displeasure and wrath due for it, causes to be broken hearted. This will cause the most stubborn sinner with the most obdurate heart, to give way. His heart will start and break before it. And indeed what heart is there so strong and so stout, but must sink and break under such an insupportable burden? A wounded spirit who can bear? Now a spirit op­pressed with the sense of its own guiltiness before God and awakened with the sense of the divine displeasure and indignation, and the effects of the same due for sin, is such a wounded spirit. And what pain in the world is so great! What torment so exquisite as from a heart thus broken?

And further; The hearts of men are broken most advantageously with the perception and sense of di­vine mercy: And verily that heart must be hard as a rock, and stronger than an adamant, which love and mercy divine will not break. Even the base and obdurate heart of a Saul began to break at the [Page 18] clear view and perception of the mercy and kind­ness of his injured son in law David. But how much more may the hearts of well-disposed people break under a proper sense of the mercy of God in Christ our Lord? It was this sense of the divine mercy through the Mediator in forgiving her many and great sins, which broke the heart of the penitent Mary; and, from her broken heart, proceeded her penitential tears and the other expressions and evi­dences of her love and gratitude to her gracious Lord. We readily grant that a sense of the divine displeasure may disturb and shock, and in some degree break the heart; but yet it will not effectu­ally break it, so as to prepare it for healing: No! It must be a sense of divine mercy in Christ ac­companying and following it, which will produce this salutary effect.

But having thus shewed you the broken-hearted; we are now, in the next place, to consider the Re­deemer as healing them: Which indeed is the very design and end for which he was sent of his Father: For says he, in the prophecy, and by our text also, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted. When the hearts of the sinful children of men then are properly and thoroughly broken, then the great and good Physician of souls will heal them. Indeed the breaking of their hearts itself may be said to be owing to him. And as he is able to break a stony heart, and he accordingly does it; so he can cure the stony heart, when it is broken: The same di­vine and powerful hand, which is able to wound and break the heart, can bind it up and heal it.

As for the broken hearted sinners themselves, they perceive their need of Christ, as the Physician of [Page 19] their souls: And, while they who account themselves righteous, and who are not sensible of their wounds and indispositions, will not seek to the divine Physi­cian, these will seek and cry earnestly to him for help and healing: For, while the whole, or those who fancy themselves so, have no need of a divine physician, or imagine that they have not any need of one; the sick, the spiritually indisposed and woun­ded, and who know themselves to be so, will apply to the heavenly Healer. So the Israelite of old, who was sensible of his being bitten by a fiery serpent, and of the pain and anguish arising from it, knew how to prize the brazen serpent, and looked anxious and agonizing towards it, and so obtained healing: For, Sirs, the Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, i. e. he is nigh to help and heal them; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit, as in Psa. 34.18: And as being near to help, and powerful and gracious to save; doubtless he will help and save all that weary and labouring come to him and rely on his ability and gracious readiness to help and save them. And indeed he has promised that he will do so. So then this promise belongs to all broken-hearted sinners. There is a promise of grace to such to help them in their times of need. And there is a promise of a free and full pardon made to such sinners, and of right therefore belonging to them. And besides, Consolation strong and divine is engaged to such; and it shall surely be fulfilled unto them.

Thus it is, that our divine Redeemer healeth the broken hearted: He healeth them by confer­ing [Page 20] on them the blessings which he has pur­chased for them, and which he has promised to [...]: And, as this was the purpose and end, for which he was sent of his divine Father into the world; so he continues still to accomplish and gain this divine purpose and end.

But, having offered these things for clearing, illustrating, and confirming the heads of discourse proposed to our consideration from the text, we may now reflect in some suitable manner from the whole. Here then,

In the First place, we see what is the sickness and indisposition of human souls: It is the sin which is within them: And this causes the souls of men to stand in need of healing. And had it not been for this, the human race would have had no need of a divine Physician. Sin, therefore, is to be considered as a disease: And this does to human souls, as sickness does to human bodies: It enervates them, and causes a Prostration of strength within them: And, by this they are rendered so infirm and feeble that they cannot walk, nor scarcely take a step in the way of du­ty and happiness. And as sickness uses gradu­ally to end in death; so it is as to the disease of the heart and soul: It is in its own nature and tendency deadly: And it will prove fatal, if there be not a timely application and improve­ment of proper remedies: If there be not this, the end of the spiritual indisposition will be death. But whoever converteth a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will hide a multitude of sins, as it is written [Page 21] in Jam. v. 20. But,

In the Second Place, What will then become of these sinners, who are not broken hearted, but are of hard and impenitent hearts? As they want healing, so they will die without it: For die they must, if they be not divinely healed. We do not read CHRIST was sent to heal those laboring of that hardness of heart, which is contrary to brokenness of heart: Wherefore CHRIST will not heal such. And how indeed should he heal the wounds of their souls, who are not pro­perly sensible that they have any? And alass! how many of these are there, and that even in places of evangelical light and liberty! Though the word of GOD is like a hammer, a ponderous hammer, which breaks the rock in pieces; yet it cannot break their hearts: Though they have heard discourses of judgments divine, and of salvation and mercy by Jesus Christ; They continue unhumbled, unbroken to this very day. Nor yet will the divine dispensations, whether merciful or afflictive, break their hearts: No! like Pharoah, they harden their hearts under all the divine dealings. And how many are there, who do not properly mourn and grieve for their sins of heart and life? But they continue with con­tentment and pleasure in their evil habits and ways; and they even make a sport and mock at sin, and take delight in the iniquities of others as well as their own. Now is Christ sent to heal such as these, who wilfully remain impenitent; or does he any where say, that he will recover them, who go on with hardness of heart in their [Page 22] trespasses? No indeed: But He has pronounced a woe against them; saying as in Luk. 11.25. Wo unto you that laugh now: For you shall mourn and weep. Wherefore,

In the third place; Let us all seriously inquire and examine within ourselves, whether we are yet such broken hearted ones as our divine Physi­cian will heal? We readily imagine, that one and all of us are willing to be healed by Christ; that is to say, we are willing to have our sins for­given and our souls eternally saved: But the ques­tion is, whether, by brokenness of heart, we are pre­pared for these blessings and entitled to them? Say then is moral evil, or sin become distasteful and grievous to us; and is it our greatest burden? Do we cry out under the pressure of it, O wretch­ed that I am! who will deliver me from it? And have we a becoming bitterness and agony of soul within us for all our iniquities and abominations? If we have so, we may then comfortably hope and expect, that he will heal us, and give rest and comfort to our souls. And say further; are our wills broken and subdued to the divine will? Are we happily brought to yield to our gracious God and Saviour, to subject ourselves entirely to him and say without any reserve at all to him, O my Lord and my God, what wouldest thou have me to do, or to undergo for thee? And casting ourselves down at his feet, and lying prostrate there, can we acquiesce in his disposal, and yet express our expectations of mercy and grace from him, say­ing, Here I am, O Lord, before thee; be unto me even as thou wilt: Let the Lord of all do with [Page 23] with me as seemeth good in his sight: But yet, O glorious Lord, my hope is in thee; and all my expec­tation is alone from thee, who art mighty to save, and gracious to help, in the time of need and anxiety. Moreover, let it be enquired, are our hearts not only broken for sin, but also broken off from it? Have we, with broken hearts and contrite spirits, both confessed and forsaken all our sins, of heart and life, of flesh and spirit? And have we en­deavoured in all fit ways, and to the utmost of our power, to make restitution for the damages and wrongs which we have done to others by our faults and iniquities? For, my hearers this day of all degrees, of all ages, and of all conditions, we must recommend it to your consideration and your remembrance for good, that so much bro­kenness and contrition of heart and soul as this is necessary for us all in order to prepare us for divine healing: Nor may we otherwise ex­pect pardon and happiness through the Mediator: For without a thorough coversion, we cannot obtain and enjoy these blessings.

But here, as it must be expected, it may there­fore be allowed, to use a more particular and pointed address to the poor young Prisoner, here before the Lord, who is appointed to death for aggravated crimes, and must this day suffer it from the hands of the civil Magistrate, who is a revenger for anger against such as practise evil.

It is enough to affect us all in common with grief, and how much more sorrowful then must it be to his afflicted relatives and friends, whom we heartily pity, and with whom we weep, that [Page 24] he should so soon engage, and fast proceed, and so rapidly hurry on in the paths of folly and vice to his own destruction and ruin.

But ah! poor young man, what special cause have you now to mourn at the last for your own past conduct and the sad effect of it, and to say in the bitterness of your soul, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! For I was almost in all evil.

And now you see the truth of the sacred pro­verb is found to be awfully verified concerning you, He that being often reproved, hardneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy, as in Prov. 29.1, For behold as you have not only been stiffening your neck, but hardening your heart in your evil ways, you now find the per­nicious consequence of it: For having been wicked overmuch, you are now doom'd to die before your time.

But the great concern, which you are now to have upon your anxious mind, is, how after a short life too much spent in idleness, folly, vice and wickednss, you may die safely and happily; and it is, we hope, your sollicitous enquiry, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?

You have now been hearing of that sensibili­ty of sin and brokenness of heart for it, which is proper and necessary, in order to prepare for di­vine healing and perfect and eternal happiness. But now, have you yet a due sense of your sins and a becoming brokenness of spirit for them [Page 25] within you? Is your soul become deeply hum­bled and abased, and thoroughly contrite before God, as for those faults and crimes, which bring you to a disgraceful and untimely end; so for all your other iniquities and crimes? And is your heart thus broken and contrite for all the sins and transgressions committed by you, not only as hurt­ful to the community and fatal to yourself, but as contrary to the holy and good God, and opposite to his will and glory in the world? And abhor­ing yourself in the presence of the divine Majes­ty for all your evil choices and ways, are you at length brought to weep bitterly for them and to repent as in dust and ashes? While you have been bound in fetters and holden as in cords of afflic­tion, has God our Saviour shewed you your work and your transgression, wherein you have exceeded? Has he opened your ear to discipline, and com­manded you in a persuasive and overcoming way to return from all iniquity? And is your heart now not only contrite for all your faults and transgres­sions; but broken off from all your iniquities? For the divine directions and commands are, as in Ezek. 18.31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: For why will you die? And it is your immediate duty and interest to comply with these things, least iniqui­ty should prove your utter ruin.

Now therefore lift up your heart and soul in humble and importunate prayers to the Son of God and Saviour of a lost world, saying, O Lord, be merciful to me, and heal my soul; for I have sin­ned [Page 26] against thee. And since our divine Lord now say to you from the excellent glory by his word, as he sometimes said to his patients in the days of his residence on earth, What would you that I should do unto you? Therefore, now, and for the short time you have to live in the world, let it be your heart's desire and prayer, O great and good God and Saviour, grant me, a brokenheart and contrite spirit; and shew me that thou dost not despise it, by giving it an entire and perfect healing: Thou art mighty to save and can'st save me unto the uttermost: Save me, then, O Lord, I be­seech thee, or I perish: O Lord, I beseech thee to deliver my whole self, my spirit, soul and bo­dy, from every pollution, which I have contrac­ted by wicked practices, and from all my guilt: Grant that I may be accepted in the beloved Son of God, and sanctified throughout by the holy Spirit of God: For, without holiness and without remission of sins and acceptance through the Me­diator, I cannot see the Lord, but must perish in my sins: Wherefore, O Father of mercies, and God of all grace, cause thou me to turn and live: Graciously afford me the qualifications requisite for pardon, peace and happiness, a broken heart and a renewed nature; and grant me the free and full forgiveness of all my neglects and offen­ces, and the justification of life through the me­rits and mediation of Christ Jesus the righteous; and according to the riches of his grace, I com­mit myself into thine all-powerful and gracious hands, O almighty Saviour: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit at its departure: Lord remember me in [Page 27] thy kingdom; and, as another penitent thief, admit me to paradise.

Thus cry earnestly to our God and Saviour for his healing and saving mercy: And it is our hearty wish and prayer for you, that God our Saviour and healer, would hear you in the day of trouble, and keep and strengthen you from his sanctuary, and grant you according to those wishes, which we would have in your heart, and earnestly offered to Heaven by you: God be me­rciful to you, young man, and prepare you for his healing and saving blessings, and confer them on you, to the glory of his grace, and your comfort and rejoicing, Amen!

But we have not yet done: We must finish our present discourse, by suitably exhorting and counselling this whole assembly, in the last place; Hearken then our dear children and young peo­ple, and all of you of every age, condition, and character, now before the Lord, that God may hearken unto you.

If then you love your own souls, and really desire their spiritual health and welfare, and eternal happiness, now at the call and invitation of the Son of God, and the great Saviour of men, repair to him for complete healing, and per­fect and eternal happiness: Do it now, we say, for, behold now is the time of acceptance, behold now is the day of salvation! And therefore to-day hear the voice of the LORD; and harden not any longer your hearts.

A compassionate little maid, who was a cap­tive servant, concerned for the health and com­fort [Page 28] of her master, Naaman, the Syrian, said to her mistress, as we may find in 2 Kings, 5.3. Would God that my Lord were with the Prophet, that is in Samaria: For he would re­cover him, &c. And we would in like manner wish and urge, that sinners of all sorts and com­plections, who are broken-hearted, would apply to the great Prophet, as well as Priest and King of God's anointing: For he would recover and heal them: He is for certain a perfectly know­ing and powerful Physician: He is therefore skilful and able to heal and save all who rightly apply to him. And, as he is a perfectly good and gracious Physician, he is therefore as will­ing, as he is able, to heal and restore all bro­ken, diseased, and infirm souls, that are sensible of their want of him.

Other Physicians, and even they who have the cure of souls, with regard to distempered minds and hearts, are comparatively of no value and quite insignificant: For, however well in­clined, knowing, and able they may be, they cannot heal diseased souls, and cure their spiri­tual wounds. It is therefore in vain to depend on them for restored souls and spiritual health.

Wherefore, ceasing from men, even while improving them, as it is our duty to be, we are to repair and address ourselves to him, who has the words of eternal life, the words of perfect healing and everlasting happiness: For to whom else should we go but unto him?

Let us all then, with broken hearts, look and cry to him, and rely on him for his heal­ing [Page 29] and saving mercies; and that with a cor­dial inclination and firm purpose to follow all his directions and counsels, in order to our ob­taining forgiveness and salvation from him: And, if some of these counsels appear hard, as to pluck out a right eye and cut off a right hand and cast them away from us, and to restore what we have wrongfully taken away from others, as far as it is in our power to do it; yet we ought to comply with them, in order to our obtaining pardon and happiness.

It may not be amiss here, but very proper and seasonable, to put a momentous question to any inconsiderate, vain, and impenitent person that may be in this assembly: If then you own yourself a human creature and a reasonable be­ing, let me demand of you, and let your con­scious heart, in the fear of God, give answer: Is it not better to part with every sin, and even that which is most dear and pleasing to you, for Christ and to gain healing and happiness by him? Is it not vastly, yea infinitely, better for you to be renewed and pardoned, and so to have your soul saved from sin and wrath, and to be perfect­ly and forever blessed, then to continue in vice and retain your lusts, and to perish forever?

Seriously and impartially weigh these things both now, and when you return to your own homes: And immediately resolve and endea­vor, in the divine strength, most earnestly sought and most sedulously and faithfully improved, to address yourself to Christ, and give up yourself entirely and forever to him, as your Teacher, [Page 30] Lord and Saviour, with a full and hearty pur­pose to abhor and forsake all iniquity in heart and life, and to conform to his will and exam­ple, as he has taught and required us.

This, this is the prescribed way, and the approv­ed method to be healed and saved to the uttermost by him; in whom, and from whom alone is complete health and perfect happiness: For there is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be healed and saved.

And unto him, therefore, who is the Lord our healer and Saviour, be all the glory of purcha­sing and procuring, of applying, perfecting and establishing complete health and happiness to the children of men, both now and forever.

AMEN.