blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his

upon his eyes, and made him look up

hands again

and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."

From the narrative thus recited, it is proposed in the first place, TO ADVERT TO THE PECULIARITY OF OUR LORD'S CONDUCT ON THIS OCCASION: secondly,

TO CONSIDER MORE PARTICULARLY THE GRADUAL PROCESS OF THE CURE WHICH HE WROUGHT: and thirdly, TO NOTICE THE MODE IN WHICH HE DISMISSES THE OBJECT OF HIS COMPASSION. May the Holy Spirit of God be graciously pleased to direct and bless our meditations!

I. In the first place then we shall ADVERT TO THE PECULIARITY OF OUR LORD'S CONDUCT ON THIS OCCASION.

The blind man (as was frequently the case with those in whose behalf the relief of our Saviour was implored) was brought to him by persons who must be supposed to have felt an interest in his welfare, and who therefore besought our Lord to touch him. Doubtless their expectation was, from what they had before seen or heard, that his touch would be efficacious, and that by virtue of it, the blind man would

receive sight. May we have grace, after their example, and with reference to infinitely more important blessings, to rely on the power and mercy of our adorable Saviour, to whom we have abundant encouragement to make application!

But we have particularly to notice, that Jesus "took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town." We cannot but remark the condescension and kindness which our Lord evinced in the attention which he bestowed on the afflicted in his very first act on this interesting occasion. He might have left the blind man in the care of his friends, desiring them to lead him, and giving direction that they should all follow whither He himself should conduct them. But though he had authority so to do, he issues no such command. On the contrary, in taking the man by the hand, he at once shewed his own humility, and encouraged the object of his intended interposition to confide in his mercy, no less than in his power. While then, my brethren, we contemplate with wonder, may we endeavour habitually to imitate, in all our deportment, the humility and loveliness of our Lord and Master, earnestly praying that the same mind may be in us which was also in him.

That part of our Saviour's conduct which immediately followed is also remarkable. Having taken the blind man by the hand, he "led him out of the town." Is it asked, why should he have done so-? In reply to such an inquiry, we must acknowledge that, as we have no certain information on the subject,

L

It

nothing more than conjecture can be advanced. has been supposed by some, that the intention of our Lord was to avoid notoriety and all appearance of ostentatious display. It is so well known, however, that most of his miracles were wrought in the presence of numerous spectators, besides his own constant attendants, that such a supposition can scarcely be regarded as very probable. Others therefore have rather thought, that his design was to mark his disapprobation of the unbelief and wickedness of the inhabitants of Bethsaida, on whom the mighty works which he had already performed among them, had produced no salutary effect. We find him elsewhere upbraiding them, together with the inhabitants of Chorazin and Capernaum, because, after all the evidences which had been afforded them of his Divine power, and of their consequent obligation cordially to receive him, they repented not. It has been inferred therefore, that with a reference to those " mighty works that had in vain been done" in Bethsaida, he " was telling her, in effect, she was unworthy to have any more done within her walls." Without attempting to settle this point of doubtful inquiry, (for such, after all that might be advanced, it must still remain,) we may rest fully assured, that some wise and adequate reason induced our Lord to adopt the conduct which on this occasion he pursued. Let us then proceed,

II. In the second place, TO CONSIDER MORE PAR

1 Henry.

TICULARLY THE GRADUAL PROCESS OF THE CURE WHICH HE WROUGHT.

"And when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he looked up and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."

The actions which our Saviour is here represented as having employed, cannot be at all regarded as means conducive to the cure of the blind man they had naturally no efficacy whatever to the attainment of such an end. They seem to have been used, however, for the purpose of conveying an intimation which would readily be understood, that the cure which was about to be effected, proceeded from our Lord himself. The blind man would be sensible of his touch, and of the sound of his voice with which it was accompanied; and though he could not at that moment distinguish the person of his benefactor whom he was so soon to behold; yet when he should have fully received his sight, and should then again hear the voice of our Lord, he would at once identify the individual who addressed him, and now stood exposed to his view, as the exalted personage to whom he was unspeakably indebted.

The gesture of the man, immediately after our Saviour had inquired of him if he saw aught, together with his reply to that inquiry, indicated that the cure had already commenced; and had even made an encouraging progress. On lifting up his eyes, he

found that, to a certain extent, he now possessed the faculty of vision; which, however, was as yet so imperfect that he could not distinguish between objects essentially different from each other, except by incidental circumstances: "he looked up and said, I see men as trees, walking."

Our Lord having thus manifestly commenced the work of his healing power, proceeds to complete it. Putting his hands a second time upon the man's eyes, -which repeated action we may suppose that he would now be able, in some measure, to discern,he caused him again to look up the consequence of which was, that being fully restored, he "saw every man clearly." Doubtless He who on many occasions, and in cases of the same nature as the one before us, had performed instantaneous cures immediately consequent upon the simple utterance of his word, could have acted in like manner in the present instance, if such had been his good pleasure. Wise reasons, however, we may be assured, induced him to pursue a different course.

Now we may fairly take occasion to observe here, that whether such a reference were intended or not, we have in the case before us an apt emblem of the ordinary work of Divine grace, on those who are the happy subjects of that work.

When the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit commence their operation in the renewed soul, the natural darkness of the mind begins to be dispelled. Those who experience that operation are no longer wholly blind, as they once were, in regard to spiritual