and distinct as you might desire,—instead of being on this account unduly disquieted, let the light which you at present possess be regarded as a pledge of brighter and more vigorous perceptions; and let it encourage you both to implore and to expect a more extended knowledge and enjoyment of the blessings of grace. While too you are increasingly thankful for a growing acquaintance with Divine truth, in answer to your prayers, let the conviction be impressed upon your minds, that imperfection must ever be attendant upon your present state, though hereafter it shall not be so. "Now you see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now you know in part; but then shall you know even as also you are known." You may indeed even here obtain that insight into the doctrines of the Gospel, and the stupendous purposes of eternal wisdom,-not merely which is essential to your real welfare and to the ultimate salvation of your souls, but which may enable you to "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Still, however, you must not forget, that it is only in the consummation of heaven, and in the light of eternal life, that your powers of perception will attain their maturity, and that the field of vision will be expanded before you in all its variety, richness, and magnificence. Maintaining then a constant faith in the power of the Lord Jesus, and in the veracity of his Holy Word, anticipate in joyous hope the period in which that animating promise addressed to the church, and therefore interesting to all its members, shall receive its most extensive accomplishment-"The sun shall be no more thy light

by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory."

3. Finally, those shall be addressed who, being still in a state of spiritual darkness, feel no concern about their condition. Fully indeed are we aware that no efforts of ours are sufficient in themselves to produce that concern, the existence of which we most ardently desire. Nevertheless we know also that God is graciously pleased to accompany the faithful labours of those who minister in the Word and Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ, with his effectual blessing, to the welfare and salvation of many immortal souls. Hence it is that we are encouraged to plead with you, fellowsinners, and to urge upon you the importance of attending to that information which we are commissioned to convey. Calling upon you, therefore, as immortal beings formed for an endless existence, we exhort you to inquire into the state in which you now stand in regard to Almighty God; telling you, at the same time, that it is a state of imminent danger. is essentially necessary to your attainment of felicity in the world to come, that you should be acquainted with the way of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord; that you should be thoroughly convinced of your need of Him as a complete Saviour, and of the grounds on which He is both indispensable and all-sufficient. Without this knowledge, you must be given up to the endurance of everlasting misery in the world to come. Apprizing you therefore of your spiritual darkness, and of the awful danger which is connected with it,

It

we importune you, as your eternal happiness is in suspense, to pray for the light of the Divine Spirit, that you may see and know Him who is the way, the truth, and the life, and being made wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, may finally be exalted to the joys of beatific vision in the realms of everlasting day.

DISCOURSE XI.

SIGHT COMMUNICATED TO A MAN BORN

BLIND.

JOHN IX. 8-11.

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

THE miraculous cure to which our attention is now to be directed, is one of peculiar interest, both on account of the minuteness with which it is recorded, and of the extraordinary occurrences to which it gave rise. As the whole of the chapter in which it is related must pass before us, in the course of our intended examination, we shall enter upon that examination without further introduction. It is proposed therefore to consider

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING, AND CONNECTED WITH, THE Recorded cure.

II. THE NOTORIETY AND REMARKABLE CONFER

ENCES WHICH ENnsued.

III. THE

OBSERVATIONS

SUBSEQUENTLY MADE

BY OUR LORD.

I. In the first place we consider THE CIRCUMSTANCES

PRECEDING, AND CONNECTED WITH, the cure.

Of these circumstances we have an account in the first seven verses of the chapter." And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is, by interpretation, sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."

Whithersoever our Saviour went, some object of compassion arrested his attention, and gave occasion to the exercise of his power and mercy. In the instance before us, indeed, the individual presented to his special notice was one in whose case the privation