August 2

He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came, seeing.—John 9:7.

BLINDNESS is one of the greatest calamities next to the loss of reason, to which human nature is liable. In several instances, this lamentable condition was remedied through the mercy and power of Christ. The person to whom our attention is now directed, had been born blind, so that his case, was humanly speaking without hope. Jesus possessed all power both in heaven and earth, and he came to exert that power in removing the miseries of our race. This poor blind man, arrested the attention of Christ. His disciples were under the influence of a prejudice which has most extensively prevailed, that where there is peculiar suffering, there must have been aggravated transgressions; they asked therefore, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? how necessary it is that we speak tenderly of those, who may be the subjects of severe providential visitations. For Jesus replied, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents,” that is any more than others, not in any aggravated degree, “but that the works of God should be manifest in him.” It is the will of God whose sovereignty is uncontrollable, whose wisdom is infinite, and whose goodness is over all his works, to allow a diversity of condition to exist, that his own glory, and the ends of his providence, may be more fully answered. In the present case, this poor afflicted man, became a joyous subject of Christ's restoring power and grace. While the disciples were reasoning about the cause of the man's suffering, Jesus in his loving kindness, was contemplating his cure. How much better to fall into the hands of the Lord, than into those of men. Let Christ's example induce us, not to waste our time in vain speculations, about the causes and effects of evil, but rather how we can be instrumental under God, in most efficiently removing it. What an illustrious model do we behold in Jesus, who went about doing good, and never wearied, until his work and life terminated together.