September 4

CHANGE.

"One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."—John 9:25.

IN the context we have an interesting account of a miracle our Saviour performed, in giving natural sight to a man born blind; but no less a power is exerted on every believer, in the communication of spiritual vision. We may view the text as the Christian's exclamation. It is the language of

HUMBLE CONFESSION. "I was blind." Our state by nature is one of mental, moral, and spiritual darkness. Unbelievers are blind with regard to God. What mistaken views have they of the Divine character and government! With regard to themselves—let me appeal, Christians, to your past condition. You formed a wrong estimate of yourselves; you did not see the evil of sin; you were blind to the value of the soul, and the preciousness of Christ. But let us consider the text as the language of

GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT. "I see." Observe

The objects it includes. What do you see? Things you never witnessed before? sin in its vileness, yourself in your unworthiness, Satan in his craftiness, the heart in its deceitfulness, the world in its emptiness, God in his glory, Christ in his fulness, the Spirit in his operations, the soul in its value, ordinances and providences in their designs, life in its shortness, time in its uncertainty, and eternity in its realities. Hereafter you shall see greater things than these. This is only the commencement, what shall the consummation be!

The effects it produces. There will be an open avowal, as it was in the instance before us: you will, if you are the subjects of this vision, look beyond means and instrumentality to Christ as the Author of it. There will be joy and gratitude, a desire for the increase of knowledge, and sympathy for, and exertions on behalf of those who are spiritually blind.

HOLY CONFIDENCE. "I know." The Christian knows the change he has felt, and this in two ways:—

By his own experience. "He that believeth hath the witness in himself." If we can testify the fact of this change, the precise season, means, or manner of it are unimportant. Who knows, says a living writer, precisely when the day begins, or which are the first beams that reach our horizon? Yet one thing we know, the sun is rising, it is dawn, it is day. Who perceived when he first began to live naturally? yet we know we have a being. It is the reality, not the instrumentality, that most concerns us. But it is known also

From the Spirit's testimony. How delightful is it when this is felt and enjoyed! The subjects hows the degradation of human nature, it is a state of blindness; it stamps an importance on means, Jesus spat on the ground, made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man; and it confirms the Godhead of the Saviour.