So Blind, So Deaf, So Dumb, So Lame, So Dead

The holy Christian is the greatest miracle.

He can tell you that he was so blind--but now God

has given him eyes to see sin to be the greatest evil;

and Christ to be the choicest good.

He can tell you that once he was so deaf--that though

God called very often and very loudly to him--by His

word and by His works, by His rods at home and by

His judgments abroad, and by his Spirit and conscience,

which were still a-preaching in his bosom--sometimes life,

sometimes death, sometimes heaven, and sometimes hell

--yet he could not hear! But now God has given him a

hearing ear, so that now he can with delight hear the

sweet music of the promises on the one hand; and

with a holy trembling listen to the voice of divine

threatenings on the other hand.

He can tell you that once he was so dumb--that if he

might have had the whole world, he could not have

spoken a good word for God, nor for His ways, nor for

His people, nor for any of His concernments. Oh! but

now his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer--and

he is never better, than when he is a-speaking either

of God, or for God and His concerns. Now he can

contend for the faith, and speak for saints. And though

in some cases he may lack power to act for God--yet he

never lacks a tongue to speak for God. The spouse's lips

drop honeycombs in Canticles 4:11. Yes, his tongue now

becomes a tree of life, whose leaves are medicinal.

He can tell you that once he was so lame--that he was

not able to move one foot heaven-wards, nor Christ-wards,

nor holiness-wards, etc. But now his feet delight, not only

to go--but to run in all the ways of God's commands!

Yes, he can tell you that once he was so dead--as to all

his soul-concerns. But now he is alive, and the life that

he leads in the flesh, is by faith in the Son of God, who

has loved him and given Himself for him, Gal. 2:20.

It was by a miracle that the Red Sea was driven back;

and it is no less a miracle--to see a sinner who was

accustomed to do evil--now habituated to do good.

That the tide of sin, which before did run so strong

--should be so easily turned; that the sinner who, a

little before was sailing hellward, and lacked neither

wind nor tide to carry him there--should now suddenly

alter his course, and tack about for heaven--what a

miracle is this! To see . . .

an earthly man become heavenly,

a carnal man become spiritual,

a loose man become precise,

a proud man become humble,

a covetous man become liberal, and

a harsh man become meek, etc.,

is to behold the greatest of miracles!