loam (which is by interpretation, sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

There is no doubt but our blessed Saviour, could have performed this miracle without any external means; indeed the means he used on this occasion, were so far from being likely to effect the cure, that they seemed calculated to produce a contrary effect. We must therefore conclude, that these means were designed, to direct our attention to higher mysteries, and shew us, that it can be no other power than that which first created man out of clay, that enlightens the dark mind of the dead sinner, and gives spiritual light to those eyes, which are closed by the thick darkness of guilt.

Whether the blind man, whose case we are now considering, was acquainted with the name and character of our Redeemer, the evangelists have not informed us: but as his miracles had been published in Jerusalem so often, as well as in all the country round, it cannot be supposed, that this man, who resided at Jerusalem, could be totally ignorant of them; and it seems, by his ready obedience to the directions of the Son of God, though the means directed, seemed to have no tendency to promote the cure, that he knew who it was that gave him those directions: and we find, that he was amply rewarded for the readiness of his obedience, by receiving the gift of sight.

So wonderful an event, could not fail of engaging the attention, and exciting the surprise of all that beheld it; and those who had often seen the blind man in his dark and deplorable condition, it may be expected, would be very particular in their inquiries into the means of so singular, and surprising an event: it was, doubtless, the subject of general conversation: and one would have thought, it might have been the cause of general con.. versation; but the obstinacy and perverseness of the Jewish nation, was not to be overcome; their unbelief and hardness of heart, would not give way to the clear

est evidence. Great was the surprise of the neighbours and friends, of the restored person: 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, it is like him; but he said, I am he.

The poor man's heart was full of gratitude and joy, and therefore, perceiving his neighbours to doubt the identity of his person, he proclaimed himself to be the very same whom they had lately seen begging in total darkness; I am he, thus wonderfully blessed with sight by the mighty power of God, said he; am the man who was blind from my birth, whom ye have all seen, and many of you have relieved me in my deplorable distress; I am he who was even from my mother's womb, involved in pitchy darkness, but now with joy and wonder, which I cannot express, behold the beauteous beams of day.

On hearing so frank and full a declaration, they were anxious to know how this great event was produced; and they hastily inquired, How were thine eyes opened? To which the man replied, 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. They then asked him where the person was who had performed so wonderful, merciful, and beneficial a work? To which the man replied, I know not: for JESUS had retired while the man went to wash in the pool of Siloam; perhaps our Lord chose to retire, to avoid the applause of the people, which would naturally follow so stupendous a work, and which, we frequently find in the gospels, he was particularly careful to shun.

The persons who were witnesses of this wonderful event, either out of envy against JESUS, or being desirous to search the affair to the bottom, brought the man who was the subject of this miracle, before the

council, as proper judges of the matter: accordingly, as soon as he was placed before the assembly, the Pharisees began, in a brow-beating way, to question him how he recovered his sight? However awful and terrible such an assembly might be to a poor beggar, the man boldly mentioned the name of JESUS, and positively declared-He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. The Pharisees, having heard this account of the miracle, maliciously declared, that the person who had performed it, was a deceiver; for, if he was a prophet, he would be an observer of the law, which he had openly violated, by working this work on the Sabbath-day. But some in the council, with a spirit of greater candour and moderation, gave it as their opinion, that no deceiver could work so great and beneficial a work; for no wicked man would have either inclination or power to perform it.

The court, being thus divided in their opinion, that regard to the character of JESUS, they asked the man, what he thought of the person who had restored him. to sight? To which he boldly and plainly replied, He is a prophet. But the Jews still hoped to invalidate the miracle, and therefore insinuated, that it was not. true, that this man was really born blind: to come to the bottom of this matter, they sent for his parents, and asked them, whether he was their son, and if he really was born blind, and by what means he had received his sight? To which they answered, that he was most certainly their son, and was born blind; but by what means he had received his sight, or what person had conferred this great blessing upon him, they could not tell: but, as their son was of age to answer for himself, they referred them to him: These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess that Jesus was the Christ, he should be put out of the Synagogue.

In the conduct of the parents of this poor man, wa

M m

may behold the great evil of the fear of man, and how powerfully this slavish principle acts on the mind; they well knew by what means their son had rceived his sight; and, like him, they should, with gratitude and joy, have confessed the divine hand which had wrought this wonderful work; and dared to have acknowledged this extraordinary person before all the world, whatever the consequences of such conduct might have been. Let us hence learn the weakness of human nature, and never presume too much on our own strength, but implore the assistance of the Holy Spirit at all times, and not love the praise of men more than the favour of God.

The Pharisees, finding all their attempts to disapprove or lessen this miracle, did but tend to establish the matter of fact, and make it shine with greater lustre, proceeded to their old method of calumniating the divine author of it: They called again the man that had been born blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. To which the man answered, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

This answer was not sufficient to satisfy the proud and envious opposers of the Son of God, but they sought to confound the poor man, who had thus plainly and boldly affirmed the truth respecting a matter of fact, in which it was impossible he should be mistaken, with a multiplicity of questions, and would meanly lead a poor simple beggar into all the windings of sophistry; and with this view asked him 'What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?' These questions they had asked before, and received plain and positive answers to each: but they seemed now to repeat them with a design, that the man, by repeating the manner in which he received the cure, might be sensible that JESUS had, by effecting this miracle, violated the Sabbath, and must, of consequence,

be

an impostor. Thus the enemies of our Redeemer would have persuaded the person who had received the invaluable blessing of sight, to join with them in the judgment they formed of the great person who had been his generous benefactor: but their obstinacy and perverseness appeared so plain to him, that he boldly answered, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?

This answer was received by the council with indignation, scorn, and contempt; for they reviled him, and said, thou art his disciple, but we are Moses's disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we not whence he is. The poor beggar was surprised, that so extraordinary a person, and one who possessed such wonderful powers, and exerted them for the good of mankind, should be unknown to the rulers of Israel, Why herein is a marvellous thing, said he, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes: we know that God heareth not sinners; but if a man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began, it was not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

Such was the plain and powerful reasoning of this poor man; his inference was just and natural, and founded on a plain matter of fact, and principles which could not be denied: they all knew, nor durst they deny, that God heareth not sinners: they all knew that God had heard JESUS; the miracle which he had just now wrought, and which could not be denied, plainly proved this; for it was a miracle which never had been performed by any man since the beginning of the world: it was far above the reach of the powers of nature, or the attainments of human art; and, therefore, its origin must be truly divine. It there