Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/460

 O my  God,  enlighten  my  darkness.' "  (Ps.  xii.  4.  and xvii.  29.)

I. "And  they  came  to  Bethsaida,  and  they  bring  to Him  a  blind  man,  and  they  besought  Him  to  touch  him. And  taking  the  blind  man  by  the  hand,  He  led  him  out of  the  town." (Mark viii.  22.)  "  That  man  is  blind  who does  not  see  what  he  was,  what  he  is,  and  what  he  is  to be." Examine whether  or  not  you  be  spiritually  blind, and believe  that  whosoever  wishes  to  be  cured  of  this  disease must  suffer  himself  to  be  led  by  Christ  "  out  of  the town;"  that  is,  out  of  the  bustle  and  noise  of  the  world, and then  he  will  be  enlightened.

II. Christ did  not  immediately  and  by  a  single  word cure this  man,  as  He  did  so  many  others,  but  "spitting upon  his  eyes,  and  laying  His  hands  on  him,  He  asked him  if  he  saw  anything." Thus Christ  pursues  different means in  enlightening  the  minds  of  men:  into  some  He introduces  the  effect  in  a  moment;  into  others,  by  degrees. In this  last  manner  the  blind  man  recovered  his sight; in  the  first  stage  of  his  cure,  "  I  see,"  he  said, " men  as  trees  walking." To men  who  are  not  thoroughly  enlightened  by  divine  grace  all  worldly  things  must appear much  greater  than  they  really  are. In another sense, wicked  men  may  be  called  trees,  for  unless  they bear fruit,  "  they  will  be  cut  down  and  cast  into  the fire.

III. His sight  was  at  last  perfectly  restored  to  this blind man,  "  so  that  he  saw  all  things  clearly." Entreat your Lord  that  you  may  see  all  things  clearly,  and  be