O my God, enlighten my darkness.' " (Ps. xii. 4. and xvii. 29.)
THURSDAY.
The Blind Man of Bethsaida.
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
